Female Body Concerns / Question
Published: February 25, 2003
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I am 13/f. My clitoris sticks out, and is bright pink. If I push on it, it hurts. Is this bad?
Signed: Worried About Clitoris
Dear Worried About Clitoris,
It sounds like you're going through puberty! During the teenage years, your body will go through a lot of changes, especially with your sexual organs. This includes the vulva, labia majora, labia minora and clitoris, all of which begin to expand and grow. The clitoral hood, or piece of skin that covers the clitoris, becomes more pronounced, which can make it look like it, is "sticking out".
The color of a woman's clitoris is dependent upon her skin tone. The normal range of color can be pink to very deep red, or even brown, so it is probably normal for yours to seem bright pink in color.
The clitoris is the most sensitive spot in the female body because it is densely packed with extremely sensitive nerve endings. The organ exists solely for sexual pleasure and clitoral stimulation is usually necessary for a woman to achieve an orgasm. If you have never touched your clitoris before until just recently, it could be very sensitive and that is why you feel that it hurts when you push on it. Because this is a new feeling for your brain to process it may not know what to do with the intense sensations that touching the clitoris can produce, and thus you interpret it as pain. Even once your clitoris gets used to being touched, it can still be incredibly sensitive and the line between pleasure and pain is often very thin. Some women have clitorises that are so sensitive that they cannot be directly stimulated- this is something that you will have to figure out as you continue to explore your body as you go through puberty.
It is important for you to talk to your doctor if you feel that the color and pain that you are experiencing with your clitoris is due to something other than just going through puberty. If the discomfort you feel when touching your clitoris gets worse or doesn't seem to get any better after a few months you might want to see your doctor just to make sure everything is ok. But, you probably shouldn't worry- your body is constantly changing as you go through puberty and it can take time to get used to!
Signed: TeenHealthFX
The teen pregnancy rate in the United States is the highest of any industrialized democracy, nearly twice that of Great Britain and 10 times that of Japan. 
