My self-pierced nipples
At A Glance Author Ilya Contact trefoil@mail.ru Artist Myself Studio At home Location Russia First of all, I'm sorry for my English. I would like to tell you my nipples' story. May be, that would be interesting for someone to read about piercing in Russia.
My name is Ilya. I'm 27 y.o. guy, living in Tver, a provincial Russian city, not so far from Moscow. As I remember, I liked bodypiercing long before I have heard this word first time. When I was a teenager, I worshiped earings in girls ears. That was the most sexual part of the woman's body for me! I also took pleasure seen Indian women with nostril jewelry. My another hobby was to pierce my own body – ears, nose, lips, nipples. I have never put in some jewelry and hid my experiences from all. I always considered my that hobby as a perversion, but I could do nothing with me. At that time Russia was enough conservative country still, though already some guys emerged, who had an earing in left ear. That was very unusual and everybody drew attention to them. Most of people thought, that they are gays or punks. I would never put an earing into my earlobe. The first reason is the social pressure – I know that I would be misunderstood by everybody that I know. The another reason (it is the most actual now, when I'm a much more free person) – I don't think that an earring in an earlobe would become to me. Generally speaking, I'm in some doubt about the bodypiercing makes a man more attractive, especially such pure female its kinds like nostril etc. So, I had to choose such kind of piercing for myself, that would be in harmony with my own style. When I have known about the bodypiercing movement in the western countries that was the great revelation – I'm not alone! In 1997 I opened Internet for myself and since I'm a devoted worshipper of the BME site. I decided, that the most congenial kinds of piercing for me would be tragus and nipples. The main problem that I have faced immediately – there are neither professional piercers, nor descent bodyjewellry. All girls, who have their nostrils etc. pierced (that I could see) use usual earings.
Self-piercing never was a problem for me – I'm a very thoughtless person in that question, but the lack of jewelry was more disappointing. First of all I made an attempt to wear a tiny earing ("nail") in my tragus. I have simply pierced my tragus by an awl and put the earing in. Unfortunately, I have understood so soon, that it is an unsuitable thing! The fastener was so big and the nail's end so long for my ear. May be, that would be OK if I had more patience to get used to all these inconveniences, but I won't spend time thinking, is my jewelry still there.
There was also a difficult task to choose jewelry for my nipples. Of course, I could use silver ear-rings, but I didn't want to have any rings in my nipples. I dreamed about barbells... Once, when I came to Moscow in autumn last year I droped in on a little jewelry shop and saw there some jewelry for bodypiercing and amongst them was IT!! It was a little thin barbell and though its diameter was only 1,2 mm and though it was enough expensive (for Russia, where $50 is ordinary monthly pay), I could not permit myself to give trouble. Unfortunately, it was only one and I came to Moscow regularly, searching the second one. My searching have met with success in spring of this year.
I was so happy!... until I have met with a new obstacle, who was my wife. She execrates all kinds of bodyart and I was told to choose: her or pierced nipples. "I can't live with a man, who have pierced nipples" – she has told me. That was not the main, but one of reasons for our divorce in the summer. If any woman is reading my story, I would be interested in your opinion about male piercing.
So, now I had my hands free! I have found a sewing needle with enough big diameter, boiled thoroughly it and both barbells. Then I cleaned my left nipple with an alcohol, pierced it by the needle and put the barbell in without any problems. My right nipple was not so happy. I must tell, that my second bar's diameter was biger – 1,5 mm, so my attempt to put it into hole in my right nipple was unsuccessful. After about half-hour of struggle I decided to repierce my right nipple later with a needle of larger gauge. In a week I pierced my right nipple with an awl (I have found, that it is much more handily than a needle) and put my second barbell in. I was overtaken by disappointment when I have seen my work's result in a mirror: piercing was done very askew. My third and fourth attempt had the same result. That was only the fifth attempt, that was successful although I can't say that this piercing is perfect. What's about my first piercing? I had no trouble with it. Simply, I felt nothing – no pain etc. What was my aftercare – that's better to say that it was no at all. Possibly, I was lucky. My another nipple was OK too. However I would not recommend to anyone to follow my example. If you have an opportunity to turn to a professional, use it.
Nevertheless, I'm indignant that the alternative and nonmainstream art of bodymodifications now became only a business, and the qualitative bodyart is accessible only for the "gilded youth".
My future plans: inking and branding if I'll find a master.
Thanks BME and everybody who have read this opus. If somebody wold like to write to me, you are welcome!