"It's MY body, ands it's MY choice"
At A Glance Author Laura McCarthy Contact laura_popple@yahoo.co.uk IAM Lozza_mc When Three months ago Artist Gillian Studio Mikes Tattooz Location Carlisle, Cumbria, UK "No, you can't get it. I don't like it, I think it looks tacky."
"So?"
I bet this sounds familiar with many people reading this. The typical argument about a teenager's right to 'violate' their body. Except this wasn't with a parent, it was with my partner.
We rarely argue, and even this confrontation was done in low tones. The venom in my voice was apparent though, and I was feeling very frustrated. The problem is that I need my partner on my side when I wish to get a piercing, because I need him to drive me to the studio to get it done and I am a stay at home mother, so I have very little money of my own. How would I convince him that a nipple piercing wouldn't be as horrendous as he imagined?
We went to Carlisle a few times during the 'convincing' period, and each time we went to see Gillian at Mikes Tattooz, she helped me try and persuade Popple that it was a great piercing to have. Popple was absolutely adamant that I would not be getting this piercing, although I did get a couple different ones during this time!
It took about two months of subtle suggestion to the man of my heart, before he started to come around to the idea of me getting one of his most prized possessions poked. It had become a fixation, the more he was against it, the more I just HAD to get it done. I suppose the angst ridden teenager side of me is still active eh?
I wanted a hidden piercing, as every other one I have is visible to everyone. I wanted a secret between me and Popple, and also, I wanted to be able to heal a piercing that wouldn't be the subject of amusement for my 11 month old son. I had a minor problem though, my nipples still leaked. I had breastfed my son exclusively for the first two weeks of his life. Following that, he was bottle-fed, with the occasional nursing for his own comfort. I totally stopped feeding him at 6 months old, but I still leaked 'milk' from my nipples. I was so worried that if I got my nipple pierced, I would 'squirt' Gillian, causing great embarrassment!
It was a weekday, Popple had a rare day off work, and I had about £20 in my bank account. Bored as I was, I suggested a trip to Carlisle. My intentions were solely for getting a fresh hole, but Popple seemed to assume that we were just going to enjoy a walk around the shops. The fool!
The dilemma was, the studio I go to isn't in the vicinity of the shopping district, so I was not able to just walk past and suddenly exclaim that we should pop in. As soon as we turned down the road where Mikes is situated, Popple looked at me. He looked really stern, and I was certain that he was going to impose him will on me, and make us turn in the opposite direction. After a few tense seconds, a smile broke on his face, and my sigh of relief was audible. I felt the buzz rise from my stomach, and my head began to swim with impending excitement about the new hole I was about to receive! I couldn't believe that after all the debates, the discussions and frustration, that he would allow me to get it!
We continued the walk to Mikes Tattooz, and it takes a good 10 minutes to get there. On the way, I started to talk to Popple.
"What suddenly changed your mind?"
"I know how excited you get about a new piercing, and if it makes you happy, then it can't be all that bad, can it?" He replied.
"That's true! And I really hope you like it!" I exclaimed with excitement. He just smiled at me, and we carried on walking down to the studio.
We arrived outside the bright yellow studio, and suddenly I felt a dreadful knot tighten in my stomach. I envisioned my nipple being ripped off, excruciating pain, grave embarrassment, and pages upon pages of experiences I had reviewed and read... I couldn't go in, I just couldn't! This was the first time that I had felt indecision to this degree regarding an impending piercing, and it really took me by surprise. The fear was overwhelming, and the shock at the fear was very uncomfortable. I wasn't even in the studio yet!
Popple grabbed the opportunity and stated that I didn't have to go through with it. Then, as suddenly as it started, the fear stopped. I was replaced with calm, which was just as unnerving as the fear. I was used to feeling a buzz of emotions prior to a piercing.
I smiled at Popple, and walked up the big step into Mikes. The waiting room was the same as always. Clean, calm, and with a couple of teenage girls attempting to get their navels pierced (under 16, and turned away). After the girls had left, I smiled at Gillian, and once again, I was greeting with such a friendly comment:
"I just can't get rid of you can I? What do you want this time then?"
Gillian is so nice to me (!)
"Guess what, he's letting me get it!" I stated, full of excitement. I go there so often, that she knew straight away what I meant. I truly felt accepted, when her face lit up with excitement at the prospect of me getting this piercing, which we had both worked so hard for me to be allowed to get!
Gillian led me through to the piercing room with a grin, and I plonked my bum onto the bed. The bed resembles a bed in a doctor's office, and was as clean as you could hope for. I felt very comfortable in the studio, and Gillian was, as always, so easy to talk to. As she was preparing for the 'procedure', Popple sat in the waiting room outside. Once Gillian was ready, she shut the door, and asked me to lie down. She asked whether I was getting one or both, and I said I would like my right nipple only. This felt weird, as my body was telling me that I should pierce my left nipple, and going against what my body told me was almost painful! It's like a very strong pull towards that particular area of your body, and if you deviate from it, it feels like you are pulling against your body.
I climbed onto the bed, and lifted my top up and pulled my bra down under my breasts. Even though I was still exposed, I felt less 'vulnerable' due to technically still wearing my clothes. She marked me with a purple marker pen. I approved the positioning, and she started to spray my nipple. Gillian uses a freezing spray, I apologise for not knowing exactly what it is called. I couldn't believe how cold it felt, and the chill went right through my body to the tips of my fingers and my toes. Gillian was blowing on my nipple to help the spray take effect, which I laughed at, to be honest!
Once she was satisfied with the numbness of my nipple, she clamped me. This clamp seemed to less painful than any of the others I had had done previously. Maybe it was the numbing spray, or perhaps it was because it the clamps weren't elasticated and were held in place by Gillian rather than any locking mechanism. I am once again sorry for my lack of technical knowledge!
I started at my boob, waiting for the needle to go through it. I had tunnel vision; all I could see was my breast, and my erect nipple. Suddenly, Gillian brought the needle to my nipple, and slid it through. I gasped, not with pain, but for the extreme lack of it. I don't normally believe it when people say they didn't feel a thing, but I swear on Callum's life, it felt like the needle was sliding through butter. Gillian trimmed the needle and turned away to get the jewellery, and I watched the remaining part of the needle seesaw from one side to the other of the nipple.
I had asked for a barbell for this piercing, because I felt that a barbell would be easier to heal, with less chance of it catching on anything like t-shirts and bra's and the like. She attached the jewellery, pulled the needle through, bringing the jewellery with it, and screwed on the ball to secure it in place. That was it, my nipple was pierced. I slowly sat up (more because of my immense body weight, rather than feeling light headed) and looked in the full length mirror. I fell in love, but I instantly noticed that it was slightly crooked. I didn't want to say anything, or let it spoil the moment. I opened the door and ran out to see Popple, still with my top up and bra down. Thank god that no-one came in! Popple looked at it, tried to touch it, and then I put my boobs away.
Gillian finished cleaning up and came out, I ran up to hug her, being very careful not to knock my nipple. There was still no pain or stinging, but I knew that if I agitated it I would regret it later. I paid, thanked Gillian profusely, and walked out the door to the car.
Usually on the way home, I spend the whole 30 minute journey looking and inspecting my new piercing. The fact I had to wait to look at it was so annoying!
About an hour after I had it done, the pain started to kick in. It was a really deep, throbbing pain, which went right through my breast. But the actual piercing wound itself hurt so little it was amazing. That night I slept in one on my slightly padded t-shirt bras. It seemed quite comfortable, and apart from a slight throbbing by the night time, it didn't hurt to sleep on, as I sleep on my stomach.
The next day, the 'crusties' appeared. I clean all my piercings with distilled witch hazel on a cotton bud (Q-Tip) and I occasionally did a salt soak, using a shot glass to keep it against my nipple without me having to lean over onto the kitchen counter. But the healing was very uneventful. So far, my nipple piercing is one of the fastest that I have healed. It was not just the initial swelling that caused it to look off centre; it really has been pierced wonky. I believe the reason for this is that Gillian marked me whilst I was lying down on the bed, as opposed to while I was standing up to get a feel for the natural shape. If I get the other side pierced, I shall try and get her to pierce it at the opposite angle, to make it look more symmetrical.
If you are wondering, no, I did not squirt 'milk' all over Gillian, but even now I still leak milk from my nipple. It mostly comes out from the left side of the hole, but it still comes out of the front of the nipple too. Some may class this as Too Much Information, but I know for a fact that people are apprehensive about nipple piercings for breastfeeding reasons later in life. Everything still seems to work for me, and I think I won't have a problem if I ever choose to breastfeed again.
On a slightly more humorous note, about a month after I had gotten my nipple pierced, darling Popple decided to get his pierced too! I should have put my foot down and disagreed as he did, but I let him go through with it. I believe barbells are better for healing than rings, as mine healed so quickly, and Popple's took a lot longer.
I wouldn't change this piercing for the world; even Popple has started to enjoy it too. Luckily for me, this has been a positive experience. But remember, every single person is different. Listen to your body and you can't go far wrong.