Most people don’t talk about sex and circumcision, even if many of us wonder about it. If you ask a man who is circumcised whether it effects his sex life, he’ll probably have a hard time answering since most men who are circumcised have the procedure done before their first sexual experience, so they lack a true point of comparison. Women who have sex with men probably talk about sex and circumcision a bit more often, comparing their experiences between circumcised and uncircumcised men and talking about aesthetic preferences.
As with any question about sex, trying to figure out the sexual impact of circumcision is more complicated than a single question or the results of a single study. Here are some common questions and answers about sex and circumcision.
Does circumcision impact physical sexual sensitivity?
By definition, circumcision is the cutting away of the foreskin, a part of the body that is rich with nerve endings.Circumcision has an impact on the physical structure of the penis and a corresponding impact on penile sensation. But how does this impact a man’s sex life? Does a loss in sensitivity measured in a lab feel like a sexual loss? Read more about the impact of circumcision on physical sexual sensitivity.
Does circumcision impact the experience of sexual pleasure and/or sexual satisfaction?
These are, of course, two different questions. And both are different from the question of sensitivity. Sexual satisfaction and pleasure are related to sexual sensitivity, but they are much more complicated than the number of intact nerve endings we have. Read more about the impact of circumcision on the experience of sexual pleasure and sexual satisfaction.Does circumcision impact sexual behavior?
Because sexual behaviors naturally change over time, it is near impossible to say for sure that circumcision is the reason someone engages in a specific kind of sexual behavior. In fact, only one study has examined the self-reported sexual behaviors of circumcised and uncircumcised men.Where can I find expert information on circumcision and sex?
One of the reasons getting information on sex and circumcision can be confusing is that the research itself is contradictory. Most studies suffer from one bias or another, and no findings have been replicated enough to allow us to make any definitive statements on the subject. But research offers a place to start a conversation, and knowing the limits of the research can help make informed personal decisions.It’s important to remember that from a sexual quality of life perspective one penis is not better than the other. The human body is capable of unimaginable pleasure, and when we think so narrowly as to say, if you’re missing this piece of skin your sex life isn’t as good, we’re doing ourselves (and our bodies) a disservice.
