Are People Using Testosterone to Enlarge Their Clits?
Believe it or not, some people are using testosterone gel to increase the size of their clitoris. It sounds like it might just get the job done (aka lead to better orgasms). If you're like me, you may have a whole lot of questions, ranging from how it works to side effects. Where did the idea for using testosterone to enlarge your clit come from?
Just when you think you've found the most niche sexual subreddit, you learn about another one. This time, let's talk about r/GrowYourClit. It is exactly what you might think, with twists.
Started in 2019, the subreddit is meant to be a place "helping women achieve easier and better orgasms." Almost 23,000 users are marked as "interested." As the name suggests, it's a subreddit for people who want to enlarge their clitoris. The part of the clitoris you can see, under the clitoral hood, is the glans clitoris. It's the beginning of the clitoris—and it is all packed with nerve endings, some 10,000 of them. According to a 2017 study, 36.6 percent of women require clitoral stimulation to orgasm, while another 36 percent don't require stimulation during sexual intercourse, but do have better orgasms with stimulation. According to the subreddit, bigger is better. So, people are putting the male hormone, testosterone, on their clits to help increase sensitivity. What does the science say?
Does testosterone cause clitoris enlargement?
"Testosterone treatment can enlarge the clitoris by increasing blood flow," said Kenosha Gleaton, M.D., FACOG, the medical director at Natalist. "This is known as clitoromegaly. Because the clitoris is the erectile tissue in women, similar to the penis in men, testosterone treatment has a direct effect on this area, sometimes leading to an enlargement of the tissue."
While the change is subtle and impermanent, it can make sexy time feel even better.
"Clitoral enlargement is usually subtle and, most importantly, reversible," Gleaton said. "It may explain the increased sexual satisfaction experienced by women undergoing treatment."
Research backs this up. Women with a larger clitoris tend to orgasm easier, according to a 2014 study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
How the hell did people find out about clit enlargement?
Sandra, a woman from Santa Monica, California, found out about this process by browsing the web for ways to make her clit bigger.
"I've always been very clit-focused during sex, so I got caught by the subject," she said. "I found there is a special page on it on Wikipedia where pumping and the use of DHT are mentioned as methods to increase clitoris size."
"DHT" stands for "dihydrotestosterone," a hormone made from testosterone. "Pumping" is using a clitoral pump, aka a device that increases blood flow in your clitoris and makes stimulation feel better.
'Because the clitoris is the erectile tissue in women, similar to the penis in men, testosterone treatment has a direct effect on this area, sometimes leading to an enlargement of the tissue.'
Finding the exact information she needed about the gel, however, was trickier. Most of it is geared towards the trans male community and body-builders.
"It's a lot harder to find info about 'just girls who want a bigger clit' without any masculinizing effects like muscle growth, voice deepening and hair growth," Sandra said.
It took lots of searching, but Sandra finally found the details she was looking for—on Reddit, of course, and FetLife, a social networking site for people interested in BDSM and other fetishes and kinks. She was instantly intrigued and decided the process was worth trying.
After researching the DHT gel, she found the Andractim brand. Though used as testosterone replacement therapy in children, Sandra decided to try it out. She noted testosterone gel is relatively expensive (one tube is approximately $90) and hard to get, but she was able to order it online.
What the process of clit enlargement entails—and if it's worth it
Wash your hands before and after using testosterone cream or gel. All you have to do is put a fingertip-worth directly on your clit and then, voila, you're good to go. Sandra said you may experience a short burning sensation because of the gel's alcohol content, but otherwise, the process is as easy as it sounds.
For a couple of years now, she's applied the gel daily for two to three weeks, on and off.
"After the biggest growth [in] the first cycle, I've been repeating that cycle," she said. "You don't [use it] nonstop." She starts a new cycle every time the size decreases.
According to Sandra, the gel is effective, "After some weeks, you already see an increase of three to four times. I can tell you it works like hell." While she obviously loves the effects of the gel, her partner does, too.
"The visual effect is explicit and not to be overseen...Not only for me, but, of course, also for my partner, this is arousing," she said. "The clitoris gets a lot harder and bigger during arousal. It's much more sensitive and really fun to play with...All the attention does give me very intense orgasms."
Loving her bigger clit, Sandra feels proud and even adds clitoral jewelry. (Side note: Clitoral jewelry can lead to better orgasms. It's a win-win situation.) "Suddenly I'm a 'big clit girl.' And to be honest, I'm proud of it," she said.
But are there side effects to putting testosterone on your clit?
You may be thinking, "So you mean to tell me, all I need for better sex is a little gel or cream?"
Well, sort of. While the testosterone gel works well for clit enlargement, it can carry side effects, just as any medication or hormone would.
"Those [people] taking testosterone may experience mild side effects, including bloating, hair growth and acne," Gleaton said. However, they don't last long. "Usually, symptoms are mild and short-lived, while hormone levels are being optimized with dosage adjustments."
If it makes you feel any better, this type of testosterone treatment can have additional positive side effects, too.
"Testosterone treatment is used to help women with low libido, hot flashes, decreased energy and other health conditions," Gleaton said.
The bottom line
Dirty talk, new sex positions and toys are all fun ways to intensify orgasms. However, using testosterone gel to enlarge your clit is definitely another option many people have already tried—and loved.
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