Clitoirs

Clitoirs

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Your clitoris is your most sensitive erogeneous zone. Its sole purpose is to enable you to experience sexual pleasure. Understanding what kinds of touch feel good (and when) can improve your sex life.

Baskin L, Shen J, Sinclair A, et al. Development of the human penis and clitoris. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30249413/) Differentiation . 2018;103:74-85. Accessed 4/25/2022.
Filho AC, Garbeloto E, Santiago KC, da Motta LL. Endometrial carcinoma metastatic to the clitoris: A case report. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3930815/) Gynecol Oncol Case Rep . 2014;8:1-3. Accessed 4/25/2022.
Jackson LA, Hare AM, Carrick KS, Ramirez DMO, Hamner JJ, Corton MM. Anatomy, histology, and nerve density of clitoris and associated structures: clinical applications to vulvar surgery. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31254525/) Am J Obstet Gynecol . 2019;221(5):519.e1-519.e9. Accessed 4/25/2022.
Vieira-Baptista P, Lima-Silva J, Preti M, Xavier J, Vendeira P, Stockdale CK. G-spot: fact or fiction?: a systematic review. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8498956/) Sex Med . 2021;9(5):100435. Accessed 4/25/2022.

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Your clitoris is the pleasure center of your reproductive anatomy. Many people think of the clitoris as the tiny nub of flesh located at the top of the genitals (vulva), but this is just the part of the clitoris you can see. Your clitoris consists of a complex network of erectile tissue and nerves, with parts located inside and outside your body.
Stimulating your clitoris can make you feel sexually aroused. It can heighten feelings of sexual tension until you climax (orgasm). Even if you don’t have an orgasm, the sensations from a stimulated clitoris usually feel good.

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Your clitoris has a single purpose: to enable you to experience sexual pleasure. Your entire vulva is an erogenous zone — a part of your body that gets sexually stimulated when touched. Your clitoris is the most sensitive part of your vulva. It’s capable of producing the most intense and most pleasurable sexual responses in your body.
Your clitoris is sensitive to all types of touch. The most pleasurable types of touch vary from person to person. Contact with a tongue (oral sex), fingers, a sex toy or your partner’s genitals can stimulate your clitoris. Vaginal penetration with a penis, fingers or a sex toy can stimulate the clitoris through your vaginal wall.
Experimenting with different types of touch by yourself or with a partner can help you familiarize yourself with the types of sensations that feel best for you.
Most people think of the clitoris as the tiny button of flesh that’s the most sensitive part of your external genitals (vulva), but your clitoris is located inside your pelvic cavity, too.
The part of your clitoris that extends outside your body is located at the top of your vulva. Beneath your clitoris is your urethral opening (the hole where you pee), your vaginal opening (the hole where you have intercourse), a space of skin called your perineum and your anus (the hole where you poop). On either side of your clitoris and vaginal opening are two flaps of skin called your labia minora (inner vaginal lips). Your labia majora (outer vaginal lips) surround your inner vaginal lips. A mound of skin called your mons pubis is above your clitoris, directly atop your pubic bone.
Zooming in, the parts of your clitoris that are outside your body include:
Inside your body, your clitoris is shaped like an upside-down wishbone, with a clitoral body branching out to form a V shape.
Research is ongoing about the relationship between the clitoris and the G-spot, or Grafenberg spot. The G-spot refers to a region just a few inches inside your vagina that may feel especially pleasurable when stimulated. You can feel it by inserting a finger into your vagina and making a “come hither” motion in the direction of your front vaginal wall.
This spot may feel pleasurable because it’s where the vestibular bulbs of your clitoris rub up against the vaginal wall. If this is the case, vaginal orgasms may be related to clitoral stimulation.
Your clitoris looks different depending on the view.
The part of the clitoris you can see (glans) looks like a tiny nub of flesh that’s hooded (clitoral hood) and surrounded by wrinkly flaps of skin (inner vaginal lips). The glans is often compared to a pea or the bud of a flower. Most diagrams that show the entire clitoris depict it like a wishbone, with both legs of the clitoris (crura) extending across the vaginal wall.
The entire clitoris, from the glans to the crura, is about 3 1/2 to 4 1/4 inches long and about 2 1/2 inches wide. The glans is about 3/4 inch to 1 inch in diameter.
Your clitoris contains a complex network of erectile tissue and nerves that make it your most highly sensitive erogenous zone.
Except for your glans, your clitoris consists of erectile tissue that fills with blood and expands when stimulated. This erectile tissue is similar to the tissue in the penis. When you’re aroused, the crura and the vestibule bulbs can expand so much that they cause your labia to swell. Your swollen labia may partially or completely cover your glans. Or, the swelling may cause your glans to stick out more.
Inside your body, the swelling adds pressure to your vaginal wall. The squeezing stimulates lubrication inside your vagina, which increases feelings of pleasure and accommodates vaginal penetration.
Your glans is filled with nerve endings that make it incredibly sensitive. It’s so sensitive that applying too much pressure or touching the glans directly during sex may feel painful. Multiple nerve bundles and nerve endings create these sensations in your clitoris. Important nerves in your clitoris include:
The glans alone contains about 8,000 nerve endings. Your clitoris has more nerve endings than any other part of your vulva. Together, these nerves can produce a range of pleasurable sensations, depending on how your clitoris is touched and how sexually aroused you are.
Clitoromegaly describes a clitoris that’s larger than what’s considered normal. It often results from exposure to too many androgens (sex hormones associated with being designated male at birth) when you’re still a fetus. It may lead to congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). With CAH, your clitoris may resemble a small penis. Conditions that arise from hormone imbalances, like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), can also lead to an especially large clitoris.
Many conditions that affect your vulva, in general, can affect your clitoris, too.
If the appearance of your clitoris changes suddenly, your provider may order imaging or a biopsy to check for cancer.
A provider may order blood tests to check hormone levels if an infant is born with an unusually large clitoris. They may recommend genetic tests to diagnose disorders of sex differentiation , including instances when a baby has ambiguous genitalia.
Historically providers altered ambiguous genitals surgically to make them look more conventionally “male” or “female” ( clitoroplasty ). Increasingly, intersex individuals are deciding on their own whether they would prefer medical interventions. Often, surgery isn’t needed unless anatomical differences interfere with your urethra (the tube that carries urine out of your body), making it difficult to pee.
The relationship between the clitoris and sexual pleasure may make you feel embarrassed to talk or even think about your clitoris. But your clitoris is an important part of your sexual health. Explore your clitoris so that you know what type of stimulation feels pleasurable — instead of painful — during sex. Communicate what feels good to your partner. This kind of exploration can prevent clitoral soreness during and after sex. It can also connect you with your partner and your sensuality.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 04/25/2022.

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Jennifer Whitlock, RN, MSN, FNP-C, is a board-certified family nurse practitioner. She has experience in primary care and hospital medicine.

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Oral sex describes a number of sexual activities people enjoy

Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Ⓒ 2022 Dotdash Media, Inc. — All rights reserved

Verywell Health is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.

The clitoris is a part of the genitals found in people assigned female at birth that plays a key role in sexual stimulation and pleasure. Most of the clitoris is inside the body and not visible to the eye, but it has a small nub (the glans clitoris) that you can see.

The clitoris develops from the same structures in the human embryo as the penis does, and the two actually have many similar properties. 1 The clitoris is highly sensitive during arousal and stimulation.

This article discusses the clitoris, its location, and its structure and function. It also explains some health issues that can affect the clitoris.

Vulva is the umbrella term used to describe all of the external female genital organs. The vagina is an internal organ.

The parts of the vulva are located around the vagina. These organs include:

The clitoris is located at the point where the labia majora meet near the pubic bone .

The clitoris is attached to the labia, as well as structures called the pubic symphysis and the mons pubis (a pad of fatty tissue), by ligaments. They keep the clitoris in its bent position.

In gender-affirming surgery to construct a penis , these ligaments are released to allow the clitoris to straighten and increase in length.

The clitoris is a part of the genitals found in people assigned female at birth. It has a small external part you can see, called the glans clitoris, located where the labia majora (lips) meet near the pubic bone. The rest of the clitoris is made up of erectile tissue that's inside the body.

The parts of the clitoris you can see include:

The internal parts of the clitoris wrap around the urethra (the tube that allows urine to exit your body) and extend to the top of the vagina. These internal parts include:

The erectile function of clitoral tissue requires blood flow and the clitoris is well supplied with blood vessels. The body of the clitoris is covered by the tunica albuginea , a sheath of connective tissue.

Clitoral function also relies on a number of different nerves: the dorsal nerve, parts of the pudendal nerve , and the cavernous nerves. These nerves also supply the structures of the vagina, which may be part of the reason why stimulating the clitoris leads to sexual arousal.

There are differences in how the genitals develop in some people. These are called intersex conditions.

Some of these involve changes to the clitoris and how it looks at birth. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia , for example, may lead to a larger clitoris that looks more like a penis.

Surgeons have "corrected" these differences in the past. In recent years, there has been more pushback from intersex individuals and their families, as well as many doctors and researchers. Many now recommend postponing surgery until a person is old enough to decide for themselves.

The exception is in cases where these anatomical differences may make it difficult or impossible to urinate. That is a problem that needs to be corrected surgically for medical reasons.

Most of the clitoris is actually an internal structure, made up of erectile tissue. Its response to sexual stimulation relies on blood flow to the clitoris and the many nerves that support sensation. Some people may be born with an enlarged clitoris, which may indicate an intersex condition.

Unlike the penis, the clitoris does not have a direct role in reproduction. Its primary function is sexual arousal and pleasure during sex.

There is still some debate about the role of clitoral anatomy in sexual function and orgasm . The specific pathways for how the clitoris affects arousal and orgasm are not entirely understood.

In some people, the clitoris becomes slightly enlarged during sexual activity. When this happens it becomes even more sensitive.

Stimulation of the clitoris may also directly affect blood flow to the other genital organs, including the vaginal walls.

Many people need to have the clitoris stimulated to achieve or enhance an orgasm. 3

The clitoris is not involved in reproduction, but it plays a key role in sexual pleasure. Some have a hard time having an orgasm without it being stimulated.

Like most organs, there are health conditions that can affect the clitoris. Some are very mild and easy to treat. Others are more serious.

Some of the most common symptoms include: 4

Most conditions affecting the clitoris, including yeast infections or sexually transmitted diseases , can be treated. Depending on the cause, a doctor may suggest antibiotics or creams to soothe irritation.

There are a few conditions that can directly affect the structure or health of the clitoris as well:

This is the name for a larger-than-typical clitoris.

It may not need to be treated in infants. However, when it arises in childhood, it is often due to neurofibromatosis , a disorder in which tumors form on nerve tissues. 5 This can be treated surgically, if needed.

Lichen sclerosus is a condition characterized by patches of white, thin skin.

It can, in rare cases, cause scarring of the genitals. In severe cases, the scar tissue may affect the function of the clitoris.

These can occur when the clitoral hood sticks to the glans and can no longer fully retract. Why this happens seems to vary and is not fully understood.

Risk factors appear to include genital injury, yeast infections, urinary tract infections, lichen sclerosus, and hormonal imbalances. 6

These adhesions can be mild to severe and may lead to clitoral pain. Minimally invasive surgery may be a treatment option.

Though rare, cancer that spreads from another site can cause lesions on the clitoris.

Scientists have reported such spread to the clitoris in cases of breast cancer , 7 cervical cancer , and endometrial cancer . 8

Most conditions affecting the clitoris, such as a yeast infection, are relatively easy to treat. Other changes in the clitoris may signal an underlying medical condition. Though rare, this may include cancer that has spread from elsewhere in the body. If you have concerns, talk to your OB/GYN or other healthcare provider.

It's unlikely that you'll need any medical tests for issues involving the clitoris.

If there are changes in its size or shape, a biopsy may help to determine the cause. For some people at risk of a spreading cancer, imaging may be used too.

The one exception is when infants are born with clitoromegaly. Healthcare providers will often try to determine the cause of the enlarged clitoris. This may involve blood tests to check hormone levels, or genetic tests to look for different potential intersex conditions.

Understanding the cause may offer insight into a child's later expression of gender identity .

The clitoris plays a central role in sexual stimulation and pleasure in people who are assigned female at birth. Most of the clitoris resides inside the body, though there is a small external nub that you can see.

Health issues related to the clitoris are relatively rare and, in most cases, easily treated.

One of the more serious concerns is an enlarged clitoris at birth that may point to an intersex condition. Or, if the clitoris becomes enlarged later in children, it may be a sign of a genetic nervous system disorder called neurofibromatosis. This condition causes tumors and requires treatment. If you have concerns about how the clitoris looks or feels, be sure to contact your healthcare provider.

There is still much to learn about the erectile tissue of the clitoris and how its role connects with that of other structures of the pelvis.

Each person has their own level of sensitivity and preferences when it comes to stimulating the glans clitoris. It's best to try varying levels of pressure and techniques to find what works best for you.

The portions of the organ located inside the body that account for most of its size and contain all of its erectile tissue.
The glans clitoris (external clitoris) is located above the urethral opening at the junction of the labia minor (inner labia) and is covered by a retractable clitoral hood. The rest is internal and connects to the glans.
The length from the tip of the glans to the end of each crura is approximately 9 cm (4 inches). The external glans is about 2.5 cm (about 3/4 inch to 1 inch) and has a similar diameter.
Female circumcision is the removal of the clitoris to prevent a woman from feeling sexual pleasure. It is traditionally practiced in some African, Middle Eastern, and Asian countries, and is often done when a girl reaches puberty. This is considered a type of female genital mutilation (FGM). Though illegal in many places today, it still continues in some countries. 9
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