I'm not completely sure when neck - needle = nape became a good idea.
At A Glance Author Astrid Contact Astrid@bme.anon When Six months ago Artist Ruth Studio Hardwire Location Reading, Berks I'd had piercings before, most well healed, no thanks to my continual fiddling, poking and picking (of course, you well-read readers know this isn't a good idea) but despite my blatant neglect, they've all turned out fine.
I first discovered nape piercing on BME about a year ago. After reading nigh-on every experience there was, and 'oohing and ahhhing' over the pictures, I was hooked.
The voice of reason intervened -
'No, you are careless and the fact that your head hasn't fallen off due to gangrene is a fluke, do not insert foreign objects into your neck.' So, I put the idea to the back of my mind - I knew it wouldn't get lonely back there.
Fast forward a few weeks.
I was wandering around Reading town centre, £25 in my pocket (all too uncommon for us student - types) when my mind began screaming 'nape piercing, now.'
Was it fate? Probably not, but I was easily convinced.
I had two choices -
- The local tattoo place, piercing on the side, many horror stories of bad aim and general narkiness by staff.
- A small piercing studio where all my piercings had been done before. Clean, professional and friendly.
Yes, it was tough.
I headed to the studio, went in and spoke to the receptionist asking if they did surface piercings. She was ever so friendly, informed me that they did, but Ruth who did the piercings was on her lunch. She asked if I would like to wait so I took a seat and five minutes later Ruth returned and told me to come into the piercing room.
I perched on the edge of what looked like a black dentist chair and told her I was interested in a nape piercing. She explained that she did nape piercings with PTFE, there was a chance of migration, to keep irritaition to an absolute minimum and be religious with aftercare. I asked about making an appointment, she said she was free to do it now if I was ready - I was. Did I want to sit or lie? I've always felt more comfortable sitting upright, lying makes me feel a little too vulnerable. She marked entrance and exit holes on the back of my neck, asked me to move my neck up, down, sideways etc, moved the marks, same again and then she was ready.
She said she would pierce on the count of three, and 'just keep breathing.'
On three, oh my word, it hurt. Every muscle in my body tensed in protest, and I muttered a various anguished yet indifferent sounds.
Seeing my obvious pain, she stopped for a moment and commented on my 'very tough skin.'
Marvellous.
I composed myself and she asked if I was ready for her to continue. She reminded me to relax and more importantly, to breathe. Same again, I tried to keep relaxed and as a result it was more intense pressure than pain. The relief when she had finished was, well, that of a very relieved person. The jewellery insertion (12ga PTFE barbell) was painless, the placement spot on. I sat for about five minutes while she cleaned it up and I calmed myself.
She handed me an aftercare sheet, and told me that I was free to come in at any time if I had any problems. I paid the receptionist £25 and walked home.
I experienced absolutely no pain whatsoever after the actual piercing, other than a dull ache in my neck that could be accredited to me keeping my head so rigid in fear of, well, I'm not sure, but after realising my I could move my head without risk of it falling off I was fine.
Aftercare consisted of cotton wool soaked in warm salt water placed on my neck whilst ungraciously hanging over the kitchen sink. I used cotton buds to remove dried lymph and used what little willpower I had to refrain from touching it.
Fast forward a month or so - I never realised just how many things come in contact with the back of my neck. Well, you wouldn't, would you? I had been follow the aftercare meticulously (for once) yet getting dressed had caused many yelps of pain when labels had caught on the piercing, and my fidgety sleeping habits caused problems. Thankfully, I had short hair at the time so that was one less thing to worry about. Still, 6 months on my nape was very red, very hot, and very pissed off.
I was more careful than ever, yet it became more inflamed and gushed lymph at every opportunity. Despite my best efforts, it felt as though it may pop out of my skin at any minute. I decided to remove it as all signs pointed to migration. Leaving it would do nothing but increase scarring and make it more difficult to re-pierce, should I decide to do so.
Gutted? Not half.
And so concludes the story of my nape - short lived, troublesome, yet still my favourite of the piercings I have had.
If you are considering a nape piercing I cannot emphasise the importance of a good piercer, meticulous aftercare and an absence of people wanting to poke it. And for goodness sake, don't forget to breathe.