Pearling refers to the practice of permanently inserting small beads made of various materials beneath the skin of the shaft of the penis. This supposedly enhances the sexual pleasure of female partners.
The practice seems to have been fairly common across world cultures; pearling is still done today and is seen as a form of body modification. In the west pearling is sometimes done by body piercers, and sometimes by people (who are rarely qualified doctors and often very publicity-shy, for fear of legal repercussions) who specialize in surgical body modification.
The procedure is quite simple and appears to be relatively safe, though as with any surgical procedure there is the risk of infection, rejection, and other undesirable side effects, and even, in rare cases, death (though no case of death attributable to pearling has been reported).
A series of small incisions is made in the skin of the shaft of the penis, and small beads, often of plastic, are inserted. The skin is then closed and the shaft is bound to promote healing.
The beads "float" under the skin of the shaft and are supposed to provide additional stimulation for female partners during penile-vaginal intercourse.
See also
