I had been contemplating the idea of getting my nipples pierced for a few months before I decided to just go for it. I called around here in the area to check on prices and get a feel for my prospective piercer before I decided on Arbuckle's...partially because of the price, but mostly because I felt comfortable around Gary, and the fact that they didn't do appointments but on a walk-in basis.
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact cacajuate69@aol.com When A week ago Artist Gary Q. Arbuckle Studio Arbuckle's Tattoo and Piercing Emporium Location Cedar Rapids, IA I knew when I woke up that morning that it was to be the day. I didn't have to work that day or the next, so I'd have plenty of time to adjust to my new jewelry.
It started out just like any other day, until I got in my car and drove down to Czech Village, where the studio is located. I was fine nerve-wise until I got close to the building and pulled into the parking lot. That's when the butterflies kicked in and I debated on turning back. I think I spent close to 20 minutes sitting in my car, listening to music and getting psyched.
When I walked in the studio, it was about 2:30 in the afternoon, and the place was dead, other than the two guys that work there and some girl in with her mom looking at tongue jewelry. I had barely gotten up to the counter when they asked to see my id and ask what they could do for me. When I said what I wanted done, the younger girl just turned and looked at me with her mouth hanging open. Gary told me to step behind the counter. That's when he whipped out the form releasing the studio from being sued for inflicting bodily harm and all that good stuff. Then I had to pick out the jewelry...that was a tough one, because I had to choose the kind I wanted to be pierced with (barbell or cbr) the gauge, and the color/s of the ring. I just went with 14 gauge tye-died cbrs...they can always be changed or stretched when the time comes.
Anyways...after getting done with the paper work, we went back to the piercing room. The first thing that Gary did was turn on the fan in the corner, pointing it right at me, and told me to take my shirt off(I think this was probably the hardest part for me, since I'm a pretty modest person) while he finished getting the needles, forceps and corks ready. All this was done so that I could see them coming out of fresh packaging, etc. Then I got to sit in the wonderful dentist chair. Gary marked the entrance and exit points on both nipples, and told me to take a look and see if the placement looked ok to me. They looked fine, so on we went with the first forcep.
Then he grabbed the needle, told me to breathe in, then out very slowly. I took the breath, then looked down as I exhaled, and watched the needle slide right through the skin and tissue and into the cork. That part didn't hurt at all.
Then came the forcep on the left nipple. Again, I was told to breathe in and out really slowly, and again, I watched as the needle went through. This one kind of hurt a little bit, but it was more like a burning sensation.
Putting in the jewelry was piece of cake, and kind of interesting to watch the ring be squeezed round again, and then stretched out to put the bead in between the ends.
After I put my clothes back on and stepped back into the main lobby, Gary went over the aftercare with me, and demonstrated on his own nipple ring how to clean it. He even sent home a bottle of liquid dial soap to use. I tipped Gary, wished him a happy holiday season, and was on my merry way.
The little pain that I had with the whole experience didn't even start until I got back out to my car and took a minute to think about what I had just done. Then they kind of ached. I think the worst was trying to clean it out for the first time that night. Talk about tender!!!
The aftercare that I used didn't completely follow what was on my care sheet or what Gary told me. I cleaned it twice a day, as recommended, but only with warm water while I was in the shower. This seems to work well for me, considering I don't have any crusties anymore and no problems moving my jewelry.
If anyone is thinking about getting their nipples pierced, I would definitely recommend it. It's well worth the small amount of pain endured, and for only sixty bucks, how could you possibly go wrong?!
If anyone has any questions or comments, feel free to email me!!