9 Facts About The Clitoris You Probably Didn't Know

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9 Facts About The Clitoris You Probably Didn't Know

A doctor responds to viral TikTok claims – plus 9 mind blowing facts about your magical clit

A viral TikTok video that’s been circulating is warning people that if your clitoris – the mighty, amazing clit – isn’t regularly stimulated, it can lose its function and disappear.

 

Yup, you read that right (*grabs clit vibrator*).

 

The video was shared by period pain relief brand Ovira and has now gained over a million views – plus, a lot of worried comments. In the video it’s described: “Use your clitoris before it disappears. If the clitoris is not regularly stimulated, it can lose its function, and this is called clitoral atrophy.” It’s also said that ‘clitoral atrophy’ can “significantly decrease your sex drive.”

 

Gynaecologist Dr Karen Tang stitched the video and broke down exactly why this happens. Dr Tang explains that while there is a condition known as clitoral atrophy (meaning your clit stops responding to sexual arousal or stimulus) experiencing it doesn’t mean you’ll lose it forever.

 

There are loads of possible reasons for experiencing clitoral atrophy – maybe it’s not being sexually active, or a shift in hormone levels due to starting birth control. This may result in less blood flow to the clit, and it can even become smaller. Dr Tang advises regular clit stimulation to help maintain a healthy blood flow and sensitivity.

 

But should we be concerned if we’re going through a sexual dry spell?

 

“Don’t be scared if you’re going through a dry spell or if you don’t particularly feel like using the clitoris,” Dr Tang says. “You’re not going to do some sort of irreparable harm to your body.”

 

So, now that we know our clit isn’t going anywhere, shrivelling up, dying a death - phew. But of course, if you are ever worried about any aspects of sexual health or sexual satisfaction, you should always seek medical advice.

 

Dr Tang’s video is just another reminder of how incredible the clitoris is – and also, how widespread the knowledge gap around it reaches. As it's literally made for our pleasure, we are completely in control of whether we use it or not. For some of us, clit stimulation isn’t our thing – and that’s okay! Dr Tang also highlights in her video that if you’re asexual, you don’t need to do anything you don’t want to.

 

We’re very spoiled for choice on clit vibrator toys that can help us experience ~ah-mazing~ clitoral sensations (the health benefits of orgasms are also a plus). A clitoris is, essentially, a female sex organ that women and people with vulvas of all gender identities have. It's part of the vulva and the primary source of orgasms and sexual pleasure for women, with only 18% of women and people with vaginas climaxing from penetration alone (with no clit stimulation).

 

It's important, wonderful and should never be overlooked or underestimated. Here, relationship and sex mentor Colin Richards reckons there's nine more pretty awesome, surprising things everyone should know about the not-so-humble clit. Read on to find out some of these illuminating clitoris facts.

 

1. The clit is way bigger than you think

The size of the tissue underneath what's visible (which is only about a quarter of it) can be around four inches. Recently, MRI studies have allowed researchers to approximate the volume of a non-aroused clitoris as ranging from 1.5 to 5.5mm. When someone with a clitoris is aroused, the clitoris roughly doubles in size, increasing pressure on the nerve-dense area at the anterior vaginal wall. The glans alone (the bit you can usually see) averages 2.4 to 4.4 mm wide and 3.7 to 6.5 mm long.

 

2. The clit functions just like a penis

When a baby is conceived, whatever sex, initially their genital tissue is exactly the same. It only begins to change into a penis or labia after around 12 weeks, meaning that the clitoris and penis are both comprised of the same things; erectile tissue, a foreskin (the clitoral hood), glans, and even a small shaft.

 

3. The clitoris has 8,000 nerve endings

The vaginal tunnel itself doesn’t have much sensation, but there is a reason the clitoris is so sensitive, and that is because it has eight THOUSAND nerve endings. That's double the amount of nerve ending of the penis.

 

4. The clitoris keeps growing, and never ages

Just like the nose, the clitoris keeps on growing past puberty. Not only that, it never actually ages. Aside from it growing with age, there is no physical difference between a 30 or 70-year-old clitoris.

 

5. The clitoris was (officially) 'discovered' in the 1500s

Anatomist Mateo Renaldo Colombo, an Italian professor, who claimed to have discovered the clitoris. He called it amor Veneris, vel dulce-do - "the love or sweetness of Venus." Strangely enough, it had been known earlier to women and those who actually own one.

 

6. The clit is the only human organ specifically designed to give pleasure

It is not designed to make people have an orgasm through penetration. The shape of the penis is exactly and as equally banana-shaped as the vagina, but only if the person with the vagina is penetrated from behind. Therefore, the most 'acceptable' way of the human sexual penetration is the one when the clitoris is not stimulated at all.

 

7. Clitoris orgasms release A LOT of oxytocin

In womb and vagina-having people, hormone levels widely fluctuate to enable them to fall pregnant. To prevent hormones from causing negative side effects, the body contains a ''reset-button’’... aka the clitoris. By having a clitoral orgasm, a lot of oxytocin is released. While sexual arousal also slightly increases oxytocin release, only a real orgasm makes a substantial difference. And, the better the orgasm is, the more oxytocin is secreted.

 

8. The clit enlarges around the time of ovulation

There is also some preliminary research suggesting the volume of the clitoris may change throughout the cycle. One small study found clitoral size increased by about a fifth in the days before, during and after ovulation and decreased premenstrually - although more research on this is needed, and it’s still unclear if and how these changes might affect sensation.

 

9. There's a flower that looks just like the clitoris

Clitoria ternatea, commonly known as Asian pigeonwings, is a small blue plant that's often used for medicinal purposes. In Ayurveda, an ancient system of Indian medicine, it's as a treatment in female reproductive disorders.

 

 

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