The first time I ever saw a nape piercing was post senior prom at the Radisson Hotel. My friend Jay's last minute date way lying face down on a bed and my eyes almost fell out of my head when I saw her clearly visible nape piercing. I asked her about it casually, not wanting to seem like a huge dork. Almost exactly one year later I got my very own nape done.
At A Glance Author Celeste Contact Celeste@bme.anon When A month ago Artist Scott Jania Studio Progressive Piercing Location Chicago, Il When I came to the conclusion that I really wanted a nape piercing I didn't jump right into it. In fact three months passed before the actual piercing took place. First I went with my homegirl Lisa redXlibation to discuss the procedure and any possible complications with Scott, Jenga , the piercer. I had a few questions but mostly I wanted to clear up any misconceptions about the piercing. I had been asked by friends, "what happens if you get shampoo in it?" and "doesn't that irritate your spinal cord?" Although my constant answer, "uh I don't think so" was pretty confident, there were some questions I had about healing time (god forbid I risk the loss of beach time) and basic cleaning processes (could I do it myself or would another pair of hands be necessary?) Scott had pierced me before and helped me with some nasty infections from past piercings so I was absolutel y confident taking his advice. He's the man. I left Progressive Piercing psyched about my upcoming piercing and much more informed about the entire process.
About a month later I returned to the shop for an anatomy check. Scott took care to measure my neck and gave me the choice of ¾ or 1-inch jewelry because he said my neck was the right size for either. He answered remaining questions that lingered in my mind; I don't exactly recall what at the present time because Scott, in addition to answering my questions, briefed me on questions that other people who had gotten their napes pierced asked.
The day of the piercing came and I did my best not to tell anyone about it not because I was nervous but because people thought it was so odd that Celeste, of all people, wanted to get her nape pierced. "Silly girl" they thought. My girls Lisa and Vena came to the shop with me. Upon entering the room Scott asked me to stand up straight and put my head straight down so my chin was just touching my chest. He measured my neck and marked the points where he'd pierce. Scott asked whether I wanted it higher or lower on my neck and I decided to get it towards the upper part of my neck where my hair would cover it-- I hardly think my boss would appreciate customers in his restaurant mentioning the fact that their waitress had a piercing on the back of her neck. After the measurements and marking, I took a look in the mirror and gave it the o.k. Scott reviewed all of the materials he would be using, unwrapping them from their packages and explaining the sterilization techniqu es. Even with my little experience, I felt so comfortable and at ease knowing that Scott took care to do his job so incredibly well. I laid face down on the table, and as instructed, crossed one hand on top of the other making a triangle with my hand laid my head down on my hands. Scott worked the skin to be pierced to relax it and put on the forceps. Take a deep breath in...and out...it wasn't so much pain as it was pressure. The ¾ inch surface barbell was inserted and that was probably the most pain out of the whole process, just a pinching pushing sort of pain, gone in a few seconds. Scott walked me through the whole process, explaining just what he was doing, after a couple deep breaths in and out the piercing was finished. Checking it out in the mirror I noticed it was red and irritated, but being a puncture wound, I was informed that it wouldn't be entirely healed for a bout a year.
Scott reviewed healing procedures, sea salt soaks at first for ten minutes then down to five every day to clean it out, then to wash it with satin soap a couple times a day. The soaks were awkward at first, lying down with a wet cotton swab on my neck, pulling my long hair out of the barbells. I ended up cutting the hair surrounding my nape piercing because a week after it was done, the end of the barbell was loose and at the St. Patrick's day parade amidst the mayhem I ended up losing it. A few hours later I was in the shop getting a new end put on the barbell (thank god). However the next week my nape swelled up like crazy. Although it's just over a month, I've had no real recent problems with my nape.
It's the most incredible thing I've ever had done. I don't have many visible piercings at all. To look at me you wouldn't think I'd have something like my nape pierced. But there's something about it that caught my eye a year ago, as corny as it sounds, and I fell for it. You wouldn't know at first glance, but I've got my nape pierced and I love it.