Female boner: anatomy
To fully understand what a clitoris does and how it changes during sexual arousal, it is important to know what it’s made of and its location. The clitoris is a complex sexual organ that develops from the same tissue as a penis.
The clitoris is made of erectile tissue, which means that some parts of the clitoris can swell and trap blood, becoming “erect” when you’re turned on. Only a small part of the clitoris is externally visible, while the rest of it is hidden under the skin. What most people call the “clitoris” is actually the glans or the visible tip of the clitoris. The parts of the clitoris are as follows:
- The glans — This is the small tip of the clitoris above the urinary opening and the only part that can be seen externally. This tiny bump has an enormous number of nerve endings, making it one of the most sensitive organs in your body. Many women masturbate by touching the glans or the surrounding skin for pleasure.
- Clitoral hood (shaft) — The two folds of skin of the inner labia meet and form a small hood directly above the glans, called the clitoral hood. It surrounds and protects the sensitive glans.
- Corpus cavernosum — These are two spongy erectile tissues that are connected to and run on either side of the glans. When you are sexually aroused, these tissues fill up with blood.
- Crura — The corpus cavernosum tissues extend into long slender crura (or legs). These crura are on either side of the vagina.
- Vestibular bulbs — Under either side of the crura are two spongy bulb-like organs called vestibular bulbs or clitoral bulbs. When you’re turned on, these bulbs fill with blood, causing a clitoral erection. This swelling pushes the vulva outward. The muscle spasms of an orgasm push the blood away from the bulbs, and the erection goes away.