The clitoris is a small, rounded nub of tissue visible at the top of the vulva, but that visible portion is only a fraction of the full structure. Most of the clitoris is internal, extending several centimeters beneath the skin in a shape often compared to a wishbone. Understanding both the external and internal anatomy helps explain why this organ looks and feels the way it does.
What You Can See From the Outside
The part of the clitoris you can see or feel is called the glans. It sits at the top of the vulva, where the inner lips (labia minora) meet. It looks like a small, smooth, rounded bud, roughly the size of a pea in most people, though there’s a wide range of normal. Measurements of the visible glans range from about 2 millimeters to over 3 centimeters in length and up to about 1 centimeter in width.
A fold of skin called the clitoral hood covers the glans partially or fully, much like a small protective sleeve. The hood is formed by the point where the inner labia join together at the top. In some people, the glans peeks out visibly beneath the hood; in others, it’s mostly tucked underneath and becomes more exposed when the hood is gently pulled back or during arousal. The amount of coverage varies widely from person to person, and all variations are normal.
The Internal Structure
Beneath the surface, the clitoris is far larger than its external appearance suggests. The full organ has four main parts: the glans, the body, two legs (called crura), and two vestibular bulbs. Together, they form a structure that wraps around the vaginal canal and urethra.
The body of the clitoris sits directly behind the glans and runs inward, like the top of a wishbone before it splits. From there, it branches into two crura, which are the longest parts of the clitoris. These legs extend downward in a V shape, flanking the vaginal canal on either side. The vestibular bulbs are two masses of spongy tissue that sit between the crura and the vaginal wall. When drawn together, the whole structure looks something like a wishbone with two bulging pads attached at its base.
For decades, anatomy textbooks depicted the clitoris as a tiny, simple structure. Research using MRI imaging changed that picture dramatically, revealing the clitoris as a complex, three-dimensional organ with a broad attachment to the pubic bone. Dr. Helen O’Connell, a urological surgeon, published landmark findings showing that standard medical diagrams had been inaccurate and incomplete. Her work confirmed that the bulbs are part of the clitoris and that the organ cannot be accurately represented in a single flat diagram.
Why It Looks Different During Arousal
The clitoris changes noticeably during sexual arousal. When stimulated, blood flow to the organ increases as smooth muscle in the clitoral arteries relaxes. This causes the internal erectile tissue to fill with blood, making the glans swell and push outward, becoming more visible and more sensitive to touch. The vestibular bulbs can double in size as they engorge. The overall effect is that the clitoris becomes firmer, slightly larger, and more prominent.
This process works similarly to how an erection develops in a penis. The clitoris and penis develop from the same embryonic tissue and share key structural features, including a core of erectile tissue (corpus cavernosum) surrounded by a fibrous covering. The clitoris is, in a developmental sense, the same organ expressed differently.
More Nerve Endings Than Previously Thought
The clitoris is the most nerve-dense structure in the vulva. For years, the commonly cited figure was 8,000 nerve endings, a number originally extrapolated from animal studies. Research published in 2022 by a team at Oregon Health & Science University revised that number significantly upward. By examining tissue donated by transmasculine volunteers during gender-affirming surgery, researchers counted an average of about 5,140 nerve fibers in just one of the two symmetrical dorsal nerves. Doubling that gives roughly 10,280 nerve fibers for the dorsal nerve alone, and the clitoris has additional smaller nerves beyond that count.
This density of nerve fibers in such a compact area is what makes the glans extraordinarily sensitive. It’s also why direct, firm contact can feel uncomfortable or painful for some people, while lighter or indirect stimulation through the hood is more pleasurable.
Normal Variation in Appearance
There is no single “correct” way a clitoris should look. The glans can range from barely visible beneath the hood to clearly protruding. Its color may be pink, reddish, or darker than the surrounding skin, depending on a person’s overall skin tone and blood flow. The clitoral hood can be tight and closely fitted or looser with more skin. Some people have a hood that’s slightly asymmetrical. All of these variations fall within the normal range and have no bearing on function or sensitivity.
Hormonal changes throughout life, including puberty, pregnancy, menopause, and hormone therapy, can affect the size and appearance of the clitoris. Increased testosterone, whether naturally occurring or from medical treatment, tends to increase the size of the glans over time. Age-related changes in estrogen levels can alter the thickness and elasticity of the surrounding tissue, sometimes making the glans more or less prominent than it was earlier in life.