Here are some basic truths about the clitoris. First: its sole purpose is enjoyment, period. Second: only part of the clitoris is visible to the naked eye. So where is the rest?
The (very) recent history of clitoris research
In 1998, Australian urologist Helen O’Connell was the first researcher to suggest that the clitoris was more than the glans: the small grain we can see, covered by the clitoris. I’ll let you take a moment to absorb the 1998 part.
Using photography to map the structure of the clitoral nerves, O’Connell and her colleagues concluded that there was much more clitoral erectile tissue tightened inside the body. More under the hood if you will.
The rest of this pleasure instrument and why you should know it
The glans is the part you already know: it contains a dense network of nerve endings and swells when stimulated, whether by fingers, a toy, a mouth or a penis.
Under the hood, the clit goes underground. The glans is connected by a spongy shaft that extends inside your body and splits into two clitoral legs (the crura) that run back and down along either side of the vagina. Together, the axis and crura are about 5 inches long.
But there is more! The inner clitoral network also contains clitoral bulbs (also called vestibular bulbs), which wrap around the opening of the urethra—where you pee—and run down each side of the vaginal opening.
Having trouble visualizing all of this? Anatomy photos abound on the internet, but one sex toy company has actually made a sweet vibrator modeled after the clitoris itself. It’s the Lalalena from CERĒ: the first line of sex tools designed by doctors.
It is an amazing teaching tool to explore the clitoris in 3D. Seeing how FrRental products have been made in the shape of a penis for 28,000 years, I find this to be a refreshing development. Demeter team of doctors created the first clitoris-shaped vibrator, a breakthrough we can all applaud.
So bottom line: if you want to enjoy a clitoris – whether it’s yours or someone else’s – I recommend you familiarize yourself with the anatomy. Why; So you can squeeze, lick, or otherwise stimulate it during sexy moments, and this toy is a great option for just that (use code SWE for 15% off all CERĒ products).
How to stimulate all of the clitoris
While it is an interconnected network of erectile tissue and nerve endings, it exists is techniques you can use to stimulate every part of the clitoris.
The ankle
For most vulva owners, the action starts here. The glans of the clitoris – which, again, is that small, visible must – can enjoy oral sex, masturbation, or direct contact with a finger or penis. Techniques run the gamut (including the very popular Kivin method), but here’s an easy trick to try if you’re masturbating or pleasing a partner:
- First rub the glans over the underwear to stimulate and fill the area with blood.
- Then proceed to direct stimulation, either with a toy or tongue, and make small circles to find the most sensitive spot on the glans.
- Once you find it (listen for the tell-tale sounds of pleasure: heavy breathing, moaning, etc.), stay there while inserting a finger, making a “come hither” shape toward the belly.
- This will stimulate the inner vaginal walls including the ‘G-zone’ (what I call the G-spot), for super intense pleasure and even launching.
The axis
To find the shaft in yourself (if you have a vulva), press on your pubic bone, just above your glans. While pressing down, move your finger to the other side: you will feel something roll under your finger.
To activate it, try pressing, stroking or rubbing it while stimulating the glans. You’ll wake up even more nerve endings than you would by just focusing on the glans.
The coldness
While you can’t feel the crura with your fingers, you can stimulate it. They reach deep into the pelvic floor muscles – the muscle group responsible for orgasmic contractions – so if you own a vulva, a great way to activate them is with kegels. Press as if to stop the flow of urine, but look if you can squeeze the muscles closer to the opening of your urethra, instead of the muscles closer to your anus. The compressive action compresses the inner nerve endings.
If you please a vulva owner, you can indirectly stimulate the crura from the inside. Gently insert the fingers and using rhythmic movements, slightly “tilt” your fingers in different directions to see if you land on a sweet spot. If you find it…don’t stop. (At least not until they’re ready to move on, because that’s just bad.)
The bulbs of the clitoris
While you can’t see it, the bulbs of the clitoris (vestibulum) swell with stimulation and are what cause the outer lips of the labia to swell. They help to saturate the vulva with blood, and to stimulate it, you can run two fingers (or a tongue) down each side of the urethral opening. From there, apply gentle pressure while simultaneously stimulating the glans. You can watch the lips puff up in real time! It’s kind of magical.
Another great way to explore all these places if you own a vulva? Masturbate using the above Lalalena. Align the glans of the toy’s clitoris with your own clitoris, place the toy’s crura and bulbs around the outer skin surrounding your vaginal opening, and press the button. As it fits against whole clitoris, stimulates much more than the glans. Nice huh;
Great job: you’ve just taken a deep clit dive to set off even more sexual fireworks. To get more tips like these, subscribe to my weekly newsletter and get useful sex regularly.
