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Is There A Sexual Difference Between Circumcised And Uncircumcised Men?

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It’s the question on every mother’s mind these days – to circumcise or not to circumcise. But it’s not just moms that are wondering how to handle a circumcised or uncircumcised penis, it’s sexually active women too. Many women have only experienced one or the other sexually, and don’t know the difference. Or is there a difference?

Is It Different For The Guy?

Yes. An uncircumcised man still has his foreskin (the soft flap of skin that covers the head of the penis when it is not erect) and a foreskin is jam packed with pleasure nerves much like a clitoris is. While men circumcised at a young age won’t ever know the difference, men who choose to get circumcised when they’re older report decreased overall sensitivity. That’s not to say that circumcised men don’t enjoy sex, because we all know they do! It’s just that anatomy-wise, an uncircumcised males simply have more physical pleasure receptors in their penis.

Is It Different For The Girl?

Now this is more of a matter of personal preference than actual fact. Some women prefer sex with circumcised males, while others prefer sex with uncircumcised men. Some women report that the coronal ridge around the base of the head of the penis on an circumcised man more directly stimulates the g-spot as opposed to a coronal ridge that is partially covered by a foreskin in uncircumcised males. Other women feel that sex with an uncircumcised male provides more friction than their circumcised counterparts because of the extra skin, and sex is better that way. The way women feel about circumcision in general is very similar to the way they feel about penis size in general. Some women like ’em small, some like ’em large. Every penis is shaped differently, looks different, has a different color and is a different size. The only way to figure out if sex with a circumcised man feels different than having sex with an uncircumcised man is to figure it out for yourself!

Why Are Boys Still Being Circumcised?

Many parents are choosing to continue to circumcise their sons for religious or hygienic reasons. Uncircumcised males must learn how to properly clean underneath their foreskin once it becomes moveable (just after birth it is fused to the head of the penis for a short while) and this can be difficult for a small child to learn. Parents must often help with this, and many parents believe that a circumcised penis is more “clean” and hygienic. The opinions about circumcision range from those who believe it is a “barbaric” practice to those who suggest that remaining uncircumcised is extremely unhygienic. No one can make the decision for you though, and the decision to circumcise or not should be an informed one.

Whether you’ve had sex with an uncircumcised man or a circumcised man, both or neither, whether a man is cut or uncut isn’t a big deal. Don’t stress over it and definitely don’t make a big deal of it in front of your man. Just love the way he is! Sex is pleasurable for a woman both ways, and just as pleasurable for a man too!

Are You Ready For Sex? (You Don’t Have To Be A Virgin To Answer This Question)

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Teenage girls around the world come face to face with this dilemma every day. Are they ready for sex? When is a good time to have sex? Are they prepared for the consequences of sex and are they properly protecting themselves from STD’s and pregnancy? Are they emotionally ready for sex? Usually, these questions are applied to virgins alone. Society assumes that once you have sex, you’re always ready to have sex again, whether you’re with a new partner or not. But what about those of us who have … uh … been around the block, so to speak?

“When” Not “If”

If you’re not a virgin and begin dating a new partner who is also not a virgin, the question becomes “when is the right time to have sex,” instead of “if.” You’ve probably heard of the golden ‘3 date rule’ and may have even heard of people waiting quite a bit longer to become comfortable with each other to have sex. Still, the question is never “if,” unless you’re a virgin or are with someone who is. The question is always “when.” What if you want that “if” factor back? Can you have an “if” factor, even if you’ve had sex before?

Getting The “If” Factor

You always have control over your own body. You decide when – or  if – you have sex, along with the how, when and where. So ask yourself, “am I ready to have sex?” Just because you are no longer a virgin does not mean that you are required to have a sexual relationship at some point with every person you date. Ask yourself the same questions you would if you were a virgin – for example, are you emotionally ready to handle sex again? Is your body ready for sex? Are you comfortable enough with yourself to enjoy having sex again? Do you enjoy spending time with your partner enough that you are ready to share yourself physically with them? Decide if you’re ready to have sex at all, or if you’re ready to have some sexual intimacy but without “going all the way.”

Getting Rid Of Expectations

You may be ready to have sex. You may enjoy it, no matter who it’s with, and be sexually confident in yourself. If that’s your case, go for it! But many women aren’t in that position, and because they’ve “done it” before, they’re expected to “do it” again in every new relationship they’re in. Their partners are constantly wondering if “tonight is the night” or if the 3rd date really is the magic date.

It’s time to shed those expectations and make your own rules! Each time you begin dating a new partner, consider yourself a virgin all over again if you like. Ask yourself the very same questions about sex and your partner that you did before you had sex for the very first time. Because in a way, this is your very first time too! Don’t allow men, or even your friends, to suggest that because you’re not a virgin anymore that you can’t make careful decisions about sex, or abstain from sex completely with a new partner if you so choose. It’s your body! You choose what to do with it or what not to do with it.

Is There A Male Contraception Pill?

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In the 1960’s, women’s reproductive health was revolutionized by the first female contraceptive pill. Lives everywhere were changed when women and men enjoyed the freedom to have sex without the consequence of procreation. Today, the birth control pill – also known simply as “the pill” – is the most widely used and popular form of birth control today, with surgical forms of birth control being in a different category. Women can take the pill without anyone knowing, leaving their reproductive health in their control.

What About Men?

Men, on the other hand, are limited in choices when it comes to their own sexual health. If they do not wish to conceive a child with a woman and want to take matters into their own hands, generally their only choice is to use a condom. Condoms are popular and effective – especially at preventing sexually transmitted diseases and infections – but can be conspicuous. Is there a male contraception pill that a man can take without his partner knowing to prevent pregnancy?

Not yet. But that doesn’t mean one isn’t in the works!

How Will A Male Contraceptive Work?

Ideally, a male form of “the pill” will work much the same way the female version does. A woman’s contraceptive sends hormones to her brain that tell her body not to release an egg every month. In a male contraceptive, a hormone would tell a man’s brain not to produce sperm. This is tricky though, because the primary hormones that would be used for this purpose produce a number of unwanted side effects, such as weight gain or loss of male characteristics. A combination of hormones, however, might just be effective at stopping the production of sperm without unwanted side effects. Other ideas for male contraception suggest two different proteins might be more effective at preventing sperm from impregnating a woman, with less side effects than a hormonal birth control. One protein would immobilize sperm, leaving them unable to move through the penis and into a woman’s body, and the other that will prevent sperm from maturing. All these potential forms of male contraception are intended to be reversible.

Will Men Use Birth Control?

Many women are left with unanswered questions when it comes to male contraception. When it becomes available, are men going to actually use birth control? Can they be relied upon to faithfully use their contraception so as to prevent pregnancy? Yes, but only with the proper education. Even though female birth control, condoms, and spermicide have been around for decades and have been proven to be extremely effective at preventing pregnancy, education about these contraceptive tools is still at an all time low. When male contraception is introduced, teens and adults alike must receive proper education on where it is available and how to use it.

No method of birth control is 100% effective, and only condoms can help prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and infections. Whether you’re a guy or a gal, it’s important to take your reproductive health into your own hands. Women, birth control is available to you and can be taken in conjunction with condom use, spermicide use and even male contraception when it becomes available. Educate yourself about your options and stay safe – and smart!

Is Sex Less Safe When A Woman Is On Her Period?

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Everyone feels differently about sex on a woman’s period. Some women don’t mind it, other women won’t ever do it. The same goes for guys – some guys could care less if a woman is on her period or not, while other guys are going to steer clear during that time of the month. Besides personal preference, is there anything you should be worried about when it comes to having sex with a woman on her period? Is it less safe to have sex when a woman is on her period?

Pregnancy And Periods

Generally, women don’t get pregnant when they’re on their periods. First of all, an egg has to be dropped from a woman’s ovary for pregnancy to take place. Second, for a fertilized egg to implant itself in the uterus successfully, there must be enough uterine lining to house the fertilized egg well. A woman’s period is when she sheds this lining, making it a poor time for an egg to attach. That doesn’t mean it can’t happen though! Every woman’s body is different and she may drop an egg during her period, and she just may have enough menstrual lining to house the fertilized egg. While a woman is less likely to become pregnant while she is on her period, it is wise not to take that chance if you’re not planning on raising a baby. Using a condom, spermicide, traditional birth control or other barrier methods to prevent pregnancy at all times is probably your best bet if you aren’t looking to conceive.

Periods And STD’s

That said, there is another aspect of having sex while she’s on her period to consider. Sexually transmitted diseases and infections actually have a higher rate of transmission during a woman’s period than during other times of the month. Is the rate that much higher? Probably not. But it’s still something to consider. HIV and AIDS of course, do have a higher rate of transmission during a woman’s period due to direct blood to semen and semen to blood contact. Other sexually transmitted dieseases and infections can be passed from a woman to a man during her period more easily than if she is not on her period, because the organisms that cause STD’s tend to love a warm, moist environment and can multiply faster during that time of the month.

Being Safe

With all things considered, if you don’t want to conceive a child or transmit or contract an STD, it’s important to take steps to keep yourself safe at all times, no matter what time of the day, month or year it is. Simply having sex with your partner while she’s on her period isn’t going to prevent pregnancy alone, and avoiding sex with a woman on her period isn’t going to eliminate your risks of contracting an STD. Learn how to be safe, and learn how to make smart sexual decisions that will keep you and your partner happy and healthy – and kid-free if you want it that way.

Don’t know how to buy a condom, or which condoms are the best to use? Check out our Condoms 101 video mini-series. Everything you need to know about buying a condom, how to put a condom on and wearing a condom during sex!

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Quantity vs. Quality – What Constitutes A “Good” Sex Life?

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Many men and women seem to think that a “good” sex life consists of one thing – lots of sex. In fact, guys that don’t have sex very often tend to get burned by their male friends who supposedly have sex more often. You see it all the time on television and in movies – having lots of sex means you have a great sex life, right? So does how much sex you have really play that big a part in how good your sex life is? Quality sex has to count for something, right?

Lots Of Sex, All The Time

Of course, women are often socially branded with the idea that to please their partners, they need to have sex all the time. In fact, women go into relationships thinking that men want sex daily or at least several times a week. According to social influence, partners that only have sex once a week or even less are considered to have a poor sex life. Think about it though – how often is daily sex great sex? How often is sex a few times a week absoultely ravishing, leaving you begging for more? Rarely. In fact, having sex more often can result in shorter sex times, less orgasms and an overall decrease in the quality of your sex.

What Is Good Sex?

Good sex – or great sex even – comes from having the time and energy to devote to being fully present during sex, giving your partner pleasure, as well as keeping yourself open to receiving pleasure as well. How many women and men throw themselves into a “quickie” every night or every couple of nights just to say they had sex? Just to have a quick orgasm? Who really wants to devote an hour or more to having fabulous sex every night, after getting home from work and putting dinner on the table? Especially if you have kids! Many couples have actually stopped having sex as often because of the daily stresses in life, but they still have the attitude that lots of sex equals a good sex life. Therefore, with the mindset that they have a poor sex life because they don’t have sex often enough, the times they do have sex are dampened by the wrong attitude!

How To Break The Vicious Cycle

Sex is about quality, not quantity. So you only have time to have sex once a week. Or once every two weeks even! But if you and your partner are completely present during sex and completely devoted to each other’s pleasure – as well as receiving pleasure of your own – it will likely result in awesome sex. Say you have sex even once a month – but every month, that sex brings you closer to your partner and more in touch with yourself after a night of passion and pleasure. Does that mean you have a bad sex life? Not at all – quite the opposite in fact!

If you want to break the bad-sex-often cycle, it’s time to change your attitude about sex. Stop worrying about how often you have sex and make sure that when you do have sex, you and your partner have enough time and emotional energy to give to each other completely. Regardless of how many times you have sex, if every time you have sex you have great sex, you have a great sex life!