Q: Is my clitoris working right?

You say orgasms are new to you (congratulations!), and, having had the experience, you’re looking to  explore it further. You’re not sure your clitoris matches what you’ve read in books.

The external part of the clitoris is the head or glans; the shaft is deep to that. When you touch the clitoris, you’re touching the clitoral head. With arousal, there is usually minimal “engorgement” noted for women. By comparison, think of the penis, whose head doesn’t enlarge all that much when aroused. It’s the penis shaft that enlarges, and for women, the comparable clitoral shaft is internal (here’s a blog post with an illustration, which could be helpful).

A person’s size, weight, and number of pregnancies or childbirths don’t usually alter this part of our anatomy. As we age and hormone levels decrease, the clitoris does diminish in size and there can be skin conditions of the vulva that make the clitoris more “hooded.”

The most consistent, reliable way for most women to experience orgasm is direct clitoral stimulation (for others it’s vaginal at the “G spot”), and a vibrator tends to provide that for most women. But “most women” isn’t “every woman,” so you might try warming products, which can be helpful by providing stimulation to bring more blood supply to the area.

I wish there were a single route to experiencing orgasm--or maybe I don’t. There’s something nice about it being individual and unpredictable. Continuing the pursuit is fulfilling and, I hope, ultimately satisfying, too!