About 60 percent of newborn boys in the United States are circumcised. But what if you grow up and wish that you hadn't been? Is there a way to restore your foreskin? Or what if you weren't circumcised as a newborn, but wish you were? In an age of plastic surgeries such as labia snipping and vaginal tightening, anything is possible. Right?

To Cut ...

Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin — the retractable tube of skin that covers and protects the head (glans) of the penis. All healthy boys are born with a foreskin.

Most men who are circumcised are circumcised when they are infants. Parents opt for infant circumcision for cosmetic purposes, for family tradition, or for religious reasons. Most boys are circumcised so they will look like their dads. Doctors used to tell parents that circumcision would keep their sons healthier and cleaner. At the beginning of the 20th century, circumcision became highly popular as a way to prevent boys from masturbating. Now, most health care providers are not worried about kids masturbating. And most believe that, in the United States, there are no medical or hygienic reasons to have a child circumcised.  (Recent studies in Africa have suggested that adult circumcised men who have sex with women aren't as likely to get HIV as uncircumcised men.)

While circumcision is generally performed on babies without anesthesia, it's a more elaborate procedure for adults, requiring anesthesia and a longer healing period. Not only that, but adult circumcision is not usually covered by insurance and can cost thousands of dollars. Both adult and infant circumcision have risks that are usually associated with surgery — including infection and nerve and tissue damage.

... Or Not to Cut

Some circumcised men feel unsatisfied with the look or sensation of their penises, or resentful that they were circumcised as infants without a say in the matter.

In some cases, the foreskin can be restored manually by repeatedly stretching the remaining skin. And while extremely rare, foreskin can be restored surgically. According to Dr. Robert Stubbs, a Toronto plastic surgeon who has performed both adult circumcisions and foreskin restorations, "Of these two penile procedures, circumcision is definitely the more popular one, for hygienic and social reasons."

Wayne Griffiths is the founder of the National Organization for the Restoration of Men (NORM), which provides support for men who want to restore their foreskins and advocates against circumcision. "As a boy, I felt envious of my friends with foreskins, and I wanted mine back," he says.

Hanging Around

Most circumcised penises still have some loose skin that, if pulled upon long enough and forcefully enough for a certain period of time, can eventually resemble a foreskin. Griffiths was able to slowly restore his foreskin over the course of a year by stretching the skin on the shaft of his penis until it covered the head. This can be accomplished with tape or with metal devices that latch on to the penis and stretch the skin. Through this method some men can obtain a foreskin that looks as though they had never been circumcised. And some men, including Griffiths, report that they experience increased sexual sensation in the heads of their penises after developing a foreskin that covers them.

Surgical foreskin restoration is extremely rare, and is more expensive and painful than manual foreskin restoration. The surgery is performed by sewing skin transplanted from a donor or skin taken from other areas of the groin onto the penis. These surgeries can cost many thousands of dollars, and are generally not covered by insurance.

All Men Are Created Equal

Like any surgery, both kinds of adult foreskin surgeries have risks. Before you sign up for any medical procedure, make sure you understand exactly what you're getting yourself into — that your doctor has the right credentials and experience and that you are fully aware of all the possible risks and side effects. It's also important to have realistic expectations: Both cut and uncut penises work the same way; they just look a little different. And no matter what you decide, either way is normal and healthy.