Have you ever been surprised by sexual arousal from a non-sexual part of your body? You’ve likely discovered one of your erogenous zones. Erogenous zones are areas of your body, both in your genital area and beyond, that can cause sexual arousal when stimulated. They also may be key to the best foreplay of your life.
Read on to learn all about erogenous zones, discover examples, and learn how to stimulate these spots for sexual satisfaction.
- What Are Erogenous Zones?
- Female Erogenous Zones
- Male Erogenous Zones
- How to Stimulate Your Partner's Erogenous Zones
- Conclusion
What Are Erogenous Zones?
What are the erogenous zones? To understand the erogenous zones meaning, all you need to do is look at the name. “Erogenous” comes from the word “eros,” meaning love, and “genous,” meaning producing. An erogenous zone is any part of the body that creates sexual pleasure when stimulated. Stimulating an erogenous zone may cause sexual arousal, sexual fantasies, and even lead to orgasm.
Some erogenous zones are obvious: the genitals and the nipples, for example. Other erogenous zones are more dubious. For instance, some experience sexual pleasure when their hips or the soles of their feet are stimulated.
Even more confusing, some parts of our bodies can be both erogenous and non-erogenous, depending on how they’re stimulated. You may experience sexual pleasure when a partner gently touches your shoulder but feel nothing when they touch it more firmly.
To make things even more complex, you may even derive sexual pleasure from touching one of your partner’s erogenous zones, even when your own erogenous zones aren’t experiencing any sensation whatsoever. Some may find touching their partner’s erogenous zones even more sexually arousing than having their own erogenous zones touched.
Why Do Erogenous Zones Work?
It was once believed that erogenous zones create sexual pleasure because of something called a “body map.” Experts suggested that our brains contain maps of our bodies, and our erogenous zones were right next to our genitals on these maps. When our erogenous zones are stimulated, sometimes that stimulation can “leak” into the area of the map where our genitals are.1 This theory has since been disproven.
Today, scientists have a number of theories about why erogenous zones exist. They may result in sexual pleasure because:
- They’re highly sensitive parts of your body with many nerve endings to receive sensation and respond to sensitive touch.
- They aren’t often touched, so when they are, it’s exciting and pleasurable.
- They’re perceived as sexually attractive by your partner, so it’s exciting when they touch them.
While it may be unclear why erogenous zones work, it is clear that they’re a great way to add extra pleasure to the bedroom.
Types of Erogenous Zones
How many erogenous zones are there? Generally speaking, erogenous zones fall into two categories: genital erogenous zones and extra-genital erogenous zones. Genital erogenous zones, of course, include your genital area. Depending on your genitals, this may include the penis, testicles, labia, clitoris, and other areas of your body.
Extra-genital erogenous zones are areas of your body outside of your genitals that elicit a sexual response. While there are some common extra-genital erogenous zones, like the inner thighs, neck, or anus, any non-genital part of your body, from your head to your toes, can be an extra-genital erogenous zone.
For many, the term “erogenous zones” may have been introduced by the character Monica on the television show Friends, where she listed the top seven erogenous zones. So, what are the 7 erogenous zones? In a recent study, it was found the top seven erogenous zones are the:2
- Lips
- Nipples
- Breasts
- Neck
- Buttocks
- Inner thigh
- Ears
However, it’s important to remember that these primary erogenous zones aren’t the same for every person, and what stimulates one person might not stimulate another.
Female Erogenous Zones
Where are the erogenous zones for people with vaginas? The genital female erogenous zones and erogenous zones for people with vaginas include:
- The vaginal lips, including the labia majora and minora
- Clitoris and clitoral hood
- Vaginal opening
- G-spot
- Perineal skin (the area between the vaginal opening and the anus)
- Anus
Extra-genital erogenous zones for people with vaginas include:
- The breasts and nipples
- Lips and inner mouth
- Ears
- Neck
- Shoulders
- Inner wrists
- Lower back
- Hips
- Inner thighs
- Back of the knee
Male Erogenous Zones
For people with penises, the genital erogenous zones include:
- The glans (head of the penis)
- Shaft
- The scrotum (skin surrounding the testicles)
- Perineum (skin between the testicles and the anus)
- Anus
Extra-genital male erogenous zones and erogenous zones for people with penises include:
- The nipples
- Lips and inner mouth
- Ears
- Neck
- Shoulders
- Inner wrists
- Lower back
- Hips
- Back of the knee
How to Stimulate Your Partner's Erogenous Zones
Ready to discover what the erogenous zones can do for your sex life? Let’s talk about how to stimulate your partner’s erogenous zones and take your sex life to the next level.
Erogenous Zones and Foreplay
Stimulating the erogenous zones is a great way to transition into sex. This period of transition is known as foreplay. Foreplay includes any activity done before intercourse that increases sexual arousal and preps your body for intercourse.
Foreplay has both mental and physical impacts on your body that make intercourse better.
These include:
- Increased blood flow: During this period of sexual arousal, blood flow to the genitals increases. This causes penises to become erect and vaginas to become swollen and sensitive.
- Increased lubrication: Foreplay also triggers natural lubrication of the vagina. This reduces friction and increases pleasure for both parties. It can also help to guarantee her orgasm.
- Increased emotional intimacy: Foreplay has impacts on your brain, too. It can help you feel closer and more connected to your partner, which, in turn, heightens physical pleasure.
- Lower inhibition: Foreplay can also lower your inhibitions and help you relax and open up during sex.
Next time foreplay begins, take a chance to explore your partner’s erogenous zones. You may both find that it increases arousal, heightens sensation, and brings you closer together.
Looking to learn more about foreplay? Explore our favorite foreplay tips to drive him wild.
Techniques for Stimulating the Erogenous Zones
Let’s talk about technique. Try these ideas to stimulate your partner’s erogenous zones:
- Gently touch: Sometimes, stimulating an erogenous zone is as simple as a light touch. Slowly drag your fingers across one of your partner’s erogenous zones, like the inner thighs or lower back.
- Lightly tickle: A light, gentle tickle can be another pleasurable way to touch an erogenous zone. Remember that the goal here is pleasure, so go slowly and touch lightly. While laughter is permitted, you’re not aiming to make your partner uncomfortable.
- Gently massage: For those who prefer a firmer touch, massage can be a great technique for finding erogenous zones. This works better on the feet or hands than on more tender areas like the breasts or armpits. Next time you’re engaging in foreplay, give your partner the ultimate erotic massage.
- Kiss or lick: For an even hotter sensation, the lips and tongue can work wonders. Whatever light touching you can do with your fingers, you can do with your tongue, too. Gently lick or drag your tongue across an erogenous zone. You can even lightly touch your lips to one and see how your partner responds.
- Suck: Many find sucking on a finger or toe to be an incredibly pleasurable experience both for the giver and the receiver. Try this during your next foreplay.
- Nibble: To introduce a new sensation, try nibbling on an earlobe or another erogenous zone. Remember to be gentle; you don’t want to bite or chomp (unless your partner is into that!). Just graze with your teeth or give a little nibble for a sexy sensation.
Here’s the thing about erogenous zones: there’s no wrong way to stimulate them. As long as you and your partner are both comfortable, anything goes. Remember to stay open and communicative and go slow. The rest is up to you!
Conclusion
To amplify your sexual pleasure and satisfaction, make the erogenous zones a significant part of your sex life. Whether you stimulate them during foreplay or intercourse, they’re a great way to increase sensation and heighten pleasure.
Another easy way to increase sensation is with Durex condoms. Explore options with ribbing for additional pleasure, lubrication for decreased friction, and even hot, cold, or tingling sensations. Shop condoms from Durex today.
References
- Turnbull, O., et al. Reports of intimate touch: Erogenous zones and somatosensory cortical organization, Cortex. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0010945213001822?via%3Dihub
- Maister, L., et al. The Erogenous Mirror: Intersubjective and Multisensory Maps of Sexual Arousal in Men and Women. 2020. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-020-01756-1
