An intimate piercing is quite different from most body modifications.
About Intimate Piercings
People undergo piercings for many reasons. In a good number of cases, the piercings are performed because the person receiving them likes the way they look. While earlobe piercing was once the standard piercing without a lot of other options, these days there are dozens of ways to pierce your body. This includes a variety of facial piercings around the nose, lips, eyebrows and ear cartilage, as well as piercings on the torso, arms and wrists. Many of these piercings are surface piercings because they pass through just a section of skin rather than being securely anchored through lobes and cartilage. In essence, if there is flesh, there is a way to pierce it.
Intimate piercings are another extension of this popular form of body modification, and although they are often performed for aesthetic purposes, they are also used to enhance lovemaking. These piercings are performed in a variety of genital placements on both men and women.
Intimate piercings have also been used to promote chastity, albeit in more of a symbolic way than anything else.
Risks Involved
It must be mentioned that there are risks to any type of piercing, and this extends to intimate piercings as well.
Infection
Any skin piercing poses a potential for infection. The skin is the body's main defense against bacterial and viral infections, so punching a hole through it does open up the opportunity for microbes to invade and begin reproducing. There can be a slightly higher risk for infection with intimate piercings because their location is typically very warm and lacks air flow; this sets up the perfect environment for bacteria to multiply, so it's very important to keep these piercing as clean as possible, especially during the critical healing period. If you can do that, there should be very few problems in this regard.
Migrating/Tearing
Due to the location and delicate nature of the tissue involved, an intimate piercing is often at risk for tearing. Tight clothing can push against the jewelry and cause it to migrate, leaving behind small tears that must heal and will likely leave scar tissue. This means the piercing could eventually wind up in a different location that defeats the purpose of the piercing in the first place. It's important to select clothing that doesn't irritate such a piercing, especially in the healing period during the first few weeks after the piercing is performed. After that, you can wear most of your usual fashions as long as they aren't too tight in the strategic places.
Loss of Sensation
Since many intimate piercings pass very close to nerve bundles, it is possible for a less experienced piercer to damage these nerves and cause permanent injury to the tissue. Removing the jewelry to allow the piercing to heal over can help in some situations, but in many cases the tissue will never fully recover.
Seek a Qualified Professional
It's always safest to seek out a trained piercing professional for any type of body piercing, but this becomes even more crucial when you're considering getting an intimate piercing. The reality is that there are a lot of operators performing these piercings without the extra specialized training and knowledge that results in proper placement and a lower rate of injury. So, you can never be too careful. Check out the credentials of the piercing professional you are thinking of using. Ask about the training they received to learn about genital piercings, and don't hesitate to ask for proof. A well-trained professional will not be offended that you are making sure that everything is in order, and in fact, he or she will probably appreciate the fact that you're putting careful thought into your final decision.
Additionally, some physicians now offer piercing as part of their services. You can check with your own doctor or possibly get a reference to another physician who is well-versed in the procedures. This actually might be the safest route of all to getting an intimate piercing.
