Tristan Taormino - The Ultimate Guide to Kink - BDSM, Role Play, and the Erotic Edge

Some bottoms use piercing as an adjunct to a scene involving medical play, other temporary body modification, or blood play, while others may do it solely for the sensation of being pierced and its accompanying endorphin rush. Endorphins are morphine-like substances originating from within the body—the body’s natural painkiller. Endorphins cause those feelings of exhilaration we get when we experience pain, stress, or excitement. When I pierce my own chest during a hook pull ritual, I get a sense of opening myself up on a deep level. Whether they are called chakras, loci, or meridians, different parts of the body hold special significance in certain spiritual beliefs and this can be accessed through piercing.

I took off my shirt and my bra and lay back on the bed. I was nervous, but he said he would walk me through it. I took a deep breath as he placed the first needle in my chest and exhaled as he pushed it through. I moaned in pleasure as the needle passed through my flesh. The adrenaline kicked in and I felt warm all over. My heart was racing. It made me feel beautiful. He kissed me deeply and caressed my body as I continued to moan and quiver. Sometimes physical pain is the best way to relieve emotional pain.

Let’s talk about the supplies you need to work with needles in a scene. Ideally, you need a bottom to poke, but you could start on yourself if you like. Besides needles and cleanup supplies, you’ll need an understanding of basic anatomy and know how to prepare the skin, and you should know the medical history of the person you are piercing. Keep in mind that there are people out there who have needle phobias. They have an irrational fear of needles and will pass out in response to touching, being poked by, or even seeing needles. Trust me, it has happened in my classes.

When asking a partner about his or her medical history, find out if they have any allergies. Common allergies that pertain to needle work include allergies to latex and to iodine or shellfish. If the bottom has an allergy to latex, you will want to use nitrile or vinyl gloves. Should you encounter a shellfish/ iodine allergy, use a skin prep other than Povidone-iodine. Also inquire about bleeding disorders and the use of blood-thinning medications. These do not necessarily disqualify a person from having needles put into them, but you should take into consideration bruising and make sure any bleeding has stopped.

In order to prepare the skin and decrease the risk of infection when using needles, you should use a skin prep solution. There are many types—some are more readily available, and some may be more cost effective. I personally like to use Chlorhexidine. However, any of the preparations discussed below will work; just be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions for use as skin prep. Some of these come as a solution that you can apply with sterile gauze pads; some are also available as individually wrapped pads with the solution on them.

• 61% ethyl alcohol

Ethyl alcohol is commonly found in antibacterial hand soap; you can buy 61% solution at your local pharmacy.

• Povidone-iodine

The most common brand name of this solution is Betadine, and it can be found in drugstores. If the bottom is allergic to shellfish or iodine, do not use Povidone-iodine. Note: this solution will temporarily discolor the skin.

• 70% isopropyl alcohol

This is the least expensive solution on the list and the easiest to find in drugstores; however, in medical studies, it’s also the least effective at killing bacteria found on the skin.

• 6% benzocaine with isopropyl alcohol 70%

The same as above, but this product also numbs the skin a little.

• Chlorhexidine

Chlorhexidine comes in 2% or 4% concentrations or a 1% concentration combined with 61% ethyl alcohol. You can purchase these at your local pharmacy or from online medical suppliers.

There are many types of gloves out there, but I tend to use nitrile gloves because they are latex free and I can get them in purple. Purple is the color of the hanky for piercing, should you wish to do any flagging. I find latex gloves more stretchy and easier to put on. Nitrile and vinyl gloves, though latex free, are harder to put on, especially if your hands get moist from sweating or if you are changing gloves frequently. You may find that some bottoms react poorly to the sight of blood. Black gloves are available, often used by tattoo artists and piercing shops, that decrease the visibility of blood on the gloves, should things get a little messy. For you folks who are all into the “black look,” these would enhance your wardrobe.

When you are using needles, you may encounter blood, so always have cleanup supplies handy. Don’t make things too complicated. You can use plain paper towels to clean up the holes. If inclined to do so, you can treat each hole as a trauma wound and tape gauze pads to each one. To clean work surfaces, use a 10% household bleach solution and paper towels. Make this solution by mixing one and a half cups of household bleach and a gallon of water, or one part bleach to nine parts water. Make sure you are wearing gloves when working with bleach. Bleach begins to lose its effectiveness in a short period of time, so discard the bleach after your cleanup. Make a new batch of bleach solution if you do not use it within 24 hours.

Needles come in a plethora of sizes (or gauges), the most common being 25, 23, 22, 20, and 18. They are measured by their diameter: the larger the number, the smaller the diameter. Thus an 18-gauge needle is a larger-diameter needle (1.270 mm outside diameter) than a 25-gauge (0.508 mm outside diameter). Additionally, needles come in varying lengths, the most common being ⅝ inch, 1 inch, and 1½ inch. Use only single-use disposable needles in sterile packaging.

For the most part, you will want to use “hubbed” needles, as they are the most commonly available, cheapest to buy, and have the bonus feature of a “handle” which aids placement of the needle (See Illustration 8.1: Piercing needles.) Another name for this type of needle is hypodermic , from Greek, meaning under the skin. Hub needles can be obtained from online medical supply stores or fetish supply stores. Be sure you are abiding by your local laws concerning the purchase of needles. Other needle types include acupuncture, spinal, TB, insulin, body piercing, Huber, and biopsy.

When I am pierced, I have the sensation that I’m flying—I feel simultaneously grounded and floaty. I love the very intimate invasion of personal space that piercing produces, the involuntary giggling, the contact high. I love the air of danger, of doing something that others deem “too out there,” and loving it. I love to see fresh red blood, not the least bit oxidized yet, trailing down my flesh and the patterns it makes as it soaks into a sheet.

Beginning piercers should stick to fleshy places like the chest, back, arms, and legs. Basically, if you can pinch the skin and not feel muscle between your fingers, it is okay to put a needle there. Until you are more experienced and have gained more education, avoid piercing the genitals, face, neck, tongue or other less fleshy areas of the body. Some bottoms may feel more at ease if they are able to watch; others are horrified to watch. Pick what is right for the scene.