Simple question
 

Here is a simple question; I wonder if the answers will be simple.

Question #1: Why do the buttocks redden when they are smacked?

Smacking the skin (buttocks or anywhere else on the body) puts pressure onto the tissue below the skin. When you put pressure on an area of tissue, you cut off the blood flow (in spanking, this would be momentary) to that area by physically collapsing the vessels which deprive that tissue of oxygen. In essence, when the 'pressure' is off, blood flows to the tissue (surface of the skin, obviously and red color) into the area, almost as if the tissue were blushing.

Keep smacking the bottom (continuing pressure) and you just cause more blood to flow to the tissue to supply it with oxygen, therefore creating more redness.

sarah

Follow up
 

Gee, thanks Sarah, for taking away all the suspense.... :)

OK Question 2: How long does it take for the endorphin response to kick in? What are the variables that control it?

If the question is meant to be a joke, then say so. I thought your question was serious. :confused:

What do you take me for, a biology/physiology major? ;)

Not a joke!
 

Sarah,

That wasn't a joke at all, I was really interested and pleased to see you post a comprehensive answer. It's just that I thought we'd get more discussion before the answer - no worries.

I am interested in the endorphin kick-in, too. I'm wondering about how it relates to the length of the warmup spanking I give.

i would think the endorphins would be different for everyone..

Sarah is right about the blood flow, coupled with the fact that the body naturally increases blood flow to just about any stimuli, and spanking is definately stimulating. Endorphins are a whole 'nother matter, though. There's no basic biological trigger to release them. We can't say, "if you spank her to this particular point, she'll drift into subspace." It just doesn't work that way. In fact, I would venture that the vast majority of spankings don't result in that big endorphin rush.

I know from my own personal perspective that I thought the endorphins were responsible for that calm sorta feeling I have after a spanking. I didn't know until I actually got that endorphin high for the first time last week what the real difference was.

It's just one more facet of our lifestyle that's part of the psychological game we play. EVERYTHING varies according to ourselves and our partners and how we interact. You've just got to find the right buttons to push with your partner if you're interested in that endorphin release.

Endorphins and spanking
 

If you want to learn about the relationship of endorphins in the scene, just do a Google search or use any of your favorite search engines -- Dogpile, Lyacos, etc. Just type in endorphins + spanking, and you will get several good pages of info to study. Some of it is simple and some is technical. I find it interesting that the subject has been actually studied, but hey, we scientists can be spankos also.

I'm just wondering how to achieve that Top endorphin high? Or is that something like multiple orgasms? As males, we are destined to never taste the experience? ;)

Needed to share
 

When talking to my dear bottom friend the other day she was asking questions about me using the term subspace. I discribed it as best I could and mentioned that a good top friend of mine ushered me into the best subspace of my life after all-state. Her comment:

You mean I have to fake it in the spanking world like I had to with Sex!

LOL,
Kaylex

And just to add some irony to it all, folks, on the scale of how red a bottom gets and how long it lasts, sarah is probably on the very low end (pun intended) of the scale. The girl's bottom does get red, and it can, with effort, get quite red. But everything being equal, it's takes waaaaaaay more with her. I can wear this girl out, leave quite an impression, and a few minutes later ask how her bottom is. She'll skin her underwear down, and often there's hardly a hint that anything has happened! And we're not just talking hand spanking here. It holds true with everything from belts to heavy leather straps (like our quite substantial prison strap). Wooden paddles leave a bit more of an impression, but even with those, it's here today, gone tomorrow.

So another intersesting aspect of this discussion for me is what physical and physiological factors contribute to this great variation in response. Some girls will bruise with little more than mild spanking, and carry the marks for days or weeks. Others, like sarah, seem to be built like tanks. One of my favorite sayings for her is that she takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.

and then there's those of us....
 

who used to bruise horrifically and now after playing more regularly have very little marking beyond red. I must say I miss the marks.

Kaylex

Marks are nice...I used to mark up as one huge bruise but with a bit more play i dont mark very much except for one spot and even though some markings i'd love to keep i.e. caning stripes....that one spot that marks it can go away completely and never come back as far as i'm concerned - it is a pain in the ass and not a good way when it comes to trying to get some playtime..

Sherie

Yeah Ive got one of those too. I am now mainly Top but used to switch and the thing would just mark and weep even before it even saw a cane! (well nearly!)Two years on and with very little impact although it doesnt weep it will instantly show and I get fidgety

As for cane marks oh yes lovely:D The more marks the better for me but not bruises. That doesnt do anything for me and I wont spank a bruised bum. Just doesnt seem right to me, but Im odd!

Latty

Just the opposite. Once your are content with your likes and dislikes, the point is you DON'T have to fake it!
Its getting there that can be the issue, but forums such as this are responsible for lots of us finally finding harmony and contentment in our activities and relationships.

Simple question
 

It's just the opposite. Once you are at peace with your personal likes and dislikes, and are with someone of like mind, you DON'T have to fake it! Thanks to forums like this one many of us are on the road to (finally) fulfillment.