While female genitalia offer plenty of pierceable places, the vertical clitoral hood (VCH) piercing is by far the most popular.

This is for a number of reasons. When you place a piece of jewelry through the clitoral hood, especially if it has a bead, it can increase sexual pleasure for the wearer. Many who have struggled to orgasm in the past claim that after they got the VCH piercing, they were able to climax (some for the very first time). This is because the VCH piercing takes place in the hood that covers the clitoris, leaving one end of the jewelry directly touching the clitoris, increasing sensation.

Additionally, many women receive the vertical clitoral hood piercing for aesthetic and empowerment purposes. A pretty piece of sexy body jewelry in such a sensitive area allows them to claim their body and their sexuality as their own.

However, when you’re getting such an important area pierced, it’s imperative that you do your research. While other piercing types can be done somewhat on a whim (but it’s still advisable to make sure that you choose a reputable piercer), you should make sure that you see a specialist in genital piercings, and you’ll likely want to schedule a consultation prior to the procedure. After all, a poorly pierced VCH can lead to desensitization or hinder arousal, which is the opposite effect that you’re looking for.

Beyond the risks associated with poorly placed piercings, you need to make sure that your clitoral hood can accommodate such a piercing, and you should take your sensitivities into consideration. If you’re more sensitive in that area, the VCH piercing could lead to stimulation and arousal at times when you don’t really want it.

How Much Does The Vertical Clitoral Hood Piercing Hurt?

Since you’re piercing such a sensitive area, you’re going to feel some pain. However, many report that it’s not as painful as they expected, and some have even compared it to the lobe piercing (albeit, it still stings).

After you’ve been pierced, you’ll likely feel throbbing throughout the day, so you might want to wear comfortable cotton underwear and sweatpants to the procedure. Additionally, you should bring a sanitary pad to catch any potential bleeding. It’s important to note that bleeding might not start immediately, so wear the liner even if there’s no sign of blood, just in case.

The pain level will largely depend on your personal pain threshold as well as the expertise of the piercer (although, we’ll say it again, when you get a genital piercing always choose someone who is specialized in these types of piercings). 

VCH Piercing Healing Process

The vertical clitoral hood piercing actually has a relatively easy healing process. You should expect to spend only 4 - 8 weeks on healing. Aftercare for the VCH piercing is much the same as any other piercing; make sure that you clean it with saline solution 2 - 3 times daily, and try to protect the jewelry from snagging.

VCH Piercing Aftercare

Besides standard aftercare practices, there are some things that you need to be aware of as your VCH piercing heals. Here are some tips for happy healing.

Watch what you drink. You might be worried about your urine causing infection in your healing VCH piercing, but your own urine is actually a pretty good sanitizer. In fact, it can also help clear out any crusties as the VCH piercing heals. However, acidic urine might make the piercing sting. Make sure to drink plenty of water to dilute the urine and stay away from cranberry juice, orange juice, or any other acidic liquids.

Wear tight, clean cotton underwear. Tighter underwear will keep the jewelry in place as you move and avoid snagging. When you put on the underwear, be careful; if you accidentally step on the center, it should not touch your VCH piercing, since you’ve now introduced it to tons of bacteria. 

Be careful when you sit or exercise. Curved barbells are common starter jewelry choices because they better match your natural anatomy, and you should hardly feel it when you participate in daily activities. However, as you heal, you will feel extra sensitive when horseback riding, riding a bike, or otherwise straddling something. It’s a good idea to take a break from these types of activities for at least 1 - 2 weeks after receiving the VCH piercing.

Wait to play with it until it’s fully healed. This can be frustrating, especially if you got the vertical clitoral hood piercing solely for sexual purposes. However, like any new piercing, playing with it can encourage rejection and scarring, and your (and your partner’s) hands harbor tons of bacteria that you don’t want introduced to your healing piercing. It’s best to wait until the piercing has healed before you play.

VCH Piercing Jewelry Styles

The vertical clitoral hood piercing accepts straight barbells, curved barbells, and hoop styles (captive bead rings are common for the added sensation of the bead). The one you choose will largely be driven by the pleasure it gives you.

Don’t be afraid to try out different styles. You can choose longer or shorter barbells, go between straight barbells, curved barbells, and hoops, and decide which one you like the best. You can also talk to your piercer about your preferences, and he or she can guide you through which styles you might like.

Don’t be afraid to get flashy with your VCH piercing jewelry. A smooth ball on one end with a bezel-set gemstone on the other brings some serious bling to your lady parts.

Why Shouldn’t I Get A VCH Piercing?

Your clitoral hood needs to be deep enough to accommodate this piercing. You can do an at-home test before having a piercer take a look. Simply take a lubricated q-tip and slip it inside your clitoral hood. In order to get this piercing, most of the tip should fit inside. 

If you feel uncomfortable having a frank discussion with your piercer about your sexual preferences and/or having them do a thorough examination of the piercing area, then you shouldn’t get this piercing. The VCH piercing requires consultation, and placement will equally depend on your anatomy and how you want the piercing to make you feel. If you can’t have these discussions or won’t let your piercer take a good look at the piercing area, then this piercing isn’t for you.

If you’re already hypersensitive, then you shouldn’t get this piercing. The VCH piercing is designed to increase the sensitivity of the wearer. If you’re already super sensitive, then this piercing might be over the top. However, you can have a discussion with your piercer to talk about other female genital piercings that you can wear for aesthetic purposes.

How Much Will It Cost?

You should budget around $100 for the piercing alone.

For genital piercings, it’s imperative that you find a piercer who is an expert. While genital piercings are gaining in popularity, many piercers have only done them once or twice in their career. Therefore, they don’t have the experience needed to properly discuss and understand genital piercing placement. It’s also incredibly easy to incorrectly place a genital piercing, so you want to make sure that you hire someone who knows what they’re doing. If this means taking a road trip to another city or state, so be it.

If your piercer comes at you with forceps, run away. Besides being incredibly uncomfortable, it’s difficult to properly place the VCH piercing using this tool. If they use forceps, it’s a sign that they’re inexperienced with genital piercings.