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Facial (sex act)

A facial (also facial cumshot or cum facial) is a euphemism for the sexual activity in which one person ejaculates semen onto the face of one or more sexual partners. A facial is a form of non-penetrative sex, though it is generally performed after some other means of sexual stimulation, such as anal sex, intercourse, masturbation, or oral sex. Facial cumshots are regularly depicted in Western and Japanese pornographic media, often as a way to close a scene.

Overview

The performance of a facial is typically preceded by activity that results in the sexual arousal and stimulation of the ejaculating participant. After the prerequisite level of sexual stimulation has been achieved, and ejaculation becomes imminent, the male will position his penis so that a majority of semen that is discharged will be deposited onto the face of the receiving partner(s). Transmission of semen can be facilitated directly through the force of emission, or can be assisted by gravity. The male may choose to aim his ejaculate at a specific region of the face, or the penis may be moved around, allowing semen to be deposited over a larger area.

Though semen can be directed at any region of the face (cheeks, forehead, lips, nose, etc.) the intention is to deposit the majority of fluid onto the surface of the face, and not into a specific orifice such as the mouth. This distinction differentiates the facial cumshot from the oral cumshot, where the intention is to discharge the majority of the semen into the mouth of the receiving partner.

The amount of semen that is ejaculated during a facial is dependent on several factors, including the male's health, age, and degree of sexual excitement, and the time since the last ejaculation. Normal quantities of ejaculate range from 1.5 to 5.0 milliliters(1 teaspoon). Seconds after being deposited onto the face, the semen thickens, then remaining visible for 15–30 minutes before liquefying again.

Prevalence in pornography

Facial cumshots are regularly portrayed in pornographic films, videos, magazines and internet web sites. In addition to mainstream pornography, the popularity of facials has led to creation of its own niche market. Hugo Ohira, director of marketing for Silvercash, rhetorically asks "Who doesn't like spewing their load on a pretty young face?

The adult entertainment industry has responded to consumer demand for facial oriented material by producing such video series that specialise in showing the act. Vivid Entertainment's national sales manager Howard Levine in a press release for an adult film described the movie as "It's [her] first movie ever, it's got high production value and lots of facials.

On the internet, many site specialise in offering this content to the market. Internet based content is distributed in the form of picture galleries and videos made available as downloads or streaming content. Content is distributed freely or by means of subscription based services.

Cultural perceptions

In pornography

The emotional, psychological, and sociological significance of the depiction of facials in pornographic media is a source of controversy, with no general consensus being reached. There are a variety of views ranging from facials being an act of misogyny, degradation, or humiliation to being a healthy expression of human sexuality. In her book Women, Sex, and Pornography: A Controversial Study, women's activist Beatrice Faust stated "Since ejaculating into blank space is not much fun, ejaculating over a person who responds with enjoyment sustains a lighthearted mood as well as a degree of realism." She goes on to say "Logically, if sex is natural and wholesome and semen is as healthy as sweat, there is no reason to interpret ejaculation as a hostile gesture. Sex columnist Nina Anthony also views the practice of facials in a non-threatening light, feeling that it adds variety to the sexual experience. In one of her weekly articles she wrote "But let's give credit where credit is due: The money shot, by itself, is great for a number of reasons. Blowing it on someone's face is like a change-up pitch - if you've been throwing the heat for a while, maybe you should consider hooking the curve ball." She continues with "Also, being on the receiving end of the shot can satisfy the secret porn star in everyone and it's minor kink for beginners".

Feminist critiques of the depiction of facials have been more critical. Anti-pornography activist Andrea Dworkin stated at a conference at the University of Chicago, "It is a convention of pornography that the sperm is on her, not in her. It marks the spot, what he owns and how he owns it. The ejaculation that is on her is a way of saying (through showing) that she is contaminated with his dirt; that she is dirty." Sociologists Gail Dines, Robert Jensen and Russo echo these sentiments in the book Pornography: The Production and Consumption of Inequality it asserts "In pornography, ejaculating onto a woman is a primary method by which she is turned into a slut, something (not really someone) whose primary, if not only, purpose is to be sexual with men.

In Hard Core: Power, Pleasure and the Frenzy of the Visible, author Linda Williams concludes that facials are a fetish or a perversion. She states "The money shot is thus an obvious perversion -in the literal sense of the term, as a swerving away from more "direct" forms of genital engagement- of the tactile sexual connection." Joseph Slade, author and professor at Ohio University, wrote of her work that "Williams thinks of ejaculation as a leitmotif similar to those that punctuate musical comedy, a genre she thinks resembles the hard-core film. Although Williams' thesis tends to reduce porn films to a single heterosexual genre, Hard Core is remarkable because the author actually engages the subject instead of pontificating from distance and because she insists that feminists must learn to reevaluate sexual expression."

In her essay "Speaking Out: Teaching In" Cindy Patton simply reached the conclusion that critics have devoted too little space to discovering the meaning that viewers attach to specific acts such as cum shots.

In society

The frequency at which facials are performed amongst the general public is unknown, as no academic sexual survey has addressed the subject. It is generally thought that it is performed far less frequently than it is practiced in pornography. This is based on the assumption of other sexual activity portrayed in pornography versus society at large. As an example, anal sex is nearly ubiquitous in modern heterosexual pornography, but performed regularly by only about 10% of the general population.

Cosmetic usage

In addition to sexual motivations, semen has been applied to the face for cosmetic purposes as well. Cosmopolitan founder Helen Gurley Brown once advised women to, "Spread semen over your face, [it's] probably full of protein as sperm can eventually become babies. Makes a fine mask—and he'll be pleased." It is also reported that Egyptian Pharaoh Cleopatra rubbed semen into her skin to maintain her youthful appearance.

Though its effectiveness as a facial skin cream is debatable, semen has made its way into mainstream cosmetic care products. The Norwegian based company Maritex sells processed cod sperm for use in lotions and makeup, selling several tons of sperm annually.

Use of semen in cosmetics has also been presented in popular media. The cable television drama series Nip/Tuck aired an episode during its 3rd season involving the use of semen as a cosmetic agent. Julia, Gina, and Liz go into business selling a facial skin cream that contains semen as its main ingredient. They test the product out on celebrity Joan Rivers, who is so enamored with the cream she agrees to endorse the product. Later, upon finding out the product's "secret ingredient", she threatens to sue.

Health risks

Transmission of disease

Any sexual activity that involves contact with the bodily fluids of another person contains the risk of transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. Semen is in itself harmless on the skin or if swallowed. However, semen can be the vehicle for many sexually transmitted infections, such as HIV and Hepatitis. The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration(Cal/OSHA) categorizes semen as "other potentially infectious material" or OPIM.

Isolated from other sexual activity, that may have occurred prior to performing a facial, the risks incurred by the giving and receiving partner are drastically different. For the giving (ejaculating) partner there is almost no risk of contracting an STD. For the receiving partner, the risk is significantly higher. Since potentially infected semen could come into contact with broken skin or sensitive mucus membranes (eyes, lips, mouth), there is a risk of contracting an infectious disease.

The research paper The Adult Film Industry: Time to Regulate? co-authored by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and UCLA noted "All the more concerning, high-risk practices are on the rise. These practices include sex acts that involve simultaneous double penetration (double-anal and vaginal–anal intercourse) and repeated facial ejaculations." The authors make recommendations for eliminating the risk of performing facials by suggesting "Facial ejaculations could be simulated through the use of inert materials such as liquid antacids combined with filming techniques, which would eliminate any health risk to the performer. Industry publication AVN Magazine scoffs at such suggestions. Considering the idea of simulating facials to be ridiculous, writing "Simply put, the viewing public isn't that easily fooled – and it wants its facials.

Allergic reactions

In rare cases, people have been known to experience allergic reactions to seminal fluids, known as human seminal plasma hypersensitivity. Symptoms can be either localized or systemic, and may include itching, redness, swelling, or blisters within 30 minutes of contact. They may also include hives and even difficulty breathing.

Mild cases of semen allergy can often be overcome by repeated exposure to seminal fluid.