New Year's Eve 2000,
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact showoffca@aol.com Artist Kristian Studio Puncture Location Los Angeles, CA The plans for the day started out with just taking my boyfriend to 13BC so that he could use the gift certificate I got him as a Christmas gift to finally get his left nipple pierced to go with his PA. He had said he wanted one since the day we met 3 years ago.
I knew once we got to the shop, I would want to join in and get something myself. Deep down in side, I knew what I wanted - an ampallang. I wasn't quite sure if my boyfriend would let me go for it. In fact before we left, I asked him what I should get. He knows me well enough to know that I want a genital piercing of some sort - in fact, I am quite conservative looking, and you'd never guess I have a 0 gauge PA or my newly acquired Ampallang. He replied as a joke, "Why don't you get an Ampallang." Well that just stirred it up more for me. I have wanted one for over 3 years - and it hasn't been for a lack of trying that I hadn't gotten one. If they had had the proper length barbell when I was in Chicago for IML 3 years ago, I would have already had it - and my boyfriend would have met me with it already in place. And over the past 3 years, I have gotten 3 lorums, and 2 frenums (all of them have been removed - the lorums because of placement, and the frenums one due to migration and the second time due to some surgery I had near there and I didn't want to both explaining to the doctor about it), because I chickened out of getting the Ampallang. I have gone and questioned many stores in the area and up in the Bay area, read the many experiences here on BME, and looked at the pictures as well to determine the type of placement I wanted. I guess all the stories I have read really built up a big "fear" of the pain involved - which was always the thing the made me chicken out. But I was getting closer to doing the deed - in fact, only a couple days prior I had purchased a 10 gauge barbell to eliminate the chances of the store not having that large a barbell when I finally did have the balls to do it.
So anyway, I replied to my boyfriend quite seriously that I had wanted one for the past 3 years. There were no objections on his part. I thought to myself - cool, and put the newly purchased barbell into my pocket. And the butterflies started churning.
We got to 13BC, and my boyfriend said he wanted to get his nipple done and presented the gift certificate. I noticed that the Piercer was not the same I had discussed an Ampallang piercing with when I got the gift certificate. But he seemed cool and I did want a male performing this. I turned to my boyfriend again and asked what I should get - sort of a nerve building thing. This time he just said he didn't know, get what I wanted. This was my signal from him that the Ampallang was ok to do.
So we went into the piercing room to get his nipple done. The guy was very professional and everything was clean/sterile. (I had my PA stretched to 4 gauge here, so I was already confident of their abilities at this store). What I didn't know is if this Piercer could do an Ampallang or had done any. So I got the necessary background information, never letting on that I was interested in an Ampallang. He indeed had done them and had about 10 years of piercing experience under his belt. So with my boyfriend's nipple done, my boyfriend asked aloud if I was gonna get something done.
"Oh, what are you interested in doing?" asked the Piercer.
Gulp - would I have the balls this time, and next thing I knew out of my mouth came, "An Ampallang."
My research had already told me that this is a piercing that most piercers will not do on the spur of the moment. They also want to make sure that you are serious about it and know what you are getting into. The Piercer asked me a slue of questions and determined I was serious and knowledgeable. The only problem, it was 3:15, and he was planning to leave at 4:00pm. So he offered to see if another store, Puncture, could fit me in their schedule. Sure enough they could.
Well the cat was out of the bag...and I finally felt like I had bridged the point of no return. Thank God!
I had only been to Puncture one other time, and for some reason, I just didn't feel comfortable in the place at that time.
We walked into the door and there were a couple guys being helped. One guy was asking questions about a PA and the other was getting some new nipple jewelry. I personally think every man should get a PA - most want them, they just think they hurt too much to do - gee, I should listen to my own words regarding the Ampallang.
Well Kristian, the piercer, asked a few standard questions - to make sure I was serious. He suggested an apadravya - but I told him I loved my PA and didn't want to change that. That convinced him that I was serious - I told you, I am conservative looking and not the "Ampallang/primal" looking type.
I confirmed that he did it free handed and not clamped - I have heard that a clamp can alter the tissue too much and would not be a good thing. He did in fact perform the piercing free handed; and in addition, to minimize bleeding, he pierced with a 12-gauge needle and then stretched the piercing with a taper to 10 gauge. I gulped - yikes, I was afraid to experience the needle the first time, but this was gonna be like getting pierced twice. He said he could pierce it with a 10-gauge needle if that was the route I wanted. I felt really comfortable with him and I did want to minimize the bleeding - so I said he was the expert and that the stretching route would be fine.
So we went to the back piercing room and he proceeded to size me up. The butterflies were really going and I was a little lightheaded and a little proud that I was finally going through with it. I dropped my pants, and sure enough - my cock was doing the full retreat. Oh well, I knew that he had probably experienced this often in his profession. Kristian was very personable and I did relax and my cock seemed to come back to life. We determined that 1 1/4" 10 gauge barbell would do the trick - so much for the one I brought - it was a bit longer - so I opted not to use it.
So now came the time to do the marking. I was really impressed on how much time Kristian took to do this - literally 20 minutes at least. During this time, we discussed the Ampallang he had received from Jim Ward; his boyfriend's Ampallang, and the beautiful tribal tattoo work he had on his face and body. When he was finished with the placement, I took a look once he said he had it, and I wanted a slight change and then we were done. It was time for him to get the newly sterilized tray of piercing equipment. He had me start to do some deep, slow breathing.
He can back in, and showed me a test strip to confirm that the sterilization process did get to the proper temperature. I then asked if he had something for me to bite down on - I was afraid of biting my tongue if the pain was intense as I had heard it would be. So he was kind enough to go get me a wad of gauze - which was perfect.
I laid back on the table and mentally prepared myself for the pain I had read so much about. He got the needle all lined up and asked if I was ready. "About as ready as I am gonna be." He had me take two really deep breaths, and on the third he said really deep and exhale slowly - which I knew meant he would start the piercing.
I felt an initial pinch of the needle entering - which was no more painful than my PA did. I could feel the needle travel through the head of my cock - and that part didn't hurt at all - until he got about half the way through and that's when the pain started. I closed my eyes and bit the gauze and my body froze. And then he stopped.
"Very good - the needle is through. How are you doing? You did really well." WHEW - part one done, I thought to myself. Now mind you, it did hurt and lasted about 3-5 seconds, but it wasn't the pain that I had built up in my mind over the past 3 years. Heck, I didn't even scream out in pain.
"Let me know when you are ready for the stretching and jewelry placement."
"Let's do it."
Another deep breathe in and out and the same pain I had just experienced repeated itself, but a little more quickly. It definitely is an interesting sensation to be able to feel exactly where the needle was at inside my cock.
"Ok, I just have to screw on this ball."
"Wow...it was painful, but not nearly what I had expected."
"You did really well. And see...right on the marks."
"Thanks - it's perfect."
So in about a week, I am going back to have him make sure the length of the barbell is good and to be photographed for his portfolio. I will post photos on this site soon.
It's been a day now, and I have no pain and just one drop of blood - and the bruising I had last night are gone. Even my erections in my sleep have not been painful. I am so happy to have finally done this. I just can't wait to try it out - I get a semi just thinking about what I have finally done.
So to anyone who is considering it.... Don't put it off as long as I did. Yes it will hurt a bit - ok a lot, but nothing like what your mind will build it up to hurt.
What a great way to bring in the new millennium - it truly is a rite of passage experience.