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Genital Piercing

Genital Piercing

Just as some people get their ears pierced, others choose to pierce their genitals and nipples with jewelry. Whether you are thinking about getting your first piercing down there, or you are a veteran in the piercing parlours, there are procedures you can follow to minimize the health risks.

Piercing the area

It’s not a good idea for anyone to pierce themselves and needles should never be shared under any circumstances. It is possible to spread bacterial skin infections, and other infections like herpes, HIV, Hepatitis B and C, through improper piercing practices. Look for an experienced practitioner with professional training, and ask if he or she follows the Infection Control Guidelines for body piercing. Practitioners must always wash their hands before wearing latex-gloves and handling equipment, and use new needles that have been sterilized for each treatment. Piercing guns with fixed parts should never be used because the components that make contact with the body are not disposable. Medical needles are the standard method for genital and body piercing.

Before the area is pierced, it should be treated with an antiseptic, just like a piercing anywhere else. Otherwise, any bacteria or viruses present on the skin can enter the body and cause infection at the site of the piercing. Some piercers may use surgical forceps to stabilize the area, but others tend to avoid them when piercing the genitals over concerns that they can delay the healing process. The needle is passed through the tissue and out the other side, then the jewelry is pushed through the opening.

For further reading, you can consult the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Personal Services.

Personal hygiene and having sex with genital piercings: What are the health risks?

Any kind of physical activity during the healing periods can increase the recovery time, and sex introduces the possibility of complications. The genitals have a higher number of bacteria than other piercing sites on the body, and the piercing needs to be cleaned twice a day with soap and water, as well as after sexual activity. Condoms and dental dams are essential during the healing period, which can last anywhere from a couple weeks to months. It’s important to use condoms with larger receptacle ends (the space at the tip of the condom) during genital contact and oral sex to prevent the pierced area from getting infected. Otherwise, the bacteria, viruses, and yeast that are naturally present in your partner’s body fluids could trigger an infection.

There is limited medical literature exploring the relationship between genital piercings and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The speculation is that piercings increase the risk of transmitting STIs and blood borne viruses. Jewelry in the genital area can easily damage condoms making them less effective at preventing pregnancy and the transmission of STIs if either sexual partner is pierced.

Health and Safety concerns

Risks to men and women:

• Bleeding and infection
• Possible transmission of HIV, Hepatitis B and C
• Chipping teeth or choking from performing oral sex
• Excessive scarring on the tissue

Men with genital piercings have reportedly suffered from the following conditions in rare circumstances:

• Erection unwillingly lasting over four hours (Priapism)
• Foreskin trapped behind glans penis (Paraphimosis)
• Recurrent genital warts
• Trauma to the penis or anus
• Urethral damage

Women have reportedly experienced the following conditions:

• Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, a rare but fatal disease caused by bacterial toxins that can enter the body when the body’s mucosal tissues are pierced, which include the nose, mouth and vagina
• Trauma to the vagina or anus
• Inflammation of the breast (from nipple piercing)