I had wanted my nipple pierced for a while, and had once previously built up the courage to actually go into the shop and have it done. However I had recently (2 weeks prior) gotten a tattoo, and the piercer recommended I wait 2-4 additional weeks before I got pierced.
At A Glance Author Suzey Contact Suzey@bme.anon When A month ago Artist Ali Studio Dragon FX, West Edmonton Mall Location Edmonton, AB, CA Getting into the shop, and just asking for the procedure was the hardest part. On this particular day my cousin was in from out of town, we only see each other once a year, but are very close, so when I found out a few days before that she was interested in getting her nipple pierced I insisted on getting it done together before she went home.
The parlor we chose was the WEM location of Dragon FX in Edmonton. My had gotten one of my tattoos done there, and found them to be professional, clean, and knowledgeable, so I assumed the piercing staff would be the same. After filling out 2 forms (an after-care quiz, and a consent/liability form) we were seated in the waiting room. While we were there, my cousin decided she wasn't sure if she was going to get it done, much to my dismay. So I went ahead and paid, and was quickly ushered into a private room where I was asked to remove my shirt and bra.
The room was clean and well lit, and had a hook on the wall where I could hang my clothing and purse. The piercer, Ali, was very friendly, and made me feel quite comfortable (as comfortable as one can feel in front of a strange male who's examining her nipple). After marking two little dots where the barbell would exit/enter he asked me to lie down on the table, and then told me to turn my head away. Ali then told me he was about to put the clamp on and I said "I hear the clamp is the most painful part" to which he replied "It can be a little irritating, but not too bad," and continued on to tell me the needle would go in immediately after the clamp. Shortly after he finished I felt a pain, which quickly passed, and to my amazement he told me I could look, because the barbell was in, and he just needed to finish screwing the ball in place.
When he was done, I put my bra back on, with a piece of gauze on the inside to keep my piercing sanitary, and I gave him a $20 tip (a little much, I know, but I didn't have anything smaller, haha). My nipple didn't hurt at all. Well that must've been the adrenaline, because 20 minutes later it was absolutely killing me. When I returned to the waiting room I told my cousin that it wasn't too bad at all, and she wouldn't have a problem with it. I showed her mine, after which she chose to get hers done too. My cousin found the piercing to be significantly more painful than I.
The rest of the day my nipple was sore, but when I woke up the next morning the pain was significantly less, almost gone. The first few days involved an almost constant cleaning of "crusties" and scabby blood from my nipple. Since the 3rd day, or so, there's been virtually no pain. Using saline solution and a Q-tip to clean 2-3 times daily, my piercing healed within three weeks (amazing, I know!). I now rarely have any sort of crusties or build up, and it's only been about 5 weeks since I've had it done.
Both my cousin (who got a CB ring) and I absolutely adore our new piercing. Most of my friends love it, although some are a little put off from the idea of having a 12 gauge needle shoved the nipple, and most of them think I'm a little crazy now.
A few words of advice to people who were thinking about getting one done themselves:
-From what I can tell the barbell healed a little easier than the CBR, and it's a bit of a cuter look, as opposed to the sexier appearance of the ring.
-Keep it clean! I've seen what an infected nipple looks like. Not pretty. And infection can also lead to serious problems, which could effect breast-feeding.
-The ring (because of it's size) seems to change the shape of the nipple a little bit, mostly by enlarging it slightly and making it stick out slightly further than previously. If you're one of those people who're all about symmetry, you might want to get both done. Personally, it doesn't bother me, it's not a big enough difference to be very noticeable.
-It's also made my nipple a bit more sensitive than the unpierced one, which is a good thing.
In summary: Great look. Quick healing. Not too painful. I was back at the gym lifting weights 2 days later.