A guide to playing with piercings

Body modification is not a new craze. From thousand year old indigenous cultures, ancient Rome and Egypt etc, and even prehistoric times, to most of the modern cultures we're living in now, tattoos, piercings, and other permanent body adornments have been used as a symbol of everything from power to social standing to beauty.

When I was younger, for the most part, tattoos and piercings (of anything but a single hole in each lobe for girls), was a sign of rebellion and punk rock and antidisestablishmentarianism. Only gay boys had single ears pierced, "bad girls" had multiple holes, and one girl I know even got suspended from year nine because she had the audacity to put a tiny silver stud in her nose.

Genital piercings were almost unheard of, unless in gay porn or maybe a Jerry Springer episode, and the idea that anyone beyond some freak from the Jim Rose Circus would gain pleasure from the pulling, tugging, or playing with them was almost obscene.

Fast forward thirty years and everyone from the greengrocer down the street to the doctor I see regularly has multiple tattoos, piercings and other modifications.  And many, MANY of them are there specifically for the sexual and sensual pleasure of the wearer.

Not only that, but they are also celebrated and discussed in many different forums from the modern day car-crashes that are shows like The Bachelor, to proper scientific journals and academic conversations on the evolution of human sexuality.

So how do we navigate the body with these things? How do we touch them and play with them to maximise the pleasure they can produce? And how do they fare with things like condoms and sex toys and all the other things we use to keep ourselves both horny and safe during sex? Let's start at the top, and work our way down...

Lips And Tongues

Although it seems like it could be slightly awkward, kissing someone who has a lip piercing doesn't have to be. Like any experience with someone new, it's good to take your time and check in, and gently explore and track their responses and reactions... They'll let you know if it's a bit too much, and hopefully will also let you know if it's not quite enough and they want more. It is smart, however, to be aware that piercings do go both ways, and the softness of the lips is only countered by the hardness of the jawbone or teeth so pressing hard can definitely be uncomfortable and/or painful.

Tongues dancing together is already quite a nice sensation, but adding a little metal ball to the mix, gently circling and trailing around can be utterly incredible and have you panting for more... And that's only a small fraction of the sensations you can get from a tongue piercing being used on another part of the body... But we'll get to that in a moment.

Nipples

Once the territory of strippers and gay pirates, these days almost every second boob has some bling in it and the reasons vary from just the aesthetic, to both increasing or decreasing sensitivity (and unfortunately for some the counter effect happens to what they were expecting).

Like with the lips (and really with any part of the body) gentleness is your first step - unless the piercing holder tells you otherwise. Sliding your tongue around the areola and over the piercing to gauge your partner's reactions is a great way to start, and it should be worth noting that male nipples can actually be far more sensitive than females... This is because, unlike other body counterparts, male and female nipples both have the exact same amount of nerve endings, but males have a smaller surface area, and therefore can feel the sensations even stronger.

Gently tugging with your lips or teeth is another way to get those tingly feelings happening, and never underestimate the power of a vibrator gently buzzing against them.

Clits, Lips, Balls, and Dicks

Genital piercings are weird and wonderful and can look like a sparkly little hidden gem to something a little more reminiscent of Pinhead from Hellraiser. But almost every single one has a purpose or specificity for sexual pleasure for either the owner of the piercing, or the receiver of the sex. Penis piercings can create amazing internal sensations for those who enjoy penetrative sex, and that goes for both anal and vaginal penetration. Whether situated on the head or the shaft, both the wearer and their partner will be able to feel them, and maximise their pleasure.

Piercings on the testicles react beautifully to both tongues and vibrators, and sometimes, touching everything BUT the piercing on someone's genitals, can be the difference between breathlessness and screaming for more.

Mix And Match

As I mentioned above, tongue piercings are not just for kissing. Oral sex has never been more delicious than when a little silver ball runs along the shaft of a penis, swirling over the head, and trailing back down again. The added pressure or feeling of a tongue piercing flicking over a clitoris is out of this world for some people, and dancing that little ball over an already situated clitoral hood piercing has the ability to make some women squirt. 

Of course, with every added bit of bling to some of our most delicate body parts, comes the risk of damage or danger, so it's probably important to mention those as well.

Danger, Will Robinson

It's always important to be aware of safety (both yours and your partner's) during sex and when you're adding small metal bars and balls to the mix you need to be extra vigilant. While condoms are pretty strong and durable, tearing is an issue, especially when a little dry, so using lots of lube (even a little inside a condom if your dick has metal in it) is vital to smooth sliding and comfortable sex. 

Being aware that a tongue piercing could get hooked on a nipple or genital piercing is something to be mindful of, and most importantly please make sure that your piercings are not fresh and new and you take your piercer's health and safety advice correctly. If they tell you it will take three months before you can be sexy with it, then that means three months. Not a couple of weeks and we'll see how it goes... no. Getting an infection in a sensitive area like the nipples or genitals can put you out of action for a lot longer than you were initially told, so be smart and safe and don't take any risks!

To get a good idea of all the different kinds of bling you can put in and on your junk, check out my definitive guide to genital piercing.