Genital piercings are frequently misunderstood, yet more and more often requested by those searching for sexual enhancement and/or aesthetic development. They are sometimes controversial, sometimes painful, and many times they have the potential to break our personal barriers of pleasure principles. It is important that when deciding whether or not to adorn ourselves that we truly understand not only the risk, but also the reward.

There are specific, or common, piercings developed for both men and women, and of course as with anything that falls under the category of aesthetics, much room for variations on a theme. Common male genital piercings are the Apadravya, Dydoe, Foreskin, Frenium, Lornum, Frenum Ladder, Guiche (Perineum), Hafada/Scrotum, and the Prince Albert. For women, common genital piercings are the Vertical Clitoral Hood, Horizontal Clitoral Hood (HCH), Clitoris, Triangle, Inner Labia, Outer Labia, Fourchette, and the Princess Diana. Each type of piercing is different and requires specific care and healing times to prevent possible infections from occurring.

The Apadravya is a vertical piercing through the head of the penis. Having been cited in the Kama Sutra, the Apadravya falls under both categories of sexual enhancement and aesthetics. The piercing can fall either through the urethra or not, depending on preference, and it has the potential to be a dawdling and painful procedure. It is very important that the professional, experienced, body adornment artist understands where to place the needle to avoid excessive bleeding, resulting in possible death. Other risks may include the body rejecting the jewelry and also migration of the jewelry to another area. Overall, this piercing can take anywhere from six to twelve months to heal, and two weeks of sexual abstinence should be practiced right after the piercing is completed. Condoms should always be worn throughout the entire healing process.

A piercing called the Dydoe, has been a preference of those who were circumcised, however circumcision is not a necessary requirement for the piercing. On the other hand, a requirement for this piercing to be successful is that the edge of the head of the penis be grand enough to sustain the jewelry. Some claim that sensations that do not occur due to circumcision have been restored because of the Dydoe, and many men will opt to have multiple Dydoe piercings, as opposed to just one. Common risks include a slow healing process, the body rejecting the jewelry, and possible tearing during sexual activity.

Foreskin piercings, as the name implies, are solely for those with a foreskin still intact. In the current age this piercing is done for increased sexual feelings, however, it was used as a chastity device for slaves in the primeval days. Like the Dydoe, there is the option to have multiple foreskin piercings, but the foreskin piercing actually has less risks involved. The healing time on this piercing is two to four months, and one must make sure to take precautions when engaging in sexual activity so as not to tear the delicate piercing. Abstinence should be practiced for a minimum of one week after the initial piercing.

The Frenum piercing, and its variations of the Lorum and Frenum Ladder, is the second most popular male genital piercing. (The Prince Albert being the first.) The piercing is behind the head of the penis, and the jewelry is worn through the supple skin under the shaft. The Lorum is closer to the scrotum, at the base of the shaft, and a Frenum Ladder is just as it sounds. It is multiple Frenum piercings, lined up, from, the base to the top of the shaft. Healing times for all variations on the Frenum theme are between two and four months. One should always keep the healing area(s) hairless, and only accommodate as many Frenum piercings as the body will allow, as less can always be more. Overall, with any genital piercing, condoms should be worn at all times during the healing process.

Unlike the piercings mentioned thus far, the Guiche, or Perineum, is one of the least common male genital piercings. The reason for this is the healing risks. The piercing is located quite close to the anus, under the scrotal sac. The location of this piercing makes for a difficult heal, because of the warm temperature, lack of oxygen flow, and bodily sweat. Men who spend much of their day sitting are not good candidates for this piercing, as are those who are avid bicyclists. The other major risk associated with this piercing, other than the difficult healing process, is that of jewelry migration and/or rejection.

Another piercing known for its difficult healing process is the Hafada/Scrotum piercing. Like the Guiche, the Hafada/Scrotum’s location makes for difficult healing, and irritation of the area. The Hafada/Scrotum is almost painless because of the spring of the skin. Overall, the major risk associated with this piercing is the depth of the piercing. It is of the utmost importance not to pierce too deep, because penetrating the actual sac could lead to a brutal infection.

The most common of all the male genital piercings is the Prince Albert. Its popularity could be due to the rapid healing process and/or aesthetic appeal in the placement of the jewelry. Most often, the piercing is through the urethra, and the benefit in this is that the urine will aid in the healing process, which is known to be swift. A variation of the theme of Prince Albert is the Reverse Prince Albert where the jewelry wraps around the top of the head of the penis as opposed to the bottom.

As with male genital piercings, female genital piercings are also many and varied. The Vertical Clitoral Hood, is a common piercing for women. A woman is pierced through the tissue over the clitoris and the jewelry sits vertically. Along with being pleasing to the eyes, the VCH will allow for sexual enhancement as well, for the jewelry comes in contact with the clitoris. The VCH also heals rapidly, with a minimum time frame of four weeks, and the pain involved with the actual piercing is also minimal for the surface area the needle penetrates is less than that of a earlobe. Many comment that it feels like a slight pinch.

Another clitoral hood piercing is the Horizontal Clitoral Hood. This piercing is known to be primarily aesthetic. The reason for this is that the jewelry does not usually come into direct contact with the clitoris, but instead sits on top of the hood. It is important that when the body adornment artist prepares the area for piercing that care is taken to pull the tissue away for the clitoris.

The Clitoris piercing, by far the most serious of the female genital piercings, can also be one of the most pleasurable. The size of the jewelry must be taken into consideration because considerable swelling may occur, and also during sexual arousal, the clitoris swells regularly. The piercing must also not penetrate too deeply, and close to the urethra, so as to prevent urinary tract infections from occurring. A piercing that is too surface could also lead to trouble with tearing of the clitoris. Because of the great amount of nerves in the clitoris, the piercing is known to be a wonderful sexual enhancement, when pierced properly. Many women feel an increase in sensation following the initial piercing and for weeks thereafter.

A close relative of the Clitoral Piercing is the Triangle piercing. It is a horizontal piercing placed behind the clitoris. The clitoris is actually pulled away from the body with forceps and the skin behind the nerve bundle is pierced. The Triangle piercing is also for sexual enhancement, this time stimulating the back of the clitoris. The healing time of the Triangle is two to three months, and it is very important that the qualifications of the body adornment artist are validated before allowing them to undertake this procedure. The Triangle is known to be an advanced piercing. Often women who have a VCH piercing also have a Triangle, so as to stimulate the front and back of the clitoris.

The Inner Labia is a piercing with no major health risks besides making sure that the piercing does not penetrate either large capillaries or arteries, which could lead to bleeding. Mostly aesthetic, women may go on to have multiple Inner Labia piercings. Placement, if one wishes for multiples, is important to avoid friction and lack of healing because of constant irritations and jewelry rubbing. As with any piercing, the area should be well cleaned during the healing process, and clothing has the potential to cause irritation also. Loose fitting clothes are best, and salt water can also aid in the healing process that can last anywhere from two to four weeks.

The Outer Labia, like the Inner Labia, poses the same risks. Again, it is important that the body adornment artist takes care to avoid any capillaries and/or arteries, and if multiple piercings are to occur in the future, placement is the key. Commonly used is the zig-zag formation, which allows each ring to have its own space. With the Outer Labia, one risk is hair growing into and irritating the piercing. Tight clothing should also be avoided, as with the Inner Labia, and the Outer Labia takes about six to eight weeks to heal.

A female piecing comparable to a male piercing would be the Fourchette, its male equivalent being the Guiche. It is a perineum piercing, and most women are not qualified to have one. The majority of women are not built with a tissue fold between the vagina and the anus that can be pierced. Healing time for the Fourchette is between two to three months and like any piercing, wise sexual practices should be in place.

Lastly is the Princess Diana, a relatively new piercing. This piercing is actually a set of piercings. The rings are placed under the hood of the clitoris, horizontally, and are known to be sexually enhancing. The healing time on the Princess Diana is four to six weeks, and a woman who does not have the proper anatomy for a Triangle may opt for the Princess Diana as a wonderful second choice.

Genital piercings can be fun, aesthetically appealing, surprising, and hot. When deciding on the right one for you, it is important to research not only the piercing itself, but also the body adornment artist. Do not be afraid to ask for credentials, or for the amount of procedures they have performed. Genital piercings are a calculated risk and one can never be too careful when planning. It is most important to protect yourself and your partner(s).