Be sure to check out "clitoral adhesions". This is a skin discharge that can "glue" your soft vulvar flesh to the clitoris and become very painful. Sometimes, I have read, it has to be surgically removed, but I suspect it's just an outpatient procedure with some numbing, and back on your feet straightaway! I will think about you and wish you the best. See your gyno, though. Ali
My dear, nobody can ever be accused of being a hypochondriac for wanting to understand the curious creation of their body!! I am with you on that one! Mine has thus far defied conventional medical wisdom in many aspects. Please do continue your search, but add to your understanding that the clitoris (-proper, e.g. the tiny tag that sticks out of the vulva) is NOT the clitoris in its entirety, although her huge concentration of neves tend to elevate her to rock-star status! The root of the clitoris actually branches above the pee hole and descends deeper inside, and behind your big labia (majora), so don't freak out that you are missing your female sex organ of choice.
Don't put too much stock in acedemia. They have ignored female issues for generations. Sorry, I'm a bit of a cynic. Whatever your body is, IS NORMAL for you, discounting known medical conditions. Happy that you self-examine, but I have yet to find a picture of my vulva that matches mine. I know, it is hard to search without winding up on lewd sites, but try nonetheless. I did, & I found this one, made some good friends, learned a LOT, and came to peace with my body from heck. ;-P Take care and good luck!
I have been reading about a hooded clitoris. all women have some skin around that area but just like some uncircumcised men have more foreskin then others so is the case with some women. for most the skin retracts when pulled back or when stimulated and clitoris is enlarged. but some women have whats called a hooded clitoris and basically the skin covers the clit partially or totally and sometimes the hood actually covers the entire clitoris and can not just be attached at the top the clitoris but attaches further down which makes it difficult for the clitoris to be exposed during pleasure and it acts as a barrier causing little to sometimes no sensation. you should consult a gynecologist regarding the matter. you are not abnormal..this is the case of many women. our bodies are all different...some have larger labia then others, some have smaller or larger clitoris then others and some clitoris's are more covered by the hood. if this is a problem to you and it cannot be retracted on it's own there even is a surgery called female circumcision. litoral circumcision: Refers to the surgical procedure in which the hood of the females clitoris (called the clitoral prepuce) is removed. However, the term is often confused in modern day writings with ritual procedures performed in Egypt and in other countries where the actual clitoris is partially or fully removed. this is not the case.
this site provides some great info
http://www.circlist.com/femalecirc/anatfemale.html