I first thought about getting a P.A. about 20 years ago when I was in grad school. I had met a couple of guys with P.A.s and all had loved them (and looked really hot with them). While my first reaction was to wince at the thought of the possible pain connected with poking a hole through my prized possession, I became convinced that the experience obviously wasn't that bad, since I had met more than one guy who had one (that weren't the type of guys that were into pain), and absolutely convinced when one of the guys who had one was petrified by the sight of a banged up finger I had at the time, even though I had assured him it looked worse than it felt. If he couldn't stand the site of a banged finger, then the pain associated with the P.A. could NOT have been THAT BAD ..so that's how I convinced myself this wouldn't hurt. (The internet wasn't around at that time, so I didn't have the advantage of just going on-line and researching it from good sources like this site).
At A Glance Author Scott Contact Scott@bme.anon When A month ago Artist me Studio at home Location Atlanta My first bad experience: So what did I do? I walked into a place that sold all sorts of sex toys and videos, but also dabbled in some body jewelry. I remember a plethora of dildos and rubber/leather stuff, chains of all sorts, but only about a dozen jewelry pieces. The salesperson "guided me", suggesting that I not use a piercing needle, but rather what looked like a carpet needle; think of a very dull ended pencil you would stop writing with because it had worn down way-too-far to even think of writing with it and you get the picture of this thing. It was about a 12 or 10 gauge. I went home with the needle and a steel captive ball ring for a little over $100. Yikes. I get ticked off now knowing how much I got ripped off. Chalk one up to experience! I got home, got all excited, cleaned the site, poked the needle down my dick, pressed a little hard, chickened out because of the pressure I felt and left it alone. Three days later, I got ticked off at myself for stalling, and went and hammered that blunt thing through my dick. It's funny now to think about it, but was much more traumatizing back then. Let's just say "splat". Blood everywhere. Well I had a big hole through my dick, so I shoved the jewelry through it, and cleaned up. Of course, the trauma I caused by blasting through the tissue with a dull object that shouldn't have been called a needle had me leaking blood for days. I also recall that it hurt like a; like a you-know-what for more than a week. I just was very very lucky that I didn't get an infection. At the end of two weeks, I was still bleeding every time I peed and even at night, so I finally gave up and pulled it out. It heeled in only a couple of days; I was surprised.
Fast forward to November of this year when by accident I came across some pictures of guys with P.A.s. The sight (something about the eroticism of the heavy metal - I guess) just started me thinking about doing it again. So this time, I researched P.A.s on the web. There are several excellent sites. All will recommend that you go get it done at a professional piercing studio. Unfortunately, there were no piercing studios close to my suburban home and the one I found that was about 40 miles from my house about getting a P.A. done didn't care to return my email asking a few questions about the procedure, so it was D.I.Y. project time.
I had lidocaine and I found a very nice website where I could order sterilized piercing needles (no more unsharpened pencils for me), a receiving tube (making sure I ordered the size that would actually fit the needle (usually 2 sizes larger), sterile lubricant, and surgical grade stainless jewelry, sterile gauze, and aftercare product.
I read about positioning and sizing, so I knew I wanted just off center (I also discovered by pulling the skin and shining a bright light on it that I had a nice vein running smack toward the center near the triangle formed between the back of my glans to the left and right tips of the corona), and I measured that the distance would be about 3/4", so I ordered my jewelry accordingly. Remembering the "good old days" of torture straight out of the Middle Ages, I hesitated, then remembered again how much I researched and how much I wanted my P.A., so an hour in front of the mirror in the bathroom with my near-sterile field was spent just figuring out how to position the receiving tube just right so the skin wouldn't move on me and I'd end up with a way-off-center poke through the skin. The next 5 minutes was "practice" near-pricks with needle in hand to ensure I was aiming right and would hit the sleeve of the tube, then it came time for the "big push". Now, I know that the needle was sharp, because I accidentally poked myself quite nicely with the first one without by barely touching it and had to use a bandage. (I was smart enough to order three needles in case of a fumble-mishap).
The push: I was actually surprised by the, for lack of a better term, "texture" of pushing the needle through the skin and then the urethra under it. I felt the resistance of needle change a couple of times. Once I hit the receiving tube, I just pushed the needle through, no problem. The "pain" that everyone's fearful of is nothing more than a short pinch sensation. The jewelry followed the needle with no problem and the procedure was over. What was amazing is that there wasn't a drop of blood. None. Only the receiving tube which cut the 8 gauge hole had some dried blood on it.
A little soreness and one drainage period (with some blood) happened that night as I had expected, but that was all !!! For the first two days, there was slight tenderness whenever my dick moved in my pants causing the jewelry to stretch one way or the other, but I found that using pouch constructed underwear was a BIG help, as all package items were neatly kept in place. (Don't wear boxers; I did so the first day and found myself sitting on my jewelry and when I'd get up from a low couch, well, let's just say "ouch"). I was (and still am some 3 weeks later) SO happy about the experience.
Would I have rather have had someone else do it? Sure. But the complete lack of interest and/or courtesy of the local piercing place I had contacted had me not trusting them anyway.
I must give one plug to a product: Ocean piercing aftercare spray. It's sea salt premixed in a sterile plastic bag in a spray can. No muss, no fuss. Just shower, then hold your dick and spray it a little one the jewelry. It kept it really clean and salt concentration promotes healing. (Too much salt is also bad for the healing process).
Two weeks after the initial piercing, I found that I was so well-healed that I could actually give a good tug without any soreness whatsoever. In fact, I noticed that I could see around my jewelry. It actually gapped a bit. I then decided to try my stretching taper, despite the fact that the recommended healing time is 4-8 weeks. The taper went in without a hitch and a slight push with a little bit of a stretching feel found me positioning my next sized jewelry in place as a Christmas present to myself. I'm not sure why the healing process went so quickly for me, and I was cautious with the taper, since all sources warn you to back out if you experience pain. I'll attribute my sizing "luck" to good cleansing practice, as I religiously used the twice a day since the piercing, and 3 times a day for the first week.
The weight of the jewelry is awesome feeling when you're pleasing yourself. I thought I'd blow my head off the first time after the new addition was made. Seriously, guys. If you ever have had any thoughts about getting one, DO IT. You'll be happy you did. Just get it done RIGHT. (Don't listen to any guy telling you piercing needles are painful, while holding a dull metal resemblance of one in another hand).
My only regret has been waiting such a long time to retry getting one done.