Clit piercing – it may sound intimidating or scary, but surprisingly, it is more common than you may initially expect. Clit piercings and vaginal piercings are owned by about 2% of women, and considering there are a lot of women out there, that means a lot of pierced body parts! Some people get clitoral piercings to look cool. Others get them because they think it will enhance their sexual life. However, can they actually improve your sex life? We’re diving into clit piercings! 

There are many types of clit piercings.

Clit piercing isn’t exactly the best term. Since your clitoris is almost completely internal, aside from the clitoris glans, most of the time the clitoral piercing is actually on the clitoral hood. The clitoral hood is the skin that covers the external clitoris. 

Vertical hood piercings.

The VCH, or vertical hood piercing, is one of the most popular types of clit piercings. This is usually pierced and has a piece of jewelry called a curved barbell. It stretches over the clitoris vertically, with the lower bead of the barbell resting against the glans. Since the piece of jewelry is mainly under the clitoral hood, it can usually sit between the legs pretty easily without irritating you down there. The beaded portion can also stimulate your clitoris.  Not all vulva owners have the right kind of clitoral hood for this piercing though. Your clitoral hood may be too small, or even shallow. Or your pubic mound could be too large, creating irritation. 

Horizontal clitoral hood piercings.

This form of clitoral piercing is similar to the vertical, but usually utilizes a hoop, and is (of course) horizontal. This piercing is not as common for stimulating the clitoris glans. Some women just prefer the look of this style piercing. 

The triangular clit piercing.

Unlike the above piercings, the triangle piercing is at the bottom of the clitoral hood. This does not work for many vulva owners, but the ones who can get it usually say that it does stimulate them sexually. 

Clitoral glans piercing. 

The clitoral glans piercing is the only one that really pierces the clitoris itself. This piercing can be very painful, as the clitoris glans is packed with nerve endings. It is one of the least common types of piercings, and if you want this one, understand that you may be unable to based on both the size of your clitoris glans, and the size of your clitoral hood. 

Do these piercings affect your sexual pleasure levels?

Since many vulva owners need clitoral stimulation to orgasm, yes, these piercings can assist! The jewelry aids in stimulating the clitoris during penetration or stimulation. This can make that elusive orgasm even easier to attain. However, not all people who get these piercing experience this, so know that it is not a guarantee.

Are there health risks to think about?

If a clitoral piercing is placed too deeply or incorrectly, it can damage your nerve endings, cause nerve damage, pain, and even potentially prevent you from getting sexually aroused. Since the nerves of the clitoris still need more studies done, just be aware that errors can be made, and long term effects have not been researched or studied enough quite yet. It’s very important to make sure that the piercer you go to has done this before, and is comfortable performing this on your anatomy. If your piercer expresses concern, please listen to them. Make sure they have also been trained specifically on clit piercings, since they are so error prone and susceptible to long term damage. 

Something else to remember is that any piercing, no matter where you get it, can get infected. Being in the sensitive area it is, you want to follow the after care protocol strictly, and make sure that you are in a sterile, clean environment and the piercing parlor.

Does clit piercing hurt?

Every single person has a different pain tolerance level. Since we know the clitoris glans piercing will most likely hurt, that’s an easy answer. However, the hood may or may not hurt. Some people experience little to no pain, while others experience intense, astronomical pain. Remember though, piercings only take a quick second!

What is the healing time?

The healing time for clit piercings varies. This is based on the type, and your body. Typical healing times for clitoral glans piercings are about four to six weeks. VCH piercings range from four to six weeks or longer, HCH piercings range from four to eight weeks or longer.  Normal symptoms after piercings include bleeding, swelling, and bruising, at least for the first week or so. If they continue longer, it’s important to not only reach out to your piercer, but to your medical professional as well. 

You shouldn’t take baths, go swimming, or get bodily fluids such as semen and the like on your piercing for at least two weeks. You should also wait about two weeks before having sex, to be sure you don’t rip or cause trauma to the pierced area. 

Remember that if you remove the piece of jewelry, your piercing can close up. If you want it to heal up, great, take it out! If you don’t, then try to only remove the jewelry for cleaning, and put it back in pretty quickly. There are proper cleaning procedures for all kinds of piercings, and your piercer should provide you with a comprehensive guide as to how to care for this new addition.

So, should you do it?

Listen, the bottom line is that if you want a clitoral piercing, go for it. It can be super fun, spontaneous, and edgy to have. Hey, you may even get some benefits in your sex life from it! However, doing careful and thorough research on both the piercing and the piercer are key to a safe piercing experience, especially in this area. Read reviews of your piercer and parlor, make sure they are properly trained, and check in with your body. If you feel uncomfortable or unsure, then definitely don’t get it. If you’re ready, then go for it!