Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
June 19, 2025
June 19, 2025 | Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896

Snipping away at circumcision myths

February 1, 2007

Like most college students, I found myself scrambling through the mall on Christmas Eve attempting to grab gifts and shuttle them home to be quickly wrapped. It was there that I heard a group of pre-teen girls giggling in the corner.

Attempting to look inconspicuous, they stared with saucer eyes into the pages of a sex book. "Wait! What is that?" one girl exclaimed. "It just doesn't look normal. Do you think it's diseased?" another retorted with a mixture of disgust and curiosity. The third lip-glossed girl rolled her eyes and said, "No! It's just uncircumcised."

For those who have yet to see an uncircumcised fellow, allow me to give you a mental image. Picture a normal erect penis and then imagine the head tucked away in a fleshy cave. The head of the penis is hidden underneath a thin, loose layer of skin, similar to that of the inner labia. It has a hood-like quality giving it the appearance of an anteater snout.

Penises are normally shown as circumcised in textbooks, movies and porn. So your first encounter with his "pig in a blanket" may be a bit shocking.

The ancient practice of circumcision dates to the beginning of civilization as depicted in cave drawings and Egyptian tombs. The procedure is mainly associated with Judaism, as religious law requires its practice on all infant boys.

In modern American society, circumcision has become popular among all ethnic groups. In 2003, 55.9 percent of infant boys lost their foreskin shortly after birth. It is the most common neonatal procedure in America. For those studying abroad, you'll discover a greater abundance of foreskin as only 20 percent of Australian infants and 0.41 percent of British infants are circumcised.

The American Academy of Pediatrics reported some differences between sexual sensation of circumcised and uncircumcised penises. "A survey of adult males using self-report suggests more varied sexual practice and less sexual dysfunction in circumcised adult men. There are anecdotal reports that penile sensation and sexual satisfaction are decreased for circumcised males."

Not only are uncircumcised males said to achieve greater sexual pleasure, they are reported as being wilder in bed! While the legitimacy of this report is questioned by the American Academy of Family Physicians, it still gives a girl something to think about.

Most girls don't realize that uncircumcised penises need special treatment. The foreskin is very delicate and should be handled carefully. This loose skin can retract over the head back onto the shaft. This exposes the head giving the appearance of a circumcised penis. The foreskin doesn't retract easily and if done too forcefully, it can actually be painful.

When pulling the foreskin onto the shaft be gentle and push it slowly down until it pops over the head. It would be good to ask your male partner how far back he wants the foreskin to be pulled or have him instruct you on how to handle it.

Foreskin provides new and different ways to approaching hand jobs and blowjobs. It actually acts as a natural lubricant as it slides up and down the head.

While pleasing your uncircumcised man, there are certain ways to use the foreskin to enhance his sexual experience. After pulling the loose skin over the head, use a lubricated finger in the space between the head and the foreskin to stimulate the sensitive skin.

If you want to take things even further, you could use your tongue to tease the delicate tissue. After further lubricating the shaft with your tongue, you can slide the foreskin downward while inserting the newly exposed head farther into your mouth. When the foreskin is folded back, massage it gently as you continue to please him orally. Some guys find it pleasurable for their partner to slide the foreskin up and down over the head with the mouth. This is accomplished by varying the amount of suction with your throat. With regard to actual intercourse, whether he is circumcised does not make a difference for the girl. Allow the guy to choose if he wants his foreskin up or down during intercourse.

While your first glance at foreskin may give you a bit of a jolt, it's nothing to gag over. Don't be afraid to experiment with this sensitive skin. You could discover a whole new pleasure spot for your man with a more complete package.


Have a tip or story idea?
Let us know!

News-Letter Magazine