September 19, 2025

12 Types of Female Orgasm

A Sexologist explains how different erogenous zones can lead to different types of orgasm.

Sexologist Alice Child explains some of the different types of orgasm. Spoiler - there are more than you thought!

Although I’m a great believer in enjoying the journey of sex and pleasure - not just focusing on the ‘destination’ of orgasm - there is no denying that orgasms can feel amazing. They also release all sorts of pleasure chemicals and neurotransmitters in our brain and body, meaning they are also beneficial for our health!

What is an orgasm?

Many people often ask me to define an orgasm. Depending on who you ask - a sexologist, a doctor, a neuroscientist - the answer will be different depending on their perspective. Orgasms can also be difficult to define because they can feel so different from one experience to the next - let alone for various people!
I define an orgasm as the buildup of erotic tension and pleasure, resulting in some form of pleasurable release or climax. This typically comes hand-in-hand with lots of different physical & emotional responses in your brain/body, for example:
• pelvic floor muscle contractions
• Ejaculation
• Squirting, gushing or additional lubrication
• changes in breathing or shallow breathing
• making sounds
• increased heart rate
• increased body temperature or feeling flushed
• muscle spasms and movements eg in the legs
• movements in the pelvis / spine
• A rush of pleasurable sensations throughout the body eg tingles, heat, wave, ripples, etc.
• feel good chemicals released in the brain and body eg endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin
• A rush of different potential emotions such as euphoria, sleepyness, love, tearfulness

Why can orgasms feel different?

As many of us have experienced, not all orgasms are the same. Some are powerful, some are gentle. Some last a long time, some are very quick. Some stay centralised to our genitals, others take over the whole body or come from somewhere else entirely. Some leave us feeling teary and emotional, others leave us with the giggles. Some help us sleep, some make us stay awake for hours!

There are lots of different things that contribute to these variances, and a big part of that is understanding the different types of orgasm and the different erogenous zones.

What is an erogenous zone?

An erogenous zone is any area on the human body that, when sensually touched or stimulated, can trigger a sexual or arousing response. These zones are packed with nerve endings, making them especially sensitive and enjoyable to explore! With the right kind of stimulation, many of them have the power to lead to orgasm.

What are common erogenous zones?

While there are many well-known erogenous zones, any part of your body can become one with the right kind of attention. This means that every area of your body has the potential to be a source of arousal and outside of just genital touching and penetrative sex.

Common erogenous zones are:
•External Vulva/ labia / Clitoris
•Internal Gspot / Aspot
•Internal Cervix
•Penis/Testicles
•Perineum
•External Anus
•Internal Anus / prostate
•Ears
•Mouth / Lips
•Neck
•Nipples / Chest
•Belly / Pubic bone /Hips
•Thighs
•Feet / Hands
•Ribcage
•The Skin
•The Brain! For many people, arousal starts in the brain, meaning engaging the erotic mind and imagination is a part part of how arousal and orgasm builds

What are the different types of orgasm?

There are so many ways the body can build pleasure and reach orgasm, and many of them will surprise you.

This is not an exhaustive list, but gives you an understanding of how many ways there are of experiencing peak pleasure. When we redefine an orgasm as something that can only come from genital stimulation, it increases our pleasure potential!

1. External Clitoral orgasms - For women and people with vulvas, these are the most
common, and given the head/glans of the clitoris has over 10,000 nerve endings and is the most sensitive part of the human body that's not too surprising! This makes it the most sensitive erogenous zone on the human body.

According to various studies, around 80% of people with vulvas say they need some form of external clitoral stimulation - stimulating the glans and shaft of the clitoris at the top of the vulva-in order to build arousal and reach orgasm.

This means that during self pleasure or partnered pleasure, most people enjoy external physical
stimulation like:
• Hand stimulation / external vulva massage
• Stimulation from a vibrator / air suction toy / shower head etc.
• Pressure/grinding against a pillow/bed/body

2. Internal clitorial orgasms - The clitoris is a whole network that runs under the surface of the skin - what you see on the outside of the body (the glans) is only the tip of the iceberg!

The majority of the clitoris (it's 7-11cm in size) lives under the surface of the skin, branching out either side of the opening to the vagina and downwards in two ‘legs’ and two ‘bulbs’. The entire clitoris is very sensitive and fills up with blood during arousal, and can be stimulated both externally (eg vulva & labia massage) and internally (near the entrance to the vagina).

Rather than just focusing on the tip of the clitoris at the top of the vulva, it's a great idea to stimulate the rest of the clitoris, vulva, and vaginal opening too - this stops the glans becoming over sensitive and results in more full-bodied pleasure.

When we are stimulating the whole of the clitoris, it can lead to more powerful, more satisfying clitoral orgasms.

3. G-spot (or g-crest / g-zone) orgasms - These are a type of internal vaginal orgasm, specifically stimulating the upper wall of the vagina (towards the belly button) with fingers, a penis or a toy.

These can feel very intense so get curious about what works for your body. Some people love this form of stimulation, and other people might find it too intense.

Stimulation here might also trigger squirting or female ejaculation which can be another form of peak pleasure experience (but isn't always an orgasm!)

4. Cervix orgasms - Going deeper inside the vagina is the cervix, which can also lead to very powerful and intense internal orgasms. Sadly many people associate this part of their body with pain (not pleasure) during sex due to accidental 'deep bumps' in certain positions.

Despite these associations, the cervix is actually a very pleasurable erogenous zone, meaning it is capable of building arousal and leading to cervical orgasms.
Remember sex should never be painful. Listen to your body, slow down, and build pleasure at your own pace.

5. Blended orgasms - When we are getting great stimulation in two (or more!) erogenous zones, that's what is sometimes called a blended orgasm, because the orgasmic energy is coming from multiple places.’
For example:
• when we are having pleasurable penetrative sex while also stimulating the external
clitoris with a hand or toy.
• When you’re having great penetrative sex with an anal plug in

These often feel bigger and more full-bodied than orgasms that are stimulated through just one part of the body.

6. Anal orgasms - A very sensitive erogenous zone both externally and internally. Both
external massage/rimming/stimulation and/or internal stimulation can trigger some of the most powerful orgasms in the human body. Anal orgasms can feel incredibly powerful, satisfying and full-bodied.

7. Orgasms in your sleep - It’s very common for women and people with vulvas to orgasm in their sleep without any touch at all! Sometimes this is due to certain dreams or fantasies, but not always. This is a great example of what the body and mind is capable of when we broaden our definition of orgasm.

8. Full bodied orgasms - Remember that our entire body can be an erogenous zone if we give it the right sort of time and attention. When we explore the entire body with new types of touch, this is how you can learn how to have a ‘full-bodied’ orgasm.

Don't just focus on the genitals. Imagine you are spreading that pleasure around your body. Don't be afraid to try new touch, move your body, make sounds, and breathe deeply. This is how people start to learn how to build to more powerful full-bodied orgasmic experiences

9. Nipple-gasms - A very sensitive erogenous zone for many. With practice, many people can have orgasms through nipple stimulation alone!

10. Core-gasms - These are orgasms that happen during exercise. These are not as unusual as you might think! Certain core workouts or weight training workouts can trigger a build and release of tension and pleasure in your muscles and core that can feel like a type of orgasm. These are particularly common through glute and core exercises.

11. Breath-gasms or energetic orgasms - Some people can build and reach orgasm
without any touch at all! With practice, they can use the power of breath, movement,
imagination, fantasy and/or mindfulness to reach orgasm. This can also be a form of tantric sex - building erotic energy in a very different (but equally intense/pleasurable!) way.

12. Multiple orgasms - when you have more than one orgasm one after another! And yes - men can achieve these too with time and practice!