BDSM Needle Play and Play Piercing

Erotic needle play? Play piercing? Is this really a kink?

Nobody loves blood tests, getting their shots, and a fear of needles is very real. And yet many of the same people who feel anxiety over medical procedures sport countless tattoos and report a glowing rush after a lip or nipple piercing.

Piercing is an age-old aspect of tribal rituals and initiations, with many modern enthusiasts who see a spiritual or ritual connection to the piercing they do for tattoo and adornment purposes. Many people report both spiritual and erotic emotions in body piercing or tribal rites, or after acupuncture.

Read: Tattoo and Piercing Fetish

BDSM needle play and play piercing have evolved from a tapestry of cultural initiation rituals all over the world. They have been sources of agony, ecstasy, spiritual unity, and erotic excitement to different people for as far back as archeologists and anthropologists can go.

People have used spears, blades, bones, stones, nails and more to enact painful and pleasurable sensations that mark important spiritual or cultural occasions. Saints and penitents of various persuasions have tortured themselves with thorns, pins, and needles for purification and religious ecstasy. Piercing rituals have marked ceremonial passages.

Needle therapy for healing—acupuncture—was first documented 2000 years ago and is probably at least 3000 years old. There is a tremendous overlapping of spiritual, medicinal, and erotic motivation and sensation in these practices and that is also true for BDSM needle play and play piercing.

Read: Sensation Play for Beginners

What Is Needle Play?

BDSM needle play is a body piercing practice for the experience, rather than for permanent adornment or medicine. It may combine adornment and healing practices but the goal is most often experiential.

Needle play is also called play piercing, BDSM needle work, and sometimes recreational acupuncture or erotic acupuncture. It is most often part of bondage and submission play but is not always about punishment, submission or domination.

Read: Edge Play: Taking BDSM too Far?

Play piercing is frequently about personal expression, the pursuit of endorphins, edge play, sensation play, spiritual or purification rituals, trust exercises, deep relaxation or erotic arousal.

Play piercing releases intense endorphin cascades and can be relaxing, meditative, euphoric, and orgasmic. Many people orgasm from the intensity of needle play, or feel a more intense sexual sensation to sexual touch while being pierced.

What Needles Are Used for Needle Play?

In needle play, sterile hypodermic needles or sterile acupuncture needles, are used to pierce the skin. They are usually used to penetrate the flesh right through, in a “secant”—going in and coming out of two points—not just “sticking in.” They may sometimes be inserted at the tip and left in place.

Play piercing needles have colored “hubs” for safe gripping and manipulation at the base.

Most often, multiple needles are used in a scene, arranged in different patterns or on different parts of the body.

Intensity can change with the number of needles employed and also with different needle gauges, amplifying the penetration sensation. Most needles used in erotic play piercing are 20-27 gauge.

Acupuncture needles are solid inside and cannot be used to draw blood or inject substances. They are also finer gauges, making them less intense.

Curved needles are sometimes used.

Extreme versions of needle play can involve hooks and hook suspension play.

Some play piercing involves finely sharpened bones or other needle-like objects. It is best to used sterilized hypodermic or acupuncture needles.

Play Piercing Examples and Ideas

In needle play scenes, needles will be worked into flesh and left in place for a period of time. Changing the depth of insertion, the needle gauge, the number of needles, and the location on the body are variations during needle play.

Beginners

The simplest scenes will involve a few needles in a very fleshy part of the body such as the thigh or buttocks or labia majora.

Intense Bondage

Complex BDSM needle play can be used for bondage, such as a row of needles along the throat. The submissive is bound because they need to keep their head positioned back.

Read: Predicament Bondage and BDSM

Pattern Play

Play piercing is often with needles arranged in a specific pattern, such as a heart, cross or X, the lover’s initials, or any other preferred pattern. It could be anything from a rune symbol to Hello Kitty.

Corset Needle Play

A very common pattern used in needle play is the corset or lace-up pattern, which can be up the back or thigh. In bondage play, these may be “laced up” afterwards with a cord. The aesthetic is frequently desired and also practical for bondage play.

Pussy Torture

Needle play can be part of pussy torture, using a row of needles to “stitch” labia majora together, or to hold labia minora open and stretched.

Read: Pussy Torture and Pussy Play Ideas

Cock & Ball Torture

Play piercing is sometimes used as part of cock and ball torture, with needles inserted through cock or testicles.

Read: Cock and Ball Torture Techniques

Impact Play

Once the needles are in place, using hands to pressure the needles adds stimulation. Flogging and slapping also provides impact sensation.

Read: Impact Play Tips for Kinky Couples

Needle Play Safety

Needless to say, needle play requires consent, trust, and commitment to safety.

All needles must be sterile. Hands must be sterilized. Sterile gloves are even better.

Use appropriate sterile solutions on skin before piercing. Make sure to use a solution that all parties do not have allergies to. Sensitivity to sterilizing solutions such as Betadine is very common and can manifest as severe burns.

Education and training on anatomy and safety is essential for all parties for needle play.

Play with those experienced in BDSM needle play until you are also experienced. Attend safety workshops. Needle play can be very safe if practiced with common sense and experience, but without a commitment to safety it can be very dangerous.

Be aware of illness and infection such as HIV or other bloodborne diseases. Do not play if any of you are coughing or sneezing.

Clean equipment and environment such as linens and towels are essential.

Needle insertions must be deep enough to not be easily ripped out, but not so deep as to injure bones, organs, muscles and ligaments.

Be aware of sensitive areas or areas where glands or tendons are close to the surface, such as the throat, joints, etc.

Discuss consent and boundaries in advance and keep communication open throughout the play piercing practice.

Read: Sexual Punishments for Your BDSM Submissive

Do you engage in BDSM needle play? Please share your experience!