I’m often asked by young men whether circumcision makes their penis less sensitive. It’s a great question and it’s hard to answer this definitively but it’s thought that circumcision mostly doesn’t cause sexual problems. Keep reading to find out the full answer. First of all:
What is circumcision?
Circumcision is the removal of some foreskin at the tip of the penis. The top left of the drawings below (which I drew) are of a circumcised penis.
Circumcised penises still have a little bit of skin but for the most part the glans (which I usually just call the bell end) is on show.
The benefits of circumcision is that the penis is easier to clean. However it’s still pretty easy to clean a non circumcised penis too. Find out more about this in my article about the penis. Circumcision may also play a role in reducing HIV transmission. (Although it’s complicated, as you can see on the Wikipedia entry about this).
Why people think it might be less sensitive without foreskin
The foreskin covers the bell end and also lubricates it. Some people think that when that skin isn’t there the constant rubbing and chaffing against pants and trousers can make the bell end feel a bit less sensitive. So some people feel their penis isn’t as sensitive as it could be when they want to have sex.
Is it though?
For individual people we don’t really know the answer. Most people who have their penises circumcised were usually having problems with their penis. For example painfully tight foreskin, or being unable to stretch their foreskin enough to clean under it. Most people who are circumcised without their foreskin causing problems did so for religious or cultural reasons (usually without their consent) when they were babies/children. So there very few people sexually active people with penises who didn’t have any sexual or penis problems before circumcision. This means we can’t ask them ‘which was better: sex with or without foreskin.’ So on an individual level, we don’t know. However on a population level, we do know.
What the population studies say
There have been several studies which show that on a population level, there is no association between having been circumcised and having sexual problems. In ‘Examining the association between male circumcision and sexual function evidence from a British probability survey‘ they surveyed over 6000 men about their sex lives and bodies. Looking at the data for people who are circumcised and not circumcised and whether they reported having sexual problems, they found “circumcision is not associated with men’s overall sexual function at a population level”. They found that there may be a small (nearly statistically insignificant) association for the ability to have erections, but their overall conclusion was that people who are circumcised don’t report more sexual problems than people who are. This is backed up by this systematic review of over 2000 research articles, which concludes that there is “no adverse effect on sexual function, sensitivity, sexual sensation, or satisfaction” on a population level.
‘But BISH it definitely affects me’
If you are circumcised and you feel like you have reduced sensitivity and problems enjoying sex, then me saying ‘no you don’t’ isn’t going to help you. Maybe you are less sensitive? Too much information alert – I’m circumcised too but I haven’t noticed anything. Who knows really? It’s possible that the lack of protective skin means that the bell end could have got a bit damaged perhaps?
I think what is more likely is that there could be a bit of confirmation bias. So someone experiences a sexual problem (which around half of all people do from time to time, according to this Natsal study published in the Lancet). They hear something about how circumcision causes this. Then next time they experience a sexual problem they know what to blame.
But there are loads of things that can contribute to sexual problems. Bad sex education. Doing a kind of sexual activity that doesn’t really do it for them. Poor self-esteem and bad feelings about our bodies. Not being relaxed enough. Feeling anxious about whether we are going to enjoy it, or anxious about a pressure to perform. The feeling of shame, or a memory of a feeling of shame. Not being able to talk about sex confidently with a partner. The inability to focus on the present moment and to enjoy the feelings. Etc etc etc.
There’s more about this in my How to Enjoy Sex More article. I also co-wrote a sex advice book about this called A Practical Guide to Sex.
What can you do if you’re worried
You could benefit from using lubes when you masturbate (a lot of young men I work with call it ‘bashing cream’). This will moisturise the skin and prevent it from getting dry or sore and may also feel nice when masturbating. When having entry sex using a dab of lube on the bell end and then using a condom might feel good (particularly a condom with more space at the bell end, called a ‘flared’ shape).
Crucially, I think we need to get away from thinking that it’s just about one part of the penis, or even the penis at all. Enjoyment and satisfaction from sex comes from the relationship with our bodies and the world around it.
© Justin Hancock, 2026 Find out more about me and BISH here. If you’re an educator, head to my website BISH training, to find out about my resources for SRE and training for practitioners. This website is funded by me (and I am not rich) and my supporters, please see how you can Support BISH here.
BISH is run by me, Justin Hancock. I’ve been a trained sex and relationships educator since 1999. I am proud to be a partner of the Sex Education Forum and I am proud to be a member of the World Association for Sexual Health. As well as BISH I also have resources, a podcast, and a coaching service for over 18s, as well as some of the best RSE / CSE teaching resources around. Find out out about my other work at justinhancock.co.uk. My work has featured (positively) in the media, like the BBC, Financial Times, The Economist, The Guardian, Sky One, and Novara Media.
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