Mitigating Risk in Breath Play
Breath Play is a scene involving controlling or limiting the oxygen flow of a partner.
This is a form of edge play and should be approached with additional care.
Common Risks of Breath Play:
Subconjunctival Haemorrhage (broken blood vessels in the eye)
Trachea damage
Loss of consciousness
Hypoxia
Suffocation
Disorientation / loss of coordination
Key Requirements of Breath Play:
CPR training
Safeword or gesture
Things to Consider During Breath Play
Know the difference between "blood" play and "air" play
It’s critical to understand the difference between breath play focusing on restricting blood flow, or breath play focusing on restricting air supply. Neither are safer than the other, and both have a different set of risks. “Blood” breath play has a stronger focus on pressure to the side of the neck, such as choking; whilst “air” breath play may use ‘bagging’ (a bag over the head) or blocking the nose and mouth with the hand.
Attend workshops or classes on breath play
There’s nothing as valuable as real insight and education, so look for local or online workshops and classes that can provide you with different techniques and considerations for your breath play activities. This is applicable for Tops and bottoms.
Avoid using anything other than your hand when you’re starting out
The quickest tool to release from these activities is your hand. Using other tools for breath play, such as rope, bags, cushions, etc is incredibly dangerous, as the Top has no way of assessing how much pressure is being applied. Time can quickly run out for a bottom to raise the alarm, so stick with your hand as much as you can.
Be aware of your hand placement during breath play
As the Top, you control the scene, and it’s incredibly important in breath play that you are aware of the placement of your hand and the consequences if done incorrectly. Never put pressure on the windpipe - the trachea can be easily damaged, causing swelling which can inhibit air supply. Instead, focus your grip to the side of the throat.
Never do breath play on your own
Well-known stories of death caused by autoerotic asphyxiation such as David Carradine and Kevin Gilbert are not the only cases where this practice has gone terribly wrong. It happens to regular people, too. Never indulge in breath play on your own. Ever.
These considerations are not designed to be advice in how to play safely - they are things to think about prior to engaging in dangerous forms of play.
No matter the precautions you take in this kind of activity, you cannot guarantee the safety of those involved. Approach this form of play with extreme caution.
