There is more to the clitoris than meets the eye — literally. You may know it as the small external structure at the top of the vulva. However, as Jennifer Lincoln, MD, a board-certified ob-gyn and social media educator, recently explained in a popular TikTok video, that is “only the tip of the iceberg” when it comes to the clitoris. The clitoris is larger than that visible part that comes to mind, and a large portion of it is inside your body.
@drjenniferlincoln Are you ready for this?? #learnsomethingnew #areyounewhere #givingszn #happynewyear #obgyn #selflove
In the TikTok video (above), Dr. Lincoln pointed to an anatomy model to illustrate this fact. Dr. Lincoln then posted another video (below) explaining that understanding and being aware of the anatomy of the clitoris can help people understand what feels pleasurable during sexual activity or masturbation.
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“I wanted to make these videos because medically accurate sex education was not the norm for most of us growing up. And if anything was covered, it was usually just about how not to get pregnant or get STIs,” Dr. Lincoln told POPSUGAR about why she was inspired to create TikToks on clitoral anatomy.
“Hardly ever is pleasure discussed, mainly because those teaching sex ed (or legislating it) are incorrectly informed to believe that talking about sex — especially that it can feel good! — will make young people more likely to have sex. This has been debunked, [by the way]. So, I wanted to help people who actually have a clitoris understand what it is and how understanding their anatomy can help them feel empowered — especially when it comes to feeling good.”
In the TikTok video ahead, Dr. Lincoln continued the lesson on clitoral anatomy by pointing out and naming the different parts of the clitoris: the glans (the part you can see), the clitoral body, the crura, and the vestibular bulbs.
@drjenniferlincoln Since y’all are digging the clitoral anatomy! #learnsomethingnew #letstalkabout #andjustlikethat #obgyn
Dr. Lincoln told POPSUGAR that the glans tends to be the most sensitive part of the clitoris and that direct pressure or stimulation to it can be too intense to be pleasurable for some. However, Dr. Lincoln added that everyone is different when it comes to sensitivity and what parts of the clitoris they enjoy having stimulated during sex or masturbation.
As for why the clitoris is so sensitive? “The clitoris is so sensitive thanks to how many nerves innervate it,” Dr. Lincoln told POPSUGAR. “A lot of articles quote the clitoris as having 8,000 nerve endings, but that’s actually from a study based on cows done in the 1970s. We don’t know exactly how many nerves the human clitoris has, but it’s probably a lot, and that’s a very good thing!”