Well I've been interested in piercings for as long as I can remember. When I was a child I wanted tons of earrings, I wanted my navel and my tongue pierced. But the more piercings I saw, the more I realized was possible, and the more I wanted. I always said that I would never get anything that was covered by a bikini pierced, but everything else I saw as an option. Once I actually started getting piercings, though, I started to reconsider this decision.
At A Glance Author Allison Contact thirteenandcounting@yahoo.com When A year ago Artist Trish Studio Red Dragon, West Broad St. Location RVA By the time I went to college I had decided that I definitely probably wanted to get my nipples pierced. The reason I like piercings is for their aesthetic properties: beautiful shiny silver metal against soft skin. I just love it. So I loved the idea of pretty silver accents for my nipples. I was just afraid. Afraid of the pain, a little, but I had also heard rumors about not being able to breastfeed if you got an infection in your nipple piercings. I hadn't decided whether I was going to have children or not, but I didn't want to put that complication in the mix in case I did have kids. One weekend my older sister was visiting me at college we said we'd go get them done together, but then we didn't because of the whole breastfeeding thing. We thought maybe we should wait it out, find out some more information before we got anything done.
So I called around, I spoke to a nurse at the local hospital in the Maternity Dept. I don't think she knew anything for sure or even first-hand, but she basically told me that, yeah, it could cause problems. I didn't like that answer, so I also called the piercing studio and talked to them about it. They said everything would be fine, and I'd be able to breastfeed, should the need arise.
I basically sat on the idea for a couple of years. A few months before my 21st birthday I decided I was going to get them done, for sure. And what better time than my birthday. I went to school about 4 hours away from where my parents live (Richmond, VA). Although I love the people at the tattoo and piercing shop where I go to school, I wanted to save this piercing for Richmond. I was hoping one of my best friends from back home would go with me. I would be at school the weekend of my birthday, but I had plans to go home the following weekend. So it was set: I would get my nipples pierced in Richmond, September 15, 2001. Oh I can't wait.
So my birthday came, woo hoo! Now it's the next weekend and I'm home in Richmond. I've already told some of my friends what the plan was, so I couldn't back out now. Saturday it would be. I wanted to go to the Red Dragon Tattoo Studio downtown, because they have a female piercer. I've never been pierced by her, but I hear she's really good. I'm not usually opposed to male piercers at all, but I thought having a girl do it would make me that much more comfortable. I was sad to find out that my friend who I wanted to join me had to baby-sit, so he couldn't come. I'd go by myself. So I drove up there and walked straight to the counter and told the guy what I wanted. He said there were about 3 people in front of me and it'd be just a little while. That's cool, I'll just hang out and look at the walls.
I was a little nervous. Even though getting pierced really doesn't hurt that much, I always get nervous before-hand. The wait turned out longer than I expected, and I think there were a few more people waiting in front of me that the guy at the desk was not aware of. That's okay, though, because it gave me a little time to calm down and stop being so nervous. But then they called me back.
Trish was the piercers name, and she was really cute and really nice. I took my shirt and bra off, and she cleaned me and started marking me. After she made the marks she measured them, to make sure the dots were the same distance apart of both nipples, and she asked me to stand up and look at them. They looked good to me, so I sat back down. She was talking to me the whole time, but at this point I couldn't tell you what about. We were ready. She told me to close my eyes (as if I hadn't already planned to) and to take big, deep breaths. After a few breaths she did the first one. It hurt, but I was ready for the second. Same deal, breathe, breathe, needle. The second one hurt a lot more. I got a tiny bit light-headed, so she got me a cup of water and started fanning my face (how nice). I think the water did the trick and I felt better. Two 14ga. SSS captive bead rings. I put my clothes back on and she started talking about aftercare. I thanked her, paid her an d left.
She recommended salt soaks, but I'd had good results with bactine and dial soap with my other piercings, so I stuck with using that. They healed pretty well, and I got them tapered to 12g. I had some minor mishaps here and there with them, but they are otherwise happy, healthy piercings. Not many people have seen them, but I got them for me, and I love them.