Genital piercing: Types, benefits and risks involved

I don’t need to be a psychic to know what comes to your mind with the idea of genital piercing; horror and whimpering, the kind that makes you curl into a fetal position in an attempt to protect your itty-bitties. I mean, shaving is a risky enough endeavour already, and now you want to perforate my penis? If you don’t get the hell out of here before I stone you Dunlop slippers.

But like it or not, genital piercing is already becoming a practice, and more people are doing it as it becomes more popular. Yep, you read that right. Nose rings and pierced eyebrows are easy enough to detect, but the same isn’t to be said for genital piercings. You’d need to either know a person really intimately or possess a portable metal detector to find that out. Or maybe be a stalker.

Genital piercing is a form of body modification that involves piercing a part of the genitalia, thus creating a suitable place for wearing different types of jewelry. For men, it can be done anywhere on the penis or scrotum, and for women, around the vulva, the labia (skin of the vagina, both inside and outside) or even the clitoris.

“It isn’t something done only by the fringes of society,” Elayne Angel, a professional piercer and Medical Coordinator for the Association of Professional Piercers says. “Most people probably already know at least several adults who have genital piercings. They just haven’t had the occasion to find out.”

So that shawty that you’ve been eyeing for office romance who also seems like she’s giving you green light, or that Mr. TD&H at your gym whose muscles look like God carved them from marble; you have no idea what lurks inside their boxers or panties. Or even your landlord or pastor for that matter… what? What makes you think it’s a sin? That’s part of the common misconception that surrounds it.

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Table of Content hide 1Is Genital Piercing Good or Bad? 2Benefits of Genital Piercings 3Risks of Genital Piercings 4Types of Genital Piercings for Men 4.1The Prince Albert Piercing 4.2The Reverse Prince Albert Piercing 4.3The Scrotum/Hafada Piercing 4.4The Pubic Piercing 4.5The Frenum Piercing 5Types of Genital Piercings for Women 5.1The Vertical Clitoral Hood Piercing 5.2The Horizontal Clitoral Hood Piercing 5.3The Princess Albertina Piercing 5.4The Outer Labia Piercing 5.5The Inner Labia Piercing

Is Genital Piercing Good or Bad?

Aglaja Stirn, MD and Assistant Director of the Frankfurt University Teaching Hospital for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy in Germany surveyed the history of the practice of genital piercing in an article published in the medical journal The Lancet. In the article, she argues that, due to its increasing popularity, medical professionals need to learn more about it in order to avoid the instinct to pathologize or treat as abnormal those who have gotten pierced.

The practice of genital piercing has been around for a while; in fact, for more than a while, although it is difficult to pinpoint the exact origins since histories tend to be woven with myths. According to Stirn, genital piercing in men has been confirmed among a few Borneo tribes, who implant bones in the glans, which is the head of the penis. The Kamasutra, the official Sanskrit love manual, also provides evidence of men who had penis implants adorned with jewelry. Don’t worry; you’re not the only one squirming right now.

But as you can see, genital piercing isn’t a new wave or practice that people have just discovered and are eager to try out. It isn’t some vice born out of millennial or Gen Z depravity that will condemn you to the hottest part of hell for indulging in it. It’s the same way we saw people with huge and obscene-looking lip and ear plates in the Marvel movie Black Panther; these gauges have also been fashion statements long before the movie came out, though to a lesser degree. All the movie did was show us their origins.

Benefits of Genital Piercings

Perhaps the major appeal of most piercings has been their visibility; a pierced tongue or nose is sure to set a person off from most of the people around them, and it also challenges societal norms. Also, piercings are fast becoming fashion accessories in addition to being symbols of countercultural rebels, but what do people gain by piercing their genitals?

I mean, it’s not like they’re gonna go about naked just to show the world that their genitals now wear carat. Some of these piercings cost a lot of money, so if the goal is to look cool, it’s probably redundant, right? That would be like buying a $250 pair of shoes and only wearing them to bed.

Well, the most common motivation for genital piercing is sexual. Implants attached to the penis can cause increased stimulation for a person’s partner during intercourse, or even during masturbation, and implants around the clitoris can stimulate the piercee. In fact, some couples might even decide to get pierced together and go for compatible piercings i.e. piercings that complement each other in terms of placement so as to derive maximum pleasure. Also, according to a survey, some women reported that they only got their first orgasm after getting pierced.

Some critics, however, argue that the practice is motivated by masochism, and the practice is sometimes associated with other self-destructive behaviors, like self-cutting. After all, what could be more masochistic than perforating the most sensitive part of your anatomy? Stirn disputes this, however, saying that if pain is what you’re after, genital piercing isn’t the most direct route, since it apparently doesn’t really hurt.

And although I don’t have any genital piercings, I’m not really sure I agree with her assessment. I mean, I’m not the only one who has had the skin of their scrotum caught between a zipper before, and IT HURTS LIKE HELL! You’re telling me that a needle going through it is better? Nope! I disagree!

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Risks of Genital Piercings

The most common risk that people face in genital piercing is the risk of infection, although it can often be prevented by standard aftercare practices and good hygiene. However, just because the infection is preventable doesn’t mean it should be overlooked, as it can spread and cause serious health problems, including sterility and potentially life-threatening conditions.

Additionally, if the equipment used at a piercing studio isn’t properly sterilized, the procedure has the potential to pass a number of diseases, including tetanus, leprosy, hepatitis, tuberculosis, HIV and other STDs.

Genital piercings also carry some risks of their own, apart from diseases. More invasive kinds of piercings, such as the ones that run through the head of the penis, should only be carried out by experienced personnel, as they can result in serious bleeding, as well as the risk of impotence if the erectile tissue is hit. Piercing the clitoris itself instead of the clitoral hood is also a risky endeavour. Some genital piercings can also leave scars or cause a narrowing of the urethra.

Types of Genital Piercings for Men

Genital piercings can be done by both men and women anywhere around the genital region, based on the owner’s preferences.

Some for men include:

The Prince Albert Piercing

This type of piercing is named after Queen Victoria’s consort, who was rumoured to have pierced his penis so he could adjust it discreetly in public. And while this information is unverifiable, the PA was nevertheless the most popular male genital piercing during the early years of modern body piercing and many heavily pierced men describe it as their favorite.

And while the PA may appear to be a severe puncture of the male organ, it isn’t. The piercing transverse only a minimal amount of tissue, even much less than the average earlobe piercing. Also, because it pierces into the urethra, many are often concerned that it is dangerous, more susceptible to infection, and harder to heal. However, it is quite easy to receive and heal, and one’s own urine isn’t even harmful to the piercing; in fact, it functions much like the salt-water treatments that are suggested to promote healing.

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The Reverse Prince Albert Piercing

This involves a midline vertical implant that passes from the urethra upwards through the top of the glans; basically, it is the upper part of the apadravya (a kind of piercing that passes vertically all through the head). The procedure and initial jewelry for the RPA depend on whether it is meant to be a single piercing or as an extension of an existing Prince Albert piercing.

The Scrotum/Hafada Piercing

The location of this type of piercing is evident from its name, although only the imagination limits the particulars, as they can be placed pretty much anywhere the skin can be pinched. The piercing is sometimes referred to as a hafada, especially when placed on one or both sides in the upper portion of the natural fold.

The name hafada is said to derive from the Arabs and was a rite of passage into manhood, and the piercing is placed to symbolically prevent the descended testicle from rising back into the body.

The Pubic Piercing

This type of piercing is placed at the natural juncture where the shaft and the body meet, at the top of the penis. It is a very attractive and potentially functional placement for body jewelry and is an excellent choice if you desire a genital piercing that doesn’t actually pierce the penis or is visible when you are undressed.

A ring in your pubic piercing can stimulate your partner’s clitoris when you are face to face during intercourse; in fact, it is described as the best to provide a partner with added clitoral stimulation. And while it has no apparent historical precedent, it has been gaining in popularity in recent times.

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The Frenum Piercing

This type of piercing is second only in popularity to the Prince Albert. The name comes from shortening the anatomical term fraenum or frenulum, which is the fibrous cord of connecting tissue on the underside of the penis, which is where this piercing is placed. While this skin joins the glans to the foreskin, most of it is usually removed during circumcision, and the remaining tissue is where this piercing is placed.

Types of Genital Piercings for Women

The Vertical Clitoral Hood Piercing

Also known as the VCH, this is by far the most popular female genital piercing, and for several reasons. As the name suggests, the piercing is implanted in the same direction that women’s genitals are formed, so it rests between the legs without any fuss. The majority of women are anatomically suited with a hood tissue above the clitoris in which the piercing can be comfortably worn. And, more importantly, many find the VCH to be a source of extra stimulation during sex.

The Horizontal Clitoral Hood Piercing

The HCH piercing passes through the hood tissue above the clitoris, and is aesthetically appealing to many women. Because while this placement is generally not functional to enhance erotic pleasure, it can be visually delightful and bolster self-image, even if it is not placed for action.

For most women, the clitoral hood almost completely covers the glans, hence, a ring in an HCH simply rests atop the hood. For this piercing to be stimulating, the clitoral glans has to be somewhat exposed, the jewelry accurately sized and the piercing must be perfectly placed. Only when all of these conditions are met can the bead of the ring touch the clitoris to add sensation.

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The Princess Albertina Piercing

Named for its similarity to the Prince Albert, this is a piercing that transverses the female urethra. And while it was once a subject of debate in the piercing community, the Princess Albertina is steadily growing in popularity as more women discover the joys of urethral stimulation.

The Outer Labia Piercing

Labia means lips in Latin, and its awkward singular form is labium. Outer labia (labia majora) piercings are located on the sides of the vulva (the external part of the female genitalia) in the thick, fleshy tissue folds where hair grows. They are often done in pairs, with one on each side, or in multiples to form a ladder, and are primarily visually pleasing for the wearer. Depending on placement and jewelry, a male partner might feel them during penetration.

The Inner Labia Piercing

The inner labia (labia minora) are the hairless, delicate folds of flesh found between the outer labia (labia majora), and this tissue is quite identical to that of the clitoral hood; it is quick and easy to heal. A single ring on either side is popular, and they can be pierced in pairs or multiples, although some women’s inner lips are not large enough to pierce or are asymmetrical and only one side is suitable.

However, quite a few women report experiencing pleasurable sensations from inner labia piercings, so they are usually just ornamental and worn for their visual appeal. And while they might not particularly be functional, they can still be very enjoyable to have, and many find piercings in this area to be especially beautifying and empowering.

Ouch!!!

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