The clitoris is located at the top of the vulva, where the inner lips (labia minora) meet. It sits above the urethral opening and the vaginal entrance, tucked beneath a small fold of skin called the clitoral hood. For many people, it isn’t immediately visible without gently pulling back that hood, which is completely normal.
Where Exactly to Look
Start by getting comfortable and using a handheld mirror. With your fingers, gently part the outer lips (labia majora) of the vulva. Follow the inner lips upward toward the top, where they converge into a small point. Right where they meet, you’ll feel a soft fold of skin forming a hood. Beneath that hood is the glans of the clitoris, a small, rounded nub roughly the size of a pea, though this varies from person to person.
The distance between the clitoris and the vaginal opening ranges from roughly 1.5 to 4.5 centimeters depending on the individual. So if you place a finger just inside the vaginal entrance and slide upward along the midline, you’ll reach it within an inch or two. It often feels like a small, firm bump under the skin, distinct from the softer tissue around it.
Why It Might Be Hard to See
In most people, the glans stays partially or fully hidden inside what’s essentially a small sleeve of skin. The hood comes in a range of shapes: some are rounded, some more angular, some thicker than others. Very often the glans sits deep enough inside this hood that you won’t see it without gently retracting the skin upward or to the sides. This doesn’t mean anything is wrong. It’s the most common presentation.
The hood can also change with age or hormonal shifts. Lower estrogen levels, particularly during menopause, can cause the hood tissue to loosen or thicken, making the glans harder to expose. In some cases, the hood can actually become partially stuck to the glans through small adhesions. When this happens, the hood doesn’t retract fully or at all. Mild adhesions are common and often go unnoticed, but if you experience pain, reduced sensation, or can never retract the hood, that’s a condition worth discussing with a gynecologist.
What It Feels Like to the Touch
The clitoris contains over 10,000 nerve fibers, according to a 2022 study from Oregon Health & Science University. That’s about 20% more than the commonly cited figure of 8,000, which was actually derived from animal studies. Because of this nerve density, the glans is extremely sensitive to touch, and for some people, direct contact on the exposed glans can feel too intense.
If touching the glans directly feels overwhelming, that’s normal. Many people prefer stimulation over or through the hood rather than on the bare glans itself. The hood slides naturally over the surface of the glans, providing a buffer that softens the sensation while still transmitting pressure to the nerve-rich tissue underneath.
It’s Bigger Than What You See
The visible nub is only a small fraction of the full structure. The clitoris extends several inches into the body in a shape often compared to a wishbone. Behind the glans, the body of the clitoris runs inward and then splits into two legs (called crura) that extend downward along either side of the vaginal canal. There are also two internal bulbs that sit between these legs and the vaginal wall. During arousal, these bulbs swell with blood and can double in size.
This internal anatomy is why pressure or stimulation around the vaginal entrance, not just on the external glans, can feel pleasurable. The internal portions of the clitoris are being stimulated indirectly through the surrounding tissue.
How Arousal Changes Things
When you become sexually aroused, blood flows to the entire genital area, causing the clitoral tissue to become engorged and slightly erect, similar in mechanism to a penile erection. The glans may become more prominent and easier to see or feel. After stimulation ends, it returns to its resting size. If you’re having trouble locating your clitoris while relaxed, it can sometimes be easier to find during arousal when the tissue is swollen and more defined.
Ways to Explore Sensation
Once you’ve located the clitoris, there are several approaches to stimulation that work with its anatomy:
- Sliding motion: Use a finger to glide up and down or side to side across the clitoral hood and glans.
- Circular motion: Trace slow circles around the clitoris with a fingertip, letting your touch graze the surrounding labia as well.
- Tapping: Gentle, rhythmic tapping on the hood can gradually build sensation. You can increase speed or pressure over time.
- Hood pinching: Using two fingers in a V shape, softly pinch the clitoral hood and tug gently up and down. This provides indirect stimulation without direct contact on the glans.
There’s no single correct technique. Sensitivity varies widely between individuals, and what feels good can change depending on arousal level, time of the menstrual cycle, or simply the day. Starting with lighter, indirect touch and adjusting from there gives you the most information about what your body responds to.
Normal Variation in Size and Shape
Clitoral glans come in a range of shapes: some are rounded and bulbous, some are more cone-shaped with a pointed tip, and some are flatter and oblong. All of these are normal. The size of the visible glans also varies significantly. A smaller glans doesn’t mean fewer nerve endings or less capacity for pleasure, just as a larger one doesn’t indicate a problem. The hood itself ranges from thin and barely noticeable to thick enough that the glans is completely concealed even when retracted. None of these variations affect function in a meaningful way.