Ahhh. It's finally done. My wife finally gave in last night and let me get my nipple pierced, so I did it today. I had been bugging her for several months and I finally wore her down! I guess she just doesn't understand.
At A Glance Author Thrashers Contact Thrashers@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Forgot her name Studio Timeless Tattoo/Virtue & Vice Location Atlanta, GA I wanted to go with someone so that I could talk about the experience afterwards, so I called my friend Jeremy last night and he was excited to go with me after he got off work today. Jeremy finally calls me and says he's on his way. We drop off his Jeep, he jumps in my car and we're off. I'm actually not thinking about the piercing at all on the way down to Virtue & Vice. We were just hanging out and bullshiting about music and Thrashers' hockey. We get about 1 street away and I then remember why we're actually going. I start to get nervous. I go inside and the piercing girl says hello and tells me one of the tattoo artists I know is in his room and I can go back to say hi. I told her I was actually there to see her to get my nipple pierced. We go to the counter and look at the jewelery. I told her I wanted to do a curved barbell. I think it was either 14 or 16 guage. I don't remember which. Since it had been just over 4 hours since lunch, she tells me I need to have a snack before she will pierce me. Company policy.
After my snack, (and after Nate the tattoo artist tells me the piercing is going to kill) she starts to sterilize everything. Finally it's time to go back. Oh shit! I sit down on the chair and try to take everything in. She is showing me this and that to indicate that everything was properly sterilized. Here's my "cassette." Here's a strip of paper with a line and my initials on the back to prove that it's mine. She's putting on and taking off gloves and explaining everything to me. I take off my shirt and it's time to really start.
I have really small nipples, so I was informed that she might not be able to do it if the forceps can't hold the nipple. The entrance and egress (I always wanted to use that word!) points are marked. I stay sitting up and am told to that I will need to inhale deep and when I exhale slowly, it will be pierced. Same story as everyone else here. The forceps are applied and I am told that might be the worst part. It wasn't that bad and it was also inaccurate. I inhale and begin to slowly exhale. As I feel the somewhat intense pain of the needle going through, I exhale very quickly. Make no mistake, it hurt. Pretty bad. Then it's done and you are pierced. I am not into pain. I have a number of tattoos and thought that might prepare me. Not really. It is a quick sharp pain. You know there is a needle slicing through your body. I would do it again, though. Don't let the very temporary pain discourage you. Just prepare for it. Once it was done, I was perfectly ok. I didn't really feel the ring going through as the needle came out.
The piercing is actually behind the nipple. I was told that the ring will enlarge the nipple significantly. I guess where it is will become the nipple? We'll see.
Aftercare is the same as everyone else says. Wash it with the $3 soap (Satin) twice a day then start with the sea salt soaks after 2 days and start to rotate the ring at that point. Healing time will be several (7) months and this routine should continue for the duration. Better to be overcautious I suppose.
I actually started writing this last night when I got home and am finishing it the next day. On the ride home, there were different sensations at different times. Sometimes it was painful for a brief period. Others it was warm. Sometimes I didn't notice it was even there. Today there were periods of dull pain. It didn't really hurt at all when I washed it. I slept in a Hanes T-shirt and didn't have any problems.
Moral of the story, if you are interested in getting your nipple pierced - do it. It's not that big a deal. I like the way it looks. I'm sure I will like the way it feels after it starts to heal. I just had surgery around my naval and it looks pretty nasty. Now I can feel somewhat better about my upper body. I need more tattoos, though!
Best wishes to you in your piercing endeavors.