A month ago I decided it was time to go get a Christina piercing. I've been thinking about genital piercings for about a year now. Just over 2 months ago I went and had a Triangle piercing done with Chuck at Lucky Devil. I also really wanted a Christina, and had her check my anatomy at that time. She said I should be ok to get a Christina, and recommended waiting at least a month after the triangle before I get the Christina...
At A Glance Author Chrissy Contact Chrissy@bme.anon IAM una_sorella When A month ago Artist Chuck Studio Lucky Devil Location Seattle (Capital Hill) In addition to being a very attractive piercing, I thought it was very cool that it shares my name!
So, 5 weeks later (a month ago), I made another trip to see Chuck. I am so comfortable with her, that I didn't even bother to ask a friend to go with me this time. We went through the routine of picking out jewelry. Chuck recommended a curved bar bell, and i chose pink gems for the ends. Then we went back into the private piercing room in the back.
I shed my pants again, and got up onto the table, just like with the Triangle. While she was getting everything ready, Chuck and I were chatting about my upcoming GRE exam, and about our respective educational backgrounds. Chuck studied business, and I studied painting and art history. Turns out neither one of us like math very much!
Then came the piercing part. As soon as we got down to business, I got nervous. I don't even remember the clamp. I definitely remember the piercing part, though... My triangle was intense pain for just a fraction of a second, and then no pain after that at all... the Christina was totally different. The pain was less intense, and it seemed to take longer to get the needle through. Putting the jewelry in was even less painful, but also seemed to take forever. The piercing also kept hurting when it was over! It hurt for about an hour or so after I left the studio.
(In all honesty, I prefer the intense pain of the triangle that lasts only a fraction of a second, and then totally goes away.)
Chuck gave me a mirror to look at the piercing when she was done - it was the most adorable thing ever! I had also asked her to change the jewelry in my cartilage piercing, so we did that too. I told her she always makes me pretty!
Then I paid and left. I was staying with a friend in Seattle that night, so I took the bus to meet up with her. That was the most frustrating bus ride ever. I got a jolt of pain every time the bus hit a bump... and buses do not exactly offer a very smooth ride.
The Christina has been difficult to heal. It is easily agitated by clothing. I've had the top end changed twice in the past month to try to find something that will be less irritating, and allow the piercing to heal better. I have a pretty blue gem on it now (the style didn't come in pink. I think pink is adorable there)... I'll put the pink gem back on as soon as I'm positive that it's totally healed; which I expect to take another several months. In the mean time, I've been wearing skirts most of the time, using emu oil, and being as diligent as possible about 15-minute sea salt soaks (which seem to make a big difference). Chuck has been very helpful via e-mail. I've e-mailed her quite a bit for help healing this piercing.
Initially, Chuck suggested using ice to keep the swelling down and to help with the pain. She said that another client had used a bag of frozen peas, which worked well because it can easily conform to the shape of your body. So on my way home, I bought a bag of frozen peas. For the first couple of weeks I used that wrapped in a paper towel, and it worked very well. I only needed to use ice for the first couple of weeks, after that the pain and swelling were down enough that I didn't need it. It was still irritated by clothing, but not enough to need ice.
The piercing has really been a total pain in the ass, but it is very pretty, and I love it. Despite all of the irritation and pain, I do think it was worth it. If it rejects, I would definitely do it again. I've been told that if it does reject, I can have it re-pierced, behind the scar tissue, which will make it less likely to reject a second time. I've also heard that going with a bigger diameter gage (like a 10 - I believe mine is a 12) will minimize the risk of rejection. So although it would probably hurt even more to do it with a 10, I'd probably go that route if it has to be done a second time.