The Science of Sex Tools: Looking at Clitoral Blood flow with Clitogram™

Vibrators cause the clitoris to swell with blood, and Cerē has the science to prove it.

We took the first-ever medical pictures of the clitoris before and after using sex toys.

Our groundbreaking findings were published in Sexologies, the official medical journal of the European Federation of Sexology.

Why did you conduct this research study?

Over half of women in the United States report using sex toys. They are excellent ways to promote arousal and orgasm, and can improve sexual wellness and mental health. Despite their widespread use, no one had looked at the impact of sex toys on the clitoris in real-time.

What did you hope to discover with your research?

We wanted to see how clitoral blood flow and size changed after using different vibrators.

How did you do the research study?

A healthy 32-year-old doctor volunteered for the study. First, we used our Clitogram™ technique (Cerē’s clitoral ultrasound) to take baseline ultrasound images of the clitoris, and labeled the anatomy. 

The following sexual devices were used for stimulation:

• a wand placed against the vulva
• a vibrator inserted into the vagina
• air pulse stimulation of the glans clitoris

 

What did you discover?

Using sex toys dramatically increased blood flow to the clitoris. This led to feelings of arousal, and caused the clitoris to grow in size (a clitoral erection).  

What was the most surprising finding?

Using the vibrator inside the vagina led to increased blood flow to the clitoris! This means that a part of the clitoris is stimulated during vaginal stimulation. This supports prior research that the G-Zone (formerly known as G-Spot), which is located inside of the vagina, includes part of the clitoris as well.  

For fun, here is the first-ever ultrasound showing a vibrator inside of the vagina: It’s Cerē’s very own Spellbound Stimulator.

You can find the original study here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1158136022000445

Kimberly Lovie, MD, MS
Amir Marashi, MD, FACS, FACOG