Sex has the potential to fulfill your wildest dreams and fantasies. When imagining kinky sex most people think of rough sex. The mind starts racing with possibilities. You may even get to live out so many of these scenarios created in your mind. But reality can have a way of creeping in to any fantasy, especially fantasies including rough sex.

Possible injuries during kinky or rough sex often gets forgotten or ignored. Until you’re in that moment where you or your partner(s) are mildly or seriously hurt. If you’re not mentally prepared for the possible risks you may find yourself feeling awkward and unsure how to proceed.

But with some forethought and proper education about sex related injuries, this seemingly awful situation can turn into a hopefully laughable moment that your partner(s) and yourself can learn from and move on from without shame or embarrassment.

Vaginal Tearing

Vaginal tearing is an injury that is primarily associated with childbirth, for good reason. But it’s also a fairly common sex related injury. It typically occurs when the vagina is not properly lubricated. General ways to prevent this would be to use enough foreplay, use lubrication, and go slow.

This may be a tad laughable to some kinky people, because for some people half the fun is not using lube and going in fast and rough. People engaging in this kind of rough sex can feel like they just have to deal with vaginal tearing, and that may be true. If that is the case it’s important to understand when it’s mild and when it’s severe.

According to Dr. Kate if there’s been a tear or cut and the bleeding won’t stop, you need to get seen by a medical professional as soon as you can. It could be more than a superficial cut. If the bleeding stops in a reasonable amount of time and the pain is uncomfortable but bearable, it’s likely a surface cut. The vagina is basically a magic machine, because it can self heal really well. The most common advice is to leave it alone. Don’t put anything in it or on it while it heals, including fingers, dildos, and penises.

It’s really important to talk to the people you’re engaging in sex with about this type of injury. There’s seems to be this societal belief that it’s embarrassing to tell someone that your vagina has a cut or a tear. But it shouldn’t be. It happens and it’s fairly common. You have to be able to talk about it so that everyone involved can adjust in a way that makes everyone comfortable and okay with the situation. Having open and honest communication deepens trust and intimacy.

Bruising

Bruises are very common within the realm of kinky sex. Whether it be bruises from spanking or bruises acquired during a rough sexual interaction,  they usually heal quickly and need very little intervention. Be sure to check if the skin has broken down at all, in that case keep the area very clean and limit exposure to possible infection. When in doubt, seek medical care.

If the bruising has not broken the skin, ice the area on and off for the first couple days then you can switch to heat. Tylenol can help with any pain. Extremely painful bruising on the inner thighs or vaginal canal will need to heal before you engage in play or penetration in that area.

If you want your bruise to heal quicker there are several over-the-counter creams you can purchase to help the color fade quicker. Seek medical treatment if your bruises don’t fade or cause extreme pain. If you have bruising that can’t be explained by the play you engaged, in it’s probably a good idea to seek medical treatment.

Biting and Bite Marks

For many people, biting is very erotic. But you definitely want to know certain information before allowing yourself to be bitten or bite others. It’s important to have a good understanding of your partner’s health before they bite you. The mouth houses a lot of germs. When you engage in biting you increase your risk of allowing germs into your body.

If broken skin occurs, keep the wound clean and watch for infection. Seek a medical attention right away if any signs of infection appear or the bite does not stop bleeding. Human bites generally take 7-10 days to fully heal. If you have a bite that just isn’t healing it may be worth a trip to the doctor to get it checked out.

Sex should be amazing, fun, and everything you want it to be. Continuing to educate yourself on potential hazards is vital when engaging in any activity that may cause harm. Equally important is the conversation surrounding these potential risks. You need to be sure that all parties involved understand the risks and are equipped to handle them when they arise. Injuries from sex shouldn’t be embarrassing or something you feel you have to hide. Communication is key especially when it comes to sexual health.