Men who have been circumcised experience less intense sexual pleasure than those who haven’t, a new Belgian study has confirmed. “We're not saying less sexual activity or satisfaction, but sensitivity,” said Dr Piet Hoebeke, senior author of the study conducted at Ghent University Hospital. Hoebeke added that this could be because uncircumcised men experience less friction from clothing, whereas circumcised men have no foreskin to protect the head of the penis from rubbing against underwear thus making their genitals less sensitive. Circumcision is compulsory in Judaism and Islam but surprisingly, the practice is also common in the US, where 75 percent of men opt for the procedure on non-religious grounds. Although it can reduce the risk of some types of infections, many British doctors say risks associated with the procedure far outweigh the benefits. The latest findings are from a survey of 1,369 men over the age of 18, asked to rate how sensitive their penis is using an ascending scale of 0 to five. They were also asked how intense their orgasms were and whether they experience any pain or numbness when aroused. Overall, 310 men who took the survey were circumcised, and reported an average sensitivity score of 3.31 when they or their partners stroked their manhood, compared to 3.72 for uncircumcised men. The researchers also found circumcised men were more likely to report more pain and numbness during arousal than uncircumcised men, which Dr Hoebeke said is likely due to scar tissue. “I'm amazed that people report pain during sexual pleasure, that was unexpected,” he said.