I got my hood pierced vertically a little less than a month after I turned eighteen. It's been a good experience, and I'm glad I had it--but I don't think I'd do it again. It simply hasn't been all it promised to be. I may take it out.
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon When Three months ago Artist Travis Studio Flesh Chamber Location Appleton, WI At the time of the piercing, though--I'd been thinking about it, but when I finally called for an appointment, I knew I had to do it. I mean, they had my number in case I didn't show up.
So I showed up with my boyfriend. I was a little early, but the piercer was running late--and I started getting jumpy because I was going to be late for my class and..... I was going to have a needle put through my hood.
Finally, he came out. I chose between 14 and 16 gague. He stepped out while I took off my pants. I sat on a dentist's chair, reclining WAY UP in the air, and the bee-eff got to watch another guy cleaning my bits. He tried to talk to us a little, and I tried to talk to keep myself calm.
Well, I calmed down on my own, eventually. I'd thought measuring was going to be quick, but he had a little yellow tool and he was seriously MEASURING MY HOOD. I could not believe it...
He asked me to chose from three pieces of jewelry... three lengths. He suggested one of two would be best for me, and I chose the smallest. It was a good choice, I think, since it looks how I wanted it to... with one sphere on the piercing hole and one just protruding from my hood.
And then he had me check his markings, but, I'll be honest, I had no idea how they looked. I was on my back looking up at the mirror on his ceiling--and I knew there was no way I could have marked it better than him, anyway!
He told me not to curl my toes or tighten any muscles because it would hurt more. And he told me not to be embarassed if I orgasmed when he pierced me because it's a normal reaction.
So, he put in the receiving tube, which HURT!
Then he shoved the needed through, and all I could think was, HELL NO, I am NOT going to come! It was awful... it felt like the skin was pulled all the way through the tube before it broke. But I was amazed that I hadn't kicked him or judo-chopped him or something crazy. I was afraid I would move during the piercing from the pain and mess it all up, but I didn't.
And then, you know, two seconds later, I was okay again. So he put in the jewelry, which was also very painful. I definately screamed an expletive at that point.
Then we were done... he gave me aftercare instructions and sea salt and told my boyfriend and I not to have any sexual contact for three months.
I paid... left... got to school about half an hour late...
I was pretty shocked by the thing about three months, though... that's a much longer time than I've ever heard suggested, and I'd been poking around the internet for a while. But... we gave it a week, and then we used "protection" to keep fluids out. And I was pretty much fine.
Other than that, though, I did have a lot of swelling for about a week.
Now I'm thinking of taking the piercing out, despite my $90 investment.
WHY?
It isn't that pleasurable. In fact, it's gotten in the way. I've been dethroned as the queen of dry-humping because now my piercing gets caught and HURTS. While doing "the deed," it twists uncomfortably. And... I need to hold it out of the way if I'm using a vibrator because if the barbell starts vibrating... well, it doesn't feel sexy.
All in all--sex was better without it, or at best, the same. It has not brought me to new orgasmic heights. It had occured to me that maybe it wouldn't add to my pleasure, but I didn't think it would subtract.
I wish I'd known that before--although I probably would have done it anyway. It's my first REAL piercing (now that it's legal), and I don't regret the experience I've had with it at all!
Now it's really time to decide if I want the tattoos I've always said I wanted. It could be a while for those, yet, since I'm not dead-set on a design or idea yet, and I think I should be. And, after a self-done septum (bad idea, SLOW AND EXCRUCIATING, and eventually discovered by my parents) as a freshman in high-school, I've been considering having a professional do it for me this time.