It's not really common, but just so you know, it is possible to explore BDSM without actually having sex. If the pain and the bondage is what you want to explore, there's really not a reason to just boink someone. For instance, I know a male Dom who had a lesbian sub. They never had sex, she just wanted to explore her boundaries with pain.

I didn't wait until I found someone I loved (or even particularly liked for that matter), if I could go back, I might actually chose to. My honest recommendation is to explore if you want, but if sex isn't the objective the only look for doms that are okay with that. BDSM can be intense, whether or not sex is actually involved, so make sure you're completely ready and have the lines clearly drawn from the very beginning.