contorted, with mouth wide open and nostrils expanded, in a manner similar to that seen in an athlete in extremis, or someone fighting for air.
Another major change that occurs during sexual arousal is a dramatic shift in the distribution of blood, from the deeper regions to the surface areas of the body. This overall forcing of additional blood into the skin leads to a number of striking results. It produces not only a body that feels generally hotter to the touch—a sexual glow, or fire—but also certain specific changes in a number of specialised areas. At high intensities of arousal a characteristic sexual flush appears. It is most commonly seen in the female, where it usually begins in the region of skin over the stomach and upper abdomen, then spreads to the upper part of the breasts, then the upper chest, then the sides and middle region of the breasts and finally the undersides of the breasts. The face and neck may also be involved. In very intensely responding females it may also spread over the lower abdomen, the shoulders, the elbows, and, with orgasm, to the, thighs, buttocks and back. In certain cases it may cover almost the whole body surface. It has been described as a measles-like rash and appears to be a visual sexual signal. It also occurs, but in fewer cases, in the male where, again, it starts in the region of the upper abdomen, spreads over the chest and then the neck and face. It occasionally also covers the shoulders, forearms and thighs. Once orgasm has been reached, the sex flush rapidly disappears, vanishing in reverse order to its sequence of appearance.
In addition to the sex flush and general vaso-dilation, there is also marked vasocongestion of various distensible organs. This blood congestion is caused by the arteries pumping blood into these organs faster than the veins can carry it away. The condition can be maintained for considerable periods of time because the engorgement of the blood vessels in the organs itself helps to dose off the veins that are attempting to carry the blood away. This occurs in the lips, nose, ear-lobes, nipples and genitals of both sexes and also in the breasts of the female. The lips become swollen, redder and more protuberant than at any other time. The soft parts of the noses become swollen and the nostrils expanded. The ear-lobes also become thickened and swollen. The nipples become enlarged and erect in both sexes, but more so in the female. This is not due to vaso-congestion alone, but also to nipple muscle contraction.) Female nipple length increases by as much as one centimetre, and nipple diameter as much as a half a centimetre. The areola region of pigmented skin around the nipples also becomes tumescent and deeper in colour in the female, but not in the male. The female breast also shows a significant increase in size. By the time orgasm has been reached the breast of the average female will have increased by anything up to 25 per cent of its normal dimensions. It becomes firmer, more rounded and more protuberant.
The genitals of both sexes undergo considerable changes as arousal proceeds. The vaginal walls of the female experience massive vaso-congestion leading to lubrication of the vaginal tube. In some cases this may occur within seconds of the beginning of the pre-copulatory activity. There is also a lengthening and distension of the inner two thirds of the vaginal tube, the overall length of the vagina increasing up to ten centimetres at the phase of high sexual excitement. As orgasm approaches, there is a swelling of the outer one third of the vaginal tube, and during orgasm itself there is a two to four second muscle spasm contraction of this region, followed by rhythmic contractions at intervals of 0.8 of a second. There are from three to fifteen of these rhythmic contractions in each orgasmic experience.
During arousal the external female genitals become considerably swollen. The outer labia open and swell, and may show size increases of up
Another major change that occurs during sexual arousal is a dramatic shift in the distribution of blood, from the deeper regions to the surface areas of the body. This overall forcing of additional blood into the skin leads to a number of striking results. It produces not only a body that feels generally hotter to the touch—a sexual glow, or fire—but also certain specific changes in a number of specialised areas. At high intensities of arousal a characteristic sexual flush appears. It is most commonly seen in the female, where it usually begins in the region of skin over the stomach and upper abdomen, then spreads to the upper part of the breasts, then the upper chest, then the sides and middle region of the breasts and finally the undersides of the breasts. The face and neck may also be involved. In very intensely responding females it may also spread over the lower abdomen, the shoulders, the elbows, and, with orgasm, to the, thighs, buttocks and back. In certain cases it may cover almost the whole body surface. It has been described as a measles-like rash and appears to be a visual sexual signal. It also occurs, but in fewer cases, in the male where, again, it starts in the region of the upper abdomen, spreads over the chest and then the neck and face. It occasionally also covers the shoulders, forearms and thighs. Once orgasm has been reached, the sex flush rapidly disappears, vanishing in reverse order to its sequence of appearance.
In addition to the sex flush and general vaso-dilation, there is also marked vasocongestion of various distensible organs. This blood congestion is caused by the arteries pumping blood into these organs faster than the veins can carry it away. The condition can be maintained for considerable periods of time because the engorgement of the blood vessels in the organs itself helps to dose off the veins that are attempting to carry the blood away. This occurs in the lips, nose, ear-lobes, nipples and genitals of both sexes and also in the breasts of the female. The lips become swollen, redder and more protuberant than at any other time. The soft parts of the noses become swollen and the nostrils expanded. The ear-lobes also become thickened and swollen. The nipples become enlarged and erect in both sexes, but more so in the female. This is not due to vaso-congestion alone, but also to nipple muscle contraction.) Female nipple length increases by as much as one centimetre, and nipple diameter as much as a half a centimetre. The areola region of pigmented skin around the nipples also becomes tumescent and deeper in colour in the female, but not in the male. The female breast also shows a significant increase in size. By the time orgasm has been reached the breast of the average female will have increased by anything up to 25 per cent of its normal dimensions. It becomes firmer, more rounded and more protuberant.
The genitals of both sexes undergo considerable changes as arousal proceeds. The vaginal walls of the female experience massive vaso-congestion leading to lubrication of the vaginal tube. In some cases this may occur within seconds of the beginning of the pre-copulatory activity. There is also a lengthening and distension of the inner two thirds of the vaginal tube, the overall length of the vagina increasing up to ten centimetres at the phase of high sexual excitement. As orgasm approaches, there is a swelling of the outer one third of the vaginal tube, and during orgasm itself there is a two to four second muscle spasm contraction of this region, followed by rhythmic contractions at intervals of 0.8 of a second. There are from three to fifteen of these rhythmic contractions in each orgasmic experience.
During arousal the external female genitals become considerably swollen. The outer labia open and swell, and may show size increases of up
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