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Insert link to foreskin sensitivity.
===Sensory functions===
Nature designed the foreskin to be an erogenous sensory organ. The foreskin has a layer of muscle called the [[dartos]] muscle sheath that provides the foreskin with elasticity, flexibility, and stretchiness, which allows full stimulation of the nerves in the [[ridged band]] that sense movement and stretchingto provide [[foreskin sensitivity]]. There is a mucocutaneous region at the tip of the foreskin where outer skin changes to inner mucosa. Winklemann (1959) identified the foreskin as a ''specific erogenous zone'' (meaning an area of acute erogenous sensation). Winklemann reported rete ridges in the foreskin with nerves set close to the surface with closely set networks.<ref name="winklemann1959"/>
Lakshamanan & Prakash (1980) report the "prepuce covers the glans completely and snugly like a hosiered material and continues to do so through the entire span of life of the male", which they explain as being caused by the smooth muscle fibers within the prepuce. The prepuce is free to glide back and forth. When it does, it must stretch to go over the glans penis.<ref name="lakshmanan-prakash1980" />
As previously reported, the foreskin reduces the force required for penetration of the female partner's vagina by as much as ninety percent.<ref name="taves2002"/> The gliding action of the foreskin reduces friction and abrasion, while conserving vaginal lubrication.<ref name="warren-bigelow1994"/>
In a first of its kind, O'Hara & O'Hara (1999) carried out a retrospective surevy survey of 138 women with experience of both intact and circumcised partners. The women overwhelmingly concurred that the mechanics of coitus was different for the two groups of men. Of the women, 73% reported that circumcised men tend to thrust harder and deeper, using elongated strokes, while unaltered men by comparison tended to thrust more gently, to have shorter thrusts, and tended to be in contact with the mons pubis and clitoris more, according to 71% of the respondents. Women with intact partners had a higher rate of orgasms than women with circumcised partners. O'Hara & O'Hara concluded:
<blockquote>Clearly, the anatomically complete penis offers a more rewarding experience for the female partner during coitus. While this study has some obvious methodological flaws, all the differences cannot be attributed to them. It is important that these findings be confirmed by a prospective study of a randomly selected population of women with experience with both types of men. It would be useful to examine the role of the foreskin in other sexual activities. Because these findings are of interest, the negative effect of circumcision on the sexual enjoyment of the female partner needs to be part of any discussions providing 'informed consent' before circumcision.<ref name="ohara1998">{{REFjournal
|last=O'Hara
* [[Foreskin in Motion]]
* [[Foreskin sensitivity]]
* [[Frenulum]]