At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon When A week ago Artist Marie Studio Marie's Location Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK For months I have been itching to get a new piercing. This was going to be my 20th piercing and I knew it had to be special. I had a list of things I wanted done; my conch, a forward helix, dermal anchoring and nipples. I have loads of ear piercings (I'm deaf, it gives them a purpose!), so conch and helix were out the window straight away. Then a choice out of my nipples or dermal anchoring my neck. I have to say I have wanted my nipples pierced for years and just been too much of a wimp to do something about it, so I decided to try for dermal anchoring.
When I say try that's all I did! Nowhere in my uni area or home area does dermal anchoring, or have even started training. Utterly shattered at this point I mope for a few days, realising my dermal anchoring dreams would have to wait a bit longer.
After my moping I decided nipples it would be! Now I realise at this point I forgot to mention I have the biggest phobia of needles you could ever imagine, I feel physically sick being in a room with a needle, so I always go to the same piercer; I have now been going to her for 8 years and she knows what I'm like and how to calm me down, and just basically get me into the chair! As I was still at uni and Marie (my piercer) is situated at home (about 500 miles away) I had to sit tight for a week.
Then tragedy struck in the form of......my mother. Yes, my mum is completely against piercings and tattoos and hates every single one I've got, but that's not how she ruined this plan. She conned me into work for the first week of my break, when I say conned I mean I said no for 10 minutes and then said yes to get her off the phone! As it was Christmas the second week of my break I couldn't get it done then either.
Finally I got my boyfriend to ring and book it for me, it was going to be on the Wednesday of my last week of holiday at 5 'o'clock, and now is when the creeping voice of phobia decided to rear its ugly head! For days I sat trying to finish my coursework but being completely unable as all I could think was 'needle needle needle needle'!
Tuesday night I didn't sleep, simple as! I couldn't escape the intense fear I was feeling, I mean normally I am very nervous in the days leading up to a piercing, but this time was different, I was terrified and I wasn't even there yet! This just made me more determined to do it, I had to beat my phobia, or at least knock it down a peg!
Wednesday morning rolled around and besides being extremely tired I was also extremely stressed. I had so much work to do that I couldn't focus on and I had a booking for a piercing that I was petrified to get.
But I toddled on for the day, pretending nothing was going on to my parents and sitting quietly in the corner....and rocking to myself...anyways! Before I had my piercing appointment I also had my hair dressing appointment, which worked out quite nicely. My hair takes around 2 hours to do. For those 2 hours I intently watched my hair dresser, completely forgetting my piercing, it was great!
4:30 rolled around and now was the time to leave for Marie's house, again neglected to mention, she pierces from a specially set up room in her house that is always super clean and well kept.
The walk there was agonising, on several occasions I tried to go home, but my boyfriend pulled me on determined that I would get the piercing I so desperately craved.
We got there and went straight up. You ever get the sense something terrible is going to happen if you don't do something? At this point I was very aware that I was going to die or something if I didn't leave right now! Again I kept quiet and put on a.....I want to say brave face but it wasn't as I looked terrified!
I was marked up, I was only getting one nipple done as I wanted to heal one and then get the other, this is as my boyfriend has had never ending problems with his nipples and I wanted one boob in action. At this point Marie says "lay on the table then love" and what do I say? "No". She gave me a funny look as I've never refused before and this is when I blurt out that I can't do it, the needles too big, and my nipples too small, blah, blah, blah...
This is where Marie excels in my books. She tells me how I'm like this every time and I'm always fine. She tells me to lie on the table and calm down, she will clamp my nipple and I can decide from there. Well, I have to say I hardly felt the clamps, which are usually the worst part, so I lay there happily for a few minutes and then say "no I really want this piercing". So up she gets, sprays me with numbing stuff and places the needle on the side of my nipple. Talk about panic because I start saying to my boyfriend I don't want it done just as she starts putting the needle through! It got about half way before I felt the pain, and by pain I mean 'my god would you just rip my boob off and save me', and then it was done.
And even though it was painful and it's the first piercing I have ever sworn during, I would definitely say it was worth it. The second I looked down and saw my gorgeous nipple I smiled, and I haven't stopped smiling yet!
On the way home I found the cold hurt my nipple and it didn't particularly like walking, but from the second I woke the next day to today I have not felt any pain, discomfort very occasionally and pure happiness continually!
This piercing has allowed me to retake ownership of my boobs. I have large boobs, especially for my size, and for years every man, and sometimes women, feel they have the right to comment on or grab my boobs. I've hidden my boobs away, totally embarrassed of the humiliating experiences, not buying fancy underwear or even appreciating them when I look at them; I hated them for what they brought to me. This piercing has allowed me to look at my boob and love it for what it is, I went through pain for this boob, and it's mine!
I will definitely be getting my other nipple pierced, the sooner the better!