Category: Impact / Sensory
Subcategory: Types

Scratching

Scratching involves using fingernails, claws, or similar implements to create linear sensations across the skin. The intensity can range from gentle, barely-there lines to deeper scratches that leave temporary marks.

This technique activates both pain and pleasure receptors simultaneously, creating complex sensations that many find arousing. The sharpness contrasts with other forms of sensation play. When done with control, scratching can leave visible but temporary marks, allowing for a visual component to the sensory experience without lasting damage.

← Previous: Stroking (lightly)
Next: squeezing →

This is a description of an activity in the BDSM checklist (also known as a 'kink list'). Want to discover what (more) kinks you might have? Maybe share them with a partner? Start the checklist!

About the category Impact / Sensory

Impact and sensory play focuses on creating physical sensations through various tools and techniques. This broad category encompasses everything from gentle stroking with feathers to intense impact with implements like paddles or whips, as well as temperature play, electrostimulation, and other sensation-based activities.

These practices stimulate nerve endings in different ways, producing pleasure, pain, or complex combinations of sensations. For many, the appeal lies in the endorphin response, the psychological elements of surrender and control, or simply the novel feeling of different sensory experiences.

Knowledge of anatomy is important—understanding where impact is safe versus where vulnerable areas require caution. Different body parts respond differently to sensation, and individual tolerance varies widely. Gradual progression, ongoing communication, and understanding the specific effects of different tools help create satisfying and safe experiences.



All activities in the checklist: