The first time I ever saw a genital piercing, ANY genital piercing, aside from the galleries here on BME, was at a strip club. Yes, I realize how classy that sounds. And for your information I was there on a field trip for a human sexuality class, got the student discount and everything.
At A Glance Author Teresa Lee Contact Teresa Lee@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Dave Studio All Hallows Ink Location Fullerton After getting over my initial surprise at all the naked women I was surrounded by, and then my impressed reaction to the sheer athleticism of these women, I began noticing that some of them were pierced. The vertical hood piercing of one such young lady, I do believe her name was Sapphire, or Cinnamon, really caught my eye. (This was clever marketing on her part, she left the stage with a lot of money.) This piercing was dainty, secretive, sexy and, dare I say, really cute. I was very attracted to the way it looked and wondered if ever I would have the figurative balls to get it done. I didn't make any decisions right then and there, but I turned the thought over in my head from time to time over the next several months.
My family is rather conservative and my mother is never thrilled when I talk about piercings, whether discussing ones I have, want to get, or don't want to get but like to talk about. In May of 2005 I went to All Hallows Ink to get my nipples pierced and immediately after that procedure I knew that I wanted to get my hood pierced. But I didn't demand another piercing right away, I wanted to enjoy the novelty of my new nipples for awhile and enjoy I did. After getting my jewelry changed nearly a month after getting pierced, my fantastic piercer, Dave, asked what I wanted next. Trying to sound as cool, casual, and calm as possible (this IS his profession after all) I remarked, "My hood."
[For the record, I blushed and stuttered a little. So much for cool, eh?]
He smiled and quoted me a price and then rattled off the do's, don'ts and everything inbetween of hood piercings. I promised to return once I had some extra money and away I went.
Fast forward two months...or this Monday. It was my first day back at school and I was feeling a little antsy about strapping myself into what looked to be my most challenging semester ever, not to mention the doubtless personal drama that was to ensue. I wanted to do one last random act before putting my nose to the grindstone for the next nine or ten months and decided that it was time I got my hoo-ha poked with a needle. I successfully talked my friend Katie into joining me (not that she needed much convincing, she wanted another tattoo and All Hallows Ink is a tattoo parlor as well) and we set off. It was actually a rather busy night (around 10, I want to say), with more people in the shop than I had ever seen at one time, but Dave recognized me and asked how the piercings were and what he could do for us--by the way, in addition to being a very friendly and professional guy, he's really cute. Just thought I'd add that.
I told him about my vertical hood plans and Katie, not sure she wanted to get a tattoo just yet, decided that she would get her nose pierced--alright, I convinced her to. I'm not going to lie, I was kind of freaking about the piercing. I mean, that's essential territory, about to be jabbed with a freaking needle and then have a piece of metal jammed through there and screwed in. But as Dave told me when we were outside, having a cigarette pre-piercing, it was all a psychological thing: it probably wouldn't hurt anymore than my nipples and if I could stand both nipples being pierced, one little ol' piercing wouldn't faze me. I nodded at this wisdom, but still felt a little flushed and clammy.
Back in the piercing room, he pierced Katie's nose, wiped down the table and spread a little rectangle of paper (not unlike the bib they give you at the dentist's) and told me to hop up there, lie back and put my feet on either edge of the table, a la stirrups. I did, awkwardly, and then blushed furiously when he told me I was going to have to "spread them as far apart as possible", I felt like some really bad porn star. He proceeded to clean the area with iodine, then wipe the iodine off with alcohol and then gently prodded my clit with a Q-tip to approximate where I wanted it placed. After he did so, a goofy smile and a flush appeared across my face, causing him, Katie and myself to laugh and him to remark, "I think that's where you want it." He marked me and then, whilst consoling me and telling me that I was going to be fine, pushed the needle through, freehand.
I'm not going to lie. I was in the most intense pain of my life thus far...for maybe three seconds. And then the pain subsided and I was okay. Amazingly, I was okay. I LIVED! Okay, I whimpered a bit, like a wuss, but not an eye watered. Dave threaded the jewelry and all was well. I lay down for a bit, before sitting up and then walking around. He instructed me not to wash it with anti-bacterial soap, but to use H2Ocean and abstain from sex for two to four weeks, at least until it healed. Or, if I absolutely could not wait, to avoid positions that put pressure on the area. Go doggy style.
We paid him, tipped him, I threw my arms around him in relief and gratefulness and we hung around for Katie's tattoo questions. I am to go back in two weeks for a check up, but as for right now, I am a little swollen, slightly bruised and just a tad sore. However, I can tell that this is going to be a most enjoyable addition as wearing tight jeans and crossing my legs have a little zing in 'em now.
I love this piercing. I've had it for two days and I love it. It's a close second to my nipple piercings, although once it heals it might tie, if not overtake, the girls.
I recommend this piercing. I like it not only for the benefits it often has, but because it feels like I am taking ownership of what is mine. This is my body and it is my temple and I will care for it the way I am meant to, not by anyone else's rules.
Once again, many thanks to All Hallows Ink and the always amazing Dave!