I received a message from a woman who got a vertical clitoral hood (VCH) piercing but didn't seem to get much information from her piercer (even though she had visited this site).
I did my research on your page and keep reading over again for months before I decided to get one. I finally had it done two days ago and it was just a pinch, no pain afterward... I have the questions. I had a surgical ring (straight) down there.
Will I be able to feel the stimluation after it heals? At this moment,I feel nothing. Hope it is not too shallow...
Will J- curve help more intense? Name the rings that will do that?
Or I will feel it when it comes to aroused?
Is it still too soon to have oral sex after a couple of days?
Is it safe to purchase the 16' or 14' stainless jewelries at any store (such as Claire's) that has different rings and balls?
Thank you for your time and I appreciate your help!
T.
My reply:
Hi T.,
I need to see a few clear close up photos to answer most of your questions. I can't say whether a different size or style of jewelry will help or not without evaluating your build and the placement of the piercing. If it is not properly placed or the jewelry doesn't fit well those will certainly affect whether you will receive any stimulation from it.
In general, though, a J-Curve is apt to be more stimulating than a regular curved bar, but I usually suggest them for healed piercings as some women find them to be too much.
Your piercer failed to give you some VERY crucial information if he or she didn't openly discuss the risks of unprotected sexual activity with you. Below is the information about it from my book:
Safer Sex
There is no set period for abstinence from sexual activities while genital piercings are healing. There are, however, two nonnegotiable rules:
1. Be gentle. Pay attention to your body. If your piercing feels sore, you must stop what you’re doing, or at least ease up. As you begin to heal and the piercing feels less tender, you must still be vigilant to avoid injuring the fragile new cells.
2. Be clean and hygienic. Protective barriers must be used to prevent the sharing of bodily fluids. For oral sexual contact, use a dental dam (sheet of latex) to shield female genitalia and a flavored or unlubricated condom during fellatio. Thoroughly wash hands and sex toys before contact near a healing piercing, and use condoms for all intercourse and on insertables like dildos and bullet-type vibrators. If other barriers aren’t suitable, apply a waterproof dressing such as a Nexcare or Tegaderm before sexual activities to keep your partner’s body fluids from getting on your piercing. All of these precautions are mandatory to prevent infection during the entire initial healing period, even if you and your partner are monogamous and healthy.
Appropriate body jewelry is smooth, so high-quality condoms that fit properly should perform well. Water-based lubricant helps reduce excess friction to protect the integrity of the latex. The sensitivity of your healing piercing can make up for the addition of an unfamiliar barrier. Pleasure Plus condoms are made with extra room that is suited to frenum and Prince Albert jewelry. Avoid condoms and lubricants with the spermicide nonoxynol-9 (N-9), as this harsh chemical may burn or sting and can harm the delicate cells of a fresh piercing (as well as vaginal or rectal tissue).
These are the care instructions I suggest, and hopefully they are similar to what your piercer suggested? To facilitate healing, you may want to do saline soaks. Especially if you're not using the Briotech spray I suggest for healing.
No! Even after healing, cheap jewelry from Claire's or other mall stores or internet sites is potentially disastrous to wear. Any inexpensive body jewelry is NOT goig to be high quality, and it could damage your piercing and cause many problems including scarring, migration, and infection. Body jewelry (especially near your clitoris!) is nothing to skimp on. You need to learn what to look for in good jewelry to make safe choices.
I'd highly suggest you consider reading my book as it will provide you with TONS of information that you can use to prevent problems. Here's a few excerpts from The Piercing Bible:
Fashion and Novelty Jewelry
This inexpensive junk can be trendy or cute, but these pieces are machine-manufactured in massive quantities, and they are not hand-finished or inspected. Novelty jewelry is sold in discount stores, kiosks, and shops that do not perform piercings. Piercers selling it should be avoided because they either don’t know enough to steer clear of it or have fallen prey to the lure of the dollar. You generally get what you pay for where body jewelry is concerned. Don’t go for the cheap stuff: it isn’t worth the risk to your piercing and your health.
What to Look for in Quality Body Jewelry
Quality jewelry differs significantly from the cut-rate goods, but the products are often similar in appearance. The following explains what to look for to identify good jewelry.
Finish and Polish
To be safe for healing, metal body jewelry must have a mirror finish—a high-shine, super-smooth surface. Wearing body jewelry that has nicks, burrs, tooling marks, or scratches can cause severe complications. When jewelry has an uneven surface, the new cells that are formed during healing grow into the irregularities. Then, when the jewelry shifts or moves, these areas tear. As this cycle is repeated, scar tissue forms and healing is delayed. A faulty finish can also introduce bacteria into the wound and cause infection.
Internal and External Threading
Most straight, curved, and circular barbells have ends that connect via the use of tiny screw threads. On internally threaded pieces, the part of the jewelry that passes through your skin is smooth, and the threads are on the removable end, such as the ball or spike. The end screws into a hole in the jewelry that has been drilled or tapped with the matching thread pattern, to receive it. This allows for the safe, comfortable passage of metal through your body when you take your jewelry in and out. According to the APP standards, body jewelry for initial piercings must have internal tapping (no threads on the posts) starting at 18 gauge.
Alternatively, externally threaded jewelry has the screw pattern cut into the post, and the ball or other end is tapped with a matching hole to receive it. This comparatively rough surface may be passed directly through the tissue to insert and remove the jewelry. There are ways to put the threads inside a needle during piercing and special tapers that are sometimes used during jewelry changes. Without this safeguard, inserting this style can be like running a small metal file through your body if the channel is tight.
She responded thanking me for the thorough information and said she'd send a photo after she healed. I replied:
Did you go to one of the piercers on my referrals list? If not, about 8 out of 10 of the other women who contact me have improperly placed piercings. Especially the ones who describe that they "feel nothing." These piercings are often shallow on the underside, or hood surface piercings that don't touch the clitoris at all!
If you allow the piercing to heal, and it is not properly placed, it could be harder (or maybe even impossible) to have it redone in the right spot later.
Therefore, if you have any concerns that the piercing is not in the right spot, it would be much better to deal with the situation now. You don't have to send me photos, but at least make sure you're aware of where a VCH should be placed, and that yours is in the right spot (underneath your hood, at the apex--the deepest natural spot). When it isn't (which is SO common), you won't be experiencing any added sensation. If you wish to have my professional opinion, please sign up for a consultation, and I'll need to see photos of where the piercing comes through on the underside of your hood.
Above is what a VCH should look like, though the hairstyling is optional!
