The term “female genital piercing” is quite vague. If you ask for a female genital piercing, your piercer will invariably ask, “which kind”? You can get all sorts of piercings in the female genital region, from the clitoral hood to the labia, and even the clitoris itself.

Women largely get genital piercings to increase sexual pleasure—some women who have never been able to achieve orgasm were able to do so after getting a genital piercing—but many get them to boost their self image. It’s kind of like wearing sexy underwear with no plans to show them to anyone; only you know they’re there, but you still feel hot as hell wearing them.

However, a LOT can go wrong in a genital piercing. Not only is everyone’s anatomy different, their sexual preferences differ as well. When you get a genital piercing, placement will depend both upon your anatomy as well as where the jewelry will bring the most pleasure to you in the bedroom. If placed incorrectly, you could damage nerves or have the jewelry in an awkward position, making orgasm more difficult than before.

In order to get a successful genital piercing, you should choose a piercer who specializes in genital and erotic piercings, and you should have at least one consultation prior to getting the piercing. This is not a piercing you want to get on a whim; if it’s poorly done, it could spell disaster for your sexual pleasure.

Here’s everything you need to know about female genital piercings.

How Much Do Female Genital Piercings Hurt?

Since sensitivity in this area varies greatly from person to person, it will depend upon your personal pain tolerance. It will also depend on the type of piercing that you get.

However, it might hurt less than you think. Many people who have gotten their clitoral hood pierced reported much less pain than they were expecting. If you see a piercer who specializes in genital and erotic piercings (and you should), then they will be able to expertly conduct the piercing with as little pain as possible and guide you through the process.

Female Genital Piercing Healing Process

You might think that genital piercings will take a long time to heal and have a higher risk of infection, but they’re actually some of the easiest piercing types to heal. Since they appear beneath clothing, they aren’t likely to get snagged on anything, and you won’t often subconsciously play with it, which are both leading causes of healing complications. Additionally, they tend to heal faster than other piercing types. Many female genital piercings only take 4 - 6 weeks to heal.

Female Genital Piercing Aftercare

Aftercare for female genital piercings is much the same as any other piercing. You must conduct a sea salt or saline soak 2 - 3 times daily. Simply fill a small cup or shot glass with a sea salt or saline solution, dip the piercing in, and let it soak for 3 - 5 minutes. In addition to daily cleanses, here are some tips to help with a speedy recovery.

• No sex or playing with the jewelry before it has healed. You might be eager to test out your new genital piercing in the bedroom, but you need to wait. Dirty fingers can encourage infection, and moving the jewelry too much can cause complications like piercing rejection. Until your piercing has fully healed, you’ll need to stay celibate.
• Wear tight cotton underwear.  If you get your clitoral hood pierced, it will likely be buried within flaps of skin, and you won’t have to worry about snagging too much. However, if you get other genital piercings on the surface, like the labia piercing, they could get snagged by lacy panties or other fabric types. For your comfort and the health of your piercing, stick to comfy cotton.
• Don’t use products that aren’t safe for piercings. Saline solution or your own homemade sea salt mixture should be the only thing that comes near your healing genital piercing. Other products could cause chemical irritation, leading to itchiness and discomfort. If soap gets on the piercing, make sure that it’s fully rinsed off after you shower.

Female Genital Piercing Jewelry Styles

You might be surprised at the variety of jewelry that can be worn in genital piercings, depending on the type that you get. We recommend that you steer clear of gemstones, however, since their sharp edges will be uncomfortable in such a sensitive area.

The most common vch jewelry types for female genital piercings are captive bead rings, circular barbells, and curved barbells. The balls on these jewelry types often increase sexual pleasure as they press against sensitive areas.

While some genital piercings are more hidden, so aesthetics aren’t as important, others add a little flair down there, so there’s no reason why you have to stick with a standard bead look. Get fancy with pearls, faux opals, or faux turquoise.

Why Shouldn’t I Get A Female Genital Piercing?

Some female genital piercings, like the vertical clitoral hood piercing, are designed to increase sexual pleasure. The jewelry goes beneath the hood to press against the clitoris, providing stimulation without being touched. If you’re extra sensitive, then you might want to get a genital piercing away from the clitoral region, since it might lead to arousal at inopportune times.

The type of female genital piercing you can get will depend upon your anatomy. For example, in order to get a vertical clitoral hood piercing, your clitoral hood needs to be able to fit the tip of a standard q-tip. Your piercer will be able to tell you whether or not your anatomy is suitable for a certain genital piercing, and if they say no, listen to them.

How Much Will It Cost?

Since a genital piercing is difficult to do, you should seek out someone who specializes in genital and erotic piercings. Because you need to see a specialist, expect to pay the big bucks. Budget a minimum of $100 for this procedure.

If you live in a rural area and have no genital piercing specialist around, it’s a good idea to travel in order to find one. Genital piercings aren’t super popular, and if you visit a piercer who doesn’t specialize in genital piercings, it’s likely that they’ve only done a few in their career. When it comes to genital piercings, you don’t want to go to someone who’s just okay at it; you want your piercing to be spectacular.

When choosing a piercer, expect to schedule a consultation. Beyond analyzing whether you have the anatomy to accommodate the piercing that you want, you need to have an open and honest conversation about your sexual preferences so that he or she can place the piercing where it will enhance your intimate life.

Female Genital Piercing Types

There are quite a few folds in the vulva, leading to a variety of female genitalia piercing types. Some are designed to increase sexual pleasure while others are mostly aesthetic. Here are some common types.

• The vertical clitoral hood (VCH) piercing is by far the most popular. It pierces the clitoral hood above the clitoris, and it’s designed for both aesthetics and sexual pleasure.
• The triangle piercing pierces the base of the clitoral hood horizontally beneath the clitoris. While it is known for greatly increasing sexual pleasure, the vast majority of women don’t have the proper anatomy to accommodate it, so it’s important to talk to a genital piercing specialist before you get your heart set on this style.
• The Princess Diana piercing is almost the same as the VCH except that it’s located to one side of the hood (instead of directly in the middle like the VCH piercing).
• The labia piercing pierces either the inner or outer labia. The outer labia consists of the fleshy area on the sides of the vulva where hair grows. You can get one piercing, a piercing on each side, or you can even get a line of piercings.
• The horizontal clitoral hood (HCH) piercing is the same as the VCH except that it pierces the clitoral hood horizontally instead of vertically. It provides less sexual stimulation than the VCH, but some prefer it for its aesthetic qualities.
• The Christina piercing is a purely aesthetic surface piercing located vertically at the top of the vulva.
• The clitoris piercing pierces the actual citoris. It’s incredibly rare and incredibly risky; a botched clitoris piercing could cause permanent nerve damage, which you really don’t want. If you have your heart set on this piercing, be prepared to travel a long way to find someone greatly experienced in this piercing type.