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At the bottom of the inner folds of the vulva is the fourchette. This is where the labia minora meet. Below the fourchette is the perineum. This is also part of the vulva. The perineum ends at the anus. The anus is where stool leaves the body.
- Overview
- Are there sexual benefits?
- Can anyone get one?
- What types of jewelry are used?
- What are my options for metals?
- How much does it cost?
- How is this piercing done?
- Will it hurt?
- Are there any risks involved?
- What’s the healing time like?
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A fourchette piercing is done at the rear entrance of the vagina, near the perineum. The fourchette, which means “little fork” in French, is the small flap of skin that joins the labia minor — or inner lips — together.
Once the jewelry’s in place, a fourchette piercing looks like it sits just under the opening of the vagina.
For your benefit
Anyone with a genital piercing will tell you that it’s boosted their confidence, which in turn boosts pleasure. And there’s science to back this. Research shows that genital self-image is tied to sexual functioning, and people who are happy with the way their genitals look have an easier time getting aroused and achieving orgasm. As far as the feels go, people who have a fourchette piercing describe feeling unique and pleasurable sensations from it during sexual and nonsexual activities.
For your partner’s benefit
The effects of a fourchette piercing on your partner aren’t really direct, but that doesn’t stop them from deriving pleasure from it. Just the aesthetic of a fourchette piercing — or any genital piercing for that matter — can be enough to provoke some serious arousal in some partners. Combine this with your heightened sexual confidence, and a boost in pleasure for both is almost a given. Your partner may also find pleasure in feeling the piercing during penetrative vaginal sex or oral sex.
Alas, no.
People who’ve had an episiotomy during childbirth aren’t candidates for the fourchette because of the scarring in the area.
This aside, the fourchette piercing is actually pretty rare because few people have enough tissue to pierce safely.
To be a good candidate for it, the lip of skin needs to be well defined and large enough to leave as much distance between the edge of the tissue and the piercing as possible.
According to the Piercing Bible, that requires around 3/8 of an inch of natural elevation.
To find out if you’re a good candidate for it, reach down and see if you’re able to (gently) pinch the skin. If there isn’t enough to pinch, the piercing probably won’t be a good fit.
Jewelry for a fourchette piercing needs to be thick enough to prevent injuring the skin, which is especially fine and prone to tearing.
A curved bar or a ring is what’s usually recommended.
The Association of Professional Piercers (APP) recommends using jewelry made of solid 14-karat gold or higher or implant-grade metals with ASTM International or International Organization for Standardization (ISO) approval.
Here’s a closer look at the recommended options:
•Solid 14-karat gold or higher. It can be pricey, but gold is safe for most people and fairly versatile since you can choose from white, yellow, or rose gold. Just be sure the jewelry is solid gold and not gold-plated, which can flake and expose you to other metals underneath, including nickel.
•Stainless steel. This is the most commonly used metal, especially for initial piercings because it’s inexpensive and is safe for most unless you have a severe nickel allergy. This is because it contains some nickel, but it has a low rate of release. Choose stainless steel pieces that are ASTM-F138 or ISO-5832-1 compliant.
On average, female genital piercings cost between $50 and $100 for the service alone.
Fourchette piercings aren’t common and require a skilled and highly trained piercer, who usually costs more than someone with less experience.
The studio and your location can also impact cost.
Other potential expenses to keep in mind are:
•Jewelry. Jewelry isn’t usually included and can cost an extra $20 to $60, depending on the material and style you choose.
•Evaluation fee. A reputable piercer will want to perform an evaluation to make sure you have enough tissue for the piercing. Some piercers charge an extra fee for this on top of the service.
Once you’ve filled out some paperwork and signed a waiver, you’ll be taken to a private room where you’ll undress from the waist down.
If you haven’t already had an evaluation, your piercer will perform one to see if you have enough tissue to accommodate a fourchette piercing and the jewelry you want to use.
To do this piercing, your piercer will:
1.disinfect the area with a surgical-grade scrub
2.use forceps or a needle receiving tube to prepare the tissue for the needle
3.pierce a sterile needle through the marked spot and out the other
Yes, but only for a split second, and not as much as clit piercing.
The piercing isn’t nearly as intense as other piercings because the needle only passes through a very small amount of thin tissue.
Infection and migration are the two biggies to keep in mind with a fourchette piercing.
The placement of this piercing is in close proximity to the anus and, well, poop. This means that extra diligence is a must to help keep the piercing clean.
A fourchette piercing is also prone to migration, especially if your tissue isn’t well-suited for it. Migration or rejection of the piercing can cause your skin to split (ouch!) and cause scarring.
And then you’ve got the usual risks associated with any piercing:
•Bleeding. It’s no surprise that puncturing a hole in the skin will cause bleeding. This area doesn’t tend to bleed a lot, but it’s possible.
•Infection. All piercings carry a risk of infection, especially if proper hygiene and aftercare aren’t practiced. There’s also the risk of contracting blood-borne infections, like tetanus and HIV, if contaminated needles are used.
A fourchette piercing generally heals within 4 to 6 weeks.
The side of the range you fall to depends on your overall health and how well you look after the piercing.
A fourchette piercing is a genital piercing done at the rear entrance of the vagina, near the perineum. Learn about its appearance, benefits, eligibility, jewelry options, cost, procedure, pain, risks, healing time, and aftercare.
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A fourchette piercing is a female genital piercing. It is a piercing done at the rear rim of the vulva, in the area of frenulum of labia minora. Many women do not have a pinchable flap of skin in the area, and are not suited for this piercing. Otherwise, placement and piercing tends to be relatively easy.
Oct 10, 2022 · Learn about the external female genitalia, also known as the vulva, and its components, such as the clitoris, labia, vestibule, hymen and more. Find out their functions, blood supply, innervation and clinical relevance.
- Alice Ferng
- Medical Content
At the bottom of the inner folds of the vulva is the fourchette. This is where the labia minora meet. Below the fourchette is the perineum. This is also part of the vulva. The perineum ends at the anus. The anus is where stool leaves the body.
The frenulum of labia minora (fourchette or posterior commissure of the labia minora) is a frenulum where the labia minora meet posteriorly. Pathology [ edit ] The fourchette may be torn during delivery due to the sudden stretching of the vulval orifice, or during copulation.
The fourchette is a female genital piercing placed where the inner labia meet at the bottom of the vaginal opening. Fourchette piercings tend to heal quickly.
