Clitoral Hood
Clitoral Hood Anatomy
The clitoral hood (preputium clitoridis, clitoral prepuce) is a piece of skin that either covers or partially covers the clitoral glans in a female mammal. It serves dual contradicting purposes. While it provides protection for the clitoris of over stimulation, it can also help arouse the clitoris by sliding over it during clitoral stimulation.
Sizes and shapes vary from woman to woman. For some, the clitoral hood envelopes the entire clitoris. For others, it allows the clitoris to be exposed at all times. A percentage of women find their clitoral hood to be too large or to protrude too far externally from their body. In this case, a variety of cosmetic surgery can be performed to reduce or eliminate excess tissue.
The clitoral hood can be modified one of four ways; by piercing, by splitting, by reducing, and by lifting.
The clitoral hood piercing has become a form of popular body modification, and involves the penetration of a hollow gauged needle through the entire hood tissue (and sometimes the clitoris). A steel ring or barbell of equal width follows and remains in place, allowing the wound to heal with it inside.
Splitting the hood is achieved by cutting open the clitoral hood tissue so that the clitoris is constantly exposed and allowing it to heal as such. This differs from clitoral reduction (clitoropexy) in that the split only secures the tissue out of the way while a clitoral reduction will remove side tissue while positioning the clitoris higher and/or deeper. Some of these procedures are done for cosmetic reasons; the woman feels her clitoris may protrude too much. Others elect to have these procedures to heighten sexual pleasure, although it is not often suggested by medical professionals.
Any of these procedures (excluding the clitoral hood piercing) can be considered female circumcision. The term is typically used to define any partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, either for medical or spiritual purposes. Female circumcision is also known as a clitoridectomy, especially when performed on or with the consent of an adult, or can be part of a vaginoplasty. There are four World Health Organization types of female circumcision: Type I is the partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or prepuce. Type II is the partial or total removal of the clitoris and labia minora. Type III is defined by the narrowing of the vaginal orifice via reposition of the labia minora or labia majora. Type IV labels all other non-medical harm to the female genitalia.
Lifting the clitoral hood is part of the female-to-male Gender Reassignment surgery. The hood is lifted and the clitoris is detached from the pubic bone which allows it to extend further than normal. One may elect for this cosmetic lift of the clitoral hood in order to exaggerate and extend the clitoris to resemble a penis.