Ah, finally, I'm on my lunch-break! I rush over the corridor to the piercing parlour where I'd booked my piercing earlier in the day. I was asked to wait a few minutes while one of the staff decided she'd go off to the lav...some FIFTEEN minutes later, she returned and I was finally able to get pierced! Weee!
At A Glance Author kakystokrat When A week ago Studio ICE Accessories Location Preston, Victoria, Australia The piercer, who was very professional, talked me through what would happen, got me to sign some forms, check that the tools had been sterilised thoroughly, and then it was time to be texta'ed (:to be marked with a felt tip pen - a texta)!
It took about 10 minutes of deliberation, but we finally decided that the marks were even. (Strangely enough, I didn't think much more of it, standing in front of a mirror without a bra on and my shirt held up, in a shop in the middle of a major shopping centre, with an onlooker, mind!)
Here we go....
I said I was a bit nervous, so the piercer suggested I lie on my hands. I wondered why, made up a reason, and did so, anyway.
The piercer clamped my nipple with what looked like really long eyelash curlers, lined up the needle and pushed it through. The feeling was similar to that of having my navel pierced - like the needle was fighting to get through. I doubt I could even BEGIN to explain the pain! But i'll try: It was a searing sensation that I thought would consume me, but the adrenaline rush that followed took care of THAT! It was like having two small brooms brush down both arms simultaneously, then down through my torso, over my legs and past my feet. It was an incredibly weird feeling - and I almost became completely numb for about 2-3 seconds.
The piercer then put in the jewelery. I was so distracted by the adrenalin that I felt a mere tugging, slightly painful, kind of an annoying sensation. I actually forgot completely that that part was coming. I thought "What's happening now??" and then I looked down to see the jewelery going through.
"Hmm.. you're not bleeding...", the piercer said. Which was weird, because we'd both expected at least a little blood. After about a minute it came. I wasn't too surprised though - my eyebrow piercing only yielded a drop or two of blood, although, it's a completely different thing to a nipple piercing.
After about 3-4 minutes, I could sit up. I couldn't sit up straight away, my piercer explained, as it'd change the blood flow. She explained the aftercare, gave me estimated healing times and wished my good luck. Also, the lying on the hands thing is because she's been smacked in the head by a few piercees who got a bit frantic. Never mind the fact that you've got a sharp piece of steel piercing an appendage. By all means, flail away! *g*
Later on that day, perhaps even just two hours after being pierced, I realised i'd completely forgotten about being pierced! It didn't hurt a bit, and hadn't hurt since I'd left the shop.
I was really pleased with the piercer and her work, although the other girl on staff that day (who went for a 15 minute toilet break, knowing I had an appointment) either doesn't understand or respect customer privacy. I told one other person about my getting pierced. The next day my boss called me in to the office to enquire. I asked how she'd found out and it so happens that the afforementioned girl (who booked my appointment) had taken it upon herself to tell anyone and everyone about my intimate piercing, intended to be a surprise for my partner.
I suggest, to anyone wanting a piercing, to either call ahead and find out if they're discrete and will respect your privacy (at least the piercer knows to be), and if you live in Melbourne, make sure that if you're at Preston's Ice Accessories, that the malcontent is away on the day you get pierced!!!!!!
Apart from that, I totally and whole heartedly endorse having small pieces for sterilised, stainless steel being poked into almost every appendage, any bit of loose skin (that's piercable) and the like. I've found piercing to be damned addictive (in a positive way) and if it weren't for my old fashioned, tyrannical boss, I'd have more on display!
Having not told my partner (as it was a surprise), I thought about how to broach the subject on my arrival home from work... hours later, I, unoriginally, decided we'd play hot and cold. When he'd found the location, not knowing what I'd had done, but having some idea, he said "No way...no waaaaay!", grinning. After seeing it, clutching at his own nipples he declared "total and utmost respect for the fact that I'd had my nipple "impaled"".
Well, it was a one-off experience in my case... I think I'll invest in a labret next, to slightly alter my asymetrical appearance :D