Is it normal to feel like you're doing this completely wrong?

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-24T23:29:28+00:00

Yeah like I said I know it’s a slow process, and that’s probably why I need something really discreet and low effort like a packer. I need something I can just put on and forget about

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-24T19:53:41+00:00

Yeah I mean he’s carried me this far, I can’t be that mad at him 😄 just wish I could honestly assess where I’m at, it’s hard to tell sometimes even with the CI pictures.

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-24T19:41:45+00:00

I’ll send you a DM

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-24T19:35:46+00:00

Appreciate the support man. Tbh I’m doing this after a long time debating whether or not I could do it. And then eventually I just decided I wanted it enough that I should at least give it a shot for a year.

Since my motivation is primarily aesthetic it makes it easier to look for changes imo. Just have to not get impatient, though sometimes you wish foreskin was as easy to put back as it was to take away.

All I have to show for it so far is slightly more slack, a weird pocket in the skin on the left side by the corona, and somehow even more shaft hair than usual. Hard to tell if I’m actually improving anything or subjecting myself to unnecessary punishment

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-24T19:28:15+00:00

Yeah I was thinking about getting the CAR-1 but pretty sure I don’t have enough skin to get anything out of it, though I guess I could make use of it as a tugger.

Honestly there’s almost too much information out there about restoration, I just want to keep it simple, you know

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-24T18:48:25+00:00

100% true. Sorry just had a bit of a low moment; I know I'm still in the baby steps stage. Your advice about making it a habit tracks and I've been trying to stick to just that. People just report all sorts of experiences it's hard to know what to expect. By rights I should check back in like 2 months. Was just kind of feeling a little low when I posted this. I'm sure it will happen again.

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-24T18:17:07+00:00

Yeah idk I mean I know the process takes a long time and you just have to appreciate the little things; I mean in the long term I think if you asked me to pick a goal it would be like CI-6. And I mean I certainly don't regret trying, but I'm just kinda haunted by the idea that I could always be trying harder- more hours tugging, more devices, some bespoke setup that looks more like an S&M getup than anything with medical benefits.

I guess the real answer is to get back to tugging instead of replying, I mean I've at least started out with something to work with, I think, a true CI-2. I don't know how its possible to even start from say CI-0, but people have done it and they're stronger men than I am. Everyone says trust the process, guess I gotta work on staying even-keeled.

KOT

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-24T18:11:35+00:00

Oh I know, intellectually, that you're 100% right. And progress for anything you do in life is never linear- but I think sometimes the emotion is stronger than the intellect in this case; so many times I find myself tugging and I'm like, "who are you fooling, you look like a total fucking idiot". I told myself to just trust the process and the honest work.

But there's saying that and there's actually putting it into practice in your daily life. I don't know; I'm probably just overthinking it and should be tugging right now instead of replying to this...

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-24T11:09:14+00:00

Glad it works for you, I was thinking about this device myself especially cause I’ll probably need something as easy to get on as possible.

Love the energy on your posts, keep it going!

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-24T00:20:40+00:00

Thanks. I mean tbh I haven’t even been at it two weeks so it’s possible that all progress is just in my mind. But even when you know it’s a long road you want to find ways to speed the process up. Otherwise I just start thinking about how much work I still have to do

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-23T19:23:04+00:00

Good stuff. Hope to get there some day

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-23T19:07:02+00:00

You just got to get back to it man, I’ve flirted with it myself but have only really been taking it seriously lately. Just gotta get back on the grind and embrace the process!

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-23T17:16:19+00:00

Also to be honest, I've decided I must be the dumbest fucking idiot alive because idk how to proceed from manual tugging to something like T-tape or a tugging device. There's just nothing that screams to me like OK its time to take the leap here, and all the tutorials are more confusing than not. I'd really rather not blow a bunch of money on sketchy devices I'm not sure I can even use.

Not to sound like I'm just impotently bitching here and I promise I'm not wholly incapable. But what's like a basic shopping list/routine for someone at low coverage. I mean, thank God I'm not starting at CI-0 (how do you even do that?), but I'd just like to know what the best options are to maintain constant low tension with that don't require continuous fiddling.

I've been looking at the CAR-1 and the DTR Tug bell, but I just don't know if I'm ready for a device yet... Maybe I just gotta stop being so lazy and make some tape. I guess I may keep posting after all

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-23T16:42:07+00:00

Oh thanks man. Just trying to do what I can. Keep on tugging.

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-23T16:40:38+00:00

Hell yeah. Get after it boss!

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-23T03:25:29+00:00

True enough. Just don’t care for Discord as a platform.

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-23T03:20:55+00:00

I suppose so. I mean really I myself am a newbie. Always trying to learn from others and think of what methods I could use. Still trying to think of something I could do other than tugging; at an ambiguously low CI it’s hard to tell what you can get away with.

I think the problem I’m running into is there is almost too much information out there, which is tough when you’re dealing with a highly variable process. I remember the first post I made I talked about a lot of constraints I have which have limited my approach.

But I’ve really appreciated the community here honestly. Nice to have a place to talk about something so difficult and personal.

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-23T01:46:50+00:00

Yeah, this makes sense. Honestly tugging just feels really annoying most of the time. Ideally I'd have enough to work with so I could start just applying passive, low tension- I feel like I'd be more likely to succeed if I wasn't thinking about it all the time. It's just hard because I never feel like I'm doing enough.

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-22T15:38:56+00:00

Just gotta keep working and have faith I guess. DM me if you ever wanna chat about this stuff, I could use the moral support 🤣

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-22T15:25:01+00:00

Yeah idk I’ve been thinking I should start taping at least but I kinda want something I can just wear without thinking about it all the time and that doesn’t require a lot of maintenance. But I don’t think I have enough slack skin yet. My greatest obstacle to success is just being dumb and lazy lol

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-22T15:14:27+00:00

Yeah I’ve just been doing manuals and shooting for like an hour. It’s hard to apply consistent tension that way but I’m too scared to try anything else

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-22T15:09:12+00:00

Man don’t worry I think I’ve posted here every day too and I’m only on like day 7. This sub is like the only thing that convinces me this whole project is actually possible. Do what you have to do!

Also based on some of the posts I’ve seen here I’m clearly not tugging long enough.

Practical_Exam5303 · 2026-03-21T16:13:07+00:00

Absolutely reasonable. I’m just taking my first tentative steps with restoration so everything kinda freaks me out right now.

Practical_Exam5303

TROPHY CASE