You’re probably already familiar with what happens when you and your partner touch each other in certain areas – some parts of the body are more sensitive and more likely to result in sexual arousal than others. These body parts are known as erogenous zones and you can find them all over your body – and your partner’s. Yet these zones differ from one person to the next, as well as being different between men and women. We wanted to find out more about what these erogenous zones are exactly and where they are on our bodies.
What are erogenous zones?
When we talk about erogenous zones, we mean those parts of the body that are particularly sensitive to touch. To be more specific, touching these areas can trigger sexual arousal. This is down to the fact that they have a higher concentration of nerve endings, making it particularly arousing when they are touched.
Erogenous zones in men and women
Most erogenous zones can be found in both men and women:
The eyes: We tend to think of our eyes more as a sensory organ which we use to detect visual stimuli. But if you ever try touching or kissing your partner’s eyelids in particular, you’ll soon notice that they are also very sensitive. Touching them with a feather, for example, can also increase sexual arousal. Our eyes – especially the eyelids – are considered an erogenous zone in both men and women.
The lips: Most of you will probably already have realised that this is an erogenous zone that has to feature on our list. After all, sexual arousal often starts when our lips are touched. And there is a reason for this – because there is a very high concentration of nerve endings in our lips, our tongue and the entire oral cavity, meaning that even the slightest touch here can be arousing.
The throat and neck: Again, these are erogenous zones that are found in both men and women. This is because the skin here is thinner than in other parts of the body, making them particularly sensitive to kissing, light pressure, your partner’s breathing and so on. Just how sensitive the skin on the throat and neck is can also be seen from how easy it is to develop a love bite there 😉 However, this is a part of the body you should never ignore during foreplay!
The breasts and chest: The breasts in women, the chest in men – this part of the body is considered a particularly erogenous zone in both men and women. In women, the breasts – specifically the nipples – are one of the most erogenous zones in the body. In both sexes, the breast area is directly connected to the sexual organs, which is why they can also play a significant role in reaching orgasm.
The back: The reason the back is classed as an erogenous zone in both men and women is due to the large number of nerve endings that run along the spine and around the lumbar vertebrae. So it is definitely a good idea to give your partner’s back a little extra attention during foreplay by giving them a massage, for example.
The stomach: The stomach area around the navel and everything leading down to the intimate area is also very sensitive in both men and women and can quickly increase sexual arousal when touched with the hands or mouth.
The thighs: Another area that is particularly sensitive in both men and women and known to be an erogenous zone is the thighs – more precisely, the inner thighs. Touching your partner here and gently moving your fingers upwards towards their intimate area can produce a tingling sensation and be very sexually arousing.
The bum: If you’ve ever thought about anal sex, you may already suspect that the backside is considered an erogenous zone, especially the anus. Yet even the slightest touch or a slap on the bum can be arousing for both men and women.
Which erogenous zones are specific only to men?
Most erogenous zones are found in both men and women – even if some areas are more sensitive in one sex than the other. But there are also erogenous zones that only exist in men:
The penis: A man’s most erogenous zone is and always will be the penis. As a rule, virtually any kind of contact with the penis will result in sexual arousal. The foreskin, frenulum and glans are particularly sensitive. The frenulum is the small piece of tissue connecting the foreskin and the glans.
The testicles: Along with the penis, men are also very sensitive around the testicles. Men can find it extremely arousing when you touch them with your hands or lips.
The prostate: When considering the erogenous zones in men, we mustn’t forget the prostate. After all, there’s a reason why we call it the male G-spot. It lies below the bladder and can be stimulated either directly or indirectly.
Which erogenous zones are specific only to women?
Now that we have had a closer look at men’s erogenous zones, obviously we don’t want to forget the female erogenous zones:
The labia: The labia are found at the entrance to the vagina and form a sort of funnel around it. They are made up of the labia majora and labia minora – the outer lips and inner lips. Not only are they important for sexual arousal, but they also transmit this arousal to the clitoris.
The vagina: The vagina is a sort of channel between eight and twelve centimetres long. It connects the cervix to the vulvar vestibule. The vagina is stimulated by penetration with the penis, for example. The entrance to the vagina is one of the most sensitive areas of the vagina.
The clitoris: Whenever the clitoris is mentioned, it is often also referred to as the female pleasure organ. It’s hardly surprising then that this part of the body appears in the list of female erogenous zones. In total there are about 8000 nerve endings in the clitoris. Compare this with a man’s penis, which has only half as many nerve endings. The clitoris is located at the upper end of the vulva, where the labia meet. So it’s no coincidence that clitoral stimulation is a big focus when it comes to sex toys or sexual intercourse in general.
Seven other erogenous zones you never knew existed
Do you know these erogenous zones already? We certainly didn’t 😉
The knees and backs of the knees: It would never have occurred to us either to try turning our partners on by touching their knees or the back of their knees. But apparently these areas are erogenous zones too and are very sensitive to touch. So it’s about time you gave it a try. It could pay off! 😉
The feet: The feet are another area that most of us probably ignore during foreplay. But we shouldn’t. Touching the heels is said to directly stimulate the sexual organs. So perhaps you could start with a foot massage instead of a back massage next time? 😉
The ears: Most people know that nibbling the earlobes can be arousing for both men and women. But that shouldn’t be the end of it when it comes to the ears. What few people realise is that it’s also worth giving some attention to the skin behind the ear. This is because the skin there is very thin, making it a very sensitive part of the body.
The ankles: It is a similar story for our ankles as for our feet. They are said to be connected to the lower abdomen, which is why they are also considered erogenous zones in men and women.
The hairline: A head massage at the hairdresser can be quite pleasant, but we tend to ignore this part of the body during sex. What a mistake that is. Apparently, we are so sensitive in the area around our forehead and scalp that this is considered an erogenous zone as well.
The hands: We all know that our hands are involved in generating sexual arousal. Yet the thought that selective touching of the hands can also increase sexual arousal was something completely new to us at least. But since there are a lot of nerve endings in our hands and pressure receptors on our fingertips, it can be very arousing if we stroke or kiss them. Certainly something worth trying, anyway.
The underarms: Most people probably think of the underarms as being ticklish. But this is also an erogenous zone where light touching or kissing can be very arousing. This area is best explored freshly showered, of course 😉
There are plenty of areas of the body that you can experiment with to heighten sexual arousal. So what are you waiting for: have fun exploring each other!
