Scientists Disagree About Circumcision Sensation

Circumsised penises are just as sensitive as uncircumcised penises, scientists say.

No they're not, say other scientists.

And there you have it.

Kimberley Payne of the Riverside Professional Centre in Ottawa, Canada, and her colleagues tested the sensitivity of 20 intact and 20 circumcised men's penises as they watched erotic movie clips, by touching the penises with filaments that press down with predetermined amounts of pressure.... They found no difference in penile sensation between circumcised and uncircumcised men.

However, when Robert Van Howe of Michigan State University used a similar method to measure sensitivity at 19 points along the penises of 163 men, he found that the five most sensitive points were all in portions of the penis removed by circumcision, especially those in folds exposed as the penis becomes erect....

Van Howe says other groups will try to replicate the findings. All well and good -- but are "filaments" really the best tool for the job?

Does circumcision harm your sex life? [New Scientist]

Image: Jurica Goja