When things are heating up, there’s a few obvious places you want your partner to hit: your lips, your nipples, your clit (duh). But when it comes to erogenous zones for women—those crazy-sensitive hot spots that can take you from zero to gotta-have-it-right-now—that’s barely scratching the surface. Your body is covered in hot spots you may never have even thought to explore. “An erogenous zone is anywhere on the body that has a heightened sensitivity and can elicit a sexual response when stimulated,” explains Jane Greer, Ph.D., a sex and relationship expert. To take things up a notch in the bedroom, venture into some new erogenous zone territory.
If you’re a neck person, you know it. “The nape and back of your neck have so many nerve endings that a light touch is all that’s needed to drive you—and your partner wild,” says Greer. Ask your partner to lightly run the tips of their fingers up and down your neck as you kiss (or do it to them to drop a hint). To heat things up even more, establish a no-kissing-on-the-lips-rule and have your partner focus on your neck instead.
Okay, it’s not the sexiest sounding body part, but the area above the pubic bone can be an electrifying spot when stimulated properly.“Your pubic mound is connected to your genitals and sexual response thanks to sensitive nerve endings and glands that emit pheromones [chemicals your body produces that can trigger a sexual response from others], natural body scent, and sweat,” says Shannon Chavez, a psychologist and certified sex therapist in Los Angeles.
To activate it, have your partner start by massaging the area with light pressure, which can work to increase arousal. Lightly massaging the skin between your fingers or having your partner gently suck and pull on the sensitive skin using their mouth will really fire off some tingling sensations, Chavez says.
Before going straight for the lady bits, have your partner spend some time teasing your inner thighs. The skin is super sensitive there and it’s packed with nerve endings which means it’s extra sensitive to your partner’s nibbles, nips, and licks. If you really want to kick it up a notch, ask your partner to “trace an ice cube up and down [your thighs] and explore that new sensation,” suggests Greer.
Yes, really. if you can get past a little sweat, hair, and taboo, your armpits can be a surprising erogenous zone, says relationship expert Cory Beth Honickman. Think about it this way: your armpits are super sensitive. The same thing that makes them so ticklish can also make this spot a surprising turn on.
Here’s how to explore: Have your partner take the tips of their fingers and gently brush your under arms. First, lightly go up and down before shifting to a brisk, circular motion, paying close attention to what elicits the best response. “The sensation of being tickled teeters on the brink of sexually thrilling,” says Honickman. It’s playful, sure, but also seductive.
“Although ears are considered to be highly erotic, they are often overlooked, making them an even hotter spot when you want to crank things up in bed,”says Emily Morse, sexologist and host of the Sex With Emily podcast. “The ears are actually very sensitive to touch because there’s a massive number of sensory receptors.”
Kick things off by having your partner lightly trace the C-shaped outline of your ear with their fingertips while you’re kissing. Gentle kissing and nibbling can also set off fireworks. This can be an especially powerful move when done in tandem with some below-the-belt action—it might even help you climax or intensify your orgasm.