The pubic piercing is a male genital surface piercing. It is located on the top side of the base of the penis, where the shaft meets the torso. Its function is more for the pleasure of the partner than the wearer, as it is intended to hit the clitoris during face-to-face heterosexual sex.

Placement for pubic piercings vary. They can placed anywhere from on top of the shaft (like a topside frenum piercing, done with a barbell) to slightly back from the base, above the “fold” and in the fattier tissue of the torso (often done with a surface bar). However, the ideal location for this piercing is difficult to determine, as the spot that will be most stimulating for the partner is also the one where the piercing is subjected to the most pressure—and healing is the worst.

Since it is essentially a surface piercing, the healing of a pubic piercing can be prolonged and unpredictable. Likewise, the chance of long-term success is usually not good as this piercing has a tendency to migrate—and, in some cases, “grow out”—over time. It’s not an easy one to heal, and definitely a tough one to keep long term.