Frenum piercing

It is almost always pierced through the frenum that connects the head of the penis to the shaft. The frenulum is partially or entirely cut away in most forms of circumcision. ==Healing==

Frenum piercings generally require from two to five weeks to heal fully. Depending on the placement it may be a surface piercing, but due to both the vascular, fast healing nature of the penis, and loose nature of the skin in that area, frenum piercings rarely reject if pierced properly, although they may migrate. Those wishing to stretch this piercing to accommodate larger gauge jewelry should wait until at least two weeks after the initial piercing has fully healed. It is common for a frenum piercing to start to close soon after the jewelry has been removed. A fairly recent piercing may start to close in less than an hour. Temporary removal and replacement (for example, to accommodate a partner who finds it uncomfortable) may mean reinserting with a smaller gauge and then re-stretching to get back to the original, larger gauge. This tendency for the piercing to close up will diminish over time. ==Jewelry==

Both barbells and rings can be worn in frenum piercings, both as initial jewellery and on an ongoing basis. Sometimes, when rings are worn, the diameter of the ring is specifically chosen so that the ring can be worn encircling the penis. A wide variety of chastity devices make use of frenum piercings to secure themselves to the penis, as part of fetish or BDSM activities. {{Gallery |title=Frenum piercings of various types |width=160 | height=170 |align=center |footer= ==History and culture==

The earliest literary reference to frenum piercings occurs in 1884 in Zeitschrift für Ethnologie which states: "Amongst the Timorese of Indonesia, the Frenulum beneath the glans penis is pierced with brass rings...the function of the ring is to enhance stimulation during sex." Anecdotal piercing lore associates this piercing (along with many other male genital piercings) with various chastity devices that have been used throughout history, although there is little hard data to back up this claim. In contemporary society, frenum piercings were primarily found amongst the members of gay BDSM subcultures, until body piercing became re-introduced to mainstream society in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Frenum piercings are often intended to provide sexual pleasure to both the bearer and the person they are having sexual intercourse with. They may also be used to attach chastity devices to the bearer, denying them sexual pleasure. Orbital frenum A less common variation of the frenum piercing is the orbital frenum, in which a single continuous ring passes through two parallel piercings placed in the skin between the glans and the shaft of the penis. Unlike separate straight barbells or individual rings inserted into each piercing channel, this configuration uses one closed piece of jewelry that links both entry points. Due to the elasticity of the mucosal tissue in the frenulum area and the close proximity of the two piercings, the ring typically moves in alignment with the natural motion of the tissue. This can reduce external friction and rubbing compared with more voluminous jewelry, such as barbells with end beads or open rings. The continuous structure of the ring also limits independent movement of each piercing, which may result in a more uniform sensation for some wearers during daily activity or sexual intercourse. The orbital frenum is relatively uncommon, as it requires two carefully aligned piercings to avoid asymmetric tension during healing. While it can provide ergonomic advantages, an accidental pull or snag will apply force to both piercings simultaneously, increasing the risk of irritation or tearing compared with independent pieces of jewelry. ==Frenum ladder==

A frenum ladder, also known as a '''Jacob's ladder''', consists of a series of frenum piercings often extending from below the head of the penis and as far as the base of the shaft of the penis. Sometimes, a frenum ladder will be accompanied by a hafada ladder and/or a guiche ladder. Due to the relatively easy healing of these piercings it is not uncommon for several, or even all of them to be performed at the same time. Less common is a lorum ladder which consists of a series of lorum piercings. ==See also==