Temperature play is a form of BDSM sensual play where objects and substances are used to stimulate the body's neuroreceptors for heat and cold for sensual effect. Substances can include water, oil, molten wax, ice, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, melted butter, chilled fresh fruit and steamed vegetables.
Objects can include cutlery, ball chains, necklaces and many others, often pre-heated in hot water or chilled in ice water.
Blindfolds are often used to intensify the effects, and bondage can also amplify the experience.
Safety precautions should be used which are appropriate for the materials, techniques and body parts involved.
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Fire play is a form of temperature play that involves using flame on or very close to, the skin. The flame is typically on or applied with a fire wand (essentially a small torch),and frequently utilizes 70% isopropyl alcohol as fuel. Other common fire play toys include flaming gloves and flaming floggers; other common varieties of fuel include 91% isopropyl alcohol, mousse, hand sanitizer, super-proof rum, grain alcohol, and flash cotton. As with many forms of BDSM play, the "proper" tools, fuels, and safety guidelines are often in hot contention between players.
Fire play is usually considered a form of edge play - frequently exciting, but with significant dangers. Unlike other forms of edge play (extreme rough body play, blood play, interrogations, abductions, etc.), fire play scenes tend to look kinder and gentler; although it can be dramatic, the sensations inflicted in most fire play scenes aren't actually painful (much like hot wax play or sensation play). Fire play also rarely leaves marks on the skin - though some people deliberately burn the skin slightly to leave it red and irritated. For this reason, some people consider fire play's edge play classification something of a technicality; it's classified as edge play simply because out-of-control flame could result in terrible consequences.
Although it's a bit in vogue at the moment, fire play is banned at many events - perhaps because the presence of open flame makes building owners or insurance providers nervous.
The two most common fire play techniques are bouncing and streaking. In bouncing, lit fire wands (sometimes called batons; essentially a small torch) are bounced along the skin. This may or may not involve transfer of burning fuel.
In streaking, fuel is applied directly to the skin (commonly in straight lines, though sometimes in more elaborate patterns), lit, and then extinguished before the skin begins to burn. Frequently the fuel is applied to the skin with unlit fire wands, then ignited with a lit fire wands (sometimes double-headed wands or two wands are used to streamline the procedure).
Fire cupping is a current fad in the fire play community. The air inside a cup (almost always glass) is heated then placed on the skin - the cooling air creates a vacuum and the skin is partially pulled into the cup. Experienced cuppers can create varying strengths of suction by controlling the heat of the cup.
Fire cupping was appropriated from traditional and holistic medicine communities. Cupping was used in Western medicine to encourage blood movement as recently as the Civil War. It is still used (often with the same name) by masseurs and in Chinese medicine (where it is said to have predated traditional needle acupuncture). For this reason, cupping sets can be found in some Asian stores. Some merchants will only sell sets to licensed massage therapists.
Methods include:
Fire cupping typically leaves small, round marks on the body that may last for hours or for days. If a single area is cupped again and again, a deep bruise may form and not disappear for some time.
Fire cupping is often combined with blood play, and is then usually termed blood cupping. (This variant also comes from traditional medicine). The skin is pierced (commonly with needles or scalpels) before the cups are applied; the suction then draws blood out of the wound.
Ice play is a form of temperature play that usually involves running pieces of ice across a person's naked skin. In popular culture the portrayal of ice on a female or male nipple can be sexually stimulating as the result of the cold temperature is the erection of the nipple tissue. Movies such as Do the Right Thing, and 9½ Weeks demonstrate examples of this type of foreplay.
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