There are lots of reasons people are talking about circumcision these days, and it’s no wonder. What was once considered par for the course (strangely enough, however, there are more uncut than cut men in the world), is now being widely questioned as a form of genital mutilation. Aesthetics and culture aside, is there reason to believe that circumcision affects penis sensitivity? A new study out of Canada may have found the answer.
The Foreskin
Let’s start this off with a discussion of the star of the show, foreskin. It is part of the penis and made of sensitive tissue. Now, removing the foreskin would logically result in losing some sensitivity because of the tissue loss. The foreskin also covers the glans, or the head, of the penis, which is thought to be the most sensitive spot. By protecting it from the elements, the foreskin makes any subsequent stimulation that more intense since it doesn’t experience the day-to-day stimulation by underwear, trousers, and other pursuits.
The feeling it most robs the man of is the sensation of rolling the foreskin back and forth over the head of the penis during intimacy. Removing the foreskin takes the possibility of that pleasure away, as well as the pleasure that foreskin-specific nerve endings produce.
The Circumcision Study
The researchers led by Jennifer Bossio enlisted 62 men, of whom 30 were circumcised, and 32 were intact. Participants were from 18 to 37 years old, which means that older men were not involved in this study because data show that penile sensitivity begins to drop off at age 40. Participants were also pre-selected as sexual dysfunction free.
There are a few problems with the study. The major issue is the size. The size is small, to begin with, but add in the impact that the measuring devices used for the study needed more than 200 participants to give accurate readings. Yikes. Also, researches look at 4 locations on the penis. Only one of those locations was on the foreskin, and that was only applied to men who had a foreskin.
But let’s stop talking about what’s wrong with the study and see what its conclusion was. Researchers found that the foreskin was more sensitive to warmth and pressure than other parts of the penis. This finding is consistent with earlier findings in larger test groups. However, Bossio posited that foreskin was not seen to be more sensitive as compared to some other areas in the final conclusion, thus saying circumcision does not affect penile sensitivity. That doesn’t seem to jive, does it?
In Summary
Due to the somewhat questionable nature of the study, there is nothing particularly new that sheds light on these heated debates pro or against circumcision. Certain parts of this study back up earlier research that circumcision does make the penis less sensitive. This only adds fuel to the fire of those who believe that circumcision should be an individual choice, not one made by parents when a child is only a few days old.
For men who have lost their foreskin, there is no going back and getting that feeling; however, a man can “stack the deck” for himself sensation-wise by using a penis health oil (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which has been clinically proven safe and mild for skin) to gain more sensitivity on their penis. This type of oil helps to improve the condition of the existing erectile tissue. It also boosts blood flow to the penis, resulting in a firmer erection that can feel more (and do more as well). It also protects against peripheral nerve damage, which can help even a circumcised man preserve and maintain his erection.
