Armpits
The armpits might not spring immediately to mind as an erogenous zone. Some people do fetishize them, but the vast majority of us associate the armpits with hygiene or the lack thereof. They are the home of odors and hair and must be kept clean at all costs.
Both the odors and the presence of hair point to the erotic potential that lies hidden in the armpit. While the armpits are not orifices, the hair evokes the genitals, and frottage (rubbing) in a well-lubricated armpit can be very exciting (and safe) for both participants, evoking intercourse without any actual penetration. It was a popular fetish in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
The armpits are also key perspiration points, where your personal scent and pheromones are highly concentrated. From this perspective, deodorants are a mixed blessing. Although they can mask the unpleasant smell of stale sweat, they also interfere with one of the most important and subtle components of attraction.
As we’ve discussed, smell is our most primal sense. It plays a very significant and underappreciated role in attraction and sexual excitement. By nuzzling into your lover’s armpit, you’re engaging that primal sense and turning yourself on in the process. People vary a great deal in terms of their sensitivity. For some, strong smells are intoxicating; for others, it may be best to nuzzle shortly after bathing. Whether you prefer your partner freshly bathed or a little sweaty, this is a great way build each other’s arousal.
The armpits are replete with nerves. In fact, one of the most lethal strike points in martial arts is located deep within the armpit (many erogenous zones double as strike points in martial arts, exactly because they are so sensitive). It’s also possible to open your left nostril by applying pressure to your right armpit, and vice versa. This is an ancient Yogic method for controlling brain function and inducing either a relaxed or an active energized state at will.
When one nostril is open, the opposite brain hemisphere is dominant, so breathing through the right nostril suggests that you are in a more active, intellectually sharp mode of operating. Breathing through the left means you are more likely to be relaxed, reflective, and receptive. You may find that after particularly good sex, both nostrils are open. This is a sign that your brain hemispheres and sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are in balance.
In addition to frottage and nuzzling, we find licking gently is the most effective way to engage this erogenous zone. You can begin at the front, and lick along the edge of the pectoral muscle, gradually working your way toward the center. Another tantalizing approach is to combine licking and gentle exhalations in a circular motion, moving from the outer edges toward the center.
Some people find hairy armpits very sexy and others do not, just as they do with the genital area. Questions of taste are highly individual, regardless of cultural norms, so you’ll have to discover what appeals to you, something that can change over time. Whatever your personal preferences, this is a very responsive and often neglected part of the body.