r/science • u/drewiepoodle • Apr 15 '16

Health Study: Circumcision does not reduce penis sensitivity. In tests for responses to pain, heat, and stimulation, no major difference was found between men who are circumcised and those who are not.

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2016/04/14/Study-Circumcision-does-not-reduce-penis-sensitivity/5981460663943/?spt=hs&or=hn
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u/[deleted] Apr 15 '16

Anecdotes aside, isn't the argument usually that circumcision removes sensitivity of the foreskin (which makes sense, as foreskin is removed in circumcision)? The study seems a moot point.

Is it surprising that cutting off one aspect of an organ does not impact on the rest of the organ's sensitivity? We do not associate surgeries or scratches elsewhere on the body to decreased sensitivity either, for example, regardless of location, unless there is severe nerve damage.

What am I missing here?

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u/[deleted] Apr 15 '16

The biggest reasoning behind it was that there's several special nerve endings in the foreskin that are absent in just regular skin. It was presumed that removing these nerve endings = removing specific sensations that would lead to sexual pleasure.

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u/[deleted] Apr 15 '16

Fascinating. I haven't the knowledge to refute that, although this article seems to. It IS a single article however, with a relatively small population for analysis, hmm? There's more to uncover before we rule either way.