Erogenous Zones: What They Are and How to Find Them

In discussions about how to increase sexual pleasure and satisfaction, it’s like that you’ve heard the term erogenous zones come up before, perhaps followed by phrases like “pleasure mapping” and/or “sensory exploration.” But what does all of this actually mean? And where are our erogenous zones anyway?

Erogenous Zones and Pleasure Mapping: What Are They?  

Erogenous zones are areas of the body that respond to erotic stimulation and can trigger sexual arousal. While there are some commonly recognized erogenous zones (e.g., the breasts and genitals), individual preferences vary. For example, one person might find a lower back massage highly erotic, while another may not experience any sexual pleasure from the exact same kind of stimulation.

By contrast, pleasure mapping involves exploring erogenous zones and understanding how different parts of the body respond to touch, pressure, rhythm, temperature, and sensation. Examples might include experimenting with light touch versus deep pressure, incorporating temperature play (such as using hot wax or an ice cube) or varying the speed of stimulation. This exploration can help people discover the pleasure potential of their bodies and uncover different avenues of erotic delight. Pleasure mapping can be done by yourself or with a sexual partner (or partners).

In relationships, pleasure mapping can help partners slow down and explore their bodies together. Oftentimes we fall into sexual patterns (sometimes called sexual scripts) and have expectations for how sex is going to unfold. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but partners sometimes get caught up in making orgasm the main goal of sex, which can take away from other meaningful aspects of the experience. This can detract from the curiosity and exploration that make sex so pleasurable in the first place. Pleasure mapping, unlike following a sexual script, isn’t goal-directed, and orgasm isn’t the focus. Instead, it is about being curious about your bodies, taking time to explore, and maximizing pleasure. As mentioned above, pleasure mapping can also be done on your own to help become more aware of how your body responds to different types of stimulation, and what areas of your body are sexually responsive to touch.

Where Are Your Erogenous Zones?

Oftentimes, when people hear the term “erogenous zone,” they assume we’re only talking about the genitals, nipples, or breasts. However, erogenous zones can be surprisingly varied and unique for each person. People have the potential to experience pleasure from almost any part of their body, such as their inner thighs, neck, lips, ears, behind their knees, or even their feet.

In one study of over 700 men and women, participants were asked to colour in areas on a diagram of the body that they would find pleasurable to have stimulated [1]. Some of the most commonly reported erogenous zones consisted of the anus, genitals, and breasts, but the findings also revealed that pleasure can be experienced throughout the entire body. Examples of other popular erogenous zones included the buttocks, mouth, thighs, and neck. Interestingly, both men and women reported more erogenous zones when considering partnered touch compared to masturbation. During self-pleasure, the reported erogenous zones were more concentrated around the genitals.

Another study of over 600 men and women similarly identified the most common erogenous zones (i.e., breasts, nipples, genitals), but also found that many people found the nape of the neck, shoulders, head, lips, and fingers to be sexually sensitive areas [2].

This study also examined the viewing patterns of erogenous zones, and perhaps unsurprisingly, found that people tended to visually focus on these arousing zones on the body more than other parts of the body [2]. They suggested that erogenous zones can be stimulating (and stimulated) simply through visual attention, without the need for physical touch. For example, seeing certain erogenous zones of the body—such as the lower back or inner thigh—can elicit arousal without touching. In other words, they argue that erogenous zones involve multiple senses beyond direct touch.

Conclusion

Taken together, it’s clear that mapping pleasure and identifying the body’s erogenous zones can significantly enhance sexual satisfaction. While some of the most commonly recognized areas may seem obvious, focusing solely on stereotypical sexual zones means we might be missing out on untapped pleasure. In fact, researchers estimate that at least a quarter of the human body has the potential to produce intense pleasure [1]—so why stop at the genitals?

References:

1. Nummenmaa, L., Suvilehto, J. T., Glerean, E., Santtila, P., & Hietanen, J. K. (2016). Topography of human erogenous zones. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 45(5), 1207–1216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-016-0745-z
2. Maister, L., Fotopoulou, A., Turnbull, O., & Tsakiris, M. (2020). The erogenous mirror: Intersubjective and multisensory maps of sexual arousal in men and women. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49(8), 2919–2933. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-020-01756-1

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