At A Glance
Author	Newly Pierced
Contact	Newly Pierced@bme.anon
When	Three months ago
Artist	Paul
Studio	360 Blues and Tattoos
Location	Arlington, Texas

Day 0 (January 18, 2004)

I decided, after thinking about it for a few weeks, to get my nipples pierced. I don't have any other piercings except for the normal double piercings in each ear. My reasoning behind my short period of thought was that they aren't permanent and if something went wrong or I didn't like them that I could just take them out and everything would be just fine. I have had thoughts about getting tattoos but the permanence of them kinda scared me a little. Plus my low threshold of pain.

Anyway, the story goes that my husband said jokingly (I think) in front of some of my family that he was thinking about getting his nipples pierced and that he had actually done it himself several years ago with a sewing needle but took them out shortly afterward. I think there was a fair amount of liquid inhibition involved with that endeavor. My first reactions were "Gross. Who does that sort of thing?" and "How come I never knew this about you?" He has an earlobe piercing that he's stretched to a 2 gauge and a 14 gauge cartilage piercing and he wants to start stretching the other ear.

So after the semi-embarrasment around the family, I decided to check out some pictures and stories. After finding this site with the multitudes of photos and stories I started actually thinking about getting mine done. I guess I do "that sort of thing". I was really impressed with the pictures of the female piercings. I thought they were beautiful. So I thought about it for a couple of weeks and asked my husband what he thought about it. He kept saying that he didn't care and that it was my body and I should do what I wanted. I wanted his honest opinion but never quite got it and am still trying to figure it out because he's never been burned by the "Does my butt look fat in this?" question. I think he just tells me what he thinks I want to hear.

So I decided that today was THE DAY. I decided to just go ahead and do it. Why keep thinking about it forever? We decided to go to 360 Blues and Tattoos in Arlington. I don't know anyone that has gotten piercings there but I know a few people that have gotten tattooed there. I thought since they have been in business for a while and had heard good things about the tattoos received there I would give them a shot (no pun intended). I think my piercer's name was Paul. I was too tunnel visioned to ask. So I'm just going to call him Paul (I'm about 75% sure that's his name.)

I wasn't really that nervous. I was slightly nauseous when we got there but very excited. In fact Paul mentioned that I looked more excited than anything. He was really good. He started by cleaning the area and then fixed the curtains so nobody would see me. I wanted my husband to be right there but Paul said he could only allow me behind the curtain during the procedure. So we went behind the curtain and Paul started laying out the stuff. I started getting a little nervous at this point and said "I guess I need to take my bra off." He said "That usually helps." So I commenced to doing the magic under shirt bra removal. Then he said "OK, now take off your shirt." Like I said I was getting nervous. So I took my shirt off and he started disinfecting my nipples and marking them. He was asking me if I had any other piercings and making pleasant small talk with me during this time which really helped reduce the nerves.

Then it came time for the clamps. These were a little painful but not too bad once they were on. Actually I think the cold in the room helped dull any pain (the heater had broken down the night before). So then he said to breathe in and out really deep and that he would go on three. So we breathed together and then he did it. My third breath out turned into a really quite breathy "F*******ck". He asked if I was okay and if it hurt too bad. I said that it wasn't too bad. It wasn't really. It was a lot less pain than I expected after reading some of the stories while I researched. So then he said he was going to put the CBR in and that it might hurt a little. I don't think it hurt at all. I felt some tugging but no real pain. (I refused to watch during this whole process because I just couldn't make myself know it was about to happen.)

Then he got ready to do the other nipple and I looked down at the right one which was all done. I loved it. So he went through the same process for the left one but this time after he said he'd go on breath three and I breathed in, the needle went in. Sneak attack. Excellent approach. It hurt a little more than the right one because I was anticipating the pain and I jumped a little. But I think my death grip on the chair and the tightly locked legs prevented any real movement. It was the same sort of sensation when he put the CBR in the left nipple. Then he was done. He asked me on a scale of 1 to 10 how bad it was. I gave it a 4.

He started telling me how to care for it and that if I wore a bra or a tight undershirt (which I was also wearing and just pulled down so I didn't feel totally naked) that would help with the pain caused by clothes rubbing against it. Then he sent my husband over to check out the new beauties while I got dressed. I think he was a little shocked that I actually did it but said that he liked them. Paul was really nice and we talked with him for a few minutes afterward.

After leaving, I had a little stinging and burning for about an hour. After that it was a dull throbbing. It felt exactly as it should, like I had just had a needle shoved through my nipples. I took some Aleve as Paul suggested. I checked my piercing a few hours later and had a small drop of blood but that was it. When I checked again a few hours after that, I had horrible looking bruising on my right breast but nothing on my left breast. I freaked out a little. I tried to call the shop and talk to Paul but he had stepped out. After a while I convinced myself that everything was okay and that since nothing was wrong with my left breast it was just a minor problem. So I got ready to take a shower and saw the full extent of the bruising. It was about 4 inches across and red and black like a huge hickey. I think I need to explain here that I have particularly sensitive skin on my breasts and the blood vessels are right at the surface. While cleaning in the shower I almost passed out simply because it looked so bad. There was no pain in the breast. Just some soreness around the nipple. I put on a sports bra to sleep in which I'm sure was hilarious to watch since it was a pullover type and I was trying not to hit my nipples while putting it on. Then I put on an ice pack to reduce any swelling and because I remember from my younger days hearing that putting ice on a hickey helps it go away.

Thoughts for Day 0 - So far, so good. Can't complain.

Day 1 (January 19, 2004)

I usually have to fall asleep laying on my stomach. So it was a long night. I had to force myself to stay on my side or back and every time I woke up it took a long time to get back to sleep. The black bruising is gone which made me feel much better but the red bruising is still there and has begun to get darker - the norm with that sort of bruising. It's going to get uglier before it gets better. I think the ice is helping. I'm going to keep ice in it when I go to bed. I put some neosporin on the holes to keep out any infection and also the keep any blood or stuff from drying onto my bra and causing it to stick. I hope that doesn't cause any problems. I'm a little sore today and very guarded. Anytime my husband or dogs come around my instinct is to hunch my shoulders and draw my chest in to protect my nipples. Anyway I think everything is progressing nicely. I clean it with antibacterial soap in the morning and evening shower and keep anything from touching my n ipples and the dark red bruising is beginning to fade around the edges.

Day 2 (January 20, 2004)

Last night was much better. It was much easier to fall asleep since I was able to get a little more comfortable. There is a little soreness directly on the nipple still but not so much as before. I still have a tiny drop of blood between cleanings but it's such a small amount that I'm not at all concerned. The bruising is getting much better - no longer a figment of my hopeful imagination. I figure it will be almost completely gone in a week or two. We'll see. So everything seems to still be going along just fine.

Day 3 (January 21, 2004)

There is almost no soreness today. And there was a tiny bit of swelling that I didn't notice before but I figure that's what it had to be. I had been having a bit of a hard time moving the rings during cleaning. Today they moved much easier. And finally the bruises are turning those funky colors that bruises turn right before they go away. I am really starting to love the piercing. I'm so glad I got it done. I can't wait until they heal enough to change out the jewelry. I'm thinking barbells and shields.

Day 9 (January 27, 2004)

I was finally able to sleep on my stomach again last night. I'm still wearing a sports bra to sleep in which really helps to keep the rings from moving around. The bruising is almost completely gone now. There hasn't been any pain or soreness for several days now. I haven't had anything go wrong (infection, rejection, migration) so that's a major plus.

Day 14 (February 1, 2004)

The bruise is now completely gone except for one tiny little spot. I think the sports bra wearing will be a permanent thing for the next month or so or until I can change out the rings to barbells-just to be on the safe side because I don't want the rings to catch on anything while I'm sleeping (I tend to toss and turn all night). The only complaint I have now is that the skin on my breasts is really dry from washing the area with antibacterial soap but I just put on some antibacterial ointment and everything is just fine. My husband is really starting to enjoy them too now that he's not freaked out by the bruising and since I will actually let him touch them now.

2 Months

I changed out the CBRs to barbells. I know I should have waited the six months like the care sheet I got when I was pierced stated but I just couldn't wait anymore. I have been able to sleep without a sports bra since I changed the rings out because the barbells don't flip around like the CBRs do. But I would definitely recommend leaving the CBRs in until you are sure you are fully healed since you don't have to worry as much about swelling and not having the barbells long enough to keep them from getting pulled into the nipple.

So my advice is this: If you are thinking about getting your nipples pierced, just do it. Because you'll only do one of two things if you keep thinking about it. 1) Talk yourself out of it or 2) delay the healing process because the sooner you get it done, the sooner it heals. It only hurts for a little while and really not that much. And since only one of my breasts got bruised, I wouldn't expect it to happen to someone else. But make sure you are comfortable with the piercer (Paul was great) and keep them clean and protected while they are healing (I read stories of women who's children accidentally grabbed their piercings and caused a few problems - ouch).