Well I finally managed to get myself a tube of betamethasone 0.05 from a pharmacy in Rosarito Mexico. I would like to know the order of applying this if any of you guys know. If it would be best before stretching or after. I also have a GFS balloon system to assist with the stretching. I used that before, but I had some issues with it that caused 2 of my balloons to pop (I started being way more gentle with the balloons after that and no longer used the stick that came with it).

I since have received 2 more balloons and decided that I would wait to really give them full application till I also get the betamethasone. I will try my best to keep up a consistent stretching program for 3 weeks, once a day with the GFS and another time just regular finger stretching. I will let you guys know my weekly progress.

My current status with phimosis right now would be where it looks like it can almost retract while flaccid. since almost the entire glan can expose then. However at the bottom the foreskin there seems a bit swollen, not red, but somewhat swollen to where it just wont pull back comfortably and still seems tight around the glan. If I yanked it back it would probably retract, but it would give a strangulation effect and wouldnt be comfortable at all right now. When erect the hole is bit bigger than a dime maybe almost nickle size.

Paul just responded to Pete about how to use this product.

Did you need a prescription in Mexico?

Nope I didnt need a prescription.

I think it was Howard to whom I replied with the where instructions on using betamethasone.

In respect of the GFS however, I have to mention that it must not be used together with any petroleum-based product (and I hope you were not using anything oily when those balloons "popped"). The betamethasone is in a petroleum base, so should be used after a stretching "session" with the GFS. In general, stretch with GFS, apply a tiny amount of betamethasone accurately, rest some hours (with or without manual stretching), pee (to literally wash away any remaining cream or ointment), back to GFS.

And - do the frænulum stretch!

Thanks a lot for those directions. They were a bit different from what I was doing, so its good to know. When one of the balloons popped I was indeed using a bit of baby oil. The other time it popped it was by using the "stick" that is supposed to help to put the balloon inside the foreskin, I would advise against using that at all with the product. Basically now with the GFS I have to use my own style to make it seem like its stretching at all.

The way they ask you to use it where you put a clip around the balloon and blow it up does not feel effective to me. Usually I put the balloon in and blow it to a pretty good size for about 2 minutes then I deflate it for a few seconds and repeat this process for about 10-15 minutes. That's the only way I can feel a good stretch with it. There is a learning curve to this product and they don't warn against using petroleum products with stretching which they should, because they also say you can use warm water or betamethasone before the stretching.

On my 3rd day stretching with the betamethasone I've started to feel like the skin may be swelling up a bit, though it doesnt seem very noticeable if it is. Either that or it is getting sore. I am wondering, would the veins in my foreskin be a hindrance when it comes to stretching it? There are veins right around the opening to my foreskin and I am starting to feel like stretching the skin there and putting a lot of pressure on those veins is what may be making a painful sensation or making it feel like its swelling. Will it still be possible to stretch it, if I have veins around the opening like that?

Try gripping where the veins are not affected. As the skin grows, the blood network will also grow.

Veins are like the old-fashioned canvas fire hose - they swell up tight under pressure, but go flat and almost disappear when there is nothing to fill them. They are at least as stretchable as the skin (there's the trouble - too much pressure inside and they can stretch and become "varicose" - this doesn't happen in the penis however because there isn't that much pressure, just in the legs) so you really don't need to worry about them at all when stretching your foreskin.

They can look impressive simply because it only takes a little pressure to inflate them. Most people seem to consider them attractive on the penis (or correspondingly, a woman's labia), which is a very practical attitude - it is absolutely and irrevocably normal for them to be there on the relatively soft, loose skin, so one should consider that attractive (as with veins on the breasts, more prominent when lactating).

Well, I did ask the fellow there at "platigo" when I spent forty-odd minutes on the phone to him, as to from what the balloon is made and he did as I recall tell me that it was natural rubber (like a condom, but heavier gauge of course) and was therefore susceptible to damage from mineral oil, which is what "baby oil" is and the "base" for steroid creams and ointments. Yes, they should warn you!

{"Baby oil" - just how do they extract it? }

Warm water should be no problem, and any lubricant certified safe for use with normal condoms should be OK also.

I gather you are describing a process of inflating the balloon for a series of two minute periods with brief intervals between. It may well be that you feel the stretch more that way, but I would not be sure that would necessarily be more effective (except insofar as you inflate more each time). It seems to me that using a device with such a consistent, even pressure, you would find that the initial sensation of the stretch "wears off" simply because nothing is changing. But it is not the feeling, but the consistency of pressure that is the stimulus to growth of the skin.

I'm not saying you are doing it wrongly however, if it is working, that is the only really important thing.

Thanks for the informative responses all. I have still been stretching for about the last month. Unfortunately I did miss out on about 1 week of stretching (which I shouldnt have missed), due to me traveling away from home for a while. But since then I stopped using the GFS for stretching and just started relying on my fingers. I stopped using the GFS because I just felt like it was a lot more work/maintenance to use it, and it was also losing some stretching power.

I actually feel more of a stretch when I do it with my own two fingers now. However, if you get a brand new GFS and dont pop it, it will have a lot more power compared to my GFS that has been used about 25+ times already (not consistently enough at that). There were times when I was getting discouraged from not seeing too much progress, but honestly I have only been stretching 1 time a day for the majority of days. So I believe now that it is a *requirement to stretch 2 times a day for at least 10 minutes to see progress.

I do not think its practical to expect groundbreaking results in 2 weeks, maybe like the GFS has expected us to. But with stretching 2 times a day 10 minutes consistently I have faith that it has to end up showing results of at least a full flaccid retraction, which for me would even be great.