Figging

This is something a friend of mine and her current boyfriend got into recently. I wanted to find out more about Ginger Root Figging, it's pro's and con's, natural affects, and possible side-affects. So what does Garnet have to say about it?

This is probably the most exciting question I have received since starting my blog. I'd never heard of figging before I received the email containing this question and I love learning new things. I've spent a lot of free time doing research on this question in order to give a thorough answer.

For those of you who don't know, and I'm going to assume that is most of you, figging involves penetrating the anus with a piece of ginger. Basically you get a big piece of ginger, often called a hand, from the store (it may be difficult to find a good size at a supermarket so it may be necessary to go to a produce market, asian market, or health food store); you cut off a "finger" of the ginger, making sure to cut into the base of the hand to get more length; peel off the skin, making sure to smooth all of the bumps down; shape the finger into a butt plug with a concave ring for retention; and rinse the ginger with water. It is now ready for insertion into the anus. Lube is not necessary, in fact it will mute the properties of the ginger that one is seeking. The water from rinsing the ginger should make it slippery enough. The receiver will not feel the effects of the ginger right away, but after a minute or two it should start to tingle and then burn/sting. It can get pretty painful and will hurt even more if one clenches their buttocks. This is why it is really only practiced in the BDSM community.

So what do I think about this? Personally, I don't like much pain so this would be horrible for me. However, this isn't about me. I'm all for people doing whatever they want as long as they're not hurting anyone without their consent.

That said, I also don't advocate inserting objects into holes where they're not meant to go. This goes doubly for the anus. Think of your rectum as a vacuum that can suck up anything that does not have a flared base. It is true that you can carve a flared base into the ginger, but it is pretty easy to break. To do research on this I actually picked up a piece of ginger and carved it into a butt plug just to see how easy it was to break. It snapped right away with hardly any force. And lets face it you don't want to end up in the ER. I talked to a med student about the risks involved with sticking foreign objects in one's bum and this is what she had to say, "In my opinion, it's generally a bad idea to put things up one's rectum that weren't made for that purpose--but this is only because I've seen the box of things that the surgeons have pulled out of butts. (Some of these have had bad outcomes--colostomies, resection of bowel, etc. So I personally would not recommend it.) I suppose that, as with insertion of any foreign object, there is always the danger of infection or abscess formation, if there are cuts or abrasions in the rectal wall; or of colon perforation." That sure doesn't sound pleasant.

Another possible problem is how one may react to the ginger. There could be an allergic reaction to it specific to the anus or it could just be unbearably painful. The anus is an extremely sensitive and delicate area of the body. If you are going to play with ginger I would highly recommend trying it on your genitals first. This will allow you to see just how much the ginger burns and if you think you'll be able to take it in your anus. For research sake, and because my girlfriend is such a trooper, I cut a slice of the ginger root and placed it on her clit, held in by her labia majora. As was expected, she didn't feel anything at first, but after a couple minutes it started to tingle. She enjoyed the tingling, but then it became unbearably burny and she had to remove it and wash off the remnants. My girlfriend has a high tolerance for pain and enjoys a little now and again, but the ginger was too much for her. This would be great for those in the BDSM community who enjoy these sensations, but I highly recommend against it for those who are not really into pain. She obviously does not want ginger anywhere near her ass.

If you enjoy the ginger on your penis or clit, I recommend placing the ginger against your anus without actually penetrating it. Place it there for a few minutes and see if you enjoy that as well. If you do enjoy it and don't mind the risk of putting foreign objects in your ass then give it a try, but be extremely careful.

I would actually recommend handling the ginger with your hands and then inserting a finger into yours or your partner's anus. This way you can get at least some of the sting without so much of the risk. Another possibility is to soak the ginger root in lube and to use the lube on a butt plug. I'm not sure if either of these would be as effective as the actual ginger root, but they would be safer.

As with any type of play that involves pain, bondage, and/or domination and submission make sure that you can trust your partner. Do NOT play with someone you don't trust completely. Also make up safewords and discuss what to do in hypothetical situations that may become uncomfortable, dangerous, or scary BEFORE you ever engage in such play. Communication is always important, but even more so when getting into this kind of play.