Ampallang at Brighton UK

At A Glance Author Jack Halpern Contact Jack Halpern@bme.anon Artist Warren Deane Studio Perforations Location Brighton. U.K.

AMPALLANG AT BRIGHTON U.K.

I had a PA. last year, and I was wondering what piercing to have done next. I thought an ampallang seemed better to look at compared to an apadravia, but I got a lot of conflicting advice. One piercer/tattooist I knew had had an amp done by his tattoo colleague, and said it was really bad to have done. He had decided to take it out a few weeks later but he was a bit coy about why. Another bloke heavily into piercing muttered that the apadravia fitted the vagina better, and the amp was only good for anal sex, and someone else told me that some women had been quite badly damaged by very enthusiastic ampallanged lovers. I read all the warnings about how long it took to heal and how long you had to give up penetrative sex for, and had almost given up on the idea, but I then got the impression that most BME accounts showed it was good for straight sex. I went to the Perforations web-site ( www.perforations.com) and had a look at Warren Deane's information. He was very keen on the ampallang and his enthusiasm convinced me finally.

Warren takes ampallangs seriously and only does them one afternoon a week as the last appointment. He had shown his commitment to genital piercing by putting photographs of his on his web-site, and they looked pretty impressive. Maybe BME should insist that all piercers on their site should do the same, especially when they are recommending things that they have never had themselves, or have taken out or find repulsive. I think that with the more serious piercings, the piercer should be committed to the piercing.

I made an appointment and then started wondering what I had let myself in for. The night before, I felt something really significant was going to happen, and I was nervous on the day itself. Off I went on the journey to Brighton. Perforations is in Little Preston Street, just up from the Wildcat Collection. I was a bit early and so I went in there. It is really brilliant. One student type was there with his girlfriend. He came in looking cool but he got more and more taken up with the goods on display, and quite spaced out. The girlfriend looked less keen. I wish I had discovered piercing at such an early age. Anyway, I could delay no longer so up I went to Perforations to get a friendly and relaxed welcome from Rose.

Warren came along and took me down to the piercing room. Everything was ultra hygienic down there. We discussed what would happen and I got my kit off and laid on the table and he took my PA out. I was not shaking or anything but I felt fairly withdrawn. The marking up took a long time, and Warren was very careful to get it right. He kept chatting so the time went quite quickly but I was kind of tensed for the main event already. Afterwards I wished I had been a bit more open and relaxed but it is difficult when you are about to have an amp. Warren then got the clamp. He put it on very slowly, and I soon discovered why. It started getting painful and I began to think that the clamp would slice my dick head off. What worried me was that if the clamping was that bad, what would the piercing be like? The clamp was finally locked in place and I thought I could not stand it for much more but then the pain just ebbed away, which was great.

So the big moment arrived. Warren gave me a few minutes to get myself ready, and then he started. The pressure of the needle against the side of my dick head built up and kind of brought back some of the clamp pain, then it was soon through the surface skin and made what seemed like a slow progress through. The pain was grim but not as grim as the clamping. In a strange way it was also intriguing and different from anything else I have ever felt. I was glad it was over but I was glad it had happened.

Warren put the bar bell in and it fitted well. He put the PA back in and it fitted well with the amp. He then wrapped my prick up well in dressings. I got dressed and I must have looked impressive in my cords with this large bulge. We went up to the reception area, and I paid. I thanked Warren and when I shook hands I noticed his was drenched in sweat. It is a very good experience when both piercer and piercee are committed to what is going on. I should add that I am not connected to Perforations in any way.

I got back home badly needing a piss, and it took a hell of a long time to get the bandage off which was kind of agonising. Once off, I was able to admire Warren's handwork but I was very good and did not touch it. I got an erection on waking but it was not very painful. I was really pleased because the length of the bar bell was perfect. When I had a full erection the balls were just comfortably touching each side of my dick head. Some bruising had come up round the amp holes but it was not too bad. For the next few days I tried to be good but I got increasingly impatient and in the end I decided to try to masturbate myself. It was a tender affair and I had to find out fairly gingerly what I could do without it hurting. To my surprise it was OK The bar had the effect of pressing down on the cavernosum and it was just exciting to have this newcomer in my dick head. I came very easily and it was great.

I really wanted to keep the amp but suffice it to say that in practical terms from day to day over the next few weeks it created problems in my love life, and I was forced to make a hard choice. After a row with my girlfriend, and before I could change my mind, I unscrewed one of the balls and let the bar bell come out. That was it. I could not get it back in, and that was that. I felt really bad about it. I felt I was letting the side down somehow. But there we are. An ampallang seems to get a grip of you and you seem to go through withdrawal symptoms.

I am proud I faced up to the "ultimate piercing", but I come back to where I started with the simple fact that a lot of people who get an amp do not have it six months later, and it can be difficult to explain why. It is not so much a piercing as a ritual act, and the everyday environment is not the right place for it. Sometimes, however, I am wistful for the environment in which it does fit.

Jack