The clitoris is a wonderful thing. Small yet mighty, and full of thousands of nerve endings—an estimate which translates into lots of opportunities for pleasure. But with that many nerve endings, it’s no surprise that some women are hypersensitive to touch or stimulation. This hypersensitivity might range from ticklishness to discomfort to actual pain.

But there’s good news. A highly sensitive clitoris is just that—a sensitive organ that just happens to go into sensory overload when touched—and that’s no reason to feel “less than.” There are lots of different ways a vulva owner can experience pleasure, and they’re all equally beautiful, glorious, and complex.

If you feel like you have a hypersensitive clitoris, you might have already found some satisfactory approaches to pleasure and orgasm that work well for you. If you haven’t, all you might need is a little more knowledge, a few new methods, and perhaps some helpful toys to be well on your way to pleasure town.

Let's Talk Anatomy

Unless you had a fantastic sex ed class (let’s be honest, did any of us?), there’s always something more to learn. We’ve already mentioned how the clitoris is jam-packed with nerve endings, but did you know the clitoris actually extends inward under your pubic mound? The small joy button on the outside is only the beginning of it!

Each section of the clitoris can have different levels of pleasure and sensitivity, so use your fingers to gently explore what feels good to you both externally and internally. It might be difficult to fully climax with your fingers, but you can get an idea of which areas feel good and which feel a bit too sensitive, so you can apply this knowledge later with toys. Understanding what feels good for you will not only make your self-love experiences better, but it’ll also help you be able to communicate your desires with your partner too.

Starting Slow and Gentle

If you’re someone who has perhaps been intimidated to try any sex toys at all because of sensitivity concerns, fear not, because the Iroha line by Tenga is a safe and unintimidating place to start.

Everything about this particular line feels naturally beginner-friendly, and the super soft and supple silicone utilized in each of their toys feels really gentle against the skin.

And as an added bonus, these toys have some of the most beautiful and elegant designs we’ve ever seen. Let’s break some of them down.

Take the Yoru, Tori, and Kushi, for example. Made from squishy silicone, these palm-sized vibrators feature a curvy side that allows for the toy to easily be cupped in the hand for total control. Each vibrator also has its own accentuated ridges and rounded tips for pinpoint pleasure. The Yoru even offers a unique open design that can envelop and tease the clitoris as well as other erogenous zones.

You might also want to try Iroha Rin, a wand that takes sensitivity into consideration. While many wands on the market boast power and strong vibrations, the Iroha Rin is designed for lighter stimulation rather than intensity. It features a unique soft sphere tip that is not only super squishy, but works to dampen the intensity of the vibrations as well for a more pleasurable experience. With 4 vibration strengths and 2 pulse patterns, there is a variety of sensations to explore, and the ergonomic easy-to-hold shape allows for total control. The spherical tip can also be inserted for a unique internal sensation.

Adding a Layer

If direct pressure to the clitoris is too overwhelming, you can try adding a layer or two of clothing between your skin and the toy to slightly dampen the vibrations and control the intensity. Caress and Starlet 2 are just two toys that can both be used on top of your underwear or additional clothing, and Starlet even offers contactless stimulation for highly sensitive clits.

The Caress by Adrien Lastic works by enveloping the clitoris while gently caressing the area with super soft silicone attachments. It comes with five different head attachments that change easily and intuitively. Each head offers varying sensations as well as variable flexibility, from super bendy to more firm. While Caress only comes with one vibration level, it has 10 different rotation modes, so you can try multiple patterns to explore what works best for you.

If you’re finding that direct pressure on your clitoris is unenjoyable or even painful, consider going after sexual pleasure with an entirely different approach. The Starlet 2 by Womanizer uses air waves to deliver pleasant suction and gentle massaging.

Designed with patented Pleasure Air Technology, the experience is entirely touchless, and thanks to its smooth and ergonomic shape, you can easily control how pinpointed the sensation is by bringing the toy closer to your body or moving it further away. It is also equipped with four different intensity levels, so you can choose the amount of air pressure that is most comfortable for your sensitivity level. And last but not least, Starlet is entirely waterproof. If the air waves feel too powerful as is, taking it for a dip in the bath will slightly dampen the air waves, making for an even gentler experience.

Going Deeper

Did you know that those with a highly sensitive clitoris might find that a G-spot orgasm is more obtainable than a clitoral orgasm? With that being said, you’ll need toys that go a little deeper.

Consider going for depth with a curved toy designed for G-spots, like the Sensuelle Baelii. This flexible, internal vibrator has a sleek, curved tip designed for delivering pinpointed G-spot stimulation. With a press of a button, you can easily cycle through a wide range of different vibration modes (20, in fact) until you find the most comfortable and pleasurable sensation for your needs.

Exploring Near the Clitoris

Still want to enjoy some clitoral stimulation, but perhaps not direct stimulation? Remember, there are tons of nerve endings down there, and they’re not all concentrated in the outward button of the clitoris. The area surrounding the clitoris (called the U-spot) can bring lots of joyful pleasure without the feeling of sensory overload.

For this type of pleasure, consider the very unique (and very cute) Le Wand Deux. Instead of applying vibrations directly to the clitoris, this toy gently surrounds the clitoris with its curved design and stimulates nearby erogenous tissues. Equipped with a twin-motor, this mini vibrator offers 15 rumbly vibration modes and 6 arousing intensity levels. That’s 90 different possible combinations of pleasure! And its discreet travel lock, microsuede pouch, and easy USB charging capability make it ideal for travel, too.

Exploring Different Sensations

Sometimes the full-on vibratory experience feels too intense or just doesn’t quite feel right on the clitoris, and that’s okay. Consider trying toys with different sensations, like the Siren by SVAKOM, which offers an intriguing fluttering sensation as opposed to a vibration.

Designed to mimic oral sex, the Siren features a double-tongued design made from buttery soft silicone that gently ‘licks’ the clitoris and surrounding erogenous areas. Try using this side to tease your way to arousal, and then flip the toy to the other bulbous side, where you can use the head for insertion. Whether you desire G-spot stimulation or clitoral, you can easily cycle through one of two button controls. The double-tongue features 3 different stimulations while the rounded head combines 5 different modes with 5 different levels of intensities for a total of 25 different vibrations you can play with to discover your pleasure.

Keep Trying

Remember, all clits are sensitive, and they’re all wonderful. It might take a little practice and exploration to find out what works best for you. There’s no right or wrong way to orgasm, and by reading this and committing to learning more about your body, you’re already halfway there!