Female Genital Piercing and Nipple Piercing

17.01.2010 | By: T. B.

Where on the body can you have a piercing, how is it done and what are the possible consequences?

Today it's difficult to know what you'll find underneath the woman’s clothing. (Photoxpress)

The people of ancient Rome pierced their private parts - it was soldiers who did it, as a sign of courage. Victorian women wore earrings in their nipples to create the image of large nipples. Today, there are many reasons for piercing – for example, one can get pierced for the purposes of sadomasochistic games. Piercing the private parts of your body is something special, as there is a direct possibility that it will have an impact on your sex life.

The popularity of piercing has dramatically increased in the last fifteen years. Sometimes it's quite difficult to foresee who has a piercing because it's a widespread phenomenon and not a matter of one subculture any more.

Reasons why one decides for piercing of female genitals are different and depend on the individual. Some people pierce their private parts just because they like the look of it, while others do it because it's supposed to have an impact on arousal. Additional thrills in sexual intercourse can only be achieved if the piercing is placed correctly, otherwise the result is the opposite. Loss of sensitivity can be temporary or permanent. Piercing can make oral sex more exciting and even walking can be more thrilling. There are less pleasant consequences as well – sexual intercourse can be painful and safe sex is also questionable because condoms can break much sooner due to jewelry. This can be somewhat mitigated if you put lubricant inside the condom and on the jewelry (lubricant has to be water-based because others destroy condoms).

The degree of pain during piercing

The degree of pain depends on the release of endorphins in your body. Endorphins decrease the level of pain. They are largely released when we're aroused or afraid, and it's therefore good that you are at least a little afraid before piercing. The degree of pain also depends on the method of piercing and your pain threshold.

Nipple piercing

Piercing methods and possibilities depend on the shape of your nipple. A wound on your nipple heals within 6 to 8 weeks. Recovery also depends on the size and weight of the breast. Women with larger breasts can have more problems. Only when your nipple is pierced, you find how much action it enjoys.

All the time you have to take great care to avoid inflammation. Inflammation can be caused by allergies to materials, or swimming in pools or the sea. At the beginning, nipples can be very tender. This tenderness gradually passes, but not always.

You can use ice to soothe the pain – if you don't have any, use frozen vegetables that you keep in the freezer. If piercing was not done properly, or if you're allergic to a certain material, your nipple may reject the jewelry. This happens in extreme cases.

It's recommended that you wear a bra. Preferably a sports one. Be careful not to accumulate too much damp in it (from sweating). Change bras more often and always thoroughly wipe your breasts. At the beginning, discharge can appear from your nipples. If you don't want to have a dirty bra, buy pads for breastfeeding mothers.

Your nipples will probably be harder for a while, but they will gradually soften.

There are numerous methods of piercing, but not all of them are appropriate for everybody. (http://ringsofdesire.com/gallery/triangle_hch.html)

In principle, piercing your nipples doesn't have a negative effect on your breastfeeding. In some cases, it's even the opposite and the piercings presumably stimulate the milk flow. However, you should take into consideration the other person while breastfeeding – the baby. Jewelry can be a source of a number of infections. If you decide to remove it for the whole period of breastfeeding, the piercing may close and you will have to pierce it again. But if you decide to remove the jewelry only for the time of breastfeeding, too frequent changing can cause inflammation or oversensitivity of the nipple.

Genital piercing

There are several placements for piercing when it comes to female genitals. These also determine the time of healing. Healing can last from four weeks to three months. Although you probably want to test your new acquisition as soon as possible, it's recommended that you abstain from sexual intercourse during the period of healing.

You can get a piercing on every part of your body. However, all the placements cannot be used in every woman because women differ considerably from one another. Some clitori are not appropriate for piercing and it's therefore recommended that you ask for advice before you fix on a specific piercing placement. Some methods really contribute to increased arousal, but not all of them. Arousal doesn't only depend on the method of piercing, but also on the structure of your body – if you have a larger clitoris, you have more possibilities of additional arousal. Generally, piercings contributing to additional arousal should be near the clitoris, or touching and rubbing it. Some women achieve an orgasm for the first time only after getting a piercing on the right spot!

Piercings on the outer vaginal lips (labia majora) are done mainly for aesthetic purposes. In some cases, discharge can appear. If so, you can use slim sanitary towels. You can have several piercings on the outer vaginal lips and your partner can feel them when he penetrates your vagina. A word of warning: with most jewelry, tissue can be stretched and enlarged.

When (or if) you decide on piercing, you should ask an expert for advice about the specific piercing on which you've decided. If he or she is unable to answer your questions, think over if this is the right person to trust them with your private parts. Your questions should concern your anatomy and the appropriateness of the piercing in question for you, the sterility and hygiene during piercing, potential complications appearing later on, how to act if they appear, and how to take care of your ornament in general.