When I got my first nipple piercing in April 2001, I didn't know what it would start. It was what seems to be pretty much standard procedure in the UK - a little discussion with the piercer, but generally a pretty quick procedure.
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon When Six months ago Artist Myself Studio Home Location UK However, this started an addiction that would see me decide to start piercing myself - I decided, having researched, that I could do a job that I thought was acceptable, and, having pierced my ear cartilage a few times, I decided it was time to try something a little more daring.
Just having the one nipple piercing didn't seem enough - having flicked through the BME pages, I loved the appearance of double nipple piercings - I wanted to put a ring in the hole I already had, and insert a bar behind it. One night last summer, I decided to pierce a second hole in my nipple. I wouldn't say that my method was by any means the best or most careful - I didn't see fit to use an ice cube to freeze it, or any anaesthetic, I just removed the needle from the wrapper, put a labret stud into the end so I had a solid flat end to push on, lined it up (I had a bar through the other hole to guide me), and pressed the needle into my nipple, pressing into a finger where the exit hole would be. As I felt the needle almost coming through my skin, I pressed towards the needle with two fingers, one either side of the exit hole, and, once the needle had made its first appearance from the skin, gave one final, hard, exhilirating push, and the needle was through. This was c onsiderably more effort than piercing humble ear cartilage, most of the effort is probably actually compressing the nipple sufficiently that it's easy to push the needle through. I suspect that the clamps the piercers use facilitate this.
I couldn't believe how well I had done - after a few days, most of the pain had dissipated, yet I hungered for more. I raided my jewellery bags and found nothing but a few very small rings and a 4cm long bar I had as a spare for my industrial. This gave me an idea: pierce the nipple vertically and put the long bar through the hole, to look either like a cross or a sword. Again, I followed the same procedure as I had before. This piercing was, if anything, a little easier - I had one self-done nipple piercing behind me. Also, the two horizontal piercings gave me something to press into.
After I had put these two new piercings through my nipple, I had quite an impressive project. My nipple had also grown considerably in size, and was great fun to play with, and look at, not to mention the interest and curiosity it got from the ladies! Yet it still felt like something was missing.
About a month after the last piercing, I decided I would pierce the tip of my nipple (all the previous ones had been done at the base, and the nipple had grown slightly after each one, allowing space for another), and put an 8mm ring in. This was a very difficult piercing to place, as it could end up with me slicing my nipple off if I got it wrong: a placing 12ga needle sufficiently far into your nipple to give the ring enough skin to anchor in is quite a feat. I pressed the tip of my nipple between my thumb and index finger, in order to give me a larger area to press into. I made sure the needle was pointing such that the body of the needle went in closer to my body than the tip, so that the piercing would be as far in as possible. This procedure only took about five minutes, as there was so little skin to push through.
For weeks afterwards, I had a childish urge to lift my shirt up whenever I went to the toilet at work, and just stare at my nipple, almost in disbelief that what started off as just piercing a nipple for a second time could turn into something so unique, and something I felt very proud of having designed almost by accident, and carried out on my own. All the time, I was reminded of the piercings in my nipple by the fact that it was constantly erect, and would rub against my shirt, causing a tingling sensation.
The summer came to an end, but my project did not. I set out an aim: to pierce another horizontal hole in my nipple, behind the existing vertical one, put a bar in that, then to stretch the horizontal piercings in front of the vertical bar to 3.2mm and 2.4mm, leaving the piercing in the tip at 1.6mm; if this didn't feel like enough, I contemplated two diagonal piercings, turning the cross into an eight-pointed star. So far, I have stretched one hole to 2.4mm, and I have just put a fifth piercing in my nipple, behind the vertical bar.
I must admit, I was initially slightly worried by the spontaneity of it all, but, following the rush of the initial few piercings, I have been able to plan the final few stages of my little project. My original childish excitement has turned into true pride in my work, which is the main premise under which I pierce myself - I don't think I can do a better or safer job than a reputable piercer, but the immediate rush and the long-term sense of achievement, along with the lack of nervousness, make it my preferred method. Price does not enter into it, and I would strongly advise anyone who contemplates piercing themselves on grounds of price alone to seriously think. It's not easy, it takes a high pain threshold and a brain. But, if done correctly, the results can be pleasing - and were for me.