Nerve endings.

[treeoflife3]

I found this quote "A piece of skin the size of a quarter contains more than three million cells, 12 feet of nerves, 100 sweat glands, 50 nerve endings, and almost three feet of blood vessels." which is about the foreskin so now I'm wondering if anyone knows how many nerve endings are in the head of the penis?  google is only telling me that it is similar to the clitoris with no specific number like the quote (which I'm also not sure is true.  I DID find it on foreskin.org however)

I'm talking about the penis with a friend of mine (and secretly hoping I convince him not to circ future children as he currently thinks intact looks weird and is harder to take care of.. ) and he insists the head of the penis is really all that matters for foreskin.  I touched on the other functions of the foreskin but I'm definitely very curious about the nerves in the head of the penis.

TIA

[hakunangovi]

Originally Posted by treeoflife3

I'm talking about the penis with a friend of mine (and secretly hoping I convince him not to circ future children as he currently thinks intact looks weird and is harder to take care of.. ) and he insists the head of the penis is really all that matters for foreskin.  I touched on the other functions of the foreskin but I'm definitely very curious about the nerves in the head of the penis.

TIA

The head of the human penis contains relatively few nerves compared to the foreskin. What few there are are concentrated in the area of the sulcus. Please read:  www.cirp.org/library/anatomy/cold-mcgrath/ . There is also a very interesting study which compared the sensitivity of various locations on a circumcised penis versus an intact penis. The five most sensitive spots did not even exist on a circumcised penis - they were removed with circumcision:  www.cirp.org/library/anatomy/sorrells_2007/ .  Finaly, without the protection of the foreskin, those few nerves on the glans of a circumcised penis will become buried under layers of keratinised skin, resulting in an organ that feels next to nothing.  Just look at all the ads for Viagra and Cialis on the TV in North America - you do not see that in Europe because they are not in the habit of compromising their sex lives.

The other point that your friend is totaly missing, is that it is not just about sensitivity, but rather the interaction of the foreskin with the female partner.  The gliding action of the foreskin allows comfortable interaction without the abrasion common with a circumcised penis. Artificial lubrication is not needed. Be warned RATHER GRAPHIC: www.cirp.org/library/anatomy/ohara/ . The final point that is always overlooked is the connection between the nerves in a foreskin and the brain. They allow the man to regulate himself and feel where he is at, so that he is able to last for a considerable time. Without this feedback the man has little control - hence all the problems with premature ejaculation that we see in our culture.

There are a lot more articles at www.cirp.org about the anatomy of the foreskin and also the video at http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/video/prepuce.html  is very educational on the form and function of a foreskin.

Good luck in your mission and let us know how you make out.

[Galatea]

What is more important is that the nerves in the foreskin are fine-touch receptors, which are only found elsewhere in the lips and fingertips.  The nerves in the glans are just pressure receptors.  So it is not a matter of quantity, but of type of sensation.

[treeoflife3]

Thank you so much for the replies guys :)  That is about what I thought but I'd never read anything specific (I'm against circ without needing to know all the specifics and generally don't find myself in debates) so I'm happy to have some good information.

I did touch on how the foreskin affects the woman and showing the quote in my OP I also think kind of made him think but otherwise I don't think he is interested in having an opinion right now anyway.  He is circ'd which adds the whole emotional aspect of it and he also REALLY enjoys sex so its hard for him to grasp that aspect of circumcision.  I'm sure videos of circ happening and that side of the story would help more but he is also far off from having kids (we hope.. he is young and in no way ready to handle it... also in his first real relationship.. he is 19) so I didn't want to push, but just plant the seed since the conversation came up all on its own.

On the bright side, I DID convince his brother who is three years older and thinks about having kids a lot more than he does... he was starting to feel bad and wishing he were intact which wasn't my intention but I'm happy to know that he can grasp the seriousness of the topic.  However he is gay and intends to adopt rather than use a surrogate once he is ready for children so he might not get a say in the matter at all depending on where he and his partner choose to adopt from and which age range they go for.

Either way, they both know now that being intact isn't more difficult to care for and that America is really the only country that does it to our children with no medical reason.  I told the younger brother about kellogg and he was like... yeeeah... that didn't work at ALL.  (it has always been an inside joke in our group of friends about him and his.. er.. personal fun.)  granted afterward he mentioned that being intact would have probably caused him to do less which is when the topic of nerve endings and so forth came up.  I definitely do think I helped him consider intact as a viable, and possibly better option however :)

[Greg B]

This saying sums it up well:

"The foreskin isn't the wrapper....it's the candy!"

A circ'd guy who was circ'd as an infant will never really understand.  You cannot explain the difference.  Like trying to explain what sight is to a blind person that has been blind since infancy.  My son needed glasses and as we walked out into the mall with his first pair, he commented how amazing it was to see things so clearly.  Mind boggling to him, he just had no idea what he was missing.

So it is with a RIC guy.  His foreskin was amputated.  He cannot feel those feelings.  His penis is missing the most critical part for sexual function.  Fortunately, our bodies can cope with this major loss and still make sex feel so good you cannot imagine it could be better.

However, guys who were RIC and then restore...they know form first hand experience.  I am far enough along in restoring that I have the gliding action.  Wow!!!!!  And my wife feels a major improvement as well.  This imporvement in feeling and function for both is a consistent view among restoreres.  The only poeple who seem to disagree are circ'd guys who have never felt what a foreskin provides. 

Regards