Frenum Piercing Jewelry
This section covers the choice of jewelry that is best for Frenum Piercings. Which, due to its placement, can be somewhat limited in the selection of style, gauge, and size of jewelry.
Jewelry Style:
Frenium piercings are limited in terms of jewelry style. There is only one option, which is standard barbells. Since a circular style jewelry limits the amount of piercing tissue, I highly suggest that the piercing be done with a barbell
- Standard Barbells:
- The Advantages:
- Since the profile is smaller than that of a ring, a wider piece of jewelry can be used. This means that not only can more tissue be pierced, but there is also additional room during an erection without adding stress to the piercing.
- There are no sharp edges or points that may catch on clothing, bedding, etc.
- Since the jewelry is not tight and wider than the piercing area, it allows extra room for swelling, discharge, and cleaning.
- Much easier to move for cleaning.
- Threaded jewelry is easier to remove and doesn't need any tools or additional skill to remove or change.
- The Disadvantages:
- The profile of the jewelry may cause additional contact, abuse, and stress on the piercing.
- Since the ends are threaded and can become loose due to contact with clothing, bedding, etc., they must be checked on a regular basis.
- Jewelry that should be avoided during Healing:
- Heavy jewelry, Jewelry with sharp edges or points, large charms, and anything hanging off of it.
- Ear Piercing Studs and other traditional jewelry:
- The jewelry is often too short to accommodate the thickness of the piercing area, which prevents swelling and can cause the jewelry to become impacted in the piercing. Additionally, if the jewelry is too tight, it can block both the discharge and the flow of oxygen, which can prolong healing time and/or increase the risk of infection or other complications.
- The backs or locks are loose and can be tightened with normal wear.
- Often, the jewelry material is not body-friendly. Even those marketed to individuals with metal sensitivity are only plated.
- In most cases, they cannot be sterilized correctly.
Size of the Jewelry and Weight:
- Gauge:
As a refresher, gauge refers to the thickness of the wire used to make the jewelry. Body piercing jewelry typically ranges from 18-gauge to 0000-gauge. The smaller the number, the thicker the jewelry will be. As I'm sure you know, the thicker the jewelry is, the more weight it carries and thus the more stress it puts on the piercing during the healing period. Also, the thicker the jewelry, the more tissue that needs to be produced, and therefore the longer the healing period. Though in most cases an 18-gauge piercing will heal out in about the same time as a 12-gauge piercing will.
When choosing the gauge of the jewelry, the jewelry needs to be thick enough to reduce rejection or migration and have resistance to tearing, but light enough that it will not cause added stress during healing. Due to the location of the piercing, there are additional concerns of rejection or migration. With a Frenum piercing, the concerns are more focused on comfort and avoiding tearing of the piercing. For this reason, larger-gauge jewelry is usually the better choice. Not only for healing, but after healing, thicker jewelry is not only going to feel better when pressure is applied, but is also a great deal less likely to tear. In my experience, 12g or larger feels much more comfortable than thinner jewelry in the long run.
Due to the fragile tissue in the area, I suggest using a gauge of 12 to 10. Not only because they will be resistant to tearing and migration, but they are also not heavy enough to cause other problems.
- Width:
When sizing jewelry, I will ask the client if they are a "grower" or a "shower". If they say they are a "grower". I will add additional length just in case. The jewelry needs to be large enough not only to allow extra room for swelling, discharge and cleaning but when the penis becomes erect. The jewelry should be at least 1/8 of an inch wider than the distance between the two piercing holes. The piercing should not be wider than a 1/4 turn of the ring. This comes into play when choosing a jewelry style because a ring would need to be the same size as a barbell, which can be very comfortable during sex. For example, if the piercee's anatomy is suited to a piercing that is 1/2 inch of tissue than it would take a ring that is at least 5/8 of an inch wide which is going to take up a lot more room and put a great deal more stress on the piercing during sexual activity than a barbell that sits close to the piercing area.
Often, the jewelry will need to be replaced with a shorter post. This is referred to as "downsizing," and depending on your anatomy and the jewelry used, it may be advised to downsize in about 6 to 8 weeks. This would be especially the case if the jewelry appears to be moving or sliding through the piercing excessively, or if the jewelry is getting snagged or caught frequently on clothing and bedding.
Even in a healed piercing, you do not want to put jewelry in that doesn't allow for the space needed for an erection. When sizing replacement jewelry, I suggest getting erect and then measuring the distance between the two piercing holes, rounding up to the next 1/16th or 1/8th of an inch. The jewelry should always be loose-fitting and not too tight, as this can cause discomfort or deform the piercing area.
In conclusion, nothing replaces the first-hand knowledge of a professional piercer when it comes to choosing the correct jewelry. There are vast differences in shape and size, and often, what works for 99.99% of the public is not the best choice for you. The goal of this is to provide you with a working understanding of jewelry selection, so that you can have an informed discussion with your piercer about what will work best. Every piercer understands that one of the motivations of getting the piercing is fashion, but jewelry that will produce the best outcome should always rule out fashion. Think of the jewelry used for the piercing as temporary, or trainer jewelry, that will be replaced with your preferred choice once the piercing is healed.
