Outer labia for my Birthday

At A Glance Author Angela Contact Angela@bme.anon Artist Louise Studio Afflecks Palace Location Manchester, England

Well after much thinking and research I finally got my outer labia pierced today ­ my 39th birthday present to myself. I've already got fout tattoos, my belly button and nose pierced and two rings in each ear (one in the cartilage).

I'd been getting that craving for yet another tattoo or piercing and just had to decide what it was going to be this time. People at work know about my tattoos and belly button piercing and my nose stud is obvious so this time I wanted something secret. Also having recently split from my hubby I wanted something that was just for me that he didn't know about so that now he no longer knows everything about my body - my way of reclaiming myself.

After researching female piercings on BME I decided on outer labia mainly coz it looks pretty and I could get two piercings at the same time! Manchester Piercing Studios told me to see Louise in Afflecks Palace as she was the expert on genital piercing. So on the Tuesday lunchtime I called in for info ­Louise looked amazing with multiple facial piercings and tribal arm tattoos but she was really friendly and answered all my questions so I decided I was going to get this done on Friday as I had a half day off work and the following week off ­ I was expecting major pain and restricted movement!!!!

OK ­ so it gets to Friday lunchtime, I did no work at all in the morning due to nerves, just answered the phone and cleaned my desk. Only one person knew what I was going to do and he couldn't come with me due to his work. After treating myself to a large hot chocolate with cream and a large piece of chocolate cake (well I was advised to eat something sugary before hand!)My stomach was churning and I wished I hadn't had the cream on the hot chocolate as I thought I was going to be sick, but I'd been advised to eat beforehand to keep my blood sugar up and to prevent fainting afterwards -I don't think I've ever been so nervous before any other of my tattoos or piercings but this made me feel weak at the knees.

I went up the stairs to Louise's shop. She showed me the jewellery and discussed placement then I was on the couch with my dress up round my waist. The anaesthetic spray just felt warm and she thought it wasn't numbing up properly so she sprayed again then she marked the places for the piercings. After everything she touched or did she changed her gloves - I work in a hospital and I'm sure she used more gloves in the 20 minutes with me than most doctors use in a whole clinic session!! Just seeing the number of times she changed gloves increased my confidence in her about cleanliness and experience. She put on the forceps and I didn't even know she'd done it ­ first surprise! Then she told me to take a deep breath and when I exhaled she did the first pierce ­ this was just a little sharp prick, nowhere near what I expected, the second one hurt a little more but wasn't unbearable. I'd asked Louise if many people screamed (as I was expecting to do so myself) and she said on a couple but a lot did jump off the couch. I was quite pleased with myself that I did neither - maybe because I was expecting so much pain that when it happened it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I'd thought it would be.

I was given the usual advice about cleaning etc and told that if it didn't swell or bleed within a couple of hours then it should be OK. I came out of there and think I must have been walking round Manchester with the biggest grin ever on my face! I felt fantastic and no pain!!!! I called my friend and told him and he couldn't believe I'd actually gone through with it. My daughter thinks I'm totally insane!

Its now Sunday ­ 2 days later and still there has been no blood, no swelling and no pain, just a little stinging sensation now and again and it stings a little when I clean it but I can't stop looking at it. After reading all the horror stories about this piercing being so painful and bloody I'd just like to say maybe I'm one of the lucky ones but if you want it bad enough then go and just do it!

So now I've got two cute rings in my labia and I know that when I go to work I've got something that the other's don't have or would even have the faintest idea even existed - I know they would totally freak out if they knew. My only problem now is........whatever next????