If you’re reading this article right now, especially if you sought it out specifically, then you already know some of the commonly held beliefs around circumcised and uncircumcised penises. Cut (circumcised) guys claim theirs are cleaner, uncut (uncircumcised) fellas swear that they feel more fully the pleasures of sex.
In fact, this same question is one that health professionals haven’t completely figured out: aside from for religious reasons, there is no clear benefit to circumcise or not to circumcise. In some parts of the world it is used as a preventative measure for contracting AIDS – but in developed countries, the cut v. uncut debate comes down to 2 things mainly: cleanliness and pleasure. So we’re going to break down each of the points and allow you to come to your own conclusions about what, to you, sounds better: being cut, or being uncut?
Cut v. Uncut: Cleanliness & Hygiene
Unlike the amazingly unbelievable vagina, penises are not self-cleaning reproductive organs. And when it comes to keeping a penis fresh enough to show off to polite company, uncircumcised guys can run into a bit more trouble. That being said, most uncut guys do a good job of keeping their penises clean. But even though there’s a small chance of having an ‘unclean’ penis, it’s an irksome little worry nonetheless; women who experience a reported increase in sexual pleasure after their partners undergo circumcision often credit the perceived cleanliness of a cut penis.
Cut v. Uncut: Infection Risk
As in the previous point on cleanliness, uncircumcised penises can be fertile breeding grounds for bacteria – warm and moist – which is how they like it. Again, most uncut guys are likely to clean their privates thoroughly enough to see their own reflections, however it does put their female sex partners at increased risk of bacterial vaginosis. The folds of foreskin are also prime places for any and all infections to hide (like yeast infections, HPV and even HIV to name a few), however keeping it clean virtually extinguishes the chances of passing it to a partner.
Cut v. Uncut: A Woman’s Pleasure
During sex when the foreskin retracts to the base of the penis, a female partner can enjoy the benefit of a little extra clitoral friction. Should she take her pleasures through clitoral stimulation, this could be of benefit. This is not to say though that a circumcised man will be able to pleasure a woman any less, especially if he’s studied up on his cunnilingus techniques or is man enough to bring a sex toy to the bedroom.
Cut v. Uncut: Male Pleasure & Sensitivity
When a male is circumcised, he has the foreskin of his penis removed, accounting for up to half of the skin – skin that was very likely home to fine-touch nerves that add a lot of sensitivity. And actually, the most sensitive part of a circumcised penis is the circumcision scar, according to a study from Michigan State University.
So, a cut penis might be a little less sensitive to light touch than an uncut one, however they both work the exact same: according to a Danish study, the odds of erectile difficulties and premature ejaculation are split right down the middle, unaffected by whether or not the subject was circumcised.
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