Skin issues (is there a dermatologist on these pages?)But in the 48 hours of warIt was a bit amazing

I think you probably reacted to the soft silicone, get your self a hard device and I bet you won’t have any irritation, use moisturiser or baby oil on your self every time you lock up, and as your self locking if you have irritation then slip off the cage, and moisturise your self again.
You will get some irritation as your genitals get used to have a device on them, so don’t be to concerned.

 

I prefer my open stainless steel cage (currently in my Contender). I have sensitive skin and am prone to irritation. A clean and well polished device is easy to take care of.

I rarely use lubrication. Sometimes I do. And I use anti-chafing creme for cyclists. I was using almond oil daily as well recently but I think I was putting on too much. I am still experimenting

 

Steel is much better for skin than plastic for a number of reasons.

First... why?
Because steel is much stronger than plastic, the same size device can be made with smaller bars in steel than a plastic one. This means more surface area of skin is exposed to the air in steel.
Steel also has a much higher thermal conductivity. this means that heat travels through it quickly, and this assists in evaporation, so the micro climate in a plastic device tends to be a little more damp than in steel.

High humidity isn't good for skin condition. It's not just the physical mass of the plastic, the higher thermal conductivity of steel also means a warmer skin temperature in plastic than in steel. Warmth encourages sweating but the increased enclosure of plastic lessens the amount of evaporation. Skin that is continually damp tends to go spongy, and you have an increased risk of bacteria which prefer the warmer, damper conditions.

Steel cages do come in two styles, tube or open bars. Obviously the tube type is tending to be a little more like the plastic, being more enclosed.

As a practical example...
The second device I owned was a CB-2000, my penis almost completely enclosed in plastic. If I didn't take the device off for a good wash every 3 days, I would end up with sores and rashes, and a unwashed smell that was obviously organic in nature. Now that I wear a steel cage, I have been over 100 days in it 24/7, not being unlocked at all, just washing with a shower spray head through the cage, with no skin problems at all.

The difference between plastic and steel for skin health is huge. If you're happy with a "maintenance wash" every few days, then either is fine, but if you want 24/7 chastity, and/or a better environment for your skin, then a barred steel cage is the only way to go.