I'd been thinking about getting a hood piercing for a while, since a friend of mine got it done. I thought it was really trashy, but then she showed me and I thought it was kind of cute. I think she got a horizontal, which is originally what I wanted, but when I went down to Pain & Wonder and talked to the piercer, he said they only did verticals, but I wasn't totally sold on the horizontal, so I didn't mind the switch.
At A Glance Author Meredith D. Contact Meredith D.@bme.anon When Six months ago Artist Randy Studio Pain and Wonder Location Athens, GA This was my first piercing other than my ears, which I got done back when I was about 10 years old, so that doesn't exactly count. I was sooo nervous when I was walking to the shop in downtown Athens and I was sure I was going to chicken out. I don't know what made me keep walking, but going in the door was the hardest part. I walked in and there were a few people waiting for tattoos or something and a dude who worked there asked what he could help me with. I told him and he told me to wait a few minutes, so I nervously walked around and checked out the flash and looked at some magazines.
Randy came out and introduced himself and did the preliminary checkup, which was probably the weirdest part. It's never comfortable mentally to have a stranger touching your stuff. He said my anatomy checked out and was just fine for the VCH. He took me back out to the main area and had me do all the paperwork stuff while he did the sterilization. It wasn't autoclave, but something else clave. I went back into the room and got to sit up on one of the "bad doctor chairs," like a gynecologist's, with the stirrups and everything. From reading experience stories on BME, I wore a skirt because I knew I'd be more comfortable that way. Even though I had to take off my underwear and pull the skirt around my waist, I didn't feel as exposed than if I'd worn pants.
He explained about the receiving tube, which was slightly uncomfortable until he positioned it right and then told me to breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth slowly and relax. When the needle actually went through, it was probably the worst pain I've ever felt in my life. I clenched up but I don't think I moved anything down there, cause its nice and straight, but I just stopped my breathing out and squeezed my eyes shut. The jewelry (1/2" 14g curved barbell) was almost as painful, but not too bad... just a little tugging, and then it was over. The pain subsided almost immediately. By the time I'd looked at it in the mirror and put my undies back on, it was just a little twinge, and it didn't bother me at all walking back the half mile to my dorm room. Randy explained the cleaning and aftercare stuff thoroughly and handed me a little baggie with sea salt, a sticker, a business card, matches, and a mini snickers bar, as well as the extra anti-microbial cl eaning solution. The whole process was over within 30 minutes! Right now its about 11 pm and I had it done around 8, and it doesn't hurt at all, except for being super sensitive when I was cleaning it in the bathroom (which is difficult to do in a dorm with community baths, along with everyone asking what you're doing and all that). I would totally recommend this piercing to anyone who's interested in it but is scared that it might hurt. It's really one of the less intense piercings you can get. Way less pain than nipples is what I've heard. In a few weeks after it's all healed, I'll see if the sexual rumors are true. Pain is temporary, and I really like how it looks. I'm starting out with just a simple stainless steel barbell, but after it's all healed I might go for something a little bit fancier.
Six months later... I love my piercing! I haven't had any major problems with it at all except for once early on when it just HURT really badly for about a week. I clean it carefully in the shower, but it's healed up really well. Now to answer the questions I know the ladies considering this might have: Sex, sex, sex. In my experience, it hasn't improved actual intercourse in any way, but oral sex is great! It's like a nice shiny pointer to exactly what you're supposed to be paying attention to. I haven't changed the jewelry yet for several reasons. The major reason being that I can't unscrew the balls on the end easily because of where it is and the other reason is that most curved barbells that I've seen at places other than piercing shops are made for navel piercing and are 7/8" rather than 1/2". If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me!