Genital piercing

Genital piercing is a type of body piercing. People get small holes made in their skin to attach jewelry. Genital piercing is piercing done on the sex organs. Piercings near the sex organs are often also called genital piercings. The word "piercing" can be a noun that means the small holes in the skin, or it can be a noun that means the jewelry in the holes. Piercing can also be a verb meaning making a hole that goes through the skin. Usually this is done with a needle. Sometimes a tool for piercing that uses a thick needle is called a punch. In the 21st century, genital piercings are common.

History

Genital piercing has a long history. It was done in some traditional (pre-modern) people. Sometimes it was a "rite of passage," meaning something done when a child enters puberty, or at some time during puberty, to show that the young person is, or will soon be, an adult. In modern times, people who got genital piercings in the 1960s and 1970s were often in the gay subculture. Before the 1980s, genital piercings were usually in people who wanted to be different from the main popular culture. Groups that are very different from the popular culture are called counterculture movements. By the 1980s and 1990s, genital piercing became more common in the general population.

Just like nipple piercings,^[1] genital piercings became more and more popular and part of mainstream culture in the second decade of the 21st century.^[2] Many famous people such as Christina Aguilera,^[3] Fantasia Barrino,^[4] Pete Doherty,^[5] Janet Jackson,^[6] Lenny Kravitz,^[7] Katarina Waters,^[8] and Pete Wentz,^[9] say that they had or planned to have genital piercings. Genital piercings are popular, especially among the college-aged, young adult, population.^[10]^[11]^[12]

Laws about genital piercing

Most countries (or states) say children and younger teenagers can't get genital piercings. Some countries say younger teenagers can get them if their parents say it is okay. Because businesses that do piercings are usually not allowed to do piercings on teenagers (under 18 or under 16, depending on the laws), some teenagers do piercings on their own bodies or get a friend to help. This can cause health problems. They can get bad infections if they do not use a very clean needle to make the holes.

Why people get genital piercings

People get genital piercings to look more beautiful, in pictures or in real life. That is the same reason people get their ears pierced. People think piercings will make other people to look at their sex organs. Piercings can be like saying, "Hey, it's okay to look!"

Some types of genital piercing are supposed to increase sexual pleasure.^[13] Some piercings make sex more enjoyable mainly for the person with the piercings. Other piercings make sex more enjoyable for the person's sexual partner. (This is talked about later in this article.)

Some people get genital piercings to show their personal style. That is similar to people wearing clothes they like or getting their hair cut or colored in a particular style. Survivors of sexual abuse or assault sometimes get genital piercings as an act of reclamation. They felt their sexuality was taken away from them. Getting a piercing may help them feel they have reclaimed or taken back control of their genitals.

Unisex (male or female) genital piercings

Some body piercings near the genitals are for males or females. Piercings in the mons pubis (pubic mound) are very common. However, a pubic mound piercing is not good for a person with very tight skin and very little fat in the pubic mound. The body would reject the piercing. After a while, the jewelry would come out. Another way of saying this is that the piercing would grow out. Piercings in the perineum can be done on males or females, but are not common. They can become infected because they are near the anus. They can be uncomfortable when riding a bicycle or motorcycle.

Female genital piercings

Common genital piercings that women get are through the hood of the clitoris, through the labia majora, and through the labia minora.

Clitoral hood piercings

The clitoral hood is a thin piece of skin that covers most of the shaft and sometimes the end (the glans) of the clitoris. A clitoral hood piercing goes through this thin piece of skin. A clitoral hood piercing is done to make the women look more beautiful, and also to increase sexual pleasure during masturbation, foreplay and sexual intercourse.

There are two main types of clitoral hood piercing: the vertical (straight up and down) clitoral hood (VCH) piercing and the horizontal (sideways) clitoral hood (HCH) piercing. As the names indicate, the difference is in the direction of the piercing through the skin above the clitoris. Neither of these piercings penetrates the clitoris itself, although they are sometimes called "clit" piercings.^[14] Piercings that go through the clitoris itself are dangerous. There is a chance that the piercing will cause nerve damage to the clitoris. That could cause the woman to not feel anything in her clitoris. That would be very sad for the woman since the the only known purpose for the clitoris is to provide sexual pleasure. There is also a chance it could cause pain that does not go away. Piercings that go through the clitoris itself are very uncommon. A deep hood piercing is a variation of the clitoral hood piercing that passes deeper through the clitoral hood. A deep hood piercing does not go through the clitoris itself.

One study from the University of South Alabama said that women with vertical clitoral hood piercings have more sexual desire and more sexual arousal and have sex more often than women without these piercings.^[15] During sex when the partners are facing each other, the partner's body (the pubic area, in particular) presses against the jewelry in the clitoral hood piercing, and the jewelry presses on the shaft of the clitoris and on the glans of the clitoris. The pressure and movement on the shaft and the glans of the clitoris feels very good for most women. (For some women, it does not feel good to touch the glans of the clitoris directly. The glans is too sensitive. It would feel like touching your eye. Those women might not like having a piercing near the clitoris. Those women could try using a sexual lubricant. A sexual lubricant is a slippery liquid. It can be bought at drug stores.)

A clitoral hood piercing is not always possible. It depends on the shape and size of the clitoral hood and on the shape and size of the pubic mound. A vertical clitoral hood piercing cannot be done on a very short clitoral hood. This piercing requires a clitoral hood length of 1cm or more. Excessive pressure due to fat or sagging in the pubic mound area is another reason a vertical clitoral hood piercing would not be a good idea. A horizontal clitoral hood piercing might be an alternative for some, however horizontal clitoral hood piercing is only suitable for women who have enough skin above the clitoris and whose clitoral hood is not completely covered by the outer labia. The shape and symmetry of the clitoral hood are also important to keep the piercing from rotating or pinching. If a woman's body is unsuitable for a clitoral hood piercing, a pubic piercing for a male sexual partner can sometimes provide the desired clitoral stimulation during sexual intercourse. As an alternative to either partner obtaining a piercing, a male partner can wear a removable sex toy device at the base of the penis that incorporates a clitoral stimulator or vibrator. Likewise, various clitoral vibrators and suction devices are available to enhance lesbian genital-to-genital contact.^[16]

Christina piercing

A Christina piercing, also known as a Venus piercing, is done where the outer labia meet at the top. One end of the piercing is on the pubic mound. The other end is in the "slit" (the opening) between the labia. The Christina piercing is not a good idea on some women. It has a high rejection rate, meaning the piercing (the hole) and jewelry do not stay in the body. This piercing should not be done on women who have skin that is very tight. If the flesh above the clitoris where the outer labia meet can be pinched, a Christina piercing may be successful. Women get this piercing to make their body look more beautiful. It usually does not make sex more enjoyable. Some women say it is uncomfortable when touched or pressed.^[17]

Labia piercings

The labia are the inner and outer lips that surround the opening to the vagina. They are part of the vulva. Piercings to the inner labia are common. Rings are the jewelry most often used. Labia piercings are mostly for decoration, but may also add pleasurable feelings during various sex acts. They are among the simpler and more common genital piercings for females, and are often done in symmetrical pairs (one on each side of the vaginal opening.)

Male genital piercings

There are many places and style of piercings men can get.

Glans penis piercings

The glans is the end of the penis. The piercing can go through the urethra. Men get piercings there because they think it makes their penis look more beautiful or interesting. A piercing through the glans can also increase sexual pleasure for the man whose penis is pierced and for his sexual partner. A piercing through the urethra is called a Prince Albert piercing. Sometimes it can cause problems urinating (peeing.)

Corona piercings

The Corona of glans penis is the edge of the glans. A piercing that goes through the coronal rim of the glans is called a dydoe piercing. During vaginal intercourse, the piercing usually adds extra stimulation for the partner. When several dydoe piercings are placed around the head of the penis, it is called a king's crown.

Foreskin piercings

The foreskin is a thin piece of skin that covers the glans of the penis. If the man's foreskin has not been removed, he can get a piercing through the foreskin. This is an easy piercing to do. It is done for the same reasons as piercings of the glans. It can make the penis look more beautiful or interesting. It can increase sexual pleasure for both partners.

Frenulum piercings

The frenulum connects the foreskin to the shaft of the penis. This is an easy piercing to do. The reasons are the same as with the other piercings above. The name of the piercing is often shortened to a frenum piercing. If there are several piercings, the name is a frenum ladder or a Jacob's Ladder. (That name comes from a dream Jacob in the bible had of a ladder going to heaven.)

Shaft piercings

The shaft is the main part of the penis outside the body up to the glans. Piercings can go through the skin on the shaft. The skin on the penis is very thin. That makes it easy to pierce, but the jewelry might come out some day since the skin is very thin. If there are several piercings, it can be called a ladder.

Scrotum piercings

The scrotum is the sack or bag that contains the testicles. Piercings on the scrotum are easy to do. They are common. They just go through the loose skin. This type of piercing is also called a Hafada piercing. A piercing that goes all the way through the scrotum is not common because it is dangerous. Common piercings on the scrotum are a ring or rings on the side of the scrotum, or barbells (straight jewelry pieces) or rings. Piercings on the scrotal raphe or "seam" of the scrotum are common. The main reason to get piercings on the scrotum is to make the scrotum look more beautiful or interesting. They don't usually increase sexual pleasure much, so that is not a reason why people get piercings on the scrotum. If there are several repeated piercings, it can be called a ladder.

Jewelry

There are different types of body piercing jewelry. Barbells, curved barbells (also called banana bars), J-bars (barbells shaped like the letter J), captive bead rings (also called ball capture rings or BCRs) are common. Silver jewelry should be avoided.^[18] Sometimes the beads of a barbell are decorative, as is common in navel piercings. Sometimes gemstones or glass that looks like diamonds are used.

Healing and care

The time to fully heal a genital piercing varies, depending on piercing site and individual characteristics: it can range from a week up to six months. Until fully healed, preparations should be made against possible causes of infection, such as proper cleaning on a daily basis. People with fresh piercings should abstain from sexual activity for the first few days and also then should use physical protection barriers such as condoms until the piercing is fully healed.

Gallery

Frontal view of a vertical clitoral hood (VCH) piercing with curved barbell
Linear view of a Vertical clitoral hood (VCH) piercing
Side view of a vertical clitoral hood (VCH) piercing
Christina Piercing and a VCH Piercing. A Christina piercing is located where the outer labia meet, below the pubic mound.
A horizontal clitoral hood (HCH) piercing with captive bead ring
Labia minora (inner labia) piercings with rings
Pubic piercing with a barbell (just above the penis shaft) on a male
Different piercings on male genitals
A type of glans piercing called a Reverse Prince Albert piercing
Double dydoe piercings (through the corona)
Foreskin piercing (retracted foreskin)
Foreskin piercing with a captive bead ring (also called a BCR or ball closure ring)
Foreskin piercing with a BCR, shown with the foreskin covering the glans
Frenulum piercing
Frenulum piercing with a short stainless steel barbell
Scrotum or scrotal piercing, also called a Hafada piercing: Scrotal ladder piercing with rings
Scrotal ladder with barbells
A PTFE rod used in a new scrotal piercing. This is used before metal jewelry.