The Importance of the Foreskin to Male Sexual Reflexes

Abstract

The authors propose that the foreskin is the primary sensory tissue of the penis and that the foreskin's ridged band is built to trigger ejaculation as part of a functional whole that also includes the frenulum, glans, and urethra. The study evolved from research which demonstrated specialized nerve end-organs in the ridged band, and from pre-tests showing that intact subjects are more likely than circumcised subjects to experience reflexes triggered by traction on penile skin, namely, erection of the penis and contraction of the bulbocavernosal muscle. The authors then developed a website which describes the foreskin's anatomy and function and asks intact males whether, in their opinion, the foreskin and its ridged band play an important role in sexual intercourse. The overwhelming majority has firmly agreed, and, for every nine who found the foreskin more important than the glans to sexual intercourse, only five found the glans more important.