You might think having a vagina means you’re hard done by (pun fully intended) when it comes to missing out on erections.
But, we’re here to blow your mind with the sex fact we didn’t expect to learn this week: all genitalia can get erections, not just penises.
Yup, sex education seemed to miss that one out.
Okay, we know this is a lot to take in, so we spoke to Dr. Andrea Maduro, Medical Advisor at period tracker app Flo to get cliterate on all things clitoral erections.
She explains: “The clitoris is a complex sexual organ that develops from the same tissue as a penis. It is made of erectile tissue, which means that some parts of the clitoris can swell and trap blood, becoming ‘erect’ when you’re turned on.”
The main difference when it comes to a clitoral erection? Most of it is hidden inside the body.
Dr Maduro says: “Only a small part of the clitoris is externally visible, while the rest of it is hidden under the skin. What most people call the ‘clitoris’ is actually the glans or the visible tip of the clitoris.”
As we know, stimulating the clitoris is very pleasurable during sex or while masturbating. While a penis gets stiff externally during an erection, clitoral erections happen mostly internally, causing swelling and pressure in the vulva.
“Since the clitoris is a sensitive sexual organ, a clitoral erection is often accompanied by sexual arousal. Your vaginal lips may feel swollen and stiffer than usual.
“Similarly, your glans or the clitoral tip might feel very sensitive to touch. When you’re turned on during a clitoral erection, the vaginal glands may secrete discharge for lubrication to prepare for sex,” the expert adds.
You’ve probably had a clitoral erection without even noticing or realising that was what was specifically happening if you’ve noticed your clitoris getting larger during sexual stimulation. The more you know, eh?