Female Genital Piercing: Jewellery, FAQs & Guide

There are many different types of female genital piercing. Since there is a diverse range of shapes and sizes of the female anatomy, it is important to discuss with your piercer which female genital piercings are suitable for you. Here are some of the most popular types:

What is a clitoral hood piercing?

The Vertical hood Piercing (VCH piercing) or Horizontal clitoral hood Piercing (HCH piercing) is placed through the top of the clitoral hood, either vertically or horizontally, although the vertical style is a much more common choice. Many find the VCH piercing to be more comfortable as the female anatomy naturally aligns vertically meaning the piercing sits between the legs without causing irritation.

What is a female triangle piercing?

The triangle piercing is placed horizontally through the clitoral hood, under the base of the clitoris but not through the clitoris. This differs from VCH and HCH piercings which are both placed above the clitoris. Triangle piercing anatomy means that not everyone is suited to this piercing and the specific placement makes it vital that you see a piercer who is experienced in female genital piercing so they can ensure the placement is correct.

What is a labia piercing?

The labia piercing is a female genital piercing. This type of piercing is usually performed in symmetrical pairs. You can be pierced through either the labia majora (outer labia) or labia minora (inner labia). This is one of the most common types of female genital piercing and the easiest to customise. The anatomy of the labia is usually able to accommodate multiple labia piercings.

What is a fourchette piercing?

Fourchette piercing is one of the rarer forms of female genital piercing because not everyone is anatomically suitable for this piercing. The fourchette piercing is placed at the back of the vulva. One end of the fourchette piercing jewellery enters between the anus and vagina while the second hole is placed deep into the lip of the vagina. The fourchette piercing is similar to the guiche (which is predominantly performed on males).

Why is it called a Princess Diana piercing?

Princess Diana piercing is a type of female genital piercing. It is often thought that the piercing name has a connection with Lady Diana. In reality, the piercing was originally called the Diana piercing after the first person to receive this piercing and Princess was added to continue the theme of the Prince Albert name. Princess Diana piercings are usually performed in pairs and are similar to the Vertical Hood piercing, expect that they are placed on each side of the hood rather than in the centre.

What is a Christina body piercing?

The Christina piercing, also known as the Venus piercing, is classed as a surface piercing. This piercing is placed at the top of the vagina where the labia majora meet, below the pubic mound. The Christina body piercing will have an entry point in the pubic mound and exit just inside the labia, above the clitoris. The Christina piercing is very dependent on the anatomy of the individual and will usually require a custom curved barbell that the piercer will bend to fit your personal anatomical curvature.

What is a clitoris piercing?

A clitoris piercing is placed through the clitoris with a piercing needle. This is an incredibly rare form of female genital piercing and not every piercing studio will perform this piercing due to the potential for nerve damage. Also known as a clitoral glans piercing, this is the only female genital piercing that piercers through the actual clitoris.

What is a Princess Albertina piercing?

Princess Albertina piercing is the female equivalent of a Prince Albert piercing, as the name suggests. The Princess Albertina is pierced through the urethra, however, it is more difficult to place than a Prince Albert due to the female anatomy. The Princess Albertina piercing enters through the urethra and exits through the vaginal opening. It is thought to offer sexual stimulation through the movement of the ring piercing jewellery and placement in the urethra.

Want to know more about female genital piercings? We have compiled your FAQs to answer everything you have always wanted to know about all types of female genital piercing.

Can you lose feeling from a hood piercing?

The clitoral hood piercing is often said to increase sexual pleasure because of the added clitoral stimulation caused by the jewellery. If you wear jewellery with a ball, the ball often touches the clitoris causing an increased sensation. It is important to get the VCH piercing or HCH piercing done by a professional piercer to avoid nerve damage that means you could lose feeling. A professional piercer will be able to accurately place the piercing.

What is the purpose of a clitoral hood piercing?

The main purpose of a clitoral hood piercing is for sexual stimulation. The piercing jewellery is in contact with the clitoris. Piercing the hood is more popular than piercing the clitoris as it has fewer risks. Many people find that the jewellery in a pierced clitoris causes it to become too sensitive whereas a clitoral hood piercing is just right.

It is important to note that not everyone will be anatomically suitable for the hood piercing. If you would like to get a clitoral hood piercing, you will need to visit your piercer beforehand and they will perform a simple examination to check the viability of your clitoral hood to accommodate jewellery.

How bad does a hood piercing hurt?

How bad a hood piercing hurts will vary from person to person. If done by a professional it should not be very painful as it will be over very quickly. Some people even say vertical hood piercing pain is comparable to lobe piercing pain, perhaps due to the soft tissue that is being pierced.

How long does a triangle piercing take to heal?

The triangle piercing takes 2-4 months to fully heal. During this time it is important to clean the area with a saltwater solution twice a day, regularly change your underwear, and keep your triangle piercing dry. Avoid sexual activities during initial healing and use a barrier such as a condom for the full healing time (even if you are with the same partner).

Do labia piercings hurt?

Labia piercing is thought to be low on the pain scale due to the soft tissue that the piercing goes through. A pierced labia is more common than you may think. The initial piercing procedure will hurt but the pain will only be temporary. You may experience a sharp pinching sensation as the piercing needle goes through the labia. After your piercing, it should not hurt but you may experience some discomfort and bleeding.

Can you shave with a Christina piercing?

Before getting your Christina piercing you should shave or wax your public hair. Your piercer may have to trim your hair if you have not. If possible, it is best to avoid shaving with a razor during the Christina piercing healing time as this will reduce the risk of irritation or of introducing bacteria into the piercing wound.

After your piercing has healed you will need to take extra care while shaving so you don’t catch your piercing jewellery. It is also important to keep the piercing jewellery and area around it clean to avoid introducing bacteria into your piercing. You may want to shave with a smaller razor such as an eyebrow trimmer, around your piercing.

Think about your pubic hair preferences before getting a Christina piercing. If you prefer to keep your hair long, your Christina piercing may be less visible but some people find it to be too inconvenient or time-consuming to try to shave with a Christina piercing.

How painful is a Christina piercing?

Christina piercing can be quite painful and may require clamps or forceps to be used to hold the skin in place while the needle is placed through it. Christina piercing pain can depend on how long the piercing takes. An experienced professional piercer will be able to carry out the entire piercing procedure quickly in order to minimise your discomfort. This surface piercing is usually pierced with a long barbell to allow for swelling. Your piercer may ask you to return after a few weeks for a shorter barbell which should feel more comfortable and is less likely to get caught.

Do Christina piercings grow out?

The Christina piercing has a higher than average rejection rate because it is a surface piercing and there is a risk that the jewellery will grow out through the thin skin. You can decrease this risk of your Christina piercing growing out by ensuring you have well-fitting jewellery and following the correct aftercare advice.

How much does it cost to get a Christina piercing?

Christina piercing costs on average £70 - £75. The price will vary depending on the piercing jewellery you chose. Some piercers will create a custom Christina piercing bar which will curve to the shape of your pubic mound. In this case, you may find the overall cost of your Christina piercing is more expensive. However, it is important to get pierced by a professional and with high quality jewellery to reduce the risks and help prevent the jewellery from growing out, so it is worth the extra cost.

Are clitoris piercings dangerous?

Clitoris piercings are thought to be dangerous compared to other female genital piercings. It is incredibly rare for a person to have a clit piercing as not all piercing studios will perform clitoral piercing due to the risks. The main danger of clitoris piercings is that they can cause nerve damage to the clitoris and lasting pain. Many people find that a pierced clitoris is too sensitive or uncomfortable which is why they opt for a hood piercing which also provides clitoral stimulation and a heightened sensation.

There are plenty of things to consider when getting a female genital piercing. Whether you are getting your piercing for the sexual sensation or to boost your confidence in the look of your vagina, these types of piercing are the ultimate secret piercings.

It is recommended to retire a female genital piercing during pregnancy or childbirth, however, you can speak to one of our piercers to discuss using a retainer to keep the piercing open.

Want to know more about piercing at Blue Banana? Check out more of our Piercing Guides and FAQs.

Piercing Procedure

Ready to get a female genital piercing? Use our store locator to find your local Blue Banana Studio. There’s no need to book an appointment; you can simply go to the store of your choice and be pierced on the day.

Make sure to check the genital piercing age restriction before coming to store. It can help to avoid any undue disappointment. In a Blue Banana studio, the female genital piercing age restriction is 21 (ID may be required). Genital piercings are not available with parental consent.

With female genital piercings, in particular, it is crucially important to ensure you visit an experienced piercer who is familiar with these kinds of piercings. It is usually necessary to have a consultation with a piercer before your intended piercing to allow them to examine your anatomy and confirm whether you are a suitable candidate for your piercing. Because female genitals vary hugely, there are no guarantees that you will be able to have your chosen piercing; your piercer will explain this fully to you during your consultation.

When you come to the piercing studio to have your piercing, the procedure will be as follows:

The piercer will ask you to remove your underwear and lie down on the table. You may find it more comfortable to wear a skirt or dress for your piercing.
The piercer will wear gloves and will clean the area using sterile wipes or solution.
The piercer will mark the intended piercing area with a surgical pen and you can ask to view the placement before the piercing procedure.
The piercer will then use either a small clamp or their fingers to hold the skin taught before passing through a hollow, sterile needle.
The piercer will thread through your jewellery and secure it fully.

If you have a genital piercing performed at any of our Blue Banana studios, by law there must always be a chaperone present. This chaperone will be a same-sex member of staff who is simply required to be present in the room for the protection of both the customer and the piercer. The chaperone will not actively participate in the piercing, however, this is a legal requirement for ANY genital piercing and is therefore non-negotiable.

Aftercare Advice

As you would expect, there is a certain amount of discomfort or soreness following a female genital piercing and during initial healing. However, provided the correct aftercare advice is followed, these types of piercings often heal very quickly and smoothly.

The healing time will depend on which female genital piercing you have, but here are some things you can do to help the process along:

Refrain from sexual activity for at least 2 weeks during initial healing
Use a barrier method such as condoms during sex for at least 8 weeks after the piercing (even if it is with a regular partner).
Maintain good bodily hygiene and keep the piercing site clean and dry
Perform saltwater soaks using cotton wool or gauze twice daily during initial healing
Always make sure you have clean and dry hands before cleaning the piercing
Do not touch or move the jewellery
Do not attempt to change your jewellery until the piercing is fully healed
Be very careful if trying to shave the area
Avoid using any creams, lotions, oils or lubricants near the piercing site

A small amount of swelling, bruising and discomfort is normal shortly after a female genital piercing but if you experience persistent swelling, stinging, discharge or bleeding please return to your piercer or doctor promptly for an assessment.

Choosing Piercing Jewellery

Female genital piercings are usually worn with curved barbells, straight barbells or BCRs. With body jewellery in this area, you should only ever use internally threaded barbells as the externally threaded barbells can trap bodily fluids and bacteria inside and increase the risk of infection.

There’s plenty of options when it comes to female genital piercing jewellery from Blue Banana. There are a range of colours and designs to choose from in our genital piercing jewellery range.

When choosing your piercing jewellery there are a few things you should consider:

Jewellery Size – Make sure to find out from your piercer the size your female genital piercing jewellery should be.
Jewellery Material – piercing materials differ not only through their look but also how they could react to your skin. If you have sensitive skin that is prone to irritation, one of the many Titanium jewellery options is recommended. This material comes in a variety of colours and is durable too!

When searching for a piece of jewellery make sure you know your measurements. We display the piercing jewellery measurements as Gauge first (displayed in millimetres) then Diameter/Length, e.g. 1.2mm x 8mm.

Gauge – this is the thickness of the jewellery itself.
Diameter – the width across the widest point of the jewellery for hoops and rings.
Length – the length of the piercing bar, usually not including the ball.

Make sure to check out the tips from our piercing guides for information about changing and removing piercing jewellery.

It is important to wait until your piercing has fully healed before changing your piercing jewellery. Here are the healing times for female genital piercings:

VCH Clitoral Hood Piercing Healing: 4-8 Weeks
HCH Clitoral Hood Piercing Healing: 6-8 Weeks
Inner Labia Piercing Healing: 4-8 Weeks
Outer Labia Piercing Healing: 3-4 Months
Triangle Piercing Healing: 3-4 Months
Fourchette Piercing Healing: 6-8 Weeks
Princess Diana Piercing Healing: 4-8 Weeks
Princess Albertina Piercing Healing: 4-6 Weeks
Clitoris Piercing Healing: 4-6 Weeks
Christina Piercing Healing: 6-9 Months

Other Guides & Ranges

Please Note: Blue Banana piercing information is based on knowledge from our experiences as one of the UK's top piercing studios. All details provided should be read alongside professional advice. Please see our full Piercing Articles Disclaimer, here.