At A Glance Author lawratalulabel Contact lawratalulabel@bme.anon IAM lawratalulabel When Two years ago Artist Patrick Studio Pierced Up Location Bristol, UK My friend Anna and I had just got our A level results and we were both really keen on getting our nipples done as we had seen our friend Jess' and it looked awesome! Pierced Up in Bristol came recommended so we went there and it was the first time I got pierced by Patrick, who is a dude. We went in and the lovely lady at the desk asked what we wanted and told us how much it would cost and asked for ID. At that time I didn't have my driving license because I was too lazy to send off for it. So I got the bus home and came back with my passport. I had proved I was over 18 and it is their policy to ask anyone under 21 for ID - so I was cool with it.
Pierced Up is very proud of it's cleanliness and hygiene standards and I must say that I can't fault them on anything.
I went in with my friend Nancy who'd agreed to hold my hand, and Patrick put me very much at ease as he's very easy going and relaxes you by just acting as though he's not going to put a needle through your skin!
He talked me through what he was going to do and explained after care before and after the procedure. He showed me the ring and I was happy with it and then he prepared my nipple, which was fun! He cleaned my nipple with a wipe, marked where I wanted it and asked whether or not I was ready. I was and we proceeded to the needle entering my nipple.
The piercing was not too painful, it just felt like someone was pinching my nipple very very hard. Which does amount to some pain but not too much. I think there is a stigma attached to nipple piercings coming from people who don't really understand until they have had it done themselves. When I said that I wanted my nipple pierced my friends thought I was crazy and that it would be very painful but when I was relaxed and sat there in the chair it didn't really hurt as much as I thought it would. To have any type of piercing you need to have an open mind, when I first thought about having my nipple pierced I dismissed it as I had heard from people that it hurts too much. However, I felt that if I wanted to have it the pain would fade as I realised how great it would look and having a friendly and helpful piercer always relaxes me.
Nancy said that I had been squirming quite a lot, but I don't remember much of that. I do remember squeezing her hand a lot and wincing but more than anything I just remember feeling great afterwards and being so proud of my nipple and the ring that meant a lot to me.
I had been planning it as a surprise for my boyfriend but it did start to throb a little after I had it done, so in the end he asked what was wrong and I told him, "Nothing's wrong, just a little bit pierced!".
Anna, Nancy and I went to the pub where I put ice in my bra to try and ease the throbbing and pain. We bumped into two friends who were intrigued by the wet patch on my T shirt and asked whether or not I was lactating?!
But no, I was just pierced, and this was the piercing that really led me onto the others that followed. Taking the time to really care for my new piercing really helped me on the way to not having that throbbing sensation, unless it was freezing outside and then my nipple tightened around the ring.
Unfortunately, my mother found out about my piercing and one day about a year after I had it done she took all my body jewellery whilst pretending to clear up my room. I had left my nipple ring on the side as I still cleaned it pretty regularly and when I came to replace it, the ring wasn't there. I had no money at that time so now "Righty" as my boyfriend called it is retired.
However, I hope one day to find the funds to either get the same or get the right nipple pierced vertically. Either way I found the nipple one of the best piercings I have had, and I miss it dearly. Pierced Up was a great place to get one of my first major piercings (i.e. not ears!) and I still go back to them to this day because I haven't found anywhere else that puts me at ease the way they do. Thanks to Patrick and Caroline who are brilliant at their jobs and are really cool as well.