One's eighteenth birthday is something we, especially body-modders, look forward to throughout childhood. In the United States, it marks the move to adulthood (if only on paper) and, most poignantly, the legal ability to modify ourselves as we wish, even if it means defying our parents' interests.
At A Glance Author Alex Contact Alex@bme.anon When Three months ago Studio Andromeda Location New York, NY The decision to have my nipples pierced was not a pit-stop on my path to being featured in a Girls Gone Wild film, and it had nothing to do with the celebration of the legality of my adulthood. Rather, it was a celebration of my patience; for years, I suffered in the same manner that many teens do, wishing my parents would simply "give in" and allow me to modify my body at will.
Instead of investing the energy into finding a reputable piercer willing to pierce minors (and there are very, very few of them, even in the New York metropolitan area), I accepted the fact that it was in my best interest to await the arrival of my eighteenth birthday. Such patience offers more benefits than I thought it would. Most importantly, it gave me time to reconsider the decision.
Long before the day arrived, I had decided that I would go to Andromeda for the piercing. It has an excellent reputation throughout New York and beyond. When I arrived at the studio, I told the receptionist that I was interested in having my nipples pierced vertically. I prefer the appearance of vertical over horizontal, though I had second thoughts about the healing process since it seems that CBRs are easier to clean than barbells.
Next, the piercer (whose name I didn't catch, but I know it wasn't Mikel) brought me into the back room to measure my nipples and fit the length of the barbells.
I picked out 12g stainless steel barbells because it is more suitable than 14g, since it reduces the risk of tearing the hole. To my surprise, when the receptionist rang up the total cost, it only amounted to approximately $90, including the jewelry. This caught me off-guard and I was extremely pleased.
I went back into the piercing room, where the piercer had prepared everything. I removed my shirt, laid down on the chair, and he explained the procedure to me. He clamped the first one, I took my deep breaths, and he quickly and smoothly pushed the needle through.
Of course it hurt, but that's something you just have to deal with when you're interested in body modifications.
Before this, the only other body piercings I'd had were in the cartilage of my ears, and the pain of a nipple piercing is incomparable to these, though not in the sense that the pain was more/less intense in any way, just that it is a different type of pain. The primary difference is that the cartilage piercings I've had done (rook, tragus, and conch) all entailed a strong, sudden force of pain, whereas having my nipple pierced was a more gradual sensation.
I had prepped myself for an unthinkable, blinding sensation. It wasn't that bad, though I felt a sting extend down my torso for a few seconds. The second one didn't hurt nearly as much, most likely due to the endorphins. Typical.
I got up, slightly light-headed, and looked in the mirror. My adorned nipples made me feel more beautiful than I had ever felt. I thanked the piercer and tipped him, and trotted out.
It has been close to three months since they were pierced, and the healing process has gone exceptionally well. Aside from accidentally bumping the barbells occasionally, the past three months have been relatively painless. For the first few weeks, I cleaned them twice a day with Provon, and as the crusties became less and less prevalent, I gradually stopped cleaning them. That may or may not have been a wise choice, but they seem to have healed quite well and they aren't cranky or stubborn about healing. I turned away from sea salt soaks simply because I never got around to purchasing any.
One of them sits slightly crookedly, but it's a minor imperfection that only I seem to notice. I know it isn't a product of migration or rejection, because I noticed it immediately after the event. However, it barely bothers me and I'm not going to have it re-pierced because of it.
Overall, I'm exceptionally pleased with the additions, and I'm very happy that I had the patience to wait until my eighteenth birthday. While I support the youth rights movement, I strongly disapprove of piercers and tattoo artists who agree to serve minors. This probably seems contradictory, but I feel that it also prevents minors from making decisions that they will eventually regret. We've all been young and careless, and there were times in my own childhood when I wanted certain body piercings just for the sake of having them, without regard to personal value or their meaning.