Clit Pumps: Why Try Them, How They Work, & Our Top Picks
Wilbur |
A clit pump (also colloquially known as a pussy pump, suction toy, or clit sucking toy) is a class of devices that are used over the clitoris or vulva and create a light suction sensation. The purpose of the suction is to draw more blood flow to those areas to increase arousal, make the genitals more sensitive, improve pleasure, sometimes enlarge the genitals deliberately, and, depending on the toy, potentially bring the user to orgasm.
While clit and pussy pumps primarily for increased blood flow have been on the market for quite some time, in the last few years, clit pumps (and usually they're just clit pumps so far) with added vibration or thumping to help bring people to climax have become more and more common.
Some pumps focus mainly on the external clitoris, while others focus on the outer genital area (vulva and clitoris). Some devices include vibration or other sensations for additional stimulation, and a few may have a different dildo for extra internal/g-spot stimulation.
And finally, a few of these devices are even marketed as hands-free; though we use common sense when searching for these mythical "hands-free" devices, many claim that the literal weight of the device makes it impossible to secure. We'll call out a lightweight suction device that is truly hands-free later in the article.
Benefits Of Clit and Pussy Pumps
Although the idea of suction in your nether regions may seem intimidating at first, there are a few benefits to them when you know what products to look for and how to use them:
1) Increased Blood Flow = Increased Arousal
Unlike vibrators or products that produce movement or thumping sensations, suction is more deliberately designed to bring blood flow to a particular area. Increased blood flow is associated with increased arousal, which could help people reach climax.
Some users of clit pumps also report experiencing increased sensitivity and tenderness in the areas where they use the suction. So you can use the product to help you feel more aroused and experience heightened pleasure, or use specific products on their own if you want to reach climax with them.
2) Novel Sensation
Most sex toys either stimulate through vibration or move an object designed to rub on the g-spot or p-spot. Suction devices suck, for lack of a better term, and produce a different sensation that could be very arousing! It may be great if you prefer it to other feelings or as a way to switch up your experiences for increased pleasure through novelty.
3) Orgasm! (and enhanced pleasure overall)
The prior two benefits lead up to this, but it deserves its call out. Basically, clit, and pussy pumps can be a great way to prime your body and mind to have an orgasm - potentially. If you are keen on exploring new things and are looking for a prescription medication-free way to try arousing your body for better pleasure, these products are worth a second look.
How Does A Clit Pump Work?
The silicone (or other rubber) suction cup is attached to a motor. The suction stimulates the genitals, increasing blood flow towards the clitoris and surrounding tissues, which promotes engorgement and erection.
It's similar to penis pumps that also use a suction sensation to bring blood flow to the penis to enhance erection and appearance.
For many clit pumps, applying some lube on the silicon cup and the clitoris and/or vulva will help create a better seal between the suction cup and the clitoris/vulva.
As mentioned, some clit and pussy pumps are designed for just arousal, and some are for arousal AND orgasm. And some people may use clit pumps to help produce a larger, more sensitive clitoris or vulva.
Tips For Starting Out
1) Start Slowly And Lightly
If you were to go skydiving, you probably would go tandem skydiving first with an instructor versus yourself — and get some training beforehand to know what to expect.
While using sex toys is not quite like skydiving, the principles hold that you should start carefully before going straight to 10 in intensity. While there might be some excitement in trying something new, some pumps can be more intense than others, so you'll want to get a feel for what you're getting yourself or your partner into. There have been reports of the larger pumps causing pain or tissue damage and smaller suction toys being too intense that you may not expect to be problematic, so I'm urging caution here.
2) Test It On Your Arm First
If you want to dip a toe in the water and get a feel for the general sensation, try a lighter setting on your arm first to get a feel for how the device works and what it feels like. While it won't be the same as putting it on the clitoris or the vulva, it can help you learn how the device works and how different settings feel before you put it somewhere more sensitive.
3) Use Caution With More Intense Pumps
Some pumps are designed to be stronger — particularly if you want to engorge your genitals for a more oversized look. If you are interested in that, use caution with these larger pumps because if it becomes too strong, you may inadvertently cause tissue damage to your genital area — and that's not fun to recover from.
4) Be Careful With Pressure
Early on, when I was trying out a clit suction vibrator, I put so much pressure on it with my hand and body that it made my clitoris bleed (no, it wasn't period blood). It wasn't too bad like the above account of the person who experienced long-term tissue damage with a similar toy brand, but it was enough to scare me away from trying clit pumps, much less enjoying them, for years.
It's hard not to mention because this is the only type of toy that has not been pleasurable not only before but also literally hurt me for a little bit, made me bleed, and scared the crap out of me.
It's a risk I wish more people were aware of when using these types of products because while they can be great for many people and opens up a new world of possibilities, there can be risks based on how sensitive you are or how you use the product relative to more typical vibrators or other types of sex toys. And when there's so much hype (PR manufactured, regurgitated by the media without much critical thought) about supposed record-breaking, 1 minute, mind-blowing orgasms, and you get not only no orgasm — but also a bleeding clitoris from a toy that's supposed to be designed for pleasure — it only makes the bad experiences so much worse for those who experience them.
Fortunately, after a few years of avoiding them, I've tried a couple of new ones and am more careful and cautious about finding something lighter than I tried before. I hope to report this in a future article here comparing a few different products.
But yeah, I mention this here so you don't do what I did and press too hard, use it (including the more minor, travel-sized versions) between your body and a partner's, or be too haphazard with it until you have a sense of how it works and how your body responds to it. And start light! It's easier to amp up level by level carefully rather than go too much, too quickly.
Best Clit And Pussy Pumps
Want to try one of these yourself? I'd recommend checking out a few, depending on what you're looking for.
Fetish Fantasy High Intensity Pussy Pump
If you're looking for a beginner "pussy pump" that is more manual, this is a good starter pump to see whether you like the sensation in general.
If you want a pussy pump that adds some vibration to the mix, check out Fetish Fantasy's vibrating pussy pump. Powered by batteries instead of being rechargeable, this pump is ready to go when you are.
While the name might make you bat an eye and say, "Excuse me?" this toy is quite popular and very good at what it does. Womanizer is a brand that started the recent trend of stylish clit pumps that include vibration and are designed to not only arouse but also to help bring people to climax. They come in various sizes and colors, depending on your preferences.
As with all successful products, others will start to find ways to make their versions of what's out there. Satisfyer came after Womanizer, and the two are very similar, but Satisfyer is generally cheaper than an equivalent Womanizer product. One of their bestselling products is the Satisfyer Pro series, and it is an excellent, accessible introduction to vibrating suction toys for the clitoris.
Remember what I mentioned about a toy you can use for hands-free stimulation? Well, here it is! Twitch is a small, lightweight toy that uses both suction and vibration to stimulate, delight, and stay attached so you can use those hands elsewhere. This toy is one of my favorite examples of suction toys at their best.
What makes it different from many other toys here is that it employs both suction and g-spot stimulation to help people have a blended orgasm. Additionally, the Enigma (and other Lelo suction toys, like the Sila or Sona) utilize sonic pulsation instead of air pulsation. This newer technology helps the motor reach the deeper nerve endings of the clitoris - the parts that traditional vibration or suction can't get.
If you're more specifically looking for clit pumps that are more intense than a gentle suckling and can enlarge the clitoris, Temptasia makes clit pump kits that include everything you need. You get three sizes of suction, so you can use the one that fits best for you. You can also detach the pump but keep the vacuum seal while you play so you can grab your favorite sex toy or a partner (or both!) to heighten the excitement.
