The 4 Most Common Female Genital Piercings Explained

It's amazing the number of people who come into a shop and ask for a female genital piercing and don't know the right anatomy to pierce! While most women know the names for their own body parts there are plenty of who don't. Ever heard of a “click piercing”? What about a clit piercing? Neither of those is a real piercing yet they're one of the most common asked for by women looking for vagina piercings. The clit is almost never pierced because you will remove the nerves that cause the sensation down there.

Most genital piercings are dependent on your anatomy and not all anatomies are suitable for all piercings. Because the healing climate down there is different than a normal piercing like an ear or a navel your anatomy can be a problem for healing. This is especially true if you are bigger and while that doesn't necessarily mean that you can't get the piercing having more fat “down there” makes it harder for the piercing to breathe and keep clean.

The Vertical Clitoral Hood Piercing (VCH)

This is the most common of female genital piercings and they are the easiest to do/heal because it lies with the lines of the body. It provides the most sensation and the most “fun” of this type of piercing and gives your partner something to focus on when they're down there. The clitoris itself is protected by a flap of membrane called the hood. When the clitoris is stimulated the hood pulls back to expose it. The piercing sits directly over the clitoris to provide stimulation through the hood. It is pierced straight up and down in the center so the top ball sits visible while the bottom ball is partially covered by the hood itself. It is usually pierced with a 12G - 14G barbell or curved barbell because this provides the best stimulation and is the most comfortable to wear. Checkout our selection of vertical hood piercing jewelry.

The Horizontal Clitoral Hood Piercing (HCH)

The horizontal hood sits through the hood of the clitoris side to side. It's usually done with a ring instead of a barbell so that the ball of the ring sits on top of the clitoris where the ball of a vertical would be instead. The piercing offers a little less stimulation and requires more to have an effect since it only moves side to side instead of all around the clitoris. Horizontal clitoral hood piercings are much more dependent on anatomy than the VCH piercing because the hood must be far enough out that the ring will be flat with the legs close or it will be uncomfortable. If your hood is small or your hood is hidden then it may be too small to heal comfortably and may end up crooked.

Labia Piercings

There are two types of labia in the female genital area – the labia minora and the labia majora. Both can be pierced but usually it is the labia majora that is pierced. The labia majora is a flap of skin found to either side of the labia minora surrounding the vaginal opening. They are usually quite thin and often resemble “roast beef” depending on their size and color. Usually, this piercing is done with a ring and does not offer any stimulation but is only a decorative piercings. These can be done in pairs or as a “labial ladder” that goes up each side of the vaginal opening with multiple rings. They are not particularly common and are dependent on anatomy like the HCH for comfort.

Christina Piercing

This is a decorative piercing which has no stimulation properties. When the legs are closed the opening of the vagina appears as a slit with an arch of skin at the front. The Christina piercing sits in this central arch so that the top ball is visible while the inner ball is hidden in the fold when the legs are closed. It is usually pierced using a curved barbell or a specific piece of jewelry called a Christina Bar which has an extended bottom to make the lower ball visible. It is one of the few female genital piercings which can be recommended for a larger woman because it does not actually sit within the vaginal area.