The Horizontal Clitoral Hood (HCH) piercing, which traverses the hood tissue above the clitoris is aesthetically appealing to many women. This placement is generally not functional to enhance erotic pleasure, but it can be visually delightful and bolster self-image, even if it is not placed for action.
If you're anatomically suited and simply in the market for an attractive "hood ornament," then this piercing could be for you.
General Information
Most women are formed with a hood that nearly—or completely—covers the clitoral glans. Therefore, a ring in an HCH simply rests atop the hood. For this piercing to be stimulating, your clitoral glans needs to be somewhat exposed, the piercing must be perfectly placed, and the jewelry accurately sized. Only when all of these conditions are met can the bead of the ring touch your clitoris to add sensation.
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Placement
You need sufficient tissue in the configuration I describe as a "hill" for a successful HCH piercing. Your hood needs to have some height, and relative symmetry is also important. If you are built with what I term a "valley" and a recessed--or even flat--hood, you are not a candidate.
The piercing should be placed in the natural grooves at the base of the hood tissue where it forms from your body. It is important to carefully check for blood vessels in the region, because they are sometimes located where the piercing should be made. If visible veins cannot be avoided, then the HCH piercing should not be attempted. It is also critical that your hood tissue is pliable enough to pinch up and lift away from the nerve bundle of your clitoris below, so you don't get an unintentional clitoris piercing.
If you are not built symmetrically, which is extremely common, the ring will usually twist or lean to one side. This type of pressure causes discomfort and migration or other healing difficulties. If you want this piercing solely for adornment and not an attempt at sexual enhancement, you may prefer it to be positioned for visibility toward the top of your hood.
If you have a long enough hood, multiple horizontal piercings (among other options) may be possible. Two or three are not unheard of, but more than that is rare. Rings are commonly positioned so that they overlap to some extent, but there has to be enough space between them so the jewelry does not pinch your sensitive tissue. You must have highly symmetrical, well-developed anatomy and a skilled piercer for multiple hood piercings. It is best to get them one at a time, unless they will be located relatively far apart. More than two hood piercings per session could be excessively traumatic to the area.
Note that I ALWAYS wear gloves for client contact! Images without gloves were sent to me for consultations, and are posted anonymously and with permission.
Jewelry
I use 14 gauge as the thinner option, and 12 gauge as the thicker size. If you wish to wear ring-style jewelry, the correct diameter will encompass the tissue without pinching, and it will be situated so the ball rests on the desired spot. A bar is seldom comfortable or safe for initial jewelry: if it is short enough to avoid twisting, it may embed or pinch. If it is long enough to accommodate your hood, it will be prone to shifting and causing problems when you close your legs. Bar-style jewelry cannot be expected to impact sensation since it will not touch the clitoris at all.
Depending on build and piercing placement, healing may be facilitated by wearing a custom-fit C-ring or U-ring (widened circular barbell), which I always use for triangle piercings.
The base jewelry should be a diameter or two smaller than you need to accommodate your tissue. I then widen the gap between the balls by spreading out the ring. This is very easily accomplished with ring expanding pliers. The gap between the circular barbell balls must be wide enough to accommodate your hood so the jewelry tucks down flat against your body. The surrounding structures hold the jewelry securely in place. The portion of the ring that passes through your tissue fits properly in the limited space between your legs without twisting.
This alternate style will not be stimulating due to the gap between the balls. But after successful healing, you can change to a ring.
This skin is somewhat stretchable on most women. If you have a substantial amount of tissue in the piercing, over time you can safely enlarge to rather large sizes. You may find the HCH more stimulating when you wear heavier jewelry. After four to six months it should be ready to expand one size.
Procedure
The tunnel-like shape of the hood makes the receiving tube an ideal tool to simultaneously protect the clitoris and support the tissue for the VCH procedure. However, for the HCH piercing through the skin atop the clitoris, forceps are very well suited to hold the tissue of the hood. Forceps not only secure the skin, they also help to assure that only the hood tissue is clamped and pierced, and not the nerve bundle just underneath.
I use tissue manipulation to help separate the hood from the clitoral shaft before clamping. Most women do not describe this piercing as particularly intense since it passes through only the relatively thin, pliable flesh of the hood.
To be safe and sturdy, the HCH must pierce through a solid section of hood tissue, so I am careful to pinch up the skin from the midline in anticipation of its tendency to fold in on itself. Otherwise you can end up with a channel that is too shallow in the middle and wears through over time, or an unsafe double piercing that misses the center completely and just pierces through an unstable sliver of skin on each side of your hood. If the tissue of your hood cannot be lifted up and kept elevated in the center, you must not attempt this piercing.
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Healing and Troubleshooting
The most common complaint during healing is that the jewelry twists. Prevention is key: if your anatomy is not well suited, don’t get an HCH piercing.
If a ring was used initially and is twisting or otherwise experiencing problems, you can try switching to the open circular barbell style described above.
Or, sometimes a smaller diameter ring can be worn after you have gotten through i healing and you're not in danger of swelling. This may improve your comfort by reducing the tendency toward twisting. Changing the diameter of the ring will alter the way the piercing feels, however, since the bead will rest in a different spot. After healing, a shaped ring such as an oval or inverted teardrop may be more comfortable and also functional. They aren't suggested as initial jewelry, since they tend to rotate.
What My Happy Clients Say
My piercing is absolutely beautiful! It's been one month since you performed my HCH in Atlanta, and I still can't find the words to tell you how utterly pleased I am with every aspect of your skill and care.
From our very first contact, I knew that I would trust my body to no other piercer.
After doing a lot of research, including buying and reading Elaynes book cover to cover, I knew she was the right piercer for me.
I flew three hours but it was absolutely worth it! had a wonderful experience with Elayne. You will too!
Elayne, did my piercing in Dallas a few years ago and it was well worth the trip to Texas! I thank you so very much for your precision and expertise and you treated me like family which is above and beyond.
And I LOVE the benefits of my beautiful piercing!