My fiancé is big into body mod. He had both of his ears pierced and gauged as well as an industrial, but he had to let them close up for his job. He currently has his lip pierced, which I love. After ending his restrictive job, he had wanted to get his ears and his industrial redone, both of which I whole-heartedly supported.
At A Glance Author Sabrina Contact Sabrina@bme.anon When A week ago Artist Chris Studio Honky Tonk Tattoos Location Fredericksburg, VA About three months ago, he made me a proposal. He said he would get his ears done - but only on the condition that I get my nipple pierced. It was something he had always thought was sexy. My first response was something along the lines of "there's no way in hell I'd do that! It'd be too painful!" I said that no matter how badly I wanted him to get his ears repierced, it wouldn't happen because I wouldn't get my nipple done. I just didn't think it was 'me,' it didn't fit into the person I thought I was and the person I portrayed to the world. I'm not into body mod the way he is, though I have funny-looking hair and four gauged holes in my ears. While I'm not conservative in any sense of the word, I never saw myself as the kind to have body piercings.
But my fiancé simply would not relent. Every time the topic came up, he'd beg me to get it done, telling me how sexy he thought it would look and how much he'd like it. After a few weeks of being endlessly pestered, I told him that I'd think about getting it done, if only to shut him up for a few days. That only made the situation worse. He whined and whinged about it every chance he could, and it drove me nuts. The more he talked about it, however, the more I began to think about it. While the pain still scared me, I thought that it could be cool to have a nipple piercing. I finally told him that I'd think about it if he'd stop bugging me.
So I hopped online and did some research. I already knew that if/when we got any tattoos or piercings that we would get them at Honky Tonk Tattoos in Fredericksburg, VA; they're consistently rated the best tattoo/piercing studio in Virginia. I checked out stories about how much it had hurt and the aftercare to see if I thought I could handle it. Nearly every experience I read commented on how badly it hurt and the various infections that seem to be inevitable. That scared me, and I backed down. I thought I'd never be brave enough. Well, that, and my total lack of pain tolerance.
Then last weekend, my fiancé, my little brother, and I were out driving around in Fredericksburg. We'd been out for coffee and ice creams, and were on our way home when we 'happened' to drive past Honky Tonk. I think it was a set up. The boy asked if I'd like to go in, to which I replied sure, why not, walking in doesn't mean that I have to commit to anything. I have no idea what happened to me as soon as I set foot inside. All of a sudden, I decided that I better go for it, being as that I was there anyway. I figured if I didn't do it right then and there, I'd wimp out and never get it done. I don't know what made me change my mind so suddenly, but for some reason, it seemed like a good idea.
So I walked my tiny little self up to the big, burly tattooed guys at the desk, and squeaked out that I wanted my nipple pierced. They looked at me with shock, laughed, and handed me the forms. I filled them out with shaking hands, paid, and grabbed my boy's hand as I walked into the back. Honky Tonk employs two piercers – Dave and Chris. I got Chris, a very beautiful woman with equally beautiful tattoos. She told me to take off my shirt and bra and sit on the edge of the table, and I did so, though slightly skeptically. The boy had always said that he would never let a male piercer do my nipple, but now that a woman was about to do it, I think he changed his mind. I snapped at him to shut up or turn around, and told Chris to continue. She marked me and asked me to look to see if I thought it was even; I told her I couldn't bear to look and to just get on with it before I ran out of the room. She, too, laughed, and told me to lie down and start taking deep breaths as she cleaned my nipple and clamped it. The boy said the markings looked even, so she got the needle out of the package and got ready to go. I squeezed my eyes shut and grabbed my fiancé's hand in preparation for what I was sure to be unbearable pain.
I felt Chris lining up the needle with my nipple and almost backed down as I felt the tip of the needle touch my skin. At the exact second she said "Okay, now take a deep breath..." I asked her if she was going to give me a countdown. Her reply? "I don't need to. You're done." Bwa-huh? Yep. She'd pierced my nipple, and I didn't even feel it! I looked down, saw the needle in my boob, and just about passed out. But before I could think about it, the needle was out, the ring was in, and I was all set to go. Because I'd been a good girl and hadn't cried, Chris even gave me a candy bar! On my way out the door, the big burly guys at the desk looked at me and smiled. I guess they didn't think tiny little me would go through with it, but then again, neither did I!
I've had the piercing now for a week and a half, and haven't had a single problem with it at all. It only bled the first time I cleaned it, and even then, it was only a few drops. I've only had to deal with one little crusty, and that was because I hadn't cleaned it in 24 hours after being bedridden with a migraine; after the first re-cleaning, I haven't had an issue since. It does, however, tickle and itch occasionally – which is fun while sitting in class! But I like knowing that I have a little secret that only my boy and I know about. I like feeling that I have something to hide, something that makes me so happy.
And yes, my fiancé did get his ears repierced, though reluctantly. He didn't think I'd ever do it, and grumbled when I made him sit down on the piercing chair next to me. I showed him!