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International Society for Sexual Medicine

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Does circumcision affect sexual function or pleasure?

Reviewed by the medical professionals of the ISSM’s Communication Committee

Many researchers have studied the effects of circumcision on sexual function and pleasure and gotten mixed results.

However, in the summer of 2013, a research team from Australia and the United States published their analysis of the scientific literature in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. Based on their review of 36 studies that involved over 40,000 men, they concluded that circumcision does not negatively affect a man’s sexual function or satisfaction. (Please click here to read more about the study.)

Some people believe uncircumcised men do experience more pleasure because the nerve system in the area is especially sensitive to stimulation.

But overall, the effects of circumcision on pleasure may be more subjective. Both circumcised and uncircumcised men – with and without a partner – can experiment to discover what types of stimulation they enjoy most.