Do You Know Your Vagina?
Only 65% of women can correctly label an anatomical diagram of a woman's body. We're here to change that
The Basics
This is a simple diagram of a vulva. Take a look at our description of each part and get to know yourself a bit better
Mons Pubis
The mons pubis is the rounded fleshy mound above the vulva that covers your pubic bone. In puberty, it is where you may start to grow pubic hair
The Vulva
The vulva is the part of your genitals on the outside of your body and is commonly mis-named the vagina. The vulva does house the vaginal opening, along with your labia, clitoris and urethral opening
Labia Majora
The labia majora is the outer lips of the vulva. They are fleshy folds of skin that are normally covered by pubic hair. They guard and enclose the more sensitive parts of the vagina, such as the labia minora and vaginal opening
Labia Minora
The labia minora are the two inner folds of skin that are inside the labia majora and cover the vaginal opening and clitoris. They are slightly harder than the labia majoria and contain erectile tissue, meaning they get stiffer when you are aroused.
Labia minora begin at your clitoris and end just past your vaginal opening. They come in all shapes, sizes and colours and not one is the 'right' one. Your labia minora can be fully covered by your labia majora or hang slightly out of it, but this is completely fine and normal!
Clitoris
There are around 8,000 nerve endings connected to the clitoris and the sole function of it is the female orgasm. It is located at the top of your vulva, in-between where your labia minora meet. They can be different shapes or sizes, from the size of a pea to the size of a your thumb. It is made of spongy tissue that becomes swollen when you are aroused and the tip is covered by a clitoral hood (which is why it can often be hard to locate!)
Urethral Opening
The urethral opening is a tiny hole located just below your clitoris. It is the hole you wee out of and its tube leads to your bladder
Vaginal Opening
The vaginal opening is the slightly larger hole located just below your urethral opening. It's where menstrual blood leaves the body and where babies can be born through
Perineum
The perineum is the area between your vaginal opening and anus. It protects the pelvic floor muscles and the blood vessels that supply the rest of the vulva and urinary tract
But what about sexual pleasure?
We're often told about the basic anatomy of our vulvas and vaginas. But what is it about them that lets us experience sexual pleasure?
The Clitoris
Most vulva owners think that the clitoris is only the external nub at the top of their labia minora. However, there is a whole internal part of the clitoris that can also provide sexual stimulation
External Clitoris
This is known as the glans clitoris and is the nub at the tip of the labia minora that you can actually see on the outside of your body. It's covered by a clitoral hood that protects it from too much stimulation. Stimulation can be given directly to the external clitoris with fingers, tongue, sex toys or just anything that will provide a bit of friction! If you're finding it hard to locate your clitoris it might be because you need to pull back your clitoral hood- some people's clitoral hoods cover the clitoris more than others.
Internal Clitoris
The crura of the internal clitoris are legs that straddle the urethra and vaginal canal. The vestibular bulbs wrap around the urethra and vaginal canal, reaching through and behind the labia.
This internal structure means the clitoris can be stimulated with vaginal penetration. This can be achieved with fingers, a penis or sex toys. Although it is important to remember that 75% of women can't orgasm with penetration alone (which is why the ENTIRE structure of the clitoris is so important for sexual pleasure!)
The G-Spot
The best way to find the G-Spot is through self-exploration. Inserting your fingers a few inches into your vagina and using this 'come here' motion can help
The G-Spot is part of the clitoral network and can help you reach orgasm. It's usually located a few inches inside your vaginal canal at the front of the vaginal wall. It's made of erectile tissue so pressing it can cause it to swell and give you feelings of pleasure. When trying to find it yourself, you should curl your fingers up towards your belly button, pressing firmly until you feel a 5p sized spongey area. The position of everyone's G-Spot does vary, so don't worry if you can't find it at first. You might just need to do some feeling around! Stimulating the G-Spot can help vulva-owners reach a vaginal orgasm (although this is still a very rare thing to happen without any clitoral stimulation at all).
Erogenous Zones
The best way to find the G-Spot is through self-exploration. Inserting your fingers a few inches into your vagina and using this 'come here' motion can help
Erogenous zones are places on your body that are hypersensitive to touch and cause arousal when stimulated. What works and feels good differs from person to person, but common erogenous zones are the neck, breasts, ears, stomach and feet.
The different parts of the vulva, including the labia minora and perineum , are also erogenous zones. This means you can get pleasure from other areas of your vulva besides the clitoris and vaginal wall. Next time your masturbating or getting intimate with a partner, try stimulating other parts of your vulva to add to your pleasure