Since I started my piercing experience, a year and a half ago, I have always wanted an apadravya. But, being poor, I was unable to afford the $110 it costs to get something like that done. That amount of money needs to go to something that I need not just want.
At A Glance Author Akimbo Contact Akimbo@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Tam Studio cold steel piercing and tattoo Location San Francisco Fortunately, while walking down the street to visit my friend I happened across Cold Steel piercing and tattoo. The place was familiar to me as I had my leg tattooed there 2 years prior. As I was walking past though I saw that they were offering 20 dollar genital piercings if you would be willing to be pierced by someone that is training.
My initial thought is that there is no way I would let myself be pierced by a trainee. You don't want some novice playing with a needle down in that area. Those are sensitive areas.
But alas, after 4 weeks of not being able to stop thinking about it, my mind was made up. Besides, this was going to be the only chance, for a while, for me to get this type of work done.
Plus, I know the people at Cold Steel are professionals. They wouldn't let any jerk off the street become a piercer. Especially since this is San Francisco, which because of the large audience for piercing, means studios here have a reputation to keep.
So I make my appointment to go into the shop on wed. I am reassured by the apparent knowledge of Tam (the trainee) while I am making the appointment. She knows exactly what she is doing as she has been training for 3 or so years.
I wake up the morning of, incredibly nervous. Thinking to myself, wow today is the big day. The thought of the pain is constantly in my mind but the thought never crosses to skip out on this opportunity. This is partially cause I want it soo badly and partially because I have my ampallang already done. The pain for that piercing wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. (I had thought it was going to be like breaking an arm. But more realistically its like giving blood except triple the pain.)
So I started preparing myself. I took a nice long shower, ate some left over pasta from the night before, cleaned my piercings, took my zinc and vitamin c, drank 3 glasses of water, and did some yoga before I left for the studio. I did get there early though to talk to the piercer and make sure that the place was as clean as I remember it. (it was)
So we get all set up with the dots on my penis. Tam puts them on there pretty well and then she has Paul (the trainer and master piercer) check to make sure that they are in the right place and gives her some advice about how to do it. I am not really paying too much attention as I am focusing on my breathing and preparing for the needle.
Initially I ask for an 8 ga barbell, but after a little contemplation I decide to go with the 10 ga. 8 ga just looks like it would hurt sooo much more even if in reality it wouldn't.
So she is set with needle and tells me to let her know when I am ready. I tell her after the next big breath I will be ready.
Inhale............ ( as big as possible)
Exhale..
ouch. She pushes it in and it goes through the bottom side relatively quickly and relatively painlessly. But the top is tougher and takes 3 or 4 seconds to get through. This is the most painful part of the whole experience but not that bad. On a level of one to 10 on the pain factor scale, where 1 is being pinched and 10 is smashing your thumb with a hammer, this is experience was a 7.
For being a novice Tam kicks ass. She hit the marks perfectly and was kind and gentle as much as possible. She was always letting my know what was going on down there and was over all a great experience.
I paid the 20 dollars for my new piercing thanked them and went home. Being extremely knocked up on endorphins I didn't feel much pain until latter. About 3 to 4 hours later it got really sore. This is to be expected though as it is a fresh wound.
Last night I was able to sleep rather will. Of course there was much blood when I woke up but I don't mind that (gives us guys a taste of what you women have to do every month). And right now the soreness is gone. I expect it to be sensitive for a while but the soreness should not come back. The major pain has already passed and now I just have to heal.
Wish me luck, and if you are considering getting this or the ampallang. do it. The pain is not as bad as you think.