On The Sheets Today

Skin Scratchers – The latest in our sex tips series.  Short suggestions to help you get the most out of the time on your sheets.

What Are They?

BDSM and sensation play offer up a wide variety of ways for play mates to enjoy each other’s bodies. One of the easiest and most accessible ways (outside of binding and blindfolding) is skin scratchers.

Skin scratchers are any objects meant to stimulate the body by providing a scratching sensation.

These scratches can either be very gentle (akin to grazing a fork over bare skin) or biting and potentially wounding (like meeting a cat’s claws when you’ve stroked them one time too many).

The appeal of these skin scratchers is, naturally, sensation. The feeling of something grazing the skin – inviting potential damage, but never quite tipping over that threshold (unless you consent to it) – is deliciously powerful and thrilling. It can also be a wonderfully gentle and tender thing to trust someone with something that could potentially ‘harm’ you and to use it in a way that elicits nothing but pleasure.

There is also another element to skin scratchers: The way that they react with the body causes blood to rise to the surface of the skin. This makes it more sensitive to all additional activities, including kissing, stroking, and spanking (to name just a few examples).

Truly, the skin scratcher is a formidable tool in the bedroom.

Our ‘How To’ Advice

Skin scratchers come in many different shapes and sizes, so it’s important that you know what’s out there in order to decide what’s best for you.
Pinwheels are the most common skin scratcher. A medical roleplay device, pinwheels are a stainless steel object where tiny pins are lining a circular wheel which has a handle attached, allowing you to basically roll the wheels across a person’s body. They were originally used to check the body’s reaction skills and to check nerve sensitivity. Now they send the skin tingling for other reasons.
Dragon’s claws are another type of skin scratcher. These devices basically look like a form if the prongs were widened and given a nail-like edge. Dragon’s claws look particularly biting but can still be controlled to an extreme degree due to their handled use.
Whatever device you choose remember that these objects are meant to look intimidating but perform practically. A skin scratcher, if made for the adult industry, will not cause immediate and unwanted pain. These objects are built to begin with gentle sensations and how you build it up goes from there.
It’s important, however that you do go with skin scratchers that are made within the industry rather than trying to improvise.
Look for items that are made of medical grade quality and don’t skimp on the purchase. If these items are purchased and used effectively then they can be a great asset. If you cut corners then you risk damaging yourself or your play mate.

What Are The Key Benefits?

A different type of sensation.
Can leave marks (if you wish).
Varied levels of pain that are heavily user controlled.
Easy to purchase, store, and clean.
Makes the skin more sensitive for further play.

Some Extra Tips

Before using a skin scratcher on a playmate intimately always be sure to use it on yourself first.
Take your forearm as a tester point (specifically the inner section) and apply the skin scratcher there. Understand how it feels for you, begin to play with different motions and actions, and really come to grips with the pressure needed for different sensations. You should never use a skin scratcher on a partner if you’re not confident using it on yourself.
From there it’s encouraged that you do the same on your play mate before proper use. Introduce the skin scratcher gently at first, using their arm and seeing what they like. Remember, different people have different pain tolerances, so what was fine for you might be too much (or too little) for them.
Once you’re both well acquainted and reassured by your skin scratcher of choice it’s time to play.

Bringing In The Sheets

Skin scratchers, if applied gently to the sheets, provide a very ominous ambient noise. Use this to your advantage on a blindfolded partner to give them a daunting hint of what’s to come.
Skin scratching products can be applied with oils, sensation creams, and other fluids to further play with results. Our sheets will help keep your play areas nice and protected while you come to full terms with your clawed new companion piece.

Best Used For

Anyone who wants to play with different sensations and get the thrill of using something that looks very formidable.