I probably should have submitted this experience back when it happened so that I would have a more clear recollection of it, but I was just perusing the BME site today and decided, what the hell?
At A Glance Author Sugarpuss Contact Sugarpuss@bme.anon When A year ago Artist Joel (I don't know his last name) Studio Hellbound Tattoo Location Allentown, Pennsylvania ...which is sort of how I came to get my piercing. I had always been interested in piercings, but in the end I had always chickened out for one reason or another. There's also the fact that my parents are definitely NOT piercing-friendly (I still live at home), and when I came home one day with a home-made eyebrow piercing you would have thought that Satan himself just landed in our kitchen. (Note to readers: Don't let your friends that aren't experienced piercers jam pieces of metal through your body. I don't know what the hell I was thinking.)
So, I didn't really have any "real" prior experience with piercings. I have my ears pierced, but those were done with a gun in a mall with my mother present. Everything else I've ever had done has been fumbling bad ideas done with sewing needles and inexperienced people, so, needless to say, at the time that I got my hood piercing, I had no other metal through any other part of my body. I figured a hood piercing was an excellent idea – it seemed super-cool, I was sure my sexual partners would dig it, it seemed to be a "functional" piercing rather than just something aesthetically pleasing, and, of course, I couldn't think of a single situation in which either of my parents would ever come to see it.
My friend and I had been talking about getting our hoods pierced for a while, but I honestly wasn't sure either of us would ever actually do it. She was under eighteen, anyway, so I figured I had a nice big window of time in which to mull the idea over. Then one day, she showed up at my house to show off her brand new hood piercing -- apparently, lucky her, her cousin is a piercer. Well, those that know me know that I'm not one to be easily outdone, so a week later I was on my way to get a piece of metal jabbed through one of the more sensitive areas of my body. I chose Hellbound because several of the piercing/tattoo studios in my area do not do genital piercings, and also because I had heard glowing reviews about one of their piercers who had done a lot of genital piercings. My friend had got her piercing done, as I said, by her cousin, and it was the first genital piercing she'd done – I cringed at that thought, obviously!
I went there on April 2nd, 2001, with my best friend and another friend of ours. I was a complete nervous wreck and totally thought I'd just puke all over my piercer (thankfully, I didn't!). I had to stand around in the waiting area for a little while until someone was available to talk to me, and I told them I wanted a hood piercing. After discussing it for a little while, I decided to go with a horizontal, figuring that a vertical might be a bit more uncomfortable. I selected a 16g straight silver barbell, signed everything I needed to sign, and was taken into the small piercing room. I'm not sure if they would have allowed my best friend to come in with me or not; I didn't even ask. When we first arrived, I had thought I'd want her there, but when I was being taken into the room I didn't even think of it.
Joel had me lie back on what resembled a weight bench and pull up my skirt. (I just wore a skirt with no underwear as it seemed easier.) He made a mark where the piercing would be and asked me if it looked okay (in my head, I was thinking, well, how the hell would I know?) and I said yes. He then told me he was going to put the clamp on, which was an incredibly odd, but not really painful sensation. Then he lined up the needle and told me to take two deep breaths in and out. On the second breath in, he shoved the needle through.
I think I jumped a little bit, but honestly, it was nothing like I expected. It was more of a surprising thing than painful, and it passed in seconds. Then he put the jewelry through and showed me my new piercing! It was love at first sight. He explained all of the aftercare procedures to me, and I left.
For the first maybe 24 hours, it bled intermittently, which was a little bit annoying, but it stopped after a day. The healing process was virtually painless. After about six months, I put new jewelry in (a pink curved barbell) with absolutely no problem. I definitely am happy with my choice! I can't wait to get more piercings done, and in fact am considering getting my eyebrow done tomorrow.