Getting my first genital piercing was an undertaking that took a bit of working up to on my part. It actually was not nearly as bad as I figured it would be. Previously I'd had one nipple done twice, my tongue done twice, the other nipple done once, and my lip done twice (ones done twice were taken out as I didn't want to bother trying to keep comb teeth in them [yucky] during a stay in treatment for awhile—definitely worthwhile). All that I knew was that the second times for everything except for my tongue were a lot worse, going through that scar tissue and all. I'd actually seen my piercer's knuckles turn white the second time I had my left nipple done as she went through the scar tissue. I have a pretty high pain tolerance, though; it's just the working up to it that's the problem.
At A Glance Author Khelair Contact khelair@cyberspace.org Artist Randy Studio Derma Design Location Bismarck ND I decided to get my Prince Albert after making a deal with my girlfriend at the time that we were both going to get poked together. She ended up backing out on the deal (we were getting ready to break up anyway), and I used that as even more encouragement to go along with it. My dad ended up driving me (which I consider an amazing success—he's an ultra-conservative minister, heh), and I finally ended up going in to the shop to get it done. Randy and his wife (while she still worked there) have done all of my piercings. I always laugh at the stupid people who keep getting them done by someone that thinks they know what they're doing because they've had a piercing or two, and know to put a dot on each side where the piercing is supposed to go (like it does any good if you don't use the FORCEPS!). Anyway, aside from that digression, going in there I was feeling a bit of butterflies in my stomach. This was my goddamn penis!
I went in a few minutes early, though, and I was pretty excited. Randy eventually came out and took me into the little piercing alcove at Derma Design in Bismarck (the U.S.'s first mall-based 'proper' piercing/tattooing shop, allegedly). I was a little disgruntled that it was just an accordion door, especially when he had to go out to retrieve a larger-gauge ring to avoid tissue damage when I would get... er... sprung. Having a large penis has its disadvantages... Anyway, other than me sitting there with my pants around my ankles on the makeshift doctor's platform wondering if anyone else would walk in on me, it was all good. He was really professional, as always, and I only felt a little bit of disquiet after I asked him how many of these he'd done and he said vaguely 'plenty'.
Unfortunately at that place they don't know that the larger gauges, while more traumatic to the tissue at piercing time, are actually better for healing. The larger gauges have a smaller tendency to tear (the cheese-cutter effect), making damage while healing a lot less common. The biggest I've ever been able to get them to pierce me in any spot was a 12 ga. That's what I ended up getting for this.
Placing the receiving tube was the worst part. It's a lot like a male STD screening, when they insert the cotton-swabbies down your dick to get the culture. After that, he told me to take a deep breath, I did, and it was done before I felt anything. The bleeding was minimal and I was pretty happy to see that big ole' ring sitting in my penis. My first genital piercing, I couldn't wait to show it off and use it! ;)
Unfortunately, healing wasn't completely easy. I didn't take the smart advise of waiting before having sex and tore it the first night I had it. At least I had the condom on so the piercing didn't get all contaminated. That entire problem disappeared though, because after a couple of weeks I made sure that I got an 8ga ring and slipped it in. Actually, upsizing those piercings is really easy, too. After they're healed the tissues just naturally loosen around it and I went 2 gauges with absolutely no problem. I've had another incident with tearing (my first problem with this in over a year and a half now), so I'm going to upsize it to a 4 ga, but it's been trouble free other than that. Just get used to twisting your penis 180 degrees or squatting when you pee! After it loosens up you'll be pissing all over your testicles or behind you in your underwear & pants if you try to use a urinal the usual way. But usually everyone already knows that.
One last thing. Randy, if you read this, SORRY about the sweat! I was so tweaked out when I got it done (needlessly, it turned out), that I ended up leaving a big sweaty pair of butt cheek prints on the vinyl/rubber. I saw your surprised look at that, I was really nervous! ;-)
My next one's gonna be an ampallang or a frenum! Go for it, it's worth it!