I first got into body modification when I was about 9. I'd been asking to get my ears pierced for weeks until my parents finally gave in and let me get them done. Like most people who are into different types of body modification, I have a wish list, which I seem to be constantly adding to, but when it comes to actually getting a new mod, it's a completely different matter.
At A Glance Author Chloe Contact Trashy_clo@yahoo.com When N/A Artist Leon Studio The Studio, Afflecks Palace Location Manchester, UK I remember I'd been thinking about getting a surface piercing on the back of my neck for months, my then-boyfriend had his nape pierced twice and I thought it looked really good, and I liked the fact that it was discreet. So with much self persuasion, I decided that the next mod from my wish list that I'd be brave enough to get would be my nape. My parents just thought I was weird for wanting a "pointless" piercing, but I pointed out that if it made me happy then it wasn't pointless at all, and they joked about dragging me around by it!
College had broken up for two weeks, so I had time to book my appointment. I went to The Studio to buy tapers for my ears and asked if I needed to book to get my nape pierced, but I was told I should be okay just walking in and getting it done whenever, which was a relief, just in case I changed my mind.
A friend of mine wanted her rook done, so we decided to go together. The night before we went, I spent most of the night trying to get used to the fact I was going to have to sleep face down, or at least on my side, since I move around a lot in my sleep.
The day we went, I was feeling pretty nervous. My friend was busy in the morning, so I took some time to do that little extra bit of research and look at some pictures on BME to calm myself a bit. I got to Manchester and walked around, before meeting up with my friend.
We walked around Affleck's Palace and she made a point of stopping at every store available on the way to The Studio, until I told her to stop delaying us because I was getting twitchy and wanted it over and done with!
We arrived at The Studio and told Colin what we were thinking of having done. We filled in the paperwork and went to wait while Leon, the piercer, prepared the jewellery. My friends ear piercing went pretty quickly and she was planning on watching me get my nape done, so we stayed in the piercing room. Leon told us that since he'd only just got the news that he was doing the nape, he was still in the process of sterilizing the jewellery and it'd be a while to wait, but better safe than sorry, so it was no problem waiting, although I was beginning to get really nervous, bracing myself for some immense pain.
After about 20 minutes or so, I was called back into the piercing room and asked to remove my coat and necklace and sit on a chair with my back to him. Leon was chatty so he put me at ease, joking with me about what my parents said about dragging me around by my nape jewellery. He talked me through what he was going to do and showed me the jewellery, explaining that it was a piece of plastic with a bead on each end, and that he was going to put it in slightly curved and I'd need someone to gently bend it into shape for me. I was told to bend my head forwards and he sat on the bench behind me to mark me up. He asked me where abouts on my neck I wanted it and I told him where ever he thought would look best since I couldn't see it anyway. My neck was sprayed with something that made my whole neck and back freezing cold and he told me I'd feel a pinch as he put the clamps on, but all I felt was a little bit of pressure and his hands pulling the flesh into place.
He asked me if I was ready and I said yes, and was told to take a deep breath. I didn't feel the needle enter my neck, but since I was focusing on my friends face and she grimaced, I guessed he'd put it in. He asked if I was okay and carried on working the needle through, but all I felt was the needle wiggling under my skin, kind of a tickling sensation, which made me chuckle to myself!
I didn't feel the jewellery transfer at all; just a small tug as the beads were put on either end, then he bent the plastic into the right shape for me, so I didn't need to get anyone to do it for me, and gave me a mirror to put behind my head to see it. I told him I loved where it was and thanked him for piercing me and he put a gauze plaster over it while he went through the aftercare....... Salt soaks and anti-inflammatories to keep the swelling to a minimum.
It's only been 3 days since I got the new piercing, but I love it already. Luckily it hasn't hurt at all since and it's only bled once, on the second night when I must've knocked it in my sleep. It's on a slight tilt, but it's not that noticeable and now as I realise how painless my last piercing was, I'm scanning my wish list deciding on what to have done next!