Discover the depth of your clitoris, all its parts and its erections!

If you thought that it was only the penis that swelled in size when excited, you were wrong! When stimulated, the vestibular bulbs of the clitoris fill with blood and, as a result, it becomes erect! Discover your clitoris from tip to toe and find out how it works. 

The clitoris is the pleasure organ. Don’t get us wrong, there are many spots all over your body which can bring you pleasure but, unlike them, that is all the clitoris does: bring you pleasure. Put it like this, your clit is no good at multitasking and must use all of its potential to achieve one single thing: incredible orgasms for you. 

And, so, whilst all the other erogenous zones of your body also perform other functions, be they reproductive, physiological… the clitoris has only one function. That doesn’t mean it is a simple organ. Providing pleasure requires a whole chain of mechanisms which are meticulously designed (or rather evolved) so that you can achieve pleasure whenever you want to. Pleasure is in your hands! And also in the hands, mouth (mmm!) or body of your chosen partner. 

What are the parts of the clitoris?

The clitoris is divided into five parts. Each part has its own function and is found in or around our pelvic area. The clitoris, at a glance, doesn’t appear to be much bigger than a pea when it is at rest, but that’s only the visible, relaxed part of our pleasure organ. It extends much deeper than we can see, and its size depends on how turned on we are. 

Want to know more about each part of the clitoris? Come on then:

• Glans: Yes, you’ve read that correctly. The clitoris also has a glans and it’s the end of the clitoris which lies above the urethra. It is the only externally visible part, along with its hood. This little bud contains more than 8000 nerve endings, making it the most sensitive organ in the body. It is very common to masturbate by stroking or rubbing the clitoral glans and surrounding area. It is extremely pleasurable!
• Clitoral hood: The hood of the clitoris is made up of two folds of skin from the labia minora which join to form a little hood directly above the glans, protecting it as it is the most sensitive part of the clitoris. 
• Corpora cavernosa: The corpora cavernosa, or clitoral body, is made up of two spongy erectile tissues which are connected to each side of the glans. When sexually excited, these tissues fill with blood.
• Crura or arms: The tissues of the corpora cavernosa continue into two long crura, or arms. These arms are located on either side of the vagina.
• Vestibular bulbs: Beneath each side of the arms which hug the vagina there are two bulbous spongy organs known as the vestibular bulbs or clitoral bulbs. During stimulation these bulbs swell with blood and cause the clitoris to become erect. This swelling pushing the vulva outwards. The muscle spasms during orgasms release the blood from the bulbs and cause the erection to fade.

In a nutshell, the clitoris gets erections

Yes, you get a clitoral erection when you are excited! Whereas the penis becomes hard externally during an erection, most of the clitoral erection occurs internally, causing swelling and pressure on the vulva, but it is also visible in the external part of the clitoris. Generally speaking, the glans grows and is more visible in its hood. 

These are some of the signs of an erection in women:

• The blood which is trapped in the tissues of the clitoral body and bulbs makes them swell and put pressure on the surrounding organs.

• This pressure pushes the vulva outwards and makes the labia swell large and proud. 

• The swollen glans is more visible and seems larger than normal.

• The clitoral hood may retract somewhat.

• The labia may become redder due to the surrounding organs filling with blood.

• The vagina may become moister and more lubricated.

Given that the clitoris is an organ which is exclusively sexual and very sensitive, sexual excitement tends to make it become erect. Your labia may swell and feel firmer than normal. Furthermore, the glans or tip of the clitoris may become sensitive to the touch, much more so than when there is no excitement. When you are turned on and your clitoris is erect, your vaginal glands release secretions to lubricate the vagina and prepare you for sex. Once you have reached orgasm, the rhythmic contraction of the vagina returns the blood which has been held in your clitoral tissues to your system and the erection disappears. If you don’t reach orgasm when you have a clitoral erection, the blood with flow gently back into your system, but it will take longer than with an orgasm.