Poll of Circumcised and Uncircumcised Men
UPDATE: Some studies are beginning to be done; here is a one from Denmark. I think it is interesting how they find it surprising this hasn't been studied more before. I think this just shows how much of a taboo there still is in researching circumcision's functional effects.
"Yet, prevention of the rare cases of pathological phimosis remains a leading argument for proponents of routine circumcision. Other claimed benefits of circumcision, such as reduced risks of balanoposthitis, sexually transmitted infections and penile cancer, can be achieved without tissue loss through the maintenance of good penile hygiene combined with proper use of condoms, and whether circumcision reduces the risk of urinary tract infections in infancy has been questioned.
Despite the fact that no professional medical organization recommends routine circumcision, not even in the USA where most newborn boys undergo the operation, it remains a widespread belief that circumcision provides superior penile hygiene and protects against urinary tract infections, phimosis, paraphimosis, balanoposthitis, venereal diseases and cancer. Considering the organ involved with its sensitive anatomical structures, surprisingly few population based studies have been carried out to evaluate circumcision’s possible sexual consequences. A number of methodologically questionable reports have led to claims of impaired, improved or unaltered sexual function in circumcised men and their female partners."
Highlights include:
Women with circumcised partners more often than women with uncircumcised partners reported that their sexual needs were incompletely fulfilled; women with circumcised men also reported more difficulties such as orgasm difficulty, lubrication difficulty, irritation, infections, and painful sex (dyspareunia).
Circumcised men were more likely than uncircumcised men to report frequent orgasm difficulties.
The two most common sexual difficulties, premature ejaculation (reported as an occasional or frequent difficulty by 61%) and erectile difficulties (reported by 40%), were equally frequent in the two groups.
The only behavioural difference was that circumcised men were more likely than uncircumcised men to report a lifetime history of 10 or more sex partners.
Considering all sexual function difficulties together revealed no difference, but circumcised men were three times more likely than uncircumcised men to experience frequent orgasm difficulties which, according to an international expert panel, are either psychogenic or due to reduced penile sensitivity.
Robustness analyses showed that these difficulties of circumcised men were not explained by an excess of anxiety or depression in this group. This suggests that reduced penile sensitivity may, at least in part, explain the difference, a situation that has been recognized for centuries and supported by recent neurophysiological studies.
You can see its abstract here: http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/06/13/ije.dyr104.abstract
End of UPDATE
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Poll of Circumcised and Uncircumcised Men
Overview
There are many factors that affect sexuality(stress, drug use, emotional and physical health etc), the question is, is circumcision among them. Ask most mainstream American Doctors(who were likely circumcised at birth and have received no education on foreskin in medical school) whether circumcision has any effect on sexuality and they will confidently tell you "No". However they say this, with their being little modern research done in this area(almost all modern research focuses on searching for health benefits of doing circumcisions and only extremely rarely does anyone ever think to research why foreskin might be useful to have).
To help fill this void, I have conducted my own poll of cut and uncut men. I tried to make my survey as thorough as possible within 8 questions, but clearly there are many more pertinent aspects to studied. There are also limitations such as putting circumcised males all in one group when in reality, each circumcision can vary substantially in how much and what is removed depending merely on the predilection of the circumciser. In particular whether or not the circumcised man is left with all part or none of his highly erogenous frenulum may have a significant impact on how he judges his experience of being circumcised.
This poll was conducted over a period of three months starting in late June 2006. It was hosted and tabulated by a free polling site. The poll takers are users of the site who saw this poll listed and decided to take it. Of the poll takers, 422 are circumcised and 209 are uncircumcised. About 20 circumcised and 4 uncircumcised guys only partially completed the poll. Because this poll was done informally online, it is not meant to be taken as a scientifically-publishable poll that would have poll-takers randomized from the general population. It is meant to be taken that how circumcision affects men's experiences is, in the very least, a valid topic to research and should no longer be taboo in American universities.
1 When fully erect, I have coarse pubic hair
Cut Uncut
2% 0% on more than half my shaft.
4% 2% approximately half way up my shaft.
18% 9% approximately a third way up my shaft.
69% 41% approximately a quarter way up my shaft.
7% 48% not on my shaft at all.
2 When fully erect, my testicles
Cut Uncut
11% 2% are pulled close to my shaft and it often feels uncomfortable.
47% 36% are pulled close to my shaft and it does not feel uncomfortable.
42% 62% are not pulled close to my shaft.
3 During masturbation as an additional lubricant, I usually use
Cut Uncut
34% 3% a commercially-sold product
21% 8% my own saliva
13% 22% my pre-cum fluid
32% 67% none at all
4 I would like my penis to be
Cut Uncut
64% 11% more sensitive to physical stimulation.
34% 77% as sensitive as it is now.
2% 12% less sensitive to physical stimulation.
5 The approximate duration of my usual experience of orgasm is:
Cut Uncut
14% 2% Less than 5 seconds.
46% 4% Between 5 and 10 seconds.
30% 29% 10 to 20 seconds.
6% 39% Between 20 and 40 seconds.
3% 17% 40 to 60 seconds.
1% 9% More than 1 minute.
6 The approximate location of my usual experience of orgasm is felt
Cut Uncut
7% 0% barely anywhere at all.
28% 7% only in my genitalia.
43% 27% in my genitalia and surrounding area.
18% 47% throughout most of my body.
4% 19% throughout my entire body.
7 My usual experience of orgasm is more closely associated with these words
(Select as many as apply):
Cut Uncut
6% 0% Disappointment, unfinished, depressed, frustration.
37% 23% Relief, release, emptying. pumping, automatic pressure release.
54% 16% More physical than emotional.
12% 37% More emotional than physical.
17% 24% Feelings of love, closeness, and union with my partner.
9% 23% Waves of bliss.
2% 10% Transcendence, Oneness with the universe.
0% 1% None of the above
8 Circumcised Men: Choose one:
44% I am content being circumcised.
37% I would rather be uncircumcised but I will live with it as it is.
15% I would rather be uncircumcised and I am considering restoration.
4% I would rather be uncircumcised and I am actively restoring.
8 Uncircumcised Men: Choose one:
86% I am content being uncircumcised.
7% I would rather be circumcised but I will live with it as it is.
6% I would rather be circumcised and I am considering having it done.
1% I would rather be circumcised and I am definitely going to have it done.
Conclusions
To varying degrees of effect(it may well be that the effects correlate with how much and what was cut off, particularly whether one still has their highly sensitive frenulum), circumcision: increases the amount of coarse pubic hair on the shaft, pulls the scrotum forward during erection, increases the need for lubrication, decreases penile sensitivity, decreases the duration location and intensity of orgasm, and decreases owner satisfaction.