Thanks for the update and clarification.
I share your belief that excess lymph fluid is counter productive to EQ and probably gains. Over the years there’s been interest in using condoms and now silicone sleeves and caps to put a bit of counter pressure on the skin to keep the lymph fluid from forming in the skin (edema, donut, blisters, etc). That’s a technique I have not yet tried. Sounds like you (Veloce) and Austfred are quite experienced in that and I will have to try it soon.
I suspect that pumping for EQ is sometimes at odds with PE for gains. In other words, what might be good for Erection Quality (Erectile Dysfunction) might not necessarily produce gains (Penile Enlargement). As an old guy, my first priority is improving EQ, my second priority is recovering lost length and girth, and finally, my third priority is increasing length and girth if possible.
The medical community is now starting to do more research on “Penile Rehabilitation”, specifically for men following prostate surgery which results in poor EQ and some form of ED. Pumping without the use of constriction bands in combination with medication like Viagra is a leading recommendation. The general idea is that frequent pump induced erections oxygenates, nutrifies and stretches penile tissue much like nocturnal erections in a young healthy male. While there are a few published research studies on penile rehab, I have not found any that specifically address the amount of vacuum (inches Hg or mm Hg) nor the cycle time (pump time + hold time + release time). A contributing factor for this oversight is that medical penile rehab protocols recommend using a VED (vacuum erection device) which lack a gauge.
My current hypothesis (as of August 2016) for optimal pumping for EQ is:
Frequency - 1, 2, or 3 times per day;
Intensity - a vacuum that does not cause injury - for me that is now a maximum of 4” Hg but can change over time;
Cycles - short cycles of about 18 seconds (6 seconds increasing vacuum, 12 seconds decreasing vacuum);
Duration - 30-60 minutes per session;
Heat - a heating pad around the cylinder aids circulation and expansion;
Skin conditioning - use of cocoa and shea butter based moisturizers to improve skin elasticity.
I have a lot more to say but this post is getting long so I will end it here. Feel free to ask any questions and I will respond.
Best Wishes!
Mike