Until recently I never thought I?d want to get a piercing ? I liked them on other people but making permanent body modifications was just something I was too scared to do. I didn?t even get my ears pierced until I was 28 ? those were done at The Piercing Studio in Madison Wisconsin. I can?t remember my piercers name but he was great and I had no trouble with them.
At A Glance Author Nick Contact Nick@bme.anon Artist Megan Studio Tribal Ways Location Boston, MA Fast forward a bit to earlier this Summer. My 30th birthday was quickly approaching, and I was getting a little worried that I hadn?t planned anything to mark it properly. I had plans for dinner with a few friends but I really wanted to do something I?d remember. I had been thinking a little about getting my nipplies pierced and had done lots of research on it on the web, but I wasn?t sure whether I could handle it. As my birthday approached I started tracking down possible piercing studios in Boston and finally decided to visit the one that most people recommended ? Tribal Ways. I was impressed by their professionalism and if anyone was qualified to shove metal through sensitive parts of my body, they seemed to be the ones. I was visiting their studio the day before my birthday and they offered to do my nipples right away, but I made an appointment for the next day so that I could have someone with me.
The morning of my birthday I was a bit freaked out that I had even made the appointment. None of my friends were available to go with me so I grabbed my sister on the way to the studio. She?s pretty straight laced but she?d been a punk when she was in high school so I figured she could handle it. While we sat in the waiting room she told me the story of getting her nose pierced with a safety pin by a stranger in the subway when she was 13 ? which suddenly made my plan seem remarkably responsible.
There were a few sorority girls getting their navel?s pierced before me and they came out and modeled their new piercings. When I told them what I was having done they quieted down a lot and grabbed their bags to go.
Finally, it was my turn. The piercer?s assistant brought me in to the room and cleaned me up. The staff kept commenting on how tiny my nipples were, which didn?t help my nerves, but I figured they wouldn?t do them unless it was safe. My piercer, Megan came in and marked me and then had me sit back in the chair while she set up.
I wasn?t totally ready for what came next. I had been picturing the needle, but hadn?t thought about the clamp, which actually hurt more going on than the piercing. It lasted longer than I thought too ? probably only about 5 seconds for each one but the pain from the clamp was pretty hard to take and my adrenaline was pumping like crazy after the first one. I took a minute after the first one to have a drink of water and my sister, who was pretty calm up until this point started getting pretty into it and commenting on how cool the jewelry looked. I took a deep breath and Megan clamped and pierced the second one, which hurt even more, as I?d expected. By that time I was flying pretty high ? and in a good amount of pain. I left a tip at the front desk and threw on my leather jacket (a mistake) and we headed out.
I spent the first two days doing my aftercare like I was taking care of a newborn ? soaking them in the saltwater solution, taking my vitamins and keeping them clean. The first time I cleaned them was a bit scary ? I hadn?t really taken a good long look at them before that ? but after that the cleaning got easier. I spent most of my waking hours going back and forth between euforia and queaziness. The whole experience took a lot more out of me than I?d expected, but after a few days I started coming down. I had to take a plane on the fourth day which was not a great experience, but after that things got easier and easier. I?m very diligent about my aftercare ? not washing them too much and soaking them 3-5 times a day ? even going home from work at lunch for the first week to give them a soak. Besides some pain if I knock into them, I haven?t had any real problems ? a spot of blood on day two, but no swelling, no infections.
And here?s the weird thing ? suddenly I want a tattoo. I?d really been against getting a tattoo even more than a piercing (for myself ? I like good ones on other people). I figured the piercing was ok because I could always take it out, but now that I?ve tried that the idea of a permanent mark on my body seems like a good idea, and I?ve been back researching tattoo artists and figuring out exactly what I?m going to get. I?m leaning heavily toward a set of wings on my back. Perhaps on my 31st birthday?