This is the first time I have written about an experience for BME. I hope others can find it useful!
At A Glance Author anonymous When It just happened Artist Ben Studio Kustom Culture Location Tallmadge, Ohio To begin: a brief history. I had my nipples pierced horizontally about a year ago, when I was freshly eighteen. I hadn't given it much thought beforehand. The idea just came to me suddenly, sitting in my sister's dorm room one day. At the time, I all ready had my navel, tongue, rook, and inner conch pierced. I was browsing BME, and dreaming about my next ear piercing. Then, on the main page, a nipple piercing caught my eye, and I was immediately obsessed with the idea. I called a few different shops (other than the one I normally frequented), just to see what people had to offer. I decided on Kustom Culture. I liked them from the moment I called. I in fact went that very day and had my nipples pierced, after visiting and decided the shop was the pinnacle of cleanliness and professionalism.
As this story is not about my first nipple experience, I will keep it short. Yes, it was painful. My nipples are very sensitive, and I did not enjoy the clamps. Nevertheless, my piercer, Ben, was so nice and helpful, and the piercings were very little trouble to take care of. (Except for when I walked out of the shop into the cold February air! Ouch!)
Unfortunately, I thought I could go to bed at night without wearing a bra. A lesson to the wise: those new piercings need to remain stable! A month or so after being pierced, the 14gCBR in my left nipple was torn down a bit in my sleep. It never healed after that, and was soon removed. Eventually, the right piercing was removed as well, as I personally did not like how I looked with just one nipple pierced.
Now, on to the present. Although the torn left nipple took forever to return to normal, it finally did, and the idea of having my nipples pierced again grew in my mind. I put it off for a while, though. A few piercings and tattoos later, I decided it was time to return to my nipples. I had always liked the look, as well as the stronger sensitivity the piercings brought to the area. However, although my boyfriend always thought they were cute, the piercings were entirely my personal decision.
On the day I set out I had no intention of having my nipples pierced. I was actually planning on having my daith pierced. The shop I went to (who I usually have do the more difficult ear piercings), though, told me I didn't have the ear for it. I was depressed, and about to go home. However, I had money with me and I didn't want to end up wasting it on something else. So, I then drove on over to Kustom Culture, hoping all the way that Ben would be there, and that I still might be pierced that day.
Triumph! He was. I was still sad about not having a good piercing ear, and so decided it was time to concentrate on something else: the nipples. This time, though, I opted for a vertical piercing, as I was in the mood for something different.
Paperwork, payment, a Coke from Ben to settle my stomach, my name being called . . . I was taken into the back. I started getting nervous, though. I remembered how it felt last time. Since the time of the first nipple piercing, I had a snug orbital done (which failed, but that's another story), two tattoos, my smiley, my tongue web, and my septum pierced, and yet nothing compared to the discomfort of those damn clamps on my nipples and a needle going through.
As we were going vertical this time, we were going to use 14g barbells. I was sitting in the room. I thought I was ready. Ben was, anyway. The jewelry was autoclaved, the clamps and needles were set out (being brand new and opened from the package in front of my very eyes), the gloves were changed enough times that I thought he might be trying to use up an entire box( ! ), the area to be pierced was cleaned off and marked, and the dots were even approved by me.(He is great by the way! I always fret about placement, and he must have moved the markings five times before I was 100% satisfied, even though they were fine to begin with. I just waste time before the actual piercing because of my nerves.) Anyway! As I was saying, we were all set. Ben asked me which side I wanted first. I told him to go ahead with the left, as it had been the torn one, and might be more painful. I figured I would just get it out of the way first. The clamps went on . . . then off. He wasn't satisfied with the way they were holding. And so on they went again. But by that time, I felt like they had been on so long and my nipple all ready so sore, so I changed my mind and told him to do the left. It was obvious I was nervous about the whole thing. He told me nothing was forcing me to do this, and if I wasn't ready it was no problem at all (such a sweetie). I told him, no, I would be ready in a moment. I put my head down for a bit, then sat up and gave him the go-ahead. My friend held one hand, while I sat on the other. Then clamps, and a few moments later, the needle going in from the bottom . . . then red hot pain! And without even realizing it, my hand went up and struck his piercing arm. Thank goodness he is so good at this! His hand didn't even move. Although it caused the piercing to last longer than it should have as he had to assess if I had caused any damage while the needle was only half-way in, it still came out the top perfectly straight. Jewelry went in. The f irst one was done.
I took a few moments to calm down, and to apologize for my hitting him. To be honest, it was not as bad as I remembered it to be. I dramatized it so much in my head that when the moment came, I just freaked out. But when we decided it was time to pierce the left nipple, and had prepared it, I was just too sore from the previous clamping. So we agreed to hold off. I tipped him and arranged to come back in two days.
And so I did. I brought the same friend with me, along with cookies for Ben to make up for my being so difficult. Pretty soon we were back where we started. The jewelry had been autoclaved again, new instruments were brought out, and I was clean and marked as before. I felt so silly about how I had reacted last time, that on this occasion I told myself I would not freak out or act stupid. And I didn't. Congratulations to me. All that happened was a long string of obscenities on my part. Ben laughed at me when he was done; he told me that he doesn't mind if I cuss during the piercing, just no fighting back! This side was much more painful than the first, though. I could feel it the entire way through due to scar tissue from its original piercing. But at least I sat still!
Another tip and I was done. I all ready knew the proper aftercare for the procedure: Provon medicated soap and sea-salt cleaning when needed. I only do this minimally, though. In all my experience, I have found that piercings heal best when you leave them the heck alone. Most importantly, no touching! (It will be hands off for my boyfriend for a good number of weeks!) And trust me: after a nipple piercing, your bra will be your new best friend!
In conclusion, don't let being scared stop you from what you really want to do. It's only a moment of pain and a few drops of blood in exchange for so much more. A major part of body modification for me is just the conquering of my fears. It truly makes me feel good after I have met what frightens me head on and won! Do it only for yourself. Go to a piercer you know and knows you, and will answer all your questions along the way. Only choose a shop you know is clean and always uses brand new tools. And finally, think it through. Make sure it is the right piercing for you. Follow all cleaning instructions. Take care. Then enjoy!