The clitoris: the best friend of every woman. But where is this friend hidden? What is the purpose of the clitoris, and how do you stimulate it? Everything that you, as a woman – and certainly as a man – need to know about this amazing female body part can be found below.

What is the clitoris?

The clitoris – also known as the ‘kittelaar’ or simply ‘clit’ – is sometimes described among friends as the female version of a penis. The penis of girls, so to speak. In babies with an XY chromosome (males), this organ develops into a penis, while in babies with an XX chromosome (females), it evolves into a clitoris.

Some interesting facts about the clitoris:

• The clitoris, just like the penis, has a ‘foreskin’, known as the clitoral hood or clitoral cap.
• During high arousal, the clitoris can become firm and swollen.
• The clitoris responds strongly to stimulation in women and can increase in size as a result.

Did you know that the clitoris contains as many as 8,000 nerve endings? This makes the clitoris actually twice as sensitive as its male counterpart: the glans penis. It is important to understand what the clitoris is and how to stimulate it in the best way.

Where is the clitoris located?

The clitoris is considerably larger inside a woman’s body than the (small) visible part that extends above the skin. Although we usually only see about one or two centimetres of it from the outside, the organ can be up to ten centimetres in size internally.

It is important to know that the well-known G-spot is actually a part of the clitoris, which explains why most women experience a lot of pleasure from stimulating this area located on the inner side of the vagina.

The visible part of the clitoris is located at the top of a woman’s vagina, approximately between the outer labia at the point where the inner labia come together.

How can you best stimulate a clitoris?

Actively stimulating the clitoris plays an important role in increasing women’s pleasure during sex. For the majority of women, achieving orgasm is not possible through vaginal penetration alone, but it is possible through targeted stimulation of the clitoris and the surrounding sensitive area. This stimulation can happen, for example, with the hand, tongue, or a sex toy.

Approximately 80 percent of women reach climax exclusively through stimulation of this ‘pleasure button’, regardless of vaginal penetration.

For a long time, it was thought that the clitoris only existed to help women reach orgasm. Yes, the clitoris certainly plays an essential role in this, but it also serves other purposes. Recent scientific research has shown that the clitoris also plays an important role in the reproductive process.

Did you know that stimulating the clitoris not only promotes blood circulation in the vagina and vaginal lubrication, but also regulates oxygen levels and temperature in the vagina?

In addition, the clitoris also optimises the position of the cervix. The clitoris also slows down the movement of sperm cells. All of this contributes to creating a healthy environment for a possible pregnancy. Yes, it is true: a woman who enjoys sexual activity through clitoral stimulation increases her chance of becoming pregnant!

An orgasm through the clitoris

Some women like to distinguish between a vaginal orgasm (caused by stimulation of the inside of the vagina) and a clitoral orgasm (caused by targeted stimulation of the clitoris).

But actually, a purely ‘vaginal orgasm’ is not entirely accurate. Women experience orgasm through stimulation of the clitoral organ, where the back part of this organ, which is approximately ten centimetres in size, is stimulated inside the body. A vaginal orgasm is therefore also an orgasm that occurs through the clitoris.

It is therefore important to understand that referring to two separate types of orgasms is not entirely correct, and that the clitoris plays an important role in every type of orgasm.

An overly sensitive clitoris

The clitoris is naturally very sensitive. But did you know that its sensitivity increases even more just before and immediately after an orgasm? At those moments, direct stimulation of the clitoris can sometimes feel too intense.

But despite this sensitivity, you may not want to stop completely at that (peak) moment. If you experience an overly sensitive clitoris, you can use your fingers to stimulate the area around the clitoris.

Oral sex can also often serve as a suitable alternative to avoid overstimulating the clitoris. However, here too, the focus should not only be on the clitoris itself, but rather on the entire surrounding area.

For some women who experience a lot of sensitivity, the clitoris is simply too sensitive for direct touch. A solution may then be to choose a position where the man enters from behind. Indirect stimulation only, such as stroking or licking the labia, can also be a suitable solution in this case.