I've had ear piercings since I was about 7 and three nose piercings for at least 4 years, but had been longing for something more for ages. I though over lots of ideas, a labret was my main choice for a while, but I went off this idea, I wanted something less common. Much thought and many glances on this site led me to think about hand web piercings, I liked the idea loads as they look great and are usual. Two rejected hand web piercings later, I gave in. It was then I begun thinking about nipple piercings. After months of urmming and erring over the idea, I suggested it to my boyfriend who seemed disgusted and said it would really put him off going near my breasts. Obviously, this put me off. I didn't think about the idea again for months, but then it kept creeping back to me, I knew I wanted them done.
At A Glance Author Lost and dreaming Contact lost_and_dreaming@hotmail.com When Three months ago Artist a pretty young woman Studio Cold Steel Location Camden Town, London I mentioned it again to my boyfriend, and he looked at them on the internet, and decided he actually liked the idea. Now I knew he'd still want to go near me with pierced nipples, I decided that I was defiantly going to get them done. It was a couple of months until I had chance to get them done, due to lack of money, and I wanted to wait until we went up to London as I was not very keen on getting them done in either of my local piercists, the area I live in is full of townies who only get ear, navel and nose piercings, so I figured the piercists wouldn't have much practice. Seems a bit silly to some people, but I didn't want to trust my nipples to someone I didn't really want to do it.
I went to London with my boyfriend. It was on the way there that the nerves really hit me, and I had a few doubts. My boyfriend planned to get a piercing too, so I knew a trip to Cold Steel was inevitable, but whether I'd end up with my nipples pierced was looking questionable at the time, as I got more and more scared. I didn't really know why I was so scared, the thought of other piercings didn't really scare me, and I knew I wasn't that worried about the pain as I have quite a high pain tolerance, managing to pierce my own nose and hand web without too much trouble. It was the fact it was my nipples I think, all sorts of horror stories I'd read about them popped into my mind and I imagined my boobs dropping off or something!
We shopped in Camden's shops and market for a while, I tried to forget the nerves and concentrate on shopping, but every so often I felt a shiver down my spine. After shopping we stopped outside Cold Steel. We'd chosen to go here as it was recommended to us, and after checking out the website we agreed it looked good and professional. My boyfriend then had doubts about his own piercing; he wanted to get both his eyebrows done, in the middle. After about 15 minutes debate, he decided he'd get one done, and see how it goes. We went in the door, and up the stairs. I was still unsure; I think I even started shaking at this point! My boyfriend went up to the counter and asked if he could be pierced. He booked an appointment for a couple of hours later (they were quite busy). I felt a huge serge of nerves inside me and said I wanted to wait before I decided. We turned to leave, but my boyfriend said was I sure. I thought for a second and then kind of thought "what the hell" and ex tremely nervously booked an appointment straight after my boyfriends.
We left and decided to kill the waiting time by getting some food and looking around some more shops. The wait was the worst thing. We went to kfc but I couldn't eat anything, much against the piercists advice I had eaten very little that day, but I felt sick with worry by this time. When we had looked around as much as we could, we sat on the bench outside the pub opposite Cold Steel. We waited here for at least 20 minutes. I was so so so scared; I was shaking and felt really strange. My boyfriend kept trying to reassure me it would be fine, which helped for about a second! I was actually laughing at myself at one point because I was so worried.
The time came and we crossed the road and walked into Cold Steel. As we walked up the stairs I felt more and more worried with each step. We walked up to the counter and were told to sit down. The staff there that we saw were three women all that looked in their 20's. They each had several facial piercings and very much seemed to know what they were talking about as they talked to us and other customers. We waited for about 10 minutes, in which time we paid (it cost me £60) and chose our jewellery. I knew I wanted bars not rings, I prefer they way they look anyway, but the girl behind the counter said they heal better with bars anyway. She asked if I wanted larger or smaller balls, I chose smaller, and then asked what colour I wanted. I hadn't even thought about having coloured bars, but after looking at them I chose to stick with traditional silver colour. She put my bars in one of those little plastic medical wallet thingy's, along with another pair that were slightly long er in case I had large nipples (I don't, I ended up with the smaller ones). She also put my boyfriends bar in there as we said we'd go in together.
The piercist came down another flight of stairs (the building is very tall but thin) asked us to follow her. I don't know her name but I wish I could so I could give her credit. We went upstairs and into the piercing room. I was very impressed with the cleanliness and organisation of the room. My boyfriend was going first so he got on the chair, I won't go into detail but she pierced him and let him lie in the chair for a few minutes checking he was ok.
The piercist was brilliant. She pierced him perfectly and very hygienically, whilst chatting away to me trying to take my mind off my nervousness, which she succeeded in doing very well. That was until my boyfriend got out of the chair and I realised it was my turn. My heart started pounding and my legs turned to jelly. I took off my top and bra and stood in front of the mirror while she marked me up. She then asked me to lie down in the chair and begun to put a clamp on my right nipple. All the time she was speaking to me in a calming voice and telling me exactly what she was doing which made me feel a lot better.
She asked if I was ready and told me to take a deep breath. At this point all I could think was "this is going to f*cking kill" I squeezed my boyfriends hand tightly, closed my eyes and braced myself. I was ready to scream but I never needed to. I couldn't believe how painless it was. It hurt obviously, but no way near as much as I heard and thought it would. I'd even go as far as to say it hurt less than nose piercing. It felt very wired though, one of those indescribable feelings that you can only know what it's like by having it done. As I felt the needle go in, I opened my eyes to see it come out the other side. She put the bar through and screwed up the ball with no trouble, saying "you're nice and easy to pierce". She then moved on to my left nipple. This one hurt quite a bit more, I very nearly shouted "f*ck!" but it was ok. The Piercist explained that the second one often hurts more as your body is in a bit of shock. All done she sat me up and checked I was ok, even giving me sugary sweets to make sure I wasn't feeling weak. I felt a bit shaky, but mostly relief at how easy and pain free it was. I laughed at lot at how worried I'd been, it wasn't necessary at all. I got up and picked up my clothes. I asked her whether I should put my bra back on or whether it would rub, but she strongly advised I should as my breasts are not small so will move about without a bra and may cause irritation. I very carefully put my bra and top back on. We thanked her and told her how happy and impressed we were. (I just want to recommend Cold Steel here, they are very professional, clean and make sure you're ok and that you know what's happening) We went downstairs when I brought the anti-bacterial soap she advised. My nipples weren't really that sore afterwards, but they did ache and felt very strange.
They felt like that for the rest of the day. That night I washed my nipples very gently using the soap. There was a small amount of crusted up dried blood on them but other than that they were fine. They stung a little as I washed them, but were ok afterwards. I was a bit worried about going to sleep as I tend to sleep on my front, but they were totally pain free when I woke up, and they hadn't bothered me at all in the night. I washed them, and again in the evening, each time there were just a few crusty bits. During the day I was at college. My nipples very achy and hurt when they moved about, I felt every single movement I made through my nipples, it's amazing how much you notice you're breasts move when you get them pierced!
For the next few weeks the aching faded away, I had no more pain and the crusty bits got less and less. I reduced washing them to just once a day, as I've heard many people do, as the skin around my nipples was getting very dry and I didn't want it to start cracking. My nipples have been fine ever since, they are continuing to heal well and look great. My boyfriend loves them to which is a very good thing, although he complains he can't kiss them anymore!
I love my nipple piercings. I'm so glad I got them done, and so proud of myself for going through with it even though I was so scared, I proved to myself I could do it and I feel so good for it.
If you want them down, go for it, just make sure you go to a good piercist and keep them clean. Don't worry as much as i did, there's no need to. :-)
lost and dreaming