Clitoris

The clitoris is the only organ in the human body with no known function other than pleasure. What you see, at the top of the vulva, where the inner lips meet, is the glans: a small bud a few millimetres across, protected by a fold of skin called the hood (or clitoral prepuce).

But the visible part is only the tip of the iceberg. Under the skin, the clitoris continues into a bent body, then into two roots several centimetres long that run down on either side of the vagina, completed by two bulbs framing the vaginal opening and the urethra. All of it is erectile tissue, of the same embryonic origin as the penis: with arousal, it engorges with blood, it swells, it hardens. Hence that sensation of heat and diffuse swelling throughout the whole vulva, well beyond the little bud.

As for caresses, the glans packs a considerable density of nerve endings, which sometimes makes it too sensitive for direct contact, especially early on. Many prefer to start through the hood, or on the sides, or by stroking the whole vulva before homing in. Lube (or saliva) changes everything: dry, the friction quickly turns unpleasant. After that, everyone has their own rhythm: slow circles, up and down strokes, sustained and vibrating pressure, the key being not to change a thing when it builds.

Sensitivity varies from one day to the next, from one moment of the cycle to another, and with arousal: at its peak, the glans even tends to retract under its hood, which is not a rejection but a normal reflex. After orgasm, the area often becomes hypersensitive and calls for a pause, a hand laid flat rather than a caress. If contact causes pain, burning or persistent itching, it's a doctor or a sex therapist you should see, not a forum.

People still set clitoral orgasm against vaginal orgasm: the distinction is now heavily debated, since the roots and bulbs frame the vaginal opening and can be called on during penetration. The G-spot, a sensitive (and disputed) zone on the front wall of the vagina, a few centimetres in, sits precisely against those internal structures. Neighbouring words worth knowing: vulva (the whole external set, often confused with the vagina), hood, cunnilingus, air pulse stimulator.

Synonyms : clit, love button