| Clitoral hood | |
|---|---|
 A photograph of a humanvulva with outlined clitoral hood | |
 Outer anatomy of clitoris. | |
| Details | |
| Precursor | Genital tubercle,urogenital folds |
| System | Reproductive system |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | preputium clitoridis |
| TA98 | A09.2.01.009 |
| TA2 | 3555 |
| FMA | 20169 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
In female humans and othermammals,[1] theclitoral hood (also calledpreputium clitoridis,clitoral prepuce, andclitoral foreskin)[2] is a fold ofskin that surrounds and protects theglans of theclitoris; it also covers the externalclitoral shaft, develops as part of thelabia minora and ishomologous with theforeskin (also called theprepuce) in themale reproductive system.[3][4][5]The clitoral hood is composed ofmucocutaneous tissues; these tissues are between themucous membrane and the skin, and they may have immunological importance because they may be a point of entry of mucosal vaccines.[6]
The clitoral hood is formed during thefetal stage by the cellular lamella.[6] The cellular lamella grows down on thedorsal side of the clitoris and is eventually fused with the clitoris.
The clitoral hood varies in the size, shape, thickness, and other aesthetic aspects. Some women have large clitoral hoods that completely cover the clitoral glans. Some of these can be retracted to expose the clitoral glans, such as for hygiene purposes or for pleasure; others do not retract. Other women have smaller hoods that do not cover the full length of the clitoral glans, leaving the clitoral glans exposed all the time. Sticky bands of tissue calledadhesions can form between the hood and the glans; these stick the hood onto the glans so the hood cannot be pulled back to expose the glans andsmegma can accumulate.[citation needed]
Theclitoral glans itself is very sensitive and its directstimulation, such as in cases where the hood is retracted, is often not enjoyable.[7] Females with hoods covering most of the clitoral glans can oftenmasturbate by stimulating the hood over the clitoral glans; those with smaller, or more compact, structures tend to rub the clitoral glans and hood together.[7] The clitoral hood provides protection to the clitoral glans, analogous to the foreskin on the penile glans.[3]
In most of the world, clitoral modifications are uncommon. In some cultures,female genital mutilation (FGM) is practiced as a rite of passage into womanhood, is perceived as an improvement to the appearance of the genitalia, or is used to suppress or reduce female sexual desire and pleasure (including masturbation).[8][9][10][11] During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, FGM was performed on many children in Western countries, including the United States, to discourage masturbation and reduce diseases believed to relate to it.[12][13]
One modification that females sometimes choose is to have the hoodpierced and insert jewelry, both for adornment and physical pleasure. Though less common, other females opt to have their own hood surgically trimmed or removed so as to permanently expose part or all of the clitoral glans.
Regarding the clitoral prepuce in non-primate mammals, there is a similar structure typically referred to as the clitoral sheath, which is homologous to thepenile sheath in male mammals.[14][15]
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