Pearling is the decoration with pearl beads or genital beading. The decoration with beads on the genitals is a form of body modification.
The practice involves inserting small beads made from various materials permanently under the skin of the genitals, or lips, or the shaft or foreskin of the penis. Similar to aesthetic practices, it is generally intended to enhance the sexual pleasure of partners during vaginal or anal intercourse.
Pearling Procedure
There are generally 2 steps. The first step is similar to piercing the frenum, and the other method is similar to inserting a subdermal implant, requiring medical knowledge and additional special tools. Both procedures are relatively safe, with risks and care similar to subdermal implants in other parts of the body.
Although, as with many genital piercings, adequate blood circulation to the genitals can significantly reduce healing time. Inflammation is very common during and after treatment, although careful care can reduce this. Although rare, complications may occur.
Materials Used in the Past
In the past, materials such as dental implants, Teflon, silicone, surgical steel, or titanium were commonly used. Before modern materials, pearls have a long history of use in this implantation, hence the name Pearling. There are other forms of these implants, where short curved “ribs” are inserted instead of pearls.
The exact origin of pearls is unknown, but early Chinese documents indicate that pearls were imported from Southeast Asia no later than the early 1400s. Historical documents refer to an inserted part called “Mianling,” which literally translates to Burmese bell.
In the Philippines researchers found these in various forms from the Visayas to southern Luzon in the Visayas (Note: Visayas is one of the three main island groups of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao, consisting of several islands surrounded by the Visayan Sea, but these islands are also classified in the northeastern area of the Sulu Sea)
Pins made of gold, ivory, or brass were inserted into boys through the glans penis, according to research by William Henry Scott, a famous historian of pre-colonial Philippines. As the boys grew, these pins were decorated and later attached with spiked rings to stimulate their partners.
Pearling, called ‘bolitas,’ became common among Filipino sailors, especially older men. Journalist Ryan Jacobs wrote in The Atlantic in 2013 that sailors used bolitas to distinguish themselves from foreign sailors, particularly to flaunt favor from prostitutes.
In Barangay an ethnographic study of 16th-century Philippines, Scott wrote, “These ornaments must be transferred by the women themselves to be inserted and cannot be removed until the penis is fully relaxed.” Scott added that there are more than 30 different types to “meet the needs of women.”
In Japan the historical use of pearls is well known in connection with the Japanese Yakuza crime groups, whose members have undergone various prominent body modifications including large Irezumi tattoos and Yubitsume (finger joint amputation) as penance to their superiors. The Yakuza performed pearling in prison, with each pearl symbolizing a year of incarceration.
For more information, see Dr. Armando Alvarez, a global expert. This practice originates from pre-colonial Philippines, using various tools such as Tudruck (Penis-pin) and Sakra (Penis-ring), often made of gold or ivory, inserted into the penises of young men. Antonio Pigafetta, an Italian historian who documented Ferdinand Magellan’s circumnavigation, wrote about this practice in his personal journal:
“Both young and adult men pierce their penises with gold or tin rods the size of a quill pen, with both ends of the same screw. Some resemble spikes with points at the ends, others like thumbtacks. I often asked many, both young and old, to see their penises because I could not believe it.”
“The middle of the screw is a hole through which they urinate. The bolts and spikes are always firmly fixed. They say women desire this, and if done otherwise, they will not communicate with them. When men want to have sex with women, they take time because their penises are unusual but are gradually introduced and stimulated before inserting into her vagina. Once inside, the penis stands erect and cannot be withdrawn until it softens.”
Regardless of the historical accounts, today it is increasingly accepted by both women and men, both in Thailand and abroad. Everyone’s pleasure is different and unique. Modern medicine has made it much safer, and there are many types of pearls to choose from. For those interested in pearling, Dr. Beer can provide it according to anatomical principles, ensuring climax and no pain.
