Blood play is an umbrella term for any erotic or sexual activity involving blood. Blood play typically involves self-harm or damaging a partner’s body to spill blood.
People may draw blood using razor blades, knives, needles or biting. Blood play may also involve smearing blood across the skin. Some participants drink or lick blood they have extracted from their partners.
However, blood play doesn’t always involve harming oneself or someone else. Enjoying foreplay and intercourse while a partner is menstruating can be a part of blood play. Some couples also use fake blood or blood-like substances, such as ketchup or wine, for blood play.
Individuals who participate in blood play often find the sight, taste, texture, and smell of blood erotic and sensual. Some may also find the pain of extracting blood sexually stimulating.
People interested in blood play often have a blood fetish, or hematolagnia. They may also have an interest in other forms of edgeplay, including knife play.
An interest in blood play may also go hand in hand with an interest in medical play or surgical play for some people. These people typically enjoy blood play with scalpels and other medical tools.
Many blood fetishists also state that blood play helps forge and strengthen their bonds with their partners.
More About Blood Play
For some people interested in blood play, simply playing with blood in a sexual context is erotic. Others feel aroused by blood around certain parts of the body, such as the genitals or the breasts.
Drawing blood from another person can be a form of erotic domination. Similarly, for receiving partners, handing another person the control and trusting them with their bodies and even their lives can be thrilling.
Many people also enjoy watching their skin give way as it’s cut open. An interest in blood play can be very primal and primitive, taking participants back to their most basic selves.
While blood play can be sexually stimulating, participants should always remember that it can be very dangerous. Of course, for many people this element of danger makes it even more arousing. However, the potential for harm should never be too far away from participants’ minds.
A deep cut into a major blood vessel, for instance, can be very serious or even deadly. Less serious consequences include pain, infection and scarring. Blood also carries dangerous pathogens, particularly HIV and the hepatitis virus. Getting tested for these diseases is another way to protect yourself and your partner during blood play.
To minimize the risks associated with blood play, any tools should be completely sterilized with alcohol before use. After blood play they should be thrown away, resterilized with alcohol, or autoclaved.
Those who choose to engage in blood play should also learn how to extract blood safely, to avoid hitting vital blood vessels or arteries. They should also only practice blood play with partners they know well and trust.
If you are interested in blood play but deterred by these safety concerns, playing with blood-like substances or exploring period sex are some good ways to test the waters. These activities do not carry the risks above.
It is also important to remember that while people are less fertile while menstruating, there is still some risk of pregnancy during period sex as sperm can live inside the body for days. Condoms can help prevent unwanted pregnancy during period sex. They are also vital for preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
