Let me preface this by saying I'm on the heavier-modded side of my friends; I have no tattoos, but I've invested plenty of time and money into my piercings, and recently discovered a love of scarification and sutures. That being said, my job doesn't allow much room for modification; everything I have is subtle- rooks and a studded nostril are about as far as I can go in my current position. In a lot of ways, it's felt like a hindrance; there are many piercings I'd like to get but can't in the name of appearance, but on the other hand, each modification invisible to the professional eye is a quiet little thrill for me.
At A Glance Author Triage Contact Triage@bme.anon IAM Caeli When It just happened Artist Russ Foxx Studio The Fall Tattooing Location Vancouver, BC I came to Russ because I'd been pondering for the longest time cutting a design into myself, and he was the first Vancouverite with a good ad campaign (no, seriously, he gets around) promoting scar work. He is also in the process of attaining a medical degree, and came recommended from my initial piercing parlour. When I first saw him, I had only had my VCH for two months- a piercing that, quite frankly, had initially scared the bejesus out of me, because I'd never had anything that sharp close to my junk, and because my reaction to it was a panicky fit of giggles that I couldn't turn off. Not my proudest moment. After Russ cut my first scar into me, we talked more frequently, because the process isn't clarified- there's no one right way to do it, but a series of safety precautions that will hopefully ensure a good scar. Five months, two lip suture sessions, a bout of play-piercing and my second scar piece later, I made a decision. I trust Russ. He's incredibly sterile and sa fe, always available for follow-up, friendly, gentle and knowledgeable. He'd never done a Princess Albertina before, but after research and an examination, I felt good about asking him to do mine.
We made an appointment, in the vaguest sense of the word- I think I called him up and asked when he'd be in, and told him what I was thinking about, since we'd already discussed it a few times before. I decided to come down a day early, because.. honestly, I was impatient, and he was available. I had the normal pre-piercing tingles while he reviewed the procedure, the equipment and the aftercare methods- we took long enough for Cerah, Russ' girlfriend and Fall front staff, to turn up, which I'd been banking on in the hopes of having good pictures afterwards. We talked and I paced while he set up the equipment and sterilised the bed, and I got my own set of gloves to help while he worked. The set up was, oddly, more comfortable than a pap smear- no speculum, no stirrups, no unnaturally cold hands and gross, sticky lubricant. Just me wriggling into position, and him poking and prodding for a bit- I'm amused that he has a better handle on my body's layout than I do. I suppressed my giggle instinct and bit my lip while he worked the clamps in. He fit the tube, placed the needle, talking about weekend plans all the while, and the countdown came so fast I hardly noticed. I was breathing in through my nose one minute, and the second, I had an improbable and evil-looking needle through my urethral wall.
This piercing hurt less than changing nostril jewelry. That's the first thing I noticed. I'd seen a picture of the needle and had cringed inwardly, and I'd examined my own anatomy, and I'd had some doubts and a few self-conscious episodes about that, but everything went off without a hitch. Pressure, a slight stinging sensation, and Russ was saying, 'That's it, you're in.' Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. There was very little swelling, and I wasn't waddling for three hours like I had with my VCH. As a matter of fact, sitting up was easy and created a lot of pleasant friction previously missing from my life (I am so happy I corrected this problem with my previous lifestyle).
It's day three, and I no longer bleed when I blot (I'm still scared I'll forget and wipe normally)- it barely bled during the process, and never when I peed. The aftercare is tricky to say the least, and temperatures that feel okay to my fingers are not alright with my bits. The worst I feel is a constant, psychosomatic need to go to the bathroom, and all other side effects are extremely beneficial. There is some downsizing to do, as it's currently a bit prominent, but I'm already in love with the way it looks and feels- heavy and comforting. I have high hopes for the healing speed with this one, as with my VCH, and instructions to take notes regarding this piercing for the next lucky customer Russ takes on.