In female human anatomy, the clitoral hood, (also called prepuce), is a fold of skin that surrounds and protects the clitoral glans. It develops as part of the labia minora and is homologous with the foreskin (equally called prepuce) in male genitals.

This is a protective hood of skin that covers the clitoris. There is no standard size or shape for the hood. Some women have large clitoral hoods that completely cover the tip of the clitoris. Some of these can be retracted to expose the clitoral head, others do not retract. Other women have smaller hoods that do not cover the full length of the clitoris, leaving the head exposed all the time. As in the male, sticky bands of tissue called adhesions can form between the hood and the head, these stick the hood onto the head so the hood cannot be pulled back to expose the head.

It is increasingly common to have the hood pierced and a ring inserted in a similar way to an ear piercing. Though much less common, other women opt to have the hood surgically trimmed or removed so as to permanently expose part or all of the clitoral head. Such a procedure is very much like male circumcision but should not be confused with more extensive forms of female circumcision which is a more radical and extensive amputation of parts of the genitals, usually including the clitoral head.

Women with larger hoods can often masturbate by working the hood to and fro over the head of their clitoris. Women with more compact structures tend to rub the clitoris and hood together as one item. Sometimes the glans clitoris is too sensitive to be rubbed with the hood fully pulled back.

See also

• female genitals
• clitoridotomy: removal or splitting of the clitoral hood
• Frenulum clitoridis (or crus glandis clitoridis): a frenulum surrounding the clitoris

Female reproductive system

Clitorishoed | 陰核包皮 | Clitoral hood