Inked & Pierced | Showing Commitment with a BDSM tattoo in a D/s Relationship

Tattoos and piercings are becoming less taboo these days. We asked MadameZ to share her thoughts on how you can combine your kink or D/s relationship with a unique BDSM tattoo or piercing….

Written on your body

Tattoos and piercings are more popular ever - some people even say we have reached ‘peak body modification’. A lot of the time, people get pierced or choose a tattoo design purely for the visual impact or aesthetic appeal. You can have something that commemorates an important time in your life or accentuates a particular part of your body or something that looks cool.

Body art is inherently sexy to many of us, and there’s a lovely erotica anthology called Inked which is published by SexyLittlePages. It deals with tattoos, sex and kink. But, for subs and doms, a BDSM tattoo can be more than just decoration.

Your own slave number as a BDSM tattoo. Image via: Commons.wikimedia.org

A BDSM tattoo or piercing for a slave

A website called The Slave Register was set up in 2000 and used a random number generator to issue unique registration numbers in the form of a readable barcode. Those who appreciate this sort of thing often get this particular number tattooed onto their slave. While some find this hot or deeply profound, others find it has uncomfortable connotations, and this style of play simply isn’t for them. After all, not every submissive like the word ‘slave’.

However, BDSM tattoo designs along the lines of ‘This dick belong to Mistress’ or ‘Property Of Master’ are also quite popular in Master and slave or D/s relationships. Other tattoo possibilities are those that reference kink more subtly, like the triskelion symbol, or an image of handcuffs.
 

Piercings have a relatively longstanding association with BDSM, as well – the kink classic The Story Of O features the heroine having her nipples pierced as part of her submission, and there is a scene involving pussy piercing in Pat Califia’s Macho Sluts. A fair few contemporary erotic novels contain references to erotic piercings. Perhaps these unique body piercings denote a commitment more profound than either a wedding ring or a permanent collar.

MORE LIKE THIS:

• Kink for Ink! Exploring Tattoo Fetish and Stigmatophilia
• Marking a Bond: Body Branding 101
• Should I Modify My Body for My Mistress?

Different types of piercings can have all sorts of interesting effects on sexual pleasure as the site of the piercing is likely to become more sensitive or, depending on where the piercing is, may stimulate your partner’s body in a different way. Rings or studs make for exciting feelings when a pierced dick penetrates you, for instance. Another example would be a tongue stud delivers different sensations during fellatio or cunnilingus than a non-pierced tongue.

Pointers before getting a BDSM tattoo

• If you want to have (or order your sub to have) a BDSM tattoo denoting ownership or otherwise confirming your D/s relationship, do think it through. It might be a hot fantasy to have OWNED FUCKPIG tattooed on a submissive’s forehead, but that’s not going to help the sub get or keep a job in any public-facing capacity.
   
• Tattoos can usually be removed, though it’s a slow process and some marks might remain. Piercings, on the other hand, can generally just be taken out and allowed to heal over though, again, there may still be a scar.
   
• If you’re contemplating your first bit of body art, ask around and get personal recommendations. If it’s a tattoo, look out for good ink on other people, in the style you are thinking about having, and ask them who did it. (Be prepared for them to say, oh, some artist I met when I was on holiday on the other side of the world, ten years ago.)
   
• In erotic fiction, it’s quite common for the dominant partner to have a pet tattooist or piercer who will simply pop round and do the job in the dungeon, sometimes even mid-scene. This may not be all that feasible in real life, for insurance, health or safety reasons.  Though I do remember a fetish wedding ceremony where someone’s wedding ring was placed somewhere that wasn’t the ring finger. A local piercer had been booked to attend and install this symbol of the marriage.
   
• Don’t ignore the aftercare advice your piercer or tattooist gives you! Even if you think it’s going to interfere with the specific kinky elements, you and your partner fantasised about when you first discussed having the body modification done. There’s nothing sexy about a raging infection in a newly-decorated erogenous zone.

A BDSM tattoo or piercing can be beautiful, sexy and significant reminders of your BDSM status and commitment. They are, however, supposed to be permanent so it’s essential to be sure that this is what you want to do, and that the relationship is likely to last a while.

Also, even if you are a submissive, YOUR BODY BELONGS TO YOU! You don’t have to agree to a BDSM tattoo or a piercing if you don’t want to. If your shared desires involve obvious, or humiliating tattooing, it’s probably a better idea to role play out the fantasy with the aid of a marker pen, at least the first couple of times.

Madame Z is a veteran pervert, writer of erotica, top/dominant, fond of rope, impact play and experimentation.

Got a BDSM tattoo or piercing story to share? We want to hear all about the pierced, the inked and the scarred! Slide over to the forum and let everyone know!

Cover image: via Bigstock.com