We Asked People With Genital Piercings: Do They Hurt?

Our genitals are deeply personal and intrinsically private. While we might share them occasionally with others, they are always, most importantly, all ours. 

The thing about dicks and clits, though, is that they can be pierced. There are many ways to pierce the vagina, but the most common is the vertical clitoral hood piercing (VCH). It’s gorgeous, safe, and can increase pleasure. On a penis, the Prince Albert is the most popular and famous piercing, and it’s also gorgeous, safe and can increase pleasure. 

People get their bits pierced for multiple reasons – genital piercings can enhance sexual stimulation, sure, but such a piercing can also be a mode of self-expression and self-love. 

And, well, some people just like collecting piercings. 

As piercings have slowly moved into the mainstream over the past two decades (at least for normal people who understand that where someone else has jewellery isn’t their business), genital piercings are the last, gnarliest frontier. The anticipated pain, potential complications and the thought of having some metal in your pants would make many people wince. 

But there’s something so refutably transgressive about getting your sexual organs pierced, that makes people who choose to get them maybe the coolest people ever. 

VICE spoke to some people with genital piercings to find out what it’s like, why they got them, and, most importantly… Does it hurt? 

Hiiiii. I guess we will start with the obvious ... Does it hurt?

I got my VCH pierced twice, the first time by a chick which was painless and the second time by a guy which smarted a little… Go figure lol. But, if you’ve ever had your nipples pierced it’s considerably less painful than that, and due to the region it heals up in under a week. 

The genitals and mouth are the fastest healing areas of the body. It still hurts, but more like an earlobe, depending on your anatomy though, not to get too nitty-gritty, but if you have a spacious hood area it is more of a viable piercing.

How old were you when you got it and what was your motivation?

I got it when I was 25. I got my tongue pierced at the same time so obviously I had something on my mind. It looks really beautiful and I got white opal jewellery (pearl in an oyster aesthetic). I was on a break with my then-boyfriend and was having a bit of a sexual renaissance. I was also trying really hard not to cut off all my hair, so this was a viable alternative.

The important question!!!! Does it make sex better?

First of all it makes driving better, riding the bus, you’re getting a buzz just walking around. When it comes to actual sex it was a bit of a double edged sword, purely from a penetration standpoint it gives you clitoral stimulation while being penetrated – great for casual sex with less considerate lovers. In terms of oral sex I think it makes it worse – a much lighter touch is needed, so already large male hands lacking in the fine dexterous proficiency required to handle the unadorned clit will usually crunch the jewellery unpleasantly into the sensitive nerve bundle. In my experience, when people see it they can become obsessed and just tug on the jewellery, which actually does very little pleasure wise.

Noo. I felt that in my tummy. What was your favourite thing about it?

Definitely the way it looks and the way it acts like a lightning rod for vibrations and sensation, so even when you’re “off duty” you’re getting some stimulation. I still ended up removing it though, it’s not practical for more rough and animalistic dalliances…lol. It looks so cute though, I’m not ruling out getting it again at a later stage. If I had to choose between tongue, nipple and clit I would probably choose clit. 

Hi Jordan, I hear you have a genital piercing?

I have my Prince Albert done! Ask away.

So cool. When / at what age did you get it and what was the inspiration / motivation?

I've had it for 6 weeks now, I have wanted it since I was 18, but only just bit the bullet. I've always had a fair few piercings and it was the next one to check off the list.

Hot!! Did it hurt???

Honestly it was one of the easiest piercings I've had, stretching my septum was much worse. Jessica Rabid was my talented piercer, she made the experience perfect.

How long did you have to wait to have sex? And how have your lover(s) reactions been (if any yet)?

Aftercare for the piercing was difficult, lots of blood. I waited four weeks to have sex. Reactions have been positive! I have been told it's daunting for oral because of the clanging on teeth, but otherwise high ratings!

What do you love about it?

The look and the feel, it's increased sensitivity for myself.

Who would you recommend this piercing for?

Anyone honestly. My only advice for anyone who gets it, aftercare. Buy pads for your undies, wear protection if you plan on having sex before you have fully healed and prepare for blood.

Tell me about your piercing! When and why did you get it?

YES OK! SO I got a VCH piercing about a year ago mostly just because I thought it’d be a really funny story but NOW I actually just come SO easy like being on top is cwazyyy. Only downside, though, is that my vibrator does NOT do the job anymore. But you win some, you lose some I guess. Also the healing process was the WORST week of my life, for real.

Nooooo. I heard it heals super fast?

It definitely did heal super fast but I got it the week I met my partner and we could NOT fuck it was so bad.

How long did you have to wait to fuck?

Like ten days but it was the longest ten days of my LIFE. Like I couldn't touch my clit at all.

Horny jail :(. Why do you love it?

It’s SO sparkly and generally slay lol. Also it’s soooo funny seeing people’s reactions to it because apparently I don’t seem like the kind of girly that would have a pussy piercing hahaha.

Why did you think it would be a funny story? Was it just a random day and you were like “I’m gonna do it”?

I just think it’s SOOO funny to tell people at parties because they’re always like OMG SHOW.

Hi! I hear you have some penis piercings?

I’ve got two now, but I did have five. I got a frenum piercing when I was 23, a few months after that I got a Prince Albert (PA), and then after that, maybe six months later, I got another three frenums. I just have the PA and a frenum now.

Cool :O. Which one was your favourite? Why’d you take the other frenums out?

I think the PA is my favourite, it’s stretched to about 4mm thick, it’s definitely a bit of a shock to some people; and I’ve been told that it enhances pleasure for a receiving female. It doesn’t really make a whole lot of difference in sensation to me though.

I took them out because I was having a threesome that got pretty wild and the middle two fell out, and I didn’t like the uneven spacing between the top and the bottom, so I took the bottom one out. (The jewellery didn’t fall out inside of anyone, it just loosened during the threesome and fell out in the bed somewhere).

Ahaha omg ... happens with my belly ring but that’s a whole other level of calamity lmaooo.

Yeah it was a time, no recipients were harmed by stray jewellery in the threesome.

What was your inspiration to get all the piercings???

I don’t really know to be honest. I think part of it was I was always of the belief I had a below average sized dick (thanks porn) so I thought the piercings would counteract that.

Then, it turned out it wasn’t below average and I was just insecure, but I liked how the piercings looked and made me feel, so I decided to keep them. Thank you body dysmorphia! I think the body dysmorphia contributed to how I look in general, with all the tattoos and piercings etc. But currently the only piercings I have are my stretched ears and my genital piercings.

I have a VCH! I love it w my whole entire heart, it’s my fave piercing EVER.

Why is it your favourite?

I LOVE that it’s my spicy little secret, I’ve always loved my ~fairy~ but getting it pierced has just made me feel so much more confident and in charge of my body. Also, huge love to the fact that anybody I sleep with, I’m imprinted in their brain FOREVER. You can’t forget a girl with her clit pierced.

So sick, love that so MUCH! What kind of jewellery do you have?

I was pierced with a straight bar but have changed to a super cute opal curved bar. The curved bar is way snugger and helps hit all the right spots hehehe.

How does it affect the sex?

I feel like it’s definitely more for show when it comes to actual penetration. I’ve been told it takes getting used to when I’m getting head, but overall I think it’s more of a personal piercing, it does more for me in my alone time than it ever does with someone else. But I love the attention regardless!

Did it hurt much? Was healing awful?

Not at all!! I had the most beautiful experience getting it done. I went to this little shop in Fremantle owned by an older lesbian couple, they talked me through everything and were so reassuring and excited for me. It was over in less than five minutes and the worst part was tightening the ball. I had to wear skirts for about a week but healing and aftercare was way easier than any piercing I’ve had before, to the point that I kept forgetting I’d even got it done.

Hiiii what piercing do you have, and did it hurt?

I have a Prince Albert piercing. I’d be a fool if I said it didn’t hurt AT ALL, but it was nowhere near the pain I’d expected. I’ve had worse pain from a stubbed toe!

Does it ever snag on anything? Any calamities?

I have the luck of not having any issues with snagging due to being uncircumcised, which is not too common for people choosing to get Prince Albert piercings. I can’t say I’ve had any “calamities” as such but I will say that what was unexpected was the healing process. 

Due to the penis being so vascular, the first few days were quite spooky. I never anticipated that as someone AMAB (assigned male at birth), that I would ever find myself in need of wearing sanitary pads, and that of course meant a very awkward conversation with my housemate at the time who was kind enough to give me a couple.

What was your motivation for getting it pierced?

Having spoken to people with plenty of piercings, it’s often something even they wouldn’t do. Piercings have become more and more acceptable and less taboo but that did not extend to genital piercings. A lot of men wince at the idea of having a needle taken to their privates and I also couldn’t help but feel that men’s egos were often tied to their masculinity and by extension their penises. And I’d seen it once or twice in erotica and realised that as a queer person who is predominantly on the receiving end in the bedroom I felt my penis was not much involved in my sexuality, and so the idea of reclaiming it for myself rather than for the experience of others made me feel a sense of self love. 

Multiple people I spoke to about wanting it told me not too, so I put it off for years until a sexual partner told me that they “like the look of them but I don’t think you should” and I realised that they were voicing an opinion on my body that served them and their sexuality and I felt objectified. So the next week I went and got it done! No one to come with me, no one to hold my hand, just me, and my own decision. And that… that was the most empowering thing I’ve ever done for myself! 

Long, I know, but I find it hard to express that it is so personally attached to my coming of age as a queer person, who was at the time objectified and fetishised as a young, skinny gay boy.

I hear you had some genital piercings!

I used to have some. I took them out a couple years ago now.

Where were they?

On the scrotum, I had 3 rings that formed a "scrotal ladder". I suppose I initially got them for a mix of curiosity and arousal and as a bit of a challenge. It was quite an impulsive decision. I loved the look of them when I had them. 

Ultimately, they would be quite uncomfortable sometimes and the novelty sort of wore off. One thing you can't really do with scrotal piercing is pull on your balls, which I think we tend to do quite a bit as men when we adjust. And I found it quite annoying at the end, so I had them for about a year and took them off. I do kind of miss them sometimes and I have kept the rings in case I want to redo it.

That’s mad, I’ve never heard of that piercing before. Did it hurt?

No, not really. I guess a mild sharp pain when the needle goes in, but that's about it.

How was the reaction from your lover(s)? Did it enhance sex at all?

I guess it brought a point of interest. And definitely a talking point. I think people liked it mostly. It did feel nice during sex and enhanced sensations.

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