Posted here because Instagram didn't like it. EYE ROLL.
The clitoral hood is often forgotten when we depict the vulva. Yet it actually takes up, on average, around a third of the whole thing.
Not only that but the hood has a purpose. The clitoral glans (which is the only bit that is external) is extreeeeemely sensitive - as we obviously know! And whilst that's all lovely when we're having sexy moments, it's not so great when you're walking around Tesco or in a meeting at work. The hood protects the glans, stopping it from getting 'excessively stimulated'.
The hood produces sebum which is a lubricant to make sure it glides smoothly over the glans, retracting silkily when we want our glans to be out there and getting the attention. Like all bodily fluids, we need to clean these away carefully on a regular basis to stop infections. Washing your vulva gently with water is all you need. You can also gently pull back the hood in the shower, similar to cleaning under a foreskin.
If your hood is quite large, you might find it doesn't glide back over than glans as easily. This could be because of clitoral adhesions. In fact, according to the Journal of Sexual Medicine, 1 in 5 women who visit a sexual medicine practise have clitoral adhesions. This is where sebum, bacteria and skins cells haven't been washed away and build up under the hood. A warm bath and more regular cleaning will usually help with this but visit a doctor is needed if that doesn't work.
In short, the hood is IMPORTANT. So let's not forget about it.