Inflation/Injection/Infusion
What are Injections/Infusions?
Injection/Infusion play is a form of sexual or BDSM focused body-modification where sterile medical-grade fluids are introduced into the body subcutaneously to alter the appearance of the body.
Injections vs. Infusions
Injections
Done with a hypodermic needle attached to a syringe
Done with multiple sticks
Lower in volume
Usually quicker to execute
Infusions
Done with an I.V. catheter and I.V. administration kit connected to a bag of sterile solution
Done with a single stick, from a single infusion site
Higher in volume
More time consuming (larger volume breast infusions can take hours)
What fluids can we Inject/Infuse
Normal Saline (NS)
Most common fluid for injection/infusion.
A sterile solution of 0.9% sodium chloride (salt) in water.
NS has numerous intravenous, topical, and subcutaneous medical uses.
Can come in individual pre-filled syringes, it can come in small vials or bottles, or in I.V. bags in various volumes.
The commonly seen volumes for NS I.V. bags are; 250 mL, 500 mL and 1000 mL
Ringer’s Lactate Solution (LR)
Less common than NS.
Known in some medical literature as "balanced crystalloids".
A sterile solution of sodium chloride (salt), sodium lactate, potassium chloride, and calcium chloride in water.
Has numerous intravenous, topical, and subcutaneous medical uses - most common being as fluid and electrolyte replacement.
Some scientific studies present evidence that the half-life of LR (the time it takes to be absorbed by the body) is shorter than NS.
Other Injectibles/Infusibles
I have only read or heard recollections about sessions involving these substances, I have not researched any of them myself.
Dextrose/Sucrose (sugar) solutions
Sterile gels
Inert gases
Anatomical Considerations?
The most common places on the body to have injections or infusions done are; breasts, scrotum, and labia
Clitoral Hood, Pubic Mound, Penile Shaft, Lips, and Buttocks are also not uncommon.
Equipment List
Solution: Whatever you are infusing and in whatever form factor it comes in.
Administration Sharp: Typically either a sterile hypodermic needle, or sterile I.V. catheter or cannula.
Administration Tubing (for Infusions): Sterile I.V. administration set for infusion.
A way to hang the bag above the bottom
Medical Tape: It is often necessary to tape the needles or catheters in place for infusions.
Standard Piercing Hygiene Items: Gloves, Drapes, Chux, Skin prep regiment of your preference
Puncture Wound First Aid Items: Adhesive Bandages, Gauze, etc.
A small empty vessel to receive some of the saline while clearing the line pre-infusion.
I.V. Administration Kits (What To Look For)
I.V. tubing comes in different sizes or flow rates called drop factors. They are typically classified into macrodrop and microdrop. The drop factor is a number the represents the number of drops in one mL of the solution will flow through the tubing. As the names imply the drops in a macrodrop tube are bigger than those in a microdrop. Microdrop tubing is rated at 60 drops/mL, macrodrop tubing comes in 10, 15, and 20 drops/mL variants.
In general, the lower the number of drops/mL the faster your infusion will proceed. I personally will not infuse with anything other than 10 or 15 drops/mL - even 20 drops/mL is too slow for me.
Procedure
Make sure your I.V. pole or wherever you are going to hang the bag(s) is ready. Also make sure you have a small empty vessel, such as a drinking glass at hand
Unwrap the saline bag from the outer wrapper
Glove up!
Unpackage the I.V. administration kit. (if the I.V. administration kit has a flow control) Make sure the flow control of the I.V. administration kit is closed
(if necessary, depending on the I.V. bag design) Remove the rubber nipple from the port on the bottom of the I.V. bag(s)
Spike the I.V. bag(s) (insert the spike of the I.V. administration kit into the port on the bottom of the I.V. bag) and hang the bags wherever you are going to hang them for infusion
Change your gloves
Prep the skin at the target infusion site on the bottom
Change your gloves
Unpackage the hypodermic needle or I.V. cannula and connect it to the appropriate end of the I.V. administration kit
Uncap the needle or cannula, exposing the sharp end, position the needle or cannula over the small empty vessel, then slowly open the flow control on the I.V. administration set. You should see liquid start flowing out of the needle into the vessel. This clears the line of any trapped air
Close the flow control on the I.V. administration kit to stop the flow of liquid
Insert the connected needle or cannula into the bottom at the prepared target infusion site
Slowly open the flow control on the I.V. administration set to begin the infusion
Factors That Influence Speed of Infusion
Drop factor of the I.V. administration set [See I.V. Administration Kits (What To Look For) section above]
Height of the I.V. bag [Since these operate on gravity the higher the bag is above the infusion site the more pressure is exerted on the bag and the faster the solution will be pushed out of the bag]
Air bubbles in the I.V. tubing [If you don’t properly clear the lines before starting the infusion, air in the lines can slow down or stop the infusion]
Kinks in the I.V. tubing [I.V. tubing management is important to a quick and uneventful infusion]
Placement of the needle/catheter at the infusion site [If the needle/catheter is compromised or is placed in a way that partially blocks it, this could slow down the infusion]
Expired Saline?
People often ask me if it is safe to use “expired” saline. Most saline I.V. bags will have an expiration date printed/stamped on them. Like so many other similar questions the answers is, maybe.
In theory, the saline itself isn’t going to “go bad”, it is essentially salt water. However, the fluid bag that contains the saline can break down and release chemicals into the sterile fluid contaminating it.
When the bags start to break down, in many instances they will become gummy, when you take the fluid bag out of the outer bag, if the fluid bag is gummy or sticky feeling or there is any residue inside the outer bag I would be hesitant to use that fluid bag. But as long as the outer bag and the fluid bag are both still sealed and not compromised and the expiration date is not multiple years in the past, I consider a saline bag safe to use.
Resources
Saline Breast Inflation (Fetlife) - https://fetlife.com/groups/75191
Saline Infusion (Fetlife) - https://fetlife.com/groups/71107
Wikipedia: “Saline (medicine)” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saline_(medicine)
Wikipedia: “Ringer’s lactate solution” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringer%27s_lactate_solution
Wikipedia: “Scrotal inflation” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrotal_inflation
(NSFW) Is that Saline in Your Balls or Are You Just Happy to See Me? *full version - https://www.the4thwall.net/blog/2015/9/15/is-that-saline-in-your-balls-or-are-you-just-happy-to-see-me-first-published-in-things-ink-horror-issue-abbreviated-version-published-in-vice
Mistress160's BDSM For Beginners - Part 23: Saline Infusion / Inflation Play - http://bdsmforbeginners.blogspot.com/2009/05/part-23-saline-infusion-inflation-play.html?zx=8552adb9d564354d
Saline FAQ - Advice - updated 12/27/06 - https://forums.newart.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=9157
Clinical Procedures for Safer Patient Care - Chapter 8. Intravenous Therapy - 8.3 IV Fluids, IV Tubing, and Assessment of an IV System - https://opentextbc.ca/clinicalskills/chapter/8-2-types-of-iv-therapy/
Complete Guide to Scrotal Saline Infusions - https://blackrabbit.com.au/blog/complete-guide-to-scrotal-saline-infusions/