I was very determined to get a PA (Prince Albert) after quite a while of putting it off...
At A Glance Author John Contact doctor@west.pair.com Artist Joel Studio Tribal Body Piercing Location Las Vegas, NV BME had quite prepaird me for what to expect, and while Joel (Tribal's piercer) left nothing out, I knew most of what to expect already.
Several shops around keep advertising specials, but it seems very few wanted less than $100 when it came to a genital piercing, even something as "simple" as a PA! (Well, simple compared to most other genital piercings, anyway.)
Just before Christmas (12/23/00), I went into Tribal after checking around via phone to several places and found Tribal the best price (quoted $69 one week, charged $74 the next, but that was likely since I used my own jewelry) and by far the best attitude when I asked about it. Tribal also had very high marks when it came to local surveys done by a few of the local free, street corner papers.
Joel (Tribal's Piercer) was a great guy, very frank and open about things, felt very comfortable with him. I told him what I wanted (PA, 10 gauge), said to come in back, asked to "expose myself". Now, this was the first time in my life that I was cognizant of that someone was going to be looking at my penis for anything but sex (I've never had a Dr. that went that far as yet, but that's another story), and I don't know if it was the fact I haddn't gotten off in over a week (I should have done something about that ahead in time in retrospect), but I found it rather arrousing. I think Joel seemed straight, but he showed no sign of being dis-interested in the measuring. Joel recommended a 11/16" or 3/4" CBR, which they did not have in stock just then. I was rather disappointed.
That time of year is apparently very popular for buying body jewelry, as I nearly had to put it off for lack of the right size jewelry, but I was determined to get it done right then and found that one of the other 3 close shops (UNLV area on Maryland Pkwy.) had ONE ring (CBR) 3/4" in 10 gauge. I was elated to be able to not put it off further, especially since I didn't know when I'd have 3 days off in a row again w/o taking off work. It was getting even more dissapointing when the 2 other close shops (that's 3 of 4 now) didn't have anything over 5/16" in stock, so I was very glad to find that one ring.
I took it back up to Tribal, they ran it thru the autoclave (the other shop only used a quick soak in a solution). In about 10 mins. he was ready for me to go in back.
He prep'd. the work table after putting some paper towels on the chair, and said to take off my pants - I'm a bit shy, but already over being nervous/anxious over it, and was feeling much more comfortable after doing so. (Although, I hang around the house nude most of the time, so this is a very natural state for me.)
While working we talked, and I found Joel had done his own PA, unfortunately I didn't get to see any of his work before experiencing it myself.
I found it already very arrousing getting measured, and I quickly responded the same after being handled a bit to get marked, despite what I knew was about to take place (which was good mind you, because they do need to be able to find a spot with no errectile tissue, otherwise it could be a problem). Joel made no comments on my state, and I loved the attention, no mater how odd it might have been. After he was satisfied that I was OK with the position he'd marked, he had me lay down in the chair.
He changed his glves at least four times during all of this, before getting down to handling me and the jewelry again - a very clean place, so don't let the shabby curtain throw you off, Joel is very professional about his work.
After the first attempt at inserting the tube, I quickly began to loose any hardness I had, and I found this rather uncomfortable. Still to come was the "shock" of getting the piercing & insertion of the ring, which seemed to compare about to ripping a hang-nail off to me - sharp, but didn't last too long.
After that and the jewelry was in place, I didn't feel pain but an odd presence, although I've had a very heightened senstivity there from the moment it was done.
It bled very little at all, and only bled a bit at night the first night, and then once a tiny bit again a few days later when I felt I could wait no longer to get off.
I was told to expect painful errections for a bit, but it didn't happen for me - a bit uncomfortable the first few times, not really painful, but it certainly wasn't enough to wake me at night.
On pain, Joel was right, try to keep your sugar levels down (I'm a soda-holic), as it does tend to burn when they're up when you have to urinate. So, drink more water and you'll have less problems.
Now it's been about 2 weeks since the experience, and I totally love it! The first orgasm I had with it was by far the best I ever had, something I never imagined ever quite that good by my own hand. :) The feeling was not quite that good (or at all painful) the next time around, but it was still quite good!
Joel said it's a good idea to wait about 2 mos. (min. healing time, sometimes up to 6 mos.) before intercourse, and then to use a condom for at least 6 mos. after to avoid infections.
It's healing quite well, and my advise to anyone else who gets one is the same as Joel gave me, soak it at least 5 mins. (10-15 is better) twice a day, using a warm salt water solution - and use non-iodized salt - Joel recommended sea salt, at about a teaspoon per cup of water.
Secondly, if you get one too, which I very highly recommend, try to wear as baggy a crotch pants as you can - anything binding is very uncomfortable to me, and the seams & stuff behind the zipper of my pants are still a bit uncomportable when it moves as I walk.
The only other downside to my sensativity with my position in my pants is that standing to urinate is possible, but I find if I have little pressure in my stream that it can follow the ring around and get my pants wet - I've taken to trying different positions on aiming and so far find the best thing is to hold a towel or even your hand under your penis, and watch even more for drips.
When it's healed a bit more, a month or so, I plan on going back to Tribal and getting a different piece of jewelry (and will want Joel to put it in), as I find this one a bit visually underwhelming - it's hard steel with a black w/very thin white marbling captive bead - I want to get one I can remove myself if I want to, and something more colorful, perhaps purple or blue Niobium.
I doubt I'll up-size it much if at all, because inside it is a tight enough fit as it is.
If you'd like to talk to me about my experience, compare yours, show & tell, or whatever, e-mail me, I will respond to all msgs. (unlike some others that I have asked about their experience). If you're in Vegas and wanna talk in person about it, that's fine, too.
If you are wondering, I'm gay, so I can't say what a woman would think of it, but my gay roommate seems to find it a turn on to look at and handle, and he has a steady, live-in boyfriend, even! ;)