Prince Albert piercing

I received this message from a reader:

Hello Elayne, Picked up a copy of your book here in Canada last night. Holy Cow!! I didn't anticipate this much info--thank you. I have never been pierced before (hey, I'm a forty something) and am interested in a PA. You discussed retiring this piercing stating that there is the possibility it may not close up depending on the time you've had it and how large of jewelery has been used. You also indicated discussing with a surgeon/urologist about having it sutured up, and the pros and cons of doing this. Have you every been informed of what these pro's and con's could be?? I would like to know in advance of doing anything. Thanks, any comments would be greatly appreciated.

My reply:

Thanks so much for the positive feedback; I really appreciate it. Cons of going to a surgeon to close a PA would be expense, potential risk and discomfort (or pain) from surgery, and that you'll still end up with some form of scar. Also, it could be difficult to locate a physician who is open minded and non-judgmental. Pros would be that you are able to be rid of an undesired hole....

I hope that helps to clarify this for you.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Sincerely,
Elayne

I received a message from a piercer seeking advice about male genital piercings:

A client came in a few days ago and asked me if it was possible to do a vertical frenum ladder instead of a traditional one. I wasn't too sure so I told him I would research and find out for sure before I would attempt it. I know this is one thing you are very well known for and your answer would be the one I would go by. Also if any of the healing or after care is any different than a traditional frenum ladder or other possible complications please let me know all you can. Thank you so much!!
-Jenny

My reply:

Hi Jenny,

One of the important considerations is whether the tissue is pliable in the area he'd like to have pierced. You may want to start with just one piercing, rather than a ladder, to see how he heals. Also, the success of this would depend, to some extent, on his size differential between flaccid and erect states. On frenums that go in the usual direction, they can rest somewhat bunched up and close together without it causing any trauma. Then, when the piercee is erect, there is more space between the jewelry.

I wrote an article about genital piercings and it appears on IntimateMedicine.com. This is the first article in a series that will be posted on that website. This one is essentially an introduction to genital piercings. Check it out!

This is a continuation of my discussion from my previous blog post about stretching a Prince Albert piercing:

How or what does migration look/feel like?  The stretch was done by the piercer who did the PA.  It felt like a lot of pressure for a very brief second when it was stretched last week.  I did not see the blood until I peed and like I said it was very little.  They used a horseshoe about a 1" I am guessing.  I normally wear underwear.  I had some crusting the first couple of days but that is all over with. I did soak it the first couple of days after the stretch.  It easily moves in the shower.  I wanted a barbell for the stretch but they were out.  The original piercing was done Nov 1st last year.

Thank you for your help.

I received this message today:

Can you tell me the grade of steel I want to purchase for  changing  my PA?  Can you also recommend a site where I can get  good quality jewlery?

Also, I just went from a 4 to a 2.  It is unusual for there to be a little bleeding.  It was very little for a very short period of time.

Eric

My reply:

Any of the materials sold here at Body Circle Designs are excellent: http://www.bodycircle.com/

I ran into this story online of a Prince Albert piercing I did for a client when I was in San Francisco:

Finally got it done. I'm a little over fifty years of age and got it done. I first convinced my wife to get a VCH but then she wanted to get her actual clit pierced and a triangle piercing. She got her VCH about a month prior to getting her clit and triangle done and then I told her I would do a PA. She said it was ok with her. I'll let her write her own story since this is mine. I had bought the Piercing Bible and we read all we could with the type of piercings that we wanted to do.

We saw Elayne Angel in San Francisco and got pierced at Cold Steel Elayne asked me to send her some photo's first to see if I was suitable for a PA since I am uncircumsized. She said I was so I got an appointment with her. I undressed and the little fellow got even smaller just thinking about getting the head of my dick pierced. I had read that getting the recieving tube placed down the uretha was a pain, but when she placed the recieving tube in me it was no big deal as a matter of fact I enjoyed it. Then it was time for the actual piercing and the needle looked like the end of a shotgun, but with a little sting it was done. Again no big deal and just a little blood for the next couple of days.

I started with a 10ga but have since gone to a 6ga and I plan on going to a 0ga or a 00ga. I really enjoy it and the sex is great. I did jack off after the fourth day (with the wife watching) and had some blood in the cum. Waited a week more before we had sex and what an experience. I plan on getting an apradavya and a frenum ladder in the near future. There wasn't any pain with this type of piercing and if you are thinking about it I would suggest that you go for it.

I recently got a message from a Tribalectic Community friend:

I  wanted you to know that when I was thinking of getting a frenum piercing, I visited your website. I was sitting on the fence about getting the piercing. I bought a couple of your genital piercing video clips to see what exactly I could expect if I decided to go through with it. You made the experience look relatively painless, professional, & quick. Those videos (and your expertise) calmed my nerves and help me decide to go ahead and get it done. I got my piercing and have no regrets (fact is, I'm thrilled with it), so a big thank-you and hug from me.

My response: HI there, Oh that GREAT! Thanks so much for the positive feedback. I'm glad that I was able to be helpful to reassure you and support your decision and to get pierced. I saw the photo and your piercer left room for a Prince Albert, if you ever decide you want to get one.... Who did your piercing? Sounds like it must have been a good experience. I'm so glad! Heal well and enjoy, Elayne

I found that I'd been quoted in someone's blog post today about the Prince Albert piercing. I helped to settle the case on whether Prince Albert himself actually had a Prince Albert piercing (he didn't):

Another thing: according to The Piercing Bible by Elayne Angel (p. 156), the healing time for a Prince Albert is "4 to 8 weeks or longer". Now, in a time when infection could not be reliably controlled, who is going to pierce themselves anywhere - let alone somewhere that delicate? Are you beginning to smell a hoax? In her book, Angel confirms my suspicions that Prince Albert did not have a Prince Albert, as does Matthew Sweet in Inventing the Victorians. So why do so many people think he did? Where did this "dressing ring" thing get started? According to Angel, these stories were made up by a man who called himself Doug Malloy (real name Richard Simonton). He is considered the father of modern piercing culture in the US.

You can read the rest of the blog post here: http://susannesaville.blogspot.com/2009/10/prince-alberts-prince-albert.html