sex

Extraordinary facts about the clitoris that'll make it your new favourite body part.

Ah the clitoris, the last great mystery of the modern world.

By now, both men and women should know how to locate the female fun button, but there’s still a lot we don’t know about it.

So we’ve compiled a list of interesting facts to help you not only become more familiar with your lady bits, but wow your mates at any female anatomy-themed trivia nights:

Spicing up your sex life isn’t all that hard, as the Love Life podcast explains. (Post continues after audio.)

1. It’s gone through a recent re-brand.

The word clitoris was first coined in the 1610s and derives from the Greek word for ‘key’. However, it took until the 1950s for it to become known by the abbreviation ‘clit’ that we so commonly use today.

2. The clitoris is a sensitive soul.

The clit is a powerhouse of pleasure; the tip alone contains more than 8000 nerve endings. That’s twice as many as in the penis.

There's so much we need to learn about our lady bits. (iStock)

3. It's much bigger than you think.

The clitoris is much more than the tiny visible head at the top of the vulva. In fact, it's made of 18 distinct parts including muscle, nerves and erectile tissue, which wraps around the vaginal tunnel and reaches out towards the thighs.

4. And it gets bigger.

The clitoris is ageless and will look and function the same when you are 90 as it did in your 20s. That being said, the clitoris does continue to grow throughout your life and could reach double the size.

5. And bigger.

The clitoris, much like the penis, also grows in size when aroused. It can swell by a whopping 300 per cent and range from seven to 12 centimetres in length.

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6. Location matters.

Some studies suggest the distance between your external clit (known as the ‘glans’) and your vagina may affect your orgasm.

clitoris facts
It's much bigger than you think. Image via iStock.

7. Use it or lose it.

If left unloved and unstimulated, your clitoris can retreat into the body. In order to maintain blood flow and stay healthy, you’ll need to give it some regular TLC.

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8. The clit has more in common with the penis than you'd think.

The clitoris and penis both start out their life journeys in very similar ways. Foetuses have the same genital tissue but develop differently. Just like a penis, the clitoris has a glans, foreskin and shaft.

9. Your orgasm begins in the brain.

At least six different tissues become stimulated to trigger your orgasm. Ironically, it's also part of the brain that can hinder your orgasm, preventing you from climaxing at all. (Post continues after gallery.)

10. The clitoris is a versatile little bean.

In fact it's so versatile that in surgical procedures it can be enlarged to form a whole functioning penis.

11. Just like you, your clit has mood swings.

Your clitoris doesn’t just change during arousal — it can change throughout the month depending on your hormones, nutrition and stress levels.

This can also cause you to experience pleasure in different way. Some days a gentle caress may have you climaxing, other days it might send you crawling up the walls.

Sex with strangers, electronic cheating, and dating for the shy on Love Life. 

12. A clitoral orgasm can last between 10 and 30 seconds and induce three to 16 muscular contractions.

The clitoris can also facilitate multiple orgasms as we don’t need a resting period in between.

Alright. You know what to do, ladies.

Do you have any fascinating clitoris facts to add?

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