LIFESTYLE

The ‘sensitive’ female body part men say drives them wild — and it’s not boobs or bums

Therapists claim men like it for 'primitive' reasons.

By Metro UK

• April 16, 2026 at 4:30 PM

The ‘sensitive’ female body part men say drives them wild — and it’s not boobs or bums Photo: Metro UK

If you were to ask a man which part of the female anatomy really gets them going, you might expect one of two answers: boobs or bum (or both).

But it seems there’s another body part that drives many men wild, and it’s a bit of a curve ball.

Much like vampires, it seems men are drawn to the neck — but thankfully, for a very different reason.

‘It’s arousing because it’s a really intimate spot on the body, and is usually underestimated during sexy times,’ Eric* explains on Reddit.

He continues to say he especially enjoys it when his girlfriend puts her hair up, as it allows him to see and kiss her neck.

Moving hair over the shoulder to exposethe neck also seems to work a treat.

‘When her hair is out, and she moves it from one side to the other, exposing her neck… so f***ing attractive,’ says Alex*.

Online, some men claim necks are ‘underrated’ as they’re ‘sensitive’ and they enjoy the ‘sexy’ reaction from women when their necks are kissed.

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But, of course, there were a few eye-roll-inducing responses, with one man adding that he likes the body part ‘because the neck is right above the boobs.’

Why are necks such a turn on for guys?

Many of us enjoy the feeling of having our necks touched or kissed (hello, hickey), and as BACP-accredited sex and relationship therapist, Cate Campbell, tells Metro, ‘knowing that a partner is turned on by attention to their neck can be a major turn on in itself.’
Then there’s the fact that the neck isn’t an obvious sexy spot.

Hannah Jackson-McCamley, also a BACP-registered therapist, says that while we’ve become used to the ‘pornification’ of everyday life, ‘subtlety can be just as enticing’.

‘Most of us don’t live Hollywood lifestyles where everything has to be perfectly manicured to be hot,’ Hannah tells Metro.

‘How someone holds and expresses their sensuality, especially subconsciously, can be a real turn-on.’
And, there’s the idea that the neck is a vulnerable spot, so exposing it to your partner is particularly intimate — like a secret just for them.

Cate says: ‘In the animal kingdom, creatures show their neck as an act of submission.

‘The neck’s vulnerability can evoke feelings of protection, and also trigger feelings of ownership, albeit subconsciously.’
But be warned, as Cate says: ‘Letting someone touch the neck is a major act of trust, so, understandably, some people hate it.’

The link to erotic asphyxiation

The associations between the neck and erotic asphyxiation (choking during sex) are obvious here.

A 2024 study found that over half of 18 to 35-year-olds had engaged in consensual choking during sex, so it’s not unreasonable to suggest being turned on by the neck could be linked to this act.

While it’s not an uncommon kink, choking during sex comes with obvious risks — in fact, women have died this way — and it’s also been used as a means to defend abhorrent killings.

Reforms to the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 mean defendants can no longer use the ‘rough sex defence’; a way to claim that a partner’s injuries or death were as a result of a sex act ‘gone wrong’.

Changes to he law confirmed that a person cannot consent to the infliction of serious harm or death for sexual gratification.