Figging

Figging (also sometimes called “gingering”) is the sexual practice of deliberately inserting a piece of peeled ginger root into the anus or vagina for the express purpose of eliciting a burning sensation around the orifice. 

Many people derive sexual or erotic enjoyment from this activity. Because the oils from the ginger root do not activate until they begin to warm up, the sensation is often a gradual build that can last from minutes to hours, depending on the sensitivity of the individual being figged and the strength of the ginger being used.

Etymology and History

Figging comes from “feaguing”, the 17th century practice of putting an irritant such as ginger or a live eel in the anus of a horse to enhance the liveliness of the horse’s appearance and movements. It came then to also mean the figurative enlivening or encouragement of someone else.

Figging for Sensory Play

Figging is considered a kind of sensation play, a class of sexual and sensual activities that focus on physical sensations in the body over mental dynamics during erotic play, which was adopted and made popular by BDSM practitioners and kinksters.

Upon contact with mucosal tissues such as those that line the anus or vagina, the oils and juices of the freshly stripped ginger create a warming or burning sensation. The response to the sensation can vary. Some people find the heated tingling highly enjoyable. Others may find it painful or challenging, but in an erotically enjoyable way within the limits of their personal play boundaries. 

Figging can also be used as a BDSM power dynamic tool. From a psychological perspective, it can yield feelings of erotic humiliation in the person being figged. The dominant, or topping partner can also compliment the gradually increasing physical sensations from the ginger with other sensory or impact play elements for a more compounded physical experience for the person being topped.

Figging Safety and Risks

When inserting anything in the anus, the object being inserted must possess a flared or flanged base to prevent it from being sucked in or lost in the rectum or colon.

When practicing safe figging, the ginger is peeled into a shape resembling other safe insertable, such as a butt plug, that accounts for this need. It is also carved to ensure there are no rough edges, to prevent any injury like microtears to the inner tissues.

The ginger root should be used immediately after peeling as exposing its flesh to the air will resulting oxidization, thus reducing the potency of the sensation it could produce. The exception to this is if you choose to ferment the ginger, which has the opposite effect: the potency of the ginger root increases through this process.

While a personal lubricant is typically highly recommended for anal play, it is often not used when figging because it is said that the ginger’s juices reduce friction enough for the purposes of the act, and that the lubricant will mute or neutralize the effects of the ginger, thus defeating the purpose of the activity.

If someone has an allergy to ginger, they should not practice figging.