Hey everyone! Here is my story of my torn nipple, and how I repaired the poor thing. Here's a bit of background info: I am 18 with 4 piercings. I have nipples, navel, nostril, and lobes. I have been interested in piercing since I was 13, but didn't get my first (nostril) until I was 16. I decided for my 18th birthday my boyfriend and I would get our nipples done.
At A Glance Author Sensimilla Contact Sensimilla@bme.anon When N/A Artist Mari Studio Flesh Tones Location El Paso TX The day came, and I took a shower, and we (my boyfriend and I) were about to leave the house when we realized we didn't pick a place to go. Then we just chose the nearest reputable place; Flesh Tones. When we got there I signed all the appropriate paper work, stood around. There was a sign that read, "Don't Be a Pussy". I then realized I wasn't nervous at all.
Minutes later, we went into the curtained off room. Mari explained to us what she was going to do. My boyfriend wanted to go first. After much preparing she had him stand in front of her, and gave him instructions. There was SCIENCE from Incubus playing. A favorite album of mine. She got ready and then stuck him. He made an awful face and started to get woozy so he sat down. She got him a glass of water. Anyway, 20 minutes, 3 glasses of water, and a packet of honey later he was ready for the 2nd one to be done. He took this one a little better, but still needed to sit down to have the ring put in.
My turn. After she prepared everything I stood in front of her and was not nervous at all. I was excited! She asked me if I wanted her to just do it, or count. I told her to just do it. She did it, and it wasn't bad. So I told her not to wait and just do the other one. She did and it was over in a minute. She went over the aftercare, which I pretty much disregarded as I was going to use what BME recommended. We paid, tipped, and left.
A month later everything was doing great. I thought maybe there was a little migration because I always wore a bra so the jewelry wouldn't get knocked around. I was cleaning them twice a day. Once with a salt water soak, then again rinsing with saline solution. When in the shower I used heavily diluted antibacterial soap. Oh yes, and occasionally lavender oil.
One night I woke up from a nap at around 10 pm. My left nipple was sore as hell. I didn't even bother to look at it, and fell back asleep. At 1 am I woke up and took off my bra to change into my pajamas and my nipple was swollen on the right exit hole. It had a little bit of white surrounding it. This was pretty freaky so I washed it with antibacterial soap, and went to bed. I woke up the next morning in horror, as the right exit hole had gotten much more inflated and the puffy part was turning white. It looked like a big infected pimple. Worse, the left exit hole was puffing up now and also turning white. I washed it again, and the ring turned so easily, and it never does that. By this time it was getting worse really fast so I went to minor emergency. A doc saw me, and told me since the piercing itself wasn't weeping (not even lymph) he couldn't tell what it was. It possibly could be a reaction to something, a callus, a tear? It was ugly. There were big bumps on either sid e of my nipple, and all white. Nothing was weeping so he prescribed me to some oral antibiotics, told me to keep it very clean, put bacitracyin ointment on the outer holes, and to come back in 3 days. Luckily he said if worse comes to worse I will have to remove the ring. When I got home I washed it and put the ointment on and went about. When I next cleaned it I noticed the bump had mostly deflated, as it was filled with puss. Eventually the other side popped as well. I kept cleaning, and a few days later the swelling was gone and I could take a good look at the area. There little tears on either side of the exit holes. I must've snagged them on something and not noticed. I stopped using lavender oil and salt soaks. They irritated my nipple badly. I replaced the salt water with saline solution. I clean 3 times a day and place gauze over it for a loose t-shirt will irritate it.
Every day they get better, but if I turn the ring at all, the tear on the right side will reopen. The bacitracyin has done wonders. It's much like Neosporin, but with more of the active ingredient. I was very afraid of the infection spreading. I think it's under control now. When you get your nipples done, just be very very careful not to knock the jewelry around!! I didn't even notice when they tore! By the time I saw them it had gotten really bad. This happened it a matter of hours too! I also hear from others that nipple piercings are very very touchy, and a gauge as small as mine (14) will make it tear a lot more easily. Happy piercing