Cartilage hoops, nose studs, and belly button rings are piercings that the mainstream world is very much familiar with. Any girl can pierce her ears or her navel these days without the world batting an eye, but there are types of piercings that go under the radar. That’s because they are hidden in places only to be seen by an intimate partner or a doctor. I am talking about nipple and genital piercings here so get prepared for some real talk that may be inappropriate for younger audiences.
Let’s begin with a piercing that is considered taboo but on the rise with celebrities such as Kylie Jenner and Rihanna. Nipple piercings may not be considered a genital piercing, but they are done on an area that on women is considered a ‘sexual piercing’. Yet the great thing about these piercings is that unless you’re planning to go braless on Instagram, they are just for you! They are your little secret that only you or a partner can enjoy, and I believe that they can give us ladies who lack cleavage some added confidence.
Many women feel that their breasts don’t measure up to the pressures of the media, but why not do something that makes you feel good about being a member of the itty-bitty titty committee, because any breast size can rock this body modification. When preparing to get your nipples pierced, make sure that you go to a reputable piercing shop. This piercing is one that you want to take very seriously as it takes a long time to heal and is in a place that you want to take care of. You also should research a piercer who you feel comfortable around. Getting this piercing done can be a bit awkward, but it shouldn’t be uncomfortable if you feel safe with someone who is professional and knows how to perform the job correctly. The most important thing to remember when getting a piercing is that piercings, especially surface piercings like nipple piercings require aftercare to be performed so that they can heal properly. Having an infected piercing is no fun, especially if you have to take the piercing out after the brief pain experienced having a needle shoved through your skin and wasting money you paid to get it done.
Before you get a piercing done, make sure that you have eaten a large meal and have drank plenty of water. The piercer is going to mark the areas where the jewelry will be placed before they do the piercing and it is important that they make sure with you that you like the placement. It is more important than ever for the piercer to be wearing gloves and for them to clean off your nipples before the piercing. They should always use a new needle to pierce you and a 14g surgical grade steel barbell is the standard for nipple piercings. To be safe you should make sure that your jewelry is internally threaded and that the bars are long enough to accommodate for swelling. After you get your piercing done, make sure that you only touch or rotate the jewelry with clean hands when you are cleaning your fresh piercing. A fresh piercing is essentially a piece of jewelry through an open wound, so keeping the area clean and dry is extremely important.
When cleaning the piercing, you can do it in a number of ways. Anti-bacterial soap and sea-salt both work well to clean a piercing, and I recommend doing both. When you are in the shower, clean your piercing with the antibacterial soap and let the water clean off any crust that forms in the healing process around your jewelry. Never force a piercing to rotate as this can cause tearing or bleeding. After showering, make sure all soap is washed off and use a paper towel to gently tap your piercings dry. Be careful when wrapping a towel around yourself or brushing out your hair in the shower, as these things can get caught in your new piercings. I also recommend that you clean your piercings once a day with a sea-salt soak. Dilute sea-salt and hot water in a cup, then place the cup against your piercing until it is submerged and keep it there to soak for about 3-5 minutes. Then when you are finished rinse your piercings and dab them dry with a paper towel.
If you don’t shower everyday or don’t want to do a sea-salt soak, you can also dilute either soap or sea-salt in hot water and apply it onto your piercings with Q-tips to clean them. It is very important to keep up with this routine two times a day for the first two to three months after you get it done. This aftercare routine takes much longer than most other piercings because surface piercings require a much longer aftercare. In about three to four months, you should be safe to change your piercings to shorter bars but be prepared for your piercings not to be fully healed for six months to a year after you get them done. Nipple piercings can be a pain but going through the proper aftercare will make them well worth the healing process.
And then there is an even more risqué form of body modification. Genital piercings have been done for centuries but as you may know, it is somewhat of a taboo to talk about them. Yet be not afraid, because these body modifications aren’t as scary as they seem. In fact, they’re probably a lot more common than you know. As females, there are many different ways that we can modify our genitals with piercings. Yet the two most popular are known as the Christina and the Vertical Clitoral Hood or VCH piercing.
A Christina piercing is a curved barbell that goes through the bottom of the pubic mound and the Vertical Clitoral Hood is a curved barbell that goes through your clitoral hood. These piercings are rarely done with hoops and should never be done with a straight barbell. Like nipple piercings, it is vital to research and find an experienced piercer for this kind of body modification that you feel comfortable around. Many shops have females perform genital piercings on females and men on men, but it all depends on the piercing shop you decide on. You can look at an artist’s portfolio to see what kind of work they’ve done and talk to other clients who have been pierced by them before.
When getting a genital piercing, it is important to understand that not every female’s anatomy is suited for every kind of genital piercing. Every vagina is built differently and some are not suited for all piercings. If you are unsure, you can have your piercer check you out before you set an appointment. On the day of the piercing, make sure that you eat and drink before and keep your lady bits clean. Shaving is not always necessary but for certain piercings like the Christina it can be helpful. After you get the Christina piercing, shaving around the piercing may seem difficult but a handy trick is to use eyebrow trimmers to get as close as possible to the piercing.
The after-care of a genital piercing is similar to that of a nipple piercing. The piercing should be cleaned twice a day, but where the after-care differs depends on the piercing. The Vertical Clitoral Hood piercing is known to heal quite quickly, only needing daily cleaning for the first three to four weeks in some cases. The Christina piercing takes a bit longer; you should continue to clean it for about two months in the shower. It is easiest to clean a genital piercing in the shower with antibacterial soap or with soap, water and a Q-tip during the healing process. Sea-salt can be used to clean the piercing, but it is also known to dry out the area and make the piercing feel itchy.
During the healing process, avoid any oral intercourse for the first two weeks. You really shouldn’t be playing with a fresh piercing for the first two weeks yourself, and certainly not letting a partner touch them either. Dental dams can be used during the first stage of the healing process and all sex toys should be sanitized thoroughly if to be used. If you wish to change the jewelry to a shorter barbell, you will need to wait at least 2 months for the VCH and 4 months for the Christina. If you want jewelry with jewels, wait six months after having the piercing done and with any jewelry make sure that it is surgical grade steel and internally threaded.
When you get a genital piercing, make sure to avoid lace panties for the first few weeks. The holes in the lace may catch your piercing and it is best to avoid that. Wearing tight pants is ok, but they can be uncomfortable while you are adjusting to a genital piercing. There is a lot of controversy surrounding genital piercings and if they affect sexual sensation. The answer is yes. A genital piercing should increase sensation if done properly which is why it is important to go to a proper piercer. In no way should your actual clitoris be pierced as this is extremely dangerous and most piercers who have done hood piercings properly will use a small tool to prevent the needle from touching the clitoris. For the first few weeks after the piercing is performed, your clitoris may feel more sensitive than usual when something is bumped against it, but hypersensitivity usually goes away with time. Sensitivity should never decrease with this piercing, even years after it is done. Many woman find that sex is better after having this piercing done as it not only increases sensation but also creates somewhat of a homing device for the female pleasure center.
So if you’re ready to take the plunge with a taboo piercing, just make sure that you go to a safe shop with a piercer who has experience. These piercings are a pain to deal with if you don’t take the proper precautions but can be your favorite little secret if you allow them to heal and become one with your body.