When asked why Piercing the most sensitive body parts is rapidly catching on, I reply bluntly, "It makes Fucking better". To wit, the reply is usually, "Things are just fine now, thank you very much". OK, maybe you're satisfied with the level of intensity your body is capable of. Cool. Don't change a thing. But for those of us looking for a little more, (OK, a lot more), read on.
There are basically two types of piercings. The first type are purely aesthetic. The sensations they provide are visual and psychological. Navel, eyebrow, ear and nose piercings fall into this category (...although straining against a nasal septum piercing tied to the headboard can be pretty damn erotic). The second category (genitals and nipples) provides more sensual and physiological delights.
The act of piercing and being pierced carries in and of itself a heady sexual component. Why this is can be summed up in one word... Penetration. Your skin has been fucked with a needle. Then cold steel or gold has been inserted into that newly created orifice. How's that for erotic? Just the mental aspect of the art turns many people on.
In describing how my Prince Albert piercing adds to my sex life I can say only this "It's like having a hand inside my lover playing with me at the same time as I move in and out." Or something to that effect. I get hard just thinking about it. My 7 frenum Piercings give new meaning to the advertising slogan "Ribbed for Pleasure".
Since I do not possess (in the strictest sense of the term) either a clitoris or labia, I am unqualified to accurately describe the sensations provided by piercings of this sort. But having pierced hundreds of women and following up on the aftercare, I can attest to the fact female piercings enhance sensation just as wonderfully as male piercings.
There is a wealth of information available to anyone interested in being pierced. The Internet and World Wide Web alone contain hundreds of pages of pictures and text dedicated to the art and science of Piercing. One, if not the best is called "Body Modification Ezine". BME is located at http://www.freeq.com/underground/bme. This site contains an exhaustive study of all forms of body art, mods and play. Everything from a humble navel piercing to full male castration, and everything in-between, can be seen here. Another great site is called "Flesh Canvas". It is located at http://www.fleshcanvas.com. This is the sister site for the "Dead Tree" version of the magazine with the same name. Flesh Canvas contains interviews with Pierced and Tattooed celebs as well as some great photos. Fire up your favorite search engine and surf away. For those who are not yet online, a search engine is the equivalent of the yellow pages. Just type in a word, phrase or question, press "enter" and see what comes up.
If you do not have access to a computer and modem, a trip to the local library should yield enough information to help make you an educated shopper. Check out Modern Primitives (ReSearch), Marks of Civilization (UCLA) and Eye of the Needle (Pauline Clarke [PAUK]). These are good starting places.
Magazines abound. "Savage" (Piasano Publications) is always good. As is "BodyArt" (Harris) from England. Check out Insight Books "Body Play and Modern Primitives Quarterly" for an inside look at all the forms of Body Play. No disscussion of publications would be complete without a mention of the pioneering "Piercing Fans International". Published by Jim Ward since 1977, this magazine continues to amaze and enlighten.
There are many, many people calling themselves Piercers in the hope of making a fast buck. They pose a serious threat to the industry with less than perfect sterilization procedures and ignorance of the changing techniques related to aftercare. Steer clear of anyone who cannot answer each and every one of your questions. No matter how trivial you feel they may be.
Ask how they learned to Pierce, if they are Pierced, how long have they been Piercing. Approximately how many Piercings have they performed? Are they members of The Asscociation of Professional Piercers [Note: while many good piercers are not APP members, especially outside of the USA, it still is a good sign -ed.]? Have they completed a Red Cross training course? Who wrote their aftercare instructions? Do they even have written aftercare? Are there any media mentions of the shop? How long has the shop been in existence? Do they love their Mother? (just checking).
Ask to see their autoclave and ultrasonic cleaner. Throw 'em a curve ball and ask to see the most recent results from the autoclaves "spore test". Autoclaves should be tested at least once a month for efficacy. Most sterilization monitoring services issue participatory certificates. And all will issue a written test result if the machine has passed inspection. Look at the date on the result. Is it from this past month? Again, don't be embarrassed to ask all these questions. A true Pro will be excited to deal with an educated potential client.
Tattoo artists and yes, sometimes even doctors may not be the best choice. For many tattoo artists, piercing is only a lucrative sideline. Not a specialty. However that does not mean that a tattoo studio is out of the question. Ask if they have a resident piercer on staff, and then ask your questions. Keep looking till you connect with someone you trust. I understand the power of spontaneity, but it's your health we're talking about here. Not to mention the proper working order of your favorite organs. As for doctors, most will have a grasp on sterile procedure, but are clueless in the important areas of jewelry selection and placement.