Many of us will have heard of a Prince Albert (or simply a PA), and some of us may have even had sex with someone who has one. If you’ve ever been curious about getting one yourself – or any other type of genital piercing – you’ll no doubt have a lot of questions about the process.

We spoke to a community member who very generously shared their experience with us, and we can now share this information with the world!

Thanks so much for telling us about your experience! So, an easy question first - what made you decide to get a PA, and what was the decision-making process like?

I debated it for a long while –I always loved the look and feel of them when playing with others, particularly at larger gauges, and had wanted one for myself for around 2-3 years before committing. Some of the things I considered were:

• How would it affect my own pleasure and ability to have the sex I want?
• Would I be comfortable if it limited/impacted who I have sex with?
• What are the risks in terms of long-term damage?
• Would this make me feel more affirmed as a person?

In the end, I decided to go through with it largely because of the last question! It aligned how I was presenting myself with an evolving idea of the kind of sex and experiences I wanted to prioritize going forward. It was also a conscious decision to start putting my own needs and desires first rather than let them fall by the wayside, which I found I often did. So, it was as much a symbolic decision as one that I found physically hot.

You mentioned different sized gauges – tell me more about that.

Well, at the moment I have an 8g, or gauge, PA that I’ll be sizing up to 6g in the next fortnight. With a bit of consideration for my size and the kind of sex I enjoy, my goal for now is a 2g, but could always keep going in future depending on how things are feeling. Gauges are just a stand-in for the thickness of the jewellery – 8g is 3.0mm, 6g is 4.0mm, and so on.

What was the actual process itself like?

I have an ongoing relationship with my piercer and had both nipples done through her, alongside sizing up my septum, which really helped as I knew I’d be comfortable – we’d talked about it at a previous session and she’d done the piercing for multiple friends who had positive experiences.

This also mean that I didn’t have any reservations around being so exposed for the procedure itself; it was a strictly professional experience, and the existing relationship made me comfortable.

I had an initial booking and conversation around sizing, then a separate consultation/piercing session. A friend came with me as he was free on the day and knew her, which was useful for not having to walk home afterwards with a fresh/tender piercing! Whether they’re allowed in will depend on your piercer’s policies, but most are fine with one person attending.

When you get it done, there’s a very brief flash of relatively high pain, but it dulls extremely quickly – I’d say around a 7/10. The nipples were more painful as there’s more tissue to pass through and pressure applied. One thing to be aware of, though, is that they pass a receiving tube down your urethra to “catch” the needle as it passes through which can feel uncomfortable – if you’ve ever done sounding before, it’s essentially that. Otherwise, it was a really comfortable experience being talked through each of the steps and ensuring that the placement is correct.

How much did the piercing cost?

Well, you need to pay for both the piercing fee and the jewellery. Prices can vary a lot depending on the piercer – you could expect to pay anywhere between $80 and $160. I paid $100; $25 for the piercing, and $75 for the jewellery. I went with medical-grade titanium, which is slightly more expensive.

Did the process match your expectations?

Yup! I’d researched what to expect beforehand and it was exactly as described. If anything, it was simpler and done faster than I anticipated.

What was the healing process like?

The healing process took around two to three months, with the most difficult and painful part of that being the first two weeks. There was some minimal bleeding for the first 4 days; I wore a pad in my underwear for around a week just in case, and this worked well. I didn’t have any issues with infection but was pretty diligent in cleaning it throughout the day and doing one or two saltwater soaks daily to help with keeping things clean.

Pissing for the first two-ish weeks was definitely the most painful part of the experience, but you adjust to it once you know what to expect – the first of the day was always rough but doing it in the shower or submerged into a container of water significantly reduces it if it’s too painful for you.

I was able to return to wanking (gently) around one and a half weeks after getting it done without any significant issues, but I’d recommend waiting a little longer than that in hindsight. I avoided any kind of penetrative sex for at minimum the first six weeks to reduce the risk of infection, but would recommend using barriers and good lube if you’re unable to hold off that long.

What is your cleaning regimen like?

Nothing too significant to be honest – I just shower and give it a good wash with soap (preferably anti-bacterial) every day while making sure to rotate it to ensure the whole thing gets cleaned. I haven’t had any problems with staining or crustiness etc.

How often do you wear it when engaging in sex / sexual activity?

All the time – unless there’s an explicit reason, I’d prefer not to remove it and won’t hookup with somebody (or just do different sex acts) if they have a problem with it.

How does it impact sex / sexual activity?

Mine’s at a small enough gauge that it doesn’t affect things too much, particularly when fucking, though it’s slightly changed the way I initially slide in; now, I make sure that it’s facing straight on and “leads” when I insert.

When getting blown, having a PA does limit you somewhat in how rough you can be out of concern over chipping a tooth, but the majority of folks adjust to it really quickly even if they haven’t played with someone pierced before.

Any feedback (positive or negative) from your sexual partners?

90% of feedback about it has been positive! I’ve experienced a lot of really curious folks who’ve considered it themselves and have even convinced a few friends who were on the fence about it.

Any regrets / things you wish you’d done differently?

My only regret is not starting at a 6g – it’s not really a significant problem, but it would be one step closer to my goal size and means spending a little less in the long run.

Will you get any more, and if so, what/where?

Yes, I’ve considered getting a few more – either a couple of scrotal/hafada rings near the base of the shaft, 2-3 guiches, and/or a frenum (underside of the shaft) bar are all on the potential radar for me.