At A Glance Author Shane Contact Shane@bme.anon IAM needleperfd When Six months ago Artist Jason Studio 21st Century Tattoo and Body Piercing Location Portland, OR So, the day started out with me going to my ex-landlord and getting back my security deposit. Now, I've got $250 burning a hole in my pocket. What to do, what to do... I'll get my pecker pierced!!!
Getting a genital piercing was something that I had always thought about doing, however, it never seemed to happen. Either the girl I was dating wouldn't have been in to it, or the thought of the pain involved scared me off, didn't know of anyone who could perform it, etc. Mostly it was the thought of causing my favorite guy such massive pain. As it turned out, the pain was practically non-existent.
So, my girlfriend at the time (thank God she's out of my life now. That's an entirely different story) and I were driving around Portland, looking for something to do with this money, when she says "Hey, let's go get your shit pierced." Ok, why not? She was fairly well pierced (tongue, navel, hood, and both outer labia), so she obviously knew someone capable of doing genital piercing.
We proceeded to 21st Century Tattoo and Body Piercing to see Jason. When we got there Jason was finishing up with another customer, so I had to wait just a few minutes before seeing him. He asked what I wanted to have done. At this point I realized I had no idea whatsoever just what piercing I wanted, which is what I told him. He then asked me if I had eaten that day. I hadn't yet, so he told me that I needed to go eat and once I got back we could decide which piercing I wanted. He gave me the consent form, the aftercare sheet, and a pen and told me I could take them with me and fill the consent out while I was eating. Off we went to The Lucky Labrador to grab some food.
When we got back Jason took us into his piercing room and pulled out this massive blue rubber penis that was festooned with metal. He used that to explain to me what piercings I could get, along with the healing times associated with each. I was considering a Prince Albert or a frenum. He recommended a P.A. for a first genital piercing, as it heals well and then I could more easily place the frenum if I decided to get one later. Ok, Prince Albert it is.
Jason started getting everything ready and I started getting scared. I mean, I'm ACTUALLY going to have a big needle driven through my most favorite body part, I must be nuts, what the hell am I thinking??? I was jabbering about something, probably pain and swelling and all manner of horrible things, all the while Jason is just kind of ignoring it as if to say "Hey, you're right, it's gonna hurt like a bitch." He was kind enough to tell me to go ahead and hop up on the table while he finished setting up so I would be more comfortable. It helped. A little.
Jason explained to me what the procedure would be, starting off with NEEDLE SIZE. Oh, great, just what I want to talk about. He told me that, depending on my anatomy, he would pierce with either a 12ga or a 10ga and then immediately stretch up two gauges (one at a time, of course) and install a CBR for healing. I made the comment that that seemed awfully BIG, I mean if he pierces with a 10ga then that means the final installed ring will be 6ga and... can you see where my mind was going with this? He then asked me to go ahead and drop 'em. Oh. Shit.
All right, so now I'm laying on the table with my pants around my ankles (how dignified I felt) and Jason takes a look and explains some more of the procedure. He told me that first he would clean the area, followed by inserting a small rod in to my urethra so he could mark the position of the exit. Wow, this just keeps getting better. As he was finishing the cleaning he placed his hand on my stomach. I flinched so hard I swear I came off the table at least 8 inches. He apologized for not warning me that he was going to touch me and assured me that he would let me know when he was going to touch me and he would NOT pierce me without letting me know. Heavy sigh. My nerves were jacked WAY the fuck up at this point. I was so close to backing out, seriously, if I'd had about 10 seconds more I probably would have. But Jason had me cleaned and prepped by this time, so he got the rod (it was most likely a taper, I wasn't looking) and inserted it gently in to my urethra. This, in a word, sucked. Especially when he bent my penis up so he could find the tip of the rod. Major suck. Ok, so he's got it marked, and I figure since I've gone through the marking it would be a total waste to back out no. Jason asked me to sit up and take a look at it. He explained the reason for it being off center, and why he chose the right side over the left. Actually, he had asked earlier if I naturally hung to the left. Very observant of him. Anyway, he explains this to me and also tells me where my frenum bar should go if I decide to get one later. Now it's REALLY time.
I lay back down and Jason started the breathing exercise with me, breath in three count, breath out three count. He counted for me, although I found that a five count seemed to let me breath deeper. He told me no matter what try not to hold my breath while he was working. He gave me a two breath warning, in three count, out three count, next exhale he's gonna do it. I am TOTALLY freaked out. In three count, out one, two, three... And all I felt was a mildly sharp pinch. Huh? That's IT? Damn, if I'd known THAT was all it was gonna feel like I'd have done this YEARS ago.
Jason asked how I was; I laughed and said fine, that was nothing. He gave me a moment to focus again and told me it was time for the first stretch to 10ga. Ok, no problem, rock and roll big guy. I was shocked by the stretch. Here I was thinking it would be like the needle. Not so. Ouch. Not too bad, but worse than the needle. Ok, so it WAS bad. I asked if I could have a minute, Jason said sure, let him know when I'm ready. A few minutes later I said let's go. I was keyed up again at this point because I knew that if the first stretch hurt, the second one would hurt to. Indeed. This was the only point in the whole procedure that I held my breath. Jason had to tell me " Breath for me", the stretch to 8ga hurt like hell. Once it was stretched he installed the CBR and then let me calm down for a minute while he cleaned up some. After a few seconds it stopped hurting and I was fine. I think that must have been when the endorphins kicked in, 'cause I was feeling DAMN fine at this point. Jason finished straightening up and told me it was time to install the bead. I was thinking this would probably hurt since he was going to have to move me around some. No problems at all with the install. He cleaned me up (apparently I bled like hell, of course Jason warned me that it would probably bleed heavily for a little while and then continue to bleed for three or four days, less each day, and that it was normal and not to worry) and then inclined the table top so I could see my new P.A. Damn that thing looked awesome! He went over aftercare again and some other helpful things I could do to make it easier on me. About this time my fingers and lips started to get numb. It felt like my lips were trying to draw together to form an "O". I told Jason this and he said not to worry, as my body was probably in a very mild state of shock. I just went with it, since nothing hurt and I was feeling good on endorphins. I said I was probably going to need some orange juice soon to help my blood sugar level. Jason covered my groin area and ex cused himself for a moment. When he came back he had a cup of Sobe Orange Elixir for me. That was just damn nice of him.
Jason then did a final clean up on me and asked me to stand up so he could bandage me and "do the funky chicken" on me. What? He wrapped the old boy up with a non-stick dressing followed by some sterile gauze. Then he took the whole package in his hand. I asked if I should turn my head and cough (guy joke, it's a thing that happens to a guy when he gets a physical), he laughed and said I could if I wanted. That's when I noticed his left hand was double gloved. He then proceeded to remove the outer glove so that it came off around my penis and scrotum. When he pulled his fingers out the fingers on the glove inverted and looked like the comb on a rooster. The Funky Chicken! That was good for a laugh. He gave me a bag of sea salt and we left the piercing room.
Jason told me to take it easy for the rest of the day and call him if I had any questions or problems, and gave me his card with the shop number and his cell phone number on it. He told me to come back in 4-6 weeks for a check-up and a ring change, as he said I most likely want to gauge down to a 10ga and also use a CBB for comfort purposes. I paid him, thanked him, and went on my merry way.
Aftercare was pretty standard, soak in warm sea salt water not saltier than tears two to three times a day for ten to fifteen minutes, wash once daily in the shower with a dye and perfume free glycerin soap.
I went back a month later to have the 8ga CBR changed to a 10ga CBB. Actually, I think I wouldn't have minded staying at 8ga; unfortunately Jason didn't have any 8ga CBB's of the right length. He also informed me that he had just given he two weeks notice to the shop due to management issues. Bummer.
I never had any problems with the P.A. except for the occasional twisting of the CBR. The bleeding continued for four days, less each day. Part of that was my fault, the first night I went out and had a few drinks. Stupid, I know.
My P.A. has since been converted to a dolphin, for various reasons. I'll be writing my dolphin experience soon. Keep a look out for it.
I hope you enjoyed my experience, if you did please come by my page and let me know.