Humans have been bedazzling their bits as far back as 300AD. The first reference to genital piercings can be found in the Kama Sutra in which penis inserts and metal rods were said to enhance sexual pleasure. And if you think this trend disappeared until the likes of Janet Jacksons and Christina Aguilera shared their penchant for pierced nipples, you’d be wrong.
The prevalence of intimate piercings throughout history is well-documented. Even Victorian women jumped aboard the trend, sporting something known as bosom rings which linked together with delicate chains. It wasn’t until the late 1970s that nontraditional body piercings went mainstream. Read on to find out more about the most common intimate piercings and how they can help give your sex life a jump start.
The most common of all intimate piercings, nipple piercings are liberating and incredibly sensual for both sexes. Nipple piercings are popular because they can increase sensitivity during sex and they’re also visually stimulating. The actual process is over quite quickly and most people report that the pain is little more than a pinch to a dull ache.
Your piercing will take around 10 weeks to heal and you need to avoid touching it during this time. Once it has healed, you have a choice of jewellery, from jewelled barbells to rings and even nipple cages. Don’t worry about false rumours that you can lose nipple sensitivity with a nipple piercing – if anything, sensitivity should be heightened.
There are many different kinds of clitoral piercings, with the majority focussed on the clitoral hood. Despite the name, it is incredibly uncommon for piercers to actually pierce the clitoris. This is due to the risk of damage to the nerves or permanently heightened sensitivity. Instead, most piercings focus on the clitoral hood and can be positioned vertically or horizontally.
You can also opt for a labia piercing. Inner labia piercings go through the inner lips with outer labia piercings go through the inner lips. Outer labia piercings take less time to heal, so this is the better option if you don’t want to wait to get back in the bedroom. Labia piercings can be done on one side, or both sides. It’s also fairly common to have 3-5 pairs of rings along the labia. Most piercings take 6-8 weeks to heal provided you follow aftercare instructions.
The most common male genital piercing is the Prince Albert piercing. This piercing goes through the underside of the penis, into the urethra and emerges from the urethral opening. Alternatively, you can opt for a frenum piercing which is typically a barbell placed in the underside of the penile shaft. A column of these frenum piercings is known as a Jacob’s Ladder piercing.
One of the most painful male genital piercings you can get is the apadravya piercing. This goes top to bottom through the tip of the penis, fully crossing the urethra. However, like most piercings, the pain should only be momentary. This is also one of the most popular piercings for vaginal sex as the balls of the piercing should stimulate the G spot. And finally, guiche piercings are placed on the surface of the perineum, which is the area between the anus and scrotum. This is a highly sensitive and erogenous zone for most men so a piercing can enhance pleasure.
All piercings are different, so it’s important to listen to the advice of your body piercer. The risk of infection and rejection is much higher before the piercing has healed, so it’s important to follow instructions.
Not ready for a piercing? Not to worry! There are plenty more ways to spice things up in the bedroom. Check out these popular posts from our blog…
