The Seven Most Common Erogenous Zones

What is an erogenous zone?

You might be familiar with the iconic scene in season four of Friends. Picture this: Monica trying to explain to Chandler that a woman has seven erogenous zones. As she maps out a good order to approach them in, she gets carried away with the lesson, before simulating a climax repeating, “Seven! Seven! Seven!” when she’s…done. If you were a bit young when you first saw this (like this confused viewer), erogenous zones may have been a bit bewildering.

Even now, there’s not much chat about them, particularly not in sex education or mainstream porn. In theory they’re simple: they’re a part of your body that has a heightened sense of sensitivity, which can lead to relaxation arousal, or orgasm.

In execution, they’re a bit more complex. Different people obviously get turned on by different things and in different ways. But never fear: there’s so much you can do to explore your erogenous zones and learn what you like. Using sex toys can be a good start, as can spending time charting you and a partner’s zones together. A few areas aren’t what you would expect either (hello knee pit!) So spend some time with our take on the obvious and not-so obvious erogenous zones to see if you learn something new about yourself.

The Erogenous Zones

Neck

Erogeny often goes hand in hand with vulnerability. That might be why leaving your neck open to someone’s fingers or mouth frequently tops the list of favorite erogenous zones. Every part of the neck works, too – from brushing hair away from the nape to dipping a tongue into the dip at the front, or nibbling on the collarbone.

Nipples

Your brain lights up the same zones when your nipples are stimulated as it does when your genitals are. That alone should explain why nipples are highly favored erogenous zones. That and the fact that one study found that nearly 30 percent of women have experienced an orgasm from breast and nipple play alone.

Armpits

Talk about vulnerability: if you’re ticklish, armpits are a sacred area. But they’re so sensitive that just the right amount of pressure can create tantalizing results. Experiment with a low-pressure sex toy to add more buzz to your foreplay or masturbation.

Wrists

The inside of the wrist is a delicate place you might not be used to being touched. But it’s also where your pulse can be felt, which lends a literal and metaphorical connection to the heart. Licking and kissing here can be a good start when you feel like taking things slow and sensual.

Lower Back

In our opinion, the lower back is a much-overlooked erogenous zone. There’s a reason why shivers go down your spine, after all. Stroking, tickling, kissing and light pain play here can evoke mouth-watering responses.

Inner Thighs

Something so close to your genitals is always going to up the arousal factor. Your inner thighs are an obvious spot to play with sex toys, due to their heightened sensitivity and the fact that it just takes a flick of the wrist to hit the sweet spot.

Clitoris

It might be super obvious, but we’re keeping it on this list. The clitoris has more than 8,000 nerve endings, so starting slow is a good idea. Some people prefer to have it touched over the hood, while others like direct contact. Fingers, vibrators and tongues – or a mixture of them all – are a good place to start.