What Are Erogenous Zones?
Erogenous zones are one of those things that a lot of people have heard of, but probably don’t know how to define. There isn’t a unified consensus around exactly how many erogenous zones there are. If you put that question into Google, you’ll see articles stating there are anywhere from 5 to 30+ zones. However, knowing what the specific erogenous zones are is less important than how you use them as a starting place for more discovery.
Getting on the Same Page
Simply put, erogenous zones are places on the human body that stimulate pleasure. This pleasure comes from these zones usually having more nerve endings than other parts of the body. The clitoris and head of the penis are often the first zones we think of, but they extend across the whole body.
Nitric Oxide (NO) is the primary neurotransmitter that gets released to the nerve endings during sexual arousal. NO promotes blood flow and can increase sensitivity in erogenous zones. Long story short, seemingly “normal” spots on the body can feel really good when you’re aroused. The reverse can also happen. Touching these areas of the body can trigger a feeling of arousal, thus beginning the cycle. Freud had a theory that a fixation on certain erogenous zones could be linked to unresolved issues during childhood development. Then again, Freud had some wild psychological and dream analysis techniques, so we recommend taking that part with a grain of salt.
Getting in the Zone
Everyone has different sensitivity and arousal connected to erogenous zones and even if a part of the body isn’t listed here, that doesn’t disqualify it from being an erogenous zone. Use these as an initial map of the body, but don’t take it as the end all be all. We’ll go over a few common ones and some lesser known ones that could be found on anyone’s body.
Neck
There’s no surprise here with many people enjoying neck kissing. You can excite the area with some biting, kissing, licking, or even just some heavy breathing. This can seriously ramp things up and can amplify your partner’s overall sensations.
Ear Lobes
There are tens of thousands of nerve endings in the ear lobes. Since it’s so close to where we process sound, it utilizes both the sensation of touch and sound. When nibbling on your partner’s ear lobe, they will feel the physical sensations, but also hear your breath, making it a 2-for-1.
Lips
We utilize our lips as erogenous zones without even knowing. When experiencing pleasure, some people bite their lips, which leads to enhanced sensations elsewhere.
Nipples
All genders and sexes can have erogenous zones in their nipples. Beyond using your mouth or fingers to play with your partner’s nipples, try using toys like nipple clamps or moving a vibrator over their nipples to stimulate them as well.
Inner Thighs
Especially for women, the inner thighs can be a hot-spot for pleasure. Build up the tension by rubbing, kissing, touching, or licking your partner’s inner thighs before moving things along. To really elevate things, see how slow you can go before both your partner can’t take it anymore.
Lower Stomach
Right below the naval, but above the hip bones is the perfect place to pause before you work your way down. Use a bit of temperature play and run an ice cube or drip some wax on your partner’s lower stomach.
Armpits
This zone is a bit up for debate. Some people believe the armpits release pheromones that can attract our partners to us. There are plenty of nerve endings in our armpits as well, but it can be tough to tow the line between touching and tickling this sensitive area. You may need to experiment and figure out what feels best here.
Scalp
From the nape of the neck to the top of our head, there are nerve endings covering our scalps. There are a variety of sensations that can be tapped into with the scalp as an erogenous zone including stroking someone’s head or pulling someone’s hair. Always make sure you’re checking in with your partner about what they like best.
Perineum
(AKA the taint) this is the space between the genitals and anus. It is jam-packed with nerves, especially for those with a prostate. For more info on general anatomy, check out our Anatomy 101 article. If your partner has a prostate, using pressure while stroking the perineum can not only stimulate the nerve endings from the outside, but get to the prostate nerves as well.
Feet
There’s a reason why some people like getting their toes sucked. This applies to the whole foot as well. So whether it’s your fingers or mouth, move it on down from the toes to the heels.
Behind the Knee
Due to how dense this area is with nerve endings and how rare it is for it to get touched, behind the knee is considered one of the most erogenous zones. Give this area some love with touching or kissing as you’re touching other areas of your partner’s body.
Getting in Touch
There are so many more erogenous zones beyond the ones listed here. Because of that, it takes some exploration to find the “hot spots” on your body. If you don’t already know which ones activate the most arousal, try touching them during masturbation or asking your partner to hone in on them the next time you’re together. Pay attention to what feels the most sensitive and what feels just like any other part of your body.
When testing them out on your partner, see if they have an idea of what spots are most sensitive for them. Where do you see their hands gravitating towards their own body during sex? Do they typically touch their neck or stomach or run their hands through their own hair? These can all be indicators of more sensitive erogenous zones. If neither of you are sure, spend time exploring their body as well. Kiss places you wouldn’t naturally go to. Part of what makes erogenous zones so sensitive is the fact that they are not usually touched on a day to day basis. The smallest stroke can be quite arousing.