Play Piercing | The Appeal of Breaking Skin

Play piercing or needle play is a BDSM practice not for the faint-hearted, so we asked writer Stella Harris to share her personal experiences of needle play and why it has such a powerful appeal.

For most people, when they enter the BDSM and kink scene, they look around and say, “I’m never doing that." For me, what was off-limits was play piercing. Or, more broadly, anything that would break the skin. And, like most people, within months I was rethinking my limits.

There was a big kink and BDSM event - with education and “tastings” during the day and a party at night. The tastings allowed people to try out different sensations in a safe and controlled environment and see what they’d enjoy. I went from station to station, trying out all manner of BDSM activities including electricity, caning, whipping, and more, before coming upon the person doing play piercing. If it hadn’t been someone I knew, I might have kept walking. But the needle top was a BDSM friend of mine, and she waved me over. Tentatively, I approached.

Welcome to the play piercing area

My friend was set up in a medical play area; having her bottoms lay back in a gyno style exam chair, under a bright light, with her tools on a metal tray nearby. The whole BDSM scenario was designed to elicit Doctor’s office jitters, and it did just that. She patted the seat and I hopped up and watched apprehensively as she snapped on fresh latex gloves.

We negotiated, she disinfected my skin, and the next thing I knew needles were pushing into my skin. It hurt, of course. I’ve been tattooed, I’ve given ***, but this was different. The needles went in more slowly and deliberately. They popped into the skin, traveled for about half an inch, and popped out again.

Needle play and endorphin buttons

In two spots on my chest, she made an X with the needles; creating what is called ‘endorphin buttons.’ They get the name because when you press on the spot where the needles cross, you get a rush of endorphins as your body tries to cope with the intrusive ***.

Play piercing causes an intense sensation, and as such, they can be a shortcut to where you’d be after 30 minutes to an hour of other BDSM play, like spanking, caning, or whipping. For me, it was too much. I broke out into a sweat and thought I was going to faint.

Not only are needles intense, but they’re an up close and personal form of play. For some there is a ritual or spiritual element to needle play. Max of bondagelessons.com is one of those people. He saves needle play for partners he’s bonded to, and not because of the ***, but because of the intensity of energy and connection.

Play piercing out on the town. image: istolethetv via Flickr released via CC BY 2.0 license.

For The Infamous CoatCheck Girl needle play is both a form of *** play and another form of penetration. “Taking needles from my Sir is a deeply intimate form of service and submission. Additionally, combined with hypnosis and energy work, it becomes a very erotic form of play-- an endorphin button on my chest can easily become a direct link to my clit and my orgasms.”

For Megan Jennifer, needles are also an intense and personal form of play. "I use needle play specifically to work through immense grief. Nothing offers me the same cathartic release as needles piercing right through the layers of sadness I carry in my chest."

Play piercing as "a near-religious experience"

Some people use more intense forms of needle play as a near-religious experience. Miss Spooky performs as a human pincushion to see how far she can push her body. She has used hours of meditation to control her body’s *** response and now can stick a six-inch spike through both of her cheeks as well as pierce most places on her body.

Play piercing gets to the heart of one of the compelling reasons people engage in kink and BDSM. It allows people to push through the perceived limits of their body and to find strength and catharsis. Along the way, people find a deep connection with the play piercing partners that help them reach these highs and lows and ultimately that connection.

Stella Harris is a writer, BDSM educator, and sex & intimacy coach. Through her writing and teaching she explores the complex world of love and lust and helps people explore their desires safely and free of shame.

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