"There is a small fetish crowd that used to be very prevalent in the '80s when it came to body piercing and really brought it out in the gay and lesbian scene," says Sage Werbock, of family-owned Warrior. "I hardly ever see that anymore."

Erotic piercings like these aren't usually done on a whim, says Warrior piercer Shona Bradley. Unlike a gaggle of 20-yearolds who all decide to get their eyebrows, tongues or bel Iy buttons pierced on a sunny afternoon, "the more intimate piercings are more planned out," she says. "It's never like, 'Oh, I think I'm going to go get my penis pierced right now.'"

Werbock explains that the vertical hood, the flap of skin that covers the dit, is the most popular sensual piercingfor women and with good reason: "When the piercing is done properly, the ring is in constant contact with the clitoris," Werbock explains then adds with a smile, "and that just makes everybody's day."

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