I decided to get my nipples pierced for my 21st birthday. I knew that it would hurt, but I thought it would definitely be worth it. I didn't have much experience with piercing, all I had was four in each ear lobe, (which has been stretched to 8 gauge), and my navel which I had done when I was 18.
At A Glance Author Alyssa Contact Alyssa@bme.anon When A month ago Artist Tanya Studio Amazon Jewelry and Body Piercing Location Santa Cruz, CA I looked forward to it all week, and finally Friday rolled around, and I headed over to the piercing studio after work. The piercing artist I go to is wonderful; she has done all of my lobe stretching and another friend's navel previously. She has always been really helpful and friendly, and makes most of the jewelry in house. Everything (of course) is completely sterile and safely done.
I walked into the studio and told her that I wanted to get both nipples pierced. She said great, and helped me pick out the jewelry. I wanted to get barbells, but she said that they were harder to heal, and that I'd have to get long ones to start with, so I decided to go with her advice and get captive bead rings until they heal.
I picked out custom purple niobium rings with opal beads that are really pretty. She went into the piercing room to get everything ready and sterilize the jewelry.
I went into the room, and removed my shirt and bra. She put on gloves and marked the entrance and exit points while I was standing in order to make sure they were even. I ok'd the placement, and laid down on the table, staring straight up at the ceiling.
I wasn't too nervous, although people had started to scare me because they kept saying how much it was going to hurt.
She has her nipple pierced too, so she showed me hers before we got started, and they looked really great.
She got all of the freshly autoclaved instruments out and started unpacking everything on the tray. I told her to please not let me see the needle, because I knew it would freak me out. I have a pretty low pain tolerance, but I figured it wouldn't kill me.
She asked me if I was ready, and I said go for it. She did my left nipple first. She put the clamp on, which didn't really hurt at all, which surprised me after reading some other people's experiences. She lined everything up and told me to breathe... and boom, it was through. A quick, intense flash of pain and it was over. I didn't scream, or vomit, or pass out or anything, because the pain really wasn't that bad. I don't know why, but I didn't look down at it, I guess I was just nervous. My hands started to shake from the adrenaline rush, and she told me to keep breathing, which REALLY helps. She put the ring through, which I didn't even feel.
She had to keep cleaning around it with gauze for a few minutes until the blood coagulated, which didn't take long. There wasn't too much bleeding.
My hands stopped shaking, and everything was fine, in fact I didn't even feel the new piercing at all. She put the clamp on the right nipple and lined everything up again.
Now I can tell you that the second piercing hurt at least twice as much as the first. My right nipple was 'tougher', she said, which made it even worse. The needle entered, which hurt, then when I thought it was through, it kept going, during which I said "ouch!". The second piercing seemed to take longer.
My hands started shaking a bit again, but not as much. She put the jewelry through, and waited for me to stop bleeding. It was only now that I looked down at them and admired how beautiful they looked.
She put a piece of gauze over each with some tape to secure them, and I got back dressed and went out to the main room to pay her.
It was $80, plus I gave her a $10 tip.
Although the second hurt worse than the first, neither one was unbearable.
There was no blood after the initial piercing, but light crust between cleanings for the first week or so.
It's been about two and a half weeks since I got them done, and I have been cleaning them two to three times a day with dial antibacterial soap. It's really easy to do in the shower. I haven't let anybody touch them, and I don't mess with them unless I am cleaning them. They were a little sore for the first week, but now they're fine unless they are accidentally rubbed on something. I found it really helpful to sleep in a bra or tight tank top for at least the first week, so I didn't accidentally tweak them while I am sleeping.
I have been in to the piercing studio once since I had them done and had her take a look at them and they are doing great. I look forward to changing the rings to barbells, which I will do probably in a month or so, or whenever I can come across the money to do it!
All in all it was a great choice to get them done. I love them!