The clitoris is considered a distinct pleasure center because of the sheer volume of nerve endings it contains. But while the number 8,000 is often cited as the exact amount of nerve endings located there, such quantitative precision has mostly proven elusive. Or as Sheri Winston, a retired gynecological nurse-practitioner turned sex educator, tells me, “I have been unable to find documentation of the actual amount of nerve endings in the head of the clitoris.”
The figure is also made more difficult because the clitoris technically has three parts, which is why Winston said the “head of the clitoris” rather than the shaft or the pair of three-to-four inch legs composed of erectile tissue.
Although Winston cannot attribute the 8,000 figure to any scientific data, she believes that the number is in reference to the head specifically, rather than the entire “Female Erectile Network.” However, while conducting research for her book, Women’s Anatomy of Arousal, Winston was able to confirm that “there are more nerve endings jam-packed into that small structure than there are in any other part of the body.”
Urologist Karyn Eilber agrees that “it’s questionable how accurate the claim that the clitoris has 8,000 nerve endings is, but it’s definitely true that the clitoral gland — the tip of glans covered by the clitoral hood — has a higher concentration of nerve endings compared to the glans of the penis to which it’s analogous.” As Eilber explains, when an embryo develops in the womb, the penis and clitoris start off as the same basic foundation, “but in the absence of testosterone, these structures form a clitoris instead of a penis.”
Anti-circumcision activists, or intactivists, frequently cite that there are 20,000 nerve endings in the foreskin of a penis, but just like the 8,000 nerve endings in the clitoris, the exact number is unknown. Plus, when comparing the number of nerves in the clit to the penis, Winson says there are other variables to consider, like, “When we’re assessing nerve endings in the penis, are we also including the testicles, the internal glandular structures and the foreskin?”
Either way, Winston is confident that, while the foreskin is also “jam-packed with sensitive nerve endings,” if we’re comparing the circumcised penis to a clit, the clitoris would certainly have more nerve endings. The same holds true for uncircumcised pensis, no matter what intactivists claim. “The foreskin doesn’t have more nerve endings than the head of the clitoris,” Winston says, noting that “if we’re assuming the clitoris has 8,000, the foreskin certainly doesn’t have 20,000.”
As with everything else in our bodies, it’s certainly possible for the nerves on the clit to become damaged over time. But it’s more common to damage the pudendal nerve that branches into the clitoral nerves, as opposed to the nerves on the clitoris itself. To that end, childbirth, pelvic surgery and pelvic trauma can all harm the pudendal nerve, which “can result in a range of symptoms including clitoral pain, feeling of constant arousal and decreased sensation,” Eilber says.
That said, Winston is sure to point out that the trauma has to be significant: “There’s this weird cultural myth that the use of vibrators can cause nerve damage, but that’s bullshit.” So there’s no reason to be nervous about nerves when bringing a sex toy into bed.
Ultimately, Winston warns against getting too caught up on the actual number of nerve endings when it comes to sexual pleasure. After all, the body is important, but pleasure is a state of mind as much as anything else. “What’s significant is how well we train our body-mind connection to be responsive,” she concludes. “We can amplify our perception of sensation, which is a great skill to have if you want to ramp up your erotic capacity.”
Lauren Vinopal
Lauren Vinopal is a writer and stand-up comedian based out of New York City, who writes mostly about health, science and men. She is the host of the Mid Riff Comedy Show in Brooklyn, a frequent podcast guest all over, and lives the life of a teen who looks like they haven’t slept in years.
