Anatomy of the Female Orgasm

In the throes of orgasm, chances are youre not thinking about what you learned in high school biology. But a little refresher may be exactly what you need to hit your peak more often. Both the brain and the body play a vital role in the complex art of climaxing. Since youre likely more familiar with the sensations in your BODY, well start our orgasm exploration there. When a woman is sexually stimulated, the walls of the vagina begin to secrete beads of lubrication. Meanwhile, blood flows to the clitoris and vagina. At this time, the bottom of the vagina narrows to grip the penis, while the upper part expands to give it a place to go. As arousal builds, you can actually see your body prepare for sex. For example, the external vaginal lips grow puffier, and the internal lips darken in color. Your breast may swell, heart rate and breathing will both increase, and a huge amount of muscle tension will grow in your thighs, hips, hands, and buttocks. And then finally, your body involuntarily lets go and releases tension and blood in a series of pleasurable orgasmic waves.During female orgasm, the vaginal walls contract rhythmically every eight-tenths of a second, for anywhere from 20 seconds to a full minute and a half! But without your BRAIN, this incredibly pleasurable sensation simply wouldnt be possible. For orgasm to build, the 8,000 nerve endings in your clitoris send a message of excitement to both the spinal cord and vagus nerve, which carry incoming information from the nervous system to the brain. When you hit your climax, a brain region behind the left eye, called the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, shuts down completely. This area is the foundation of reason and behavioral control. So its completely accurate to say that you lose control during orgasm. At the same time, activity in your amygdala and hippocampus slows down, causing a decrease in fear and anxiety. This ONLY happens in women, leading the researchers who discovered this brain activity to theorize that women need to feel safe and relaxed to enjoy sex more so than men do. Surprisingly though, this is one of the ONLY known differences between the male and female orgasmic process. Now put this knowledge to good use so the female O is no longer just a fleeting phenomenon.

"The percentage of females who masturbate may be larger than you think. Up to 81 percent of women say they masturbate! While the majority of women stimulate themselves solo, more than 50 percent admit to feeling guilty about it. Here, we'll debunk the myths surrounding masturbation. It was once thought that men "had" to masturbate, while women had no such need. Despite being untrue, many such negative ideas about female masturbation stuck. Interestingly, masturbation provides a host of health benefits for women. A recent study noted that masturbation is a natural sleep aid for many women. In addition, solo sex can often provide pain relief from menstrual cramps and sore joints. But perhaps the best reason for women to masturbate is simply that it leads to self-discovery. Because female orgasm is not as automatic as male orgasm, masturbation can help a woman learn about what works for her. Solo sex is nothing to be ashamed of! So why not schedule a session today?

"Sure, she loves when you flick her nipples, but her most common "hot spot" isn't where you think it is! According to recent polls, a woman gets most aroused when a partner touches her hair gently. Sound crazy? The scalp contains millions of nerve endings, which feel amazing when stimulated. Meanwhile, running hands through hair is a primal form of nurturing. You know, like when monkeys pick nits off one another! Women also admit to loving it when someone kisses their shoulders. That's because she expects you to show desire by making a beeline for her "obvious" erogenous zones. A gentle kiss in a surprising location indicates that her pleasure is a priority, and frees her to take the time she needs to get primed for intercourse. Now that you know her top hot spots, why not put them into play in the bedroom tonight?

When he has problems becoming aroused, he can pop a pill. Is there a form of Viagra for her? In June of 2002, a brand-new form of massage oil hit the marketbut this wasnt for your ordinary massage! The formula, called Zestra, is a mix of botanical oils designed to be rubbed into her genitals. The oil works by increasing blood flow to the vagina, in turn heightening arousal and sensitivity. Interestingly, the gamma linolenic acid in Zestra may have other benefits to women, including preventing both PMS and eczema! But, if it sounds too good to be true, it might be. While studies on Zestra have produced positive results, they were conducted on small groups of women. Additionally, a womans sexual response is more individualized than a mans, so a magic solution may not be magical for everyone! If you do decide to try Zestra, please note that you must use a polyurethane brand of condoms, like Durex, as Zestra can wear down latex!

Seventy percent of women admit to doing it, it's a fake orgasm and it could be happening in YOUR bed. Here's how to tell. Meg Ryan did a killer fake-O in When Harry Met Sally, but Billy Crystal wasn't looking for the signs. The biggest one? Vaginal muscle spasms. During an orgasm, she will experience about three to ten muscle spasms, which you should feel gripping your penis. Or look in her eyes. Women experience dilated pupils when they cum. During oral sex, you'll be able to gauge her climax (or lack thereof) based on how her genitals look. Right before orgasm, a woman's clitoral hood will retract this is the "don't stop" point. In addition, her vaginal lips will swell and redden when she's about to cum. Don't overlook the obvious hints! If she's having a great time, she'll experience increased heart rate and breathing, plus lots of sexy sweat.

The clitoris is between the top of the inner vaginal lips, or inner labia. The inner labia also serve as a hood to protect the clitoris in much the same manner that foreskin covers the penis. Pull the hood back, and you can see that the clitoris is about the size of a pencil eraser. Rich with responsive nerves, the clitoris becomes erectjust as a penis doeswhen a woman is aroused. Most women like constant, repetitive clitoral stimulation. But rubbing the clitoris directly is often too intense! Try moving your fingers over the hood in a circular fashion, or, if youre using oral stimulation, long, slow licks with the flat part of your tongue. Gentle suction can also have excellent results. If you really want to get creative, try tracing the letters of the alphabet with either fingers or tongue. Finding the right area of contact and amount of pressure might take some time, but if youre trying to turn candlelight into fireworks, its well worth it.

If you have a vagina and youre old enough to vote, then Kegeling should be a part of your daily life. But before you dive in to pelvic fitness, its important to know what Kegel muscles actually DO. Kegels-or the levator ani muscles-wrap around a womans most important parts: her bladder, vagina, and rectum. Research shows that toned levator ani muscles can reduce urinary incontinence, prevent problems with vaginal laxity and help a woman achieve a stronger orgasm. Doctors also suspect that these muscles help prevent pelvic organ prolapse, a condition in which a womans bladder, rectum, or uterus falls into her vaginal canal. So clearly, strengthening your Kegel muscles for pelvic floor fitness-just makes sense! To get started, sit in bed, using a hand mirror to look at your perineum, which is the skin between your anus and vagina. Pull in using the muscles you use to urinate, as if youre trying to stop urine midstream. If youre Kegeling correctly, youll see your perineum retract into your body. You should feel the pull in your urethra and anus, NOT in your butt or abs. If you have trouble with proper Kegeling, talk to your gynecologist about pelvic floor physical therapy. This involves working with a Kegel coach using biofeedback and electrical stimulation all of which works together to train your body to perform correctly. Once youve got the art of Kegeling down, get in the habit of doing two sets of Kegels, twice a day. For the first set, perform 10 contractions, holding each for five seconds. For the second set, perform 30 quick contractions, holding each for just one second each. Theres no need for a break between the two sets. Simply move from one right on to the next. In terms of where you should do your kegel exercises, theres only one rule: NEVER do them on the toilet! Not only is 8 seconds of urination too short to really benefit your muscles, but its also distracting to your bladder, which has an important job of its own to do! Other than that, you can fit in a kegel routine whenever-and wherever-you prefer!

Surgery isnt your only option for treating uterine prolapse. A removable support gadget called a pessary can be worn inside the vagina to hold the prolapse in place. Uterine prolapse occurs when the cervix and uterus fall from their correct position above the vagina into the vaginal canal. Should the uterus drop far enough, it may be possible to even SEE the cervix, which looks like a small pink donut. A pessary is sort of like a brace or wrap you would wear for wobbly knee ligaments. It simply boosts your uterus back up and holds it there. Women have used them since biblical times, when they were made of smooth stone and potatoes. Thankfully, todays models are made of comfortable latex, plastic, or silicone. Pessaries are ideal for women with prolapse who are in between babies or when a woman simply doesnt have the time, money, or good health that surgery requires. If your doctor decides a pessary is right for you, shell fit you right in her office. The best model is the one that you can insert and remove on your own, and it doesnt move around during any activity. Ring plate pessaries, the most common option, are 80% effective for treating mild and moderate cases of uterine prolapse. The ring pessary is inserted just like a diaphragm, where it rests on the Kegel muscle walls. If a womans Kegel muscle walls are weak, however, she may have a hard time keeping the pessary in place. Luckily, there are other options, like the Gelhorn, a stemmed device, the balloon, which can be inflated and deflated, and the Colpexin, which looks like a lollypop on a string. Colpexin is a newer model which gently exercises the Kegel muscles WHILE holding the prolapse in place. In fact, 63% of women who used this model had stronger vaginal muscles at the end of a 16-week trial! Whichever pessary you use, remember to clean it per your doctors instructions, and have it replaced if its cracked, pitted, or unpleasant smelling after washing.

G-spot amplification makes big promises - enhanced arousal, stronger orgasms and more intense gratification. But does it really work? The Grafenberg spot, or G-spot, is an erogenous zone inside the front wall of the vagina that ranges in size from a dime to a half-dollar. According to German gynecologist, Dr. Ernest Grafenberg, this area enlarges when sexually stimulated. Some women claim that G-spot orgasms are even more powerful than clitoral ones. Unfortunately, the Grafenberg spot needs constant pressure and direct stimulation to effectively bring a woman to orgasm. And unless a woman is already aroused, it can be nearly impossible for her or her partner to find. This is why G-spot amplification or the G-shot was invented. This simple needle injection procedure is administered by doctor's who believe in it's efficacy. To do it, a doctor injects a bulking filler of collagen or hyaluronanic acid into the general area of the G-spot. The idea is that the bulking caused by the injection makes the G-spot bigger and easier for a woman and her partner to find. The effects of this procedure are said to last about four months. But its not cheap.The G-shot costs between $1,200 and $1,800 and it is NOT covered by insurance. With a price tag like that, the obvious question is Does it work? In a word: doubtful. There arent any clinical trials showing that G-spot augmentation works, nor is the procedure FDA-approved. And while injecting collagen into the human body isnt unprecedented - that doesn't mean that the procedure works to enhance sexual sensations in the genitalia. Much more important than the cost or the effectiveness is the issue of SAFETY. The medical profession has no idea if G-spot amplifications are safe, and all procedures, no matter how minor carry the real potential for complications. So, until there is hard data showing the safety and efficacy of the G-shot, women would be wise to hold off on trying it.

Vaginal rejuvenation is the umbrella term for all procedures that improve the vagina in some way. Women are generally interested in vaginal rejuvenation for one of three reasons. The first category includes procedures to fix recognized gynecological medical problems and is the most accepted and understood by doctors. The goal of this MEDICAL vaginal rejuvenation is to fix some form of pelvic organ prolapse, childbirth injury, urinary or fecal incontinence. Prolapse starts when a womans pelvic muscles and ligaments are weakened by childbirth or aging. This pelvic relaxation can allow adjacent organs, including the rectum, bladder, and uterus, to fall down into the vagina. These procedures have many names, such as colporrhaphy, uterine resuspension, rectocele repair, cystocele repair, enterocele repair, perineoplasty and others. Medical vaginal rejuvenation may also fix urinary incontinence, using procedures such as: urethral sling, urethral bulking injections, and bladder neuro-modulation implant. Vaginal laxity after childbirth may occur with or without concomitant prolapse, The operation for vaginal laxity is called perineoplasty. If not for medical reasons, a woman may seek vaginal rejuvenation to improve the APPEARANCE of her below-the-belt region. For example, a woman may want to reduce or reshape her vaginal lips with labiaplasty. Or she may want to restore her hymen, the thin mucous membrane which partially covers the vagina at birth. The hymen is ruptured when a woman loses her virginity, so hymen restoration is typically sought by women from cultural backgrounds that mandate virginity on the wedding bed. Being primarily cosmetic or cultural, labiaplasty and hymenoplasty continue to spur debate. Complications are the same as for all cosmetic operations, and may include heavy bleeding, infection, numbness, chronic pain, and, being genital operations, negative impact on sexual function. The third motivation for vaginal rejuvenation surgery is to enhance SEXUAL GRATIFICATION. Examples of these controversial operations are G-spot augmentation, where collagen or other bulking filler is injected into the skin of the front wall of the vagina to temporarily enlarge the erotic Grafenberg spot, and Clitoral un-hooding, where the normal folds overlying the clitoris are surgically removed, allegedly to improve clitoral sensations by literally removing the protective covering. The effectiveness and safety of these sexual enhancement procedures are not known. Complications may include heavy bleeding, infection of the clitoris, numbness, pain, and sexual dysfunction. Knowing this, some women choose less invasive, self-dictated methods of vaginal rejuvenation. For example, Kegel exercises may help improve bladder control, strengthen vaginal muscles, and improve orgasms. And topically applied estrogen may help boost sexual arousal and restore clitoral sensitivity and vaginal lubrication after menopause. For whatever reason a woman seeks vaginal rejuvenation, there are a PLETHORA of options to help her! To learn more about all of these procedures, check out other videos on this website.

Women put a lot of time, energy, and sometimes money into staying physically fit. And it's no secret why. The health benefits of regular exercise are too many to count. But here's something you probably don't know: no matter how many hours you spend in the gym, you'll never experience the life-altering results of strong pelvic muscles unless you add Kegels to your routine. Decades of data show that pelvic fitness can help reduce bladder control problems and postpartum vaginal laxity, and may diminish, delay, or even prevent pelvic organ prolapse-all good reasons to start kegeling. But the truth is the biggest benefits of strong kegel muscles- and the real reason so many women are instantly hooked - show up in the bedroom. A woman's Kegel muscles play a huge part in her orgasmic response. If you have a weak pelvis, you may have a hard time having an orgasm, or, at the very least, you will not have the powerful, intense orgasms that you could be having. For the skeptics out there, there is research to prove the effects of kegel exercise on female arousal, but what have you got to lose? You can kegel any time, anywhere and no one will ever know you're doing it. To find out how, check out other videos in this series.

G-spot amplification is a hot topic, all puns intended. Proponents say that by injecting collagen into the vaginal wall, it makes the g-spot bigger and enhances sexual pleasure. There's just one problem: There's not a smidge of data showing that this is indeed true. Although a quick Internet search on the topic returns countless references to a study that found 87% of women reported enhanced sexual arousal and gratification after receiving a G-shot, a little more digging reveals that this data comes directly from the company that invented the procedure. And when inquiring minds have asked for a copy of the research, the company's founder says that he 'simply cannot share details of his unpublished study.' Even without proper, peer-reviewed, scientifically designed clinical trials that prove the effectiveness of sexual enhancement surgery, there's still no evidence that this procedure is safe. Risks include problems urinating, bladder infections, or even impaired sexual sensation by disruption nerves and blood vessels. For now, it's impossible to know if vaginal surgery is more likely to improve a woman's sex life or devastate it. Besides, why risk it when there truly is research to prove harmless and ever-helpful Kegel exercise leads to stronger orgasms? Check out other videos on this site to learn more about kegel fitness.

Vaginal Rejuvenation is an umbrella term for all procedures that 'improve' the vagina in some way. For many women, it's about pelvic organ prolapse. For others, it's cosmetic. None of the procedures are new, but since recent research shows that more women than ever are motivated to go under the knife for the sole purpose of perfecting the look of their vagina, it's important to clarify a few things. All women need to understand that all sorts of labial configurations are truly normal, in the same way that all noses are normal, and all breasts are normal, even when a little asymmetric. Men care very little about the issue of labial size and shape, and quite frankly any man who does care isn't worth your time anyway. When labial configuration creates daily physical discomfort at or above a 7 on a 1-10 scale of distress or other major quality of life problems that don't reflect a problem with body dysmorphia I will consider performing labiaplasty. As such, most of my labiaplasty clients are athletic or committed to pubic hair depilatation, thong underwear and snuq pants and jeans, and they're unwilling to forego these lifestyle habits in order to restore or create more labial cushion involving full pubic hair, full crotch undies, or pants that aren't painted on. For instance one of my labiaplasty clients is a spin class instructor and avid outdoor biker with truly robust but totally normal labia minora that increased in volume with each childbirth. They were catching, chafed, contained tiny tears, all despite trying all manner of padded seats, underwear pads and every sort of padded bike shorts she could find. We did labiaplasty, and she's quite pleased. It had nothing to do with sex or her man or her body image. If you think you're a candidate for cosmetic vaginal surgery, carefully consider your personal motivation and make sure to get several surgical opinions.