Princess Diana (or simply Diana) piercings are identical to vertical clitoral hood (VCH) piercings, except that they are located off to the side(s) of the hood instead of being placed in the center. I call them "Dukes" when they're done on a transman.
General Information
The piercing is named after the first woman I performed them on, and Princess Diana had been in the news at the time, so we added “Princess” to give female royalty some exposure in the piercing world. It was about time, since the Prince Albert (the most popular penis piercing) has had so much of it.
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Placement
Ordinarily Princess Diana piercings are done in pairs; however, if you are asymmetrically built with more tissue on one side of your hood than the other, a single Diana could be a good option to celebrate your unique build.
Note however, that if your hood is not symmetrical, which is very common, a pair of these piercings will call attention to that, but not in a good way. So relative symmetry is important for an aesthetically placed pair of Princess Dianas.
Dianas are generally angled at about ten and two o’clock or at nine and three o’clock. On a narrower build they may need to go at eleven and one o'clock.
Many women do not have a wide enough hood to allow for this placement, so the Dianas are not nearly as popular as the VCH. A number of amply built gals have the triad: a VCH in the center, and Princess Dianas off to either side of it.
Women sometimes ask if a poorly placed VCH can be "fixed" and the answer is usually, "No." But, one "fix" is that a VCH placed far off to one side might be able to be turned into a pair of Dianas by doing a matching piercing to the other side.
Jewelry
Barbells in 14 or 12 gauge are the initial jewelry of choice and straight or curved posts can work in this region. A curve provides a small amount of extra room without added length.
The way the jewelry rests underneath the hood and against the clitoris will be affected by the shape of the bar, so the straight and curved options will feel a little different. Depending on anatomy and piercing placement, straight bars may end up contacting the clitoris more than a curve does. Let comfort and safety take precedence during healing, and after that, personal preference can be your guide.
Smaller balls or threaded ends (in the 5/32" or 4mm range) may be needed if there is not sufficient space for larger jewelry to fit comfortably in that location.
Procedure
My standard procedure is to use a needle receiving tube (NRT) under the hood. The piercings are done through the dots that have been marked for placement and into the tube, which protects your clitoris underneath. The skin that is pierced is normally much thinner than that of an earlobe. A small percentage of women have thicker hoods; these may be a bit more sensitive to have pierced and can take a little while longer to heal.
You might find that prepping under your hood with a swab or the pressure from the receiving tube is the most uncomfortable part of the procedure. When performed properly, the sensation of the piercing itself is very brief, and afterward there is seldom lingering discomfort. By the time you are dressed, you’re likely to find that your piercing(s) feel good already, or simply that you notice something is there. It is also normal to feel nothing different at all.
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What My Happy Clients Say
I went to Elayne for my Princess Diana piercings.
Her warm personality alone made me less nervous along with her sense of humor. It was quick and painless.
I would recommend her 1000x! Elayne is the best!
Getting my piercing done by you was one of the greatest experiences I have ever had. Your tenderness coupled with your professionalism has me screaming "GO GET PIERCED BY ELAYNE!" from the rooftops.
I spent the rest of the day talking my boyfriend's ear off about how comfortable I was and how great the piercings feel already.
I'm so glad I sought out Ms. Angel to perform my Princess Diana piercings. Not only does she have a comforting bedside manner, but she is also someone who comes across as accepting and very sweet.
Today, I definitely feel more appreciative of my body and welcoming of the reality of physical individuality. I feel like my body is something to be proud of and I'm excited to continue decorating. :)