Well this is the tale of my nape piercing experience!!
At A Glance Author Hailee Contact Hailee@bme.anon When A month ago Artist Amiee Studio Punktured Location Adelaide The Thursday started like any other, get out of bed at about 9 and go into town to kill my day off. But I had an itch that needed to be scratched. I hadn't had a piercing done since my tongue, 2 months ago and that had healed nice and fast, I was ready to go again. On the train I was considering my options...both tragus...a madison...the double navel I have been craving for so long...the nape of my neck...hmmm just below the hair line there, it could look interesting!! I got off the train and headed towards PUNKTURED, the only place I'll ever get pierced.
Well, there I was and all the courage that I had plucked up on the train...GONE. But once I got talking to Amiee, I calmed down and panicked no more. Although she had only done this sort of piercing once before, I was pretty sure that she had what it took! She showed me a photo of the other nape piercing she'd done, and it was perfect. The bar on his was longer than I wanted but the piercing its self, looked fantastic!! I was pleased with my choice of piercing!!
I singed the relevant form and watched as Amiee custom bent a bar for me. That took a very short space of time so we soon headed up to the room I was to be pierced in. I sat on the bench while Amiee set up and we talked about tattoos and one of my friends who has some "vertical lobe piercings"!!
In no time at all I'd tied my hair back and she was measuring and marking out a grid on the back of my neck, constantly showing me the progress using two mirrors. It's all going smooth so far...
Well the texta dots look good so out came the clamp... but it was the wrong size so after a bit of poking and pinching, we changed sets. The new set weren't much more comfortable but they weren't flinging off so they must have been better!! Once they were in place the piercing commenced it was one of the most intense stings that I've ever felt...ever. But in somewhere between 4 and 6 seconds (Amiee was counting and I was breathing out) it was over. The inevitable tugging of the jewellery going in wasn't TOO painful, but it was no tickle! Now I usually get a little woozy after being pierced... now was no exception. So while I took 5 on the bench Amiee explained the aftercare to me again and explained that the bar was so big to allow for swelling...it was sticking out at least ½ a centimetre! Well in the first week I bathed it three times a day and washed my hair upside down (even with a patch over it!!). That routine continued into the second week too, but I washed my hair the right way up with a patch on... the paranoia was starting to settle, but even now I'm still worried that it's growing out...!
Despite it being changed over to a bar that sits flush with me skin, it still occasionally catches on the tags of the daggy polo shirts I have to wear at work. But the biggest challenge was showing my grandparents... I don't like to upset them, so I told them over the phone initially, getting the reply..."your nape is no where near your crotch I'm hoping???" But surprisingly, once they saw it, they did take it a lot better than my tongue stud!!! My mum was cool with it, she understands that I like to stand out a little and that I think the human body is a blank canvas at birth that needs creativity to liven it up a little!! Sure you may have the same piercing as me, but its not there for the same reason, and my other piercings may not match yours at all, we are all unique.
Any way, just a couple of pointers for those who intend on adding this piercing to their modified body...
Don't get a friend to do it (that's quite stupid)...or any other piercing for that matter. Go to a trusted piercer.
It does hurt but the pain is bearable and short-lived.
If you live with someone who can clean it for you, you'll find it's so much more thorough than doing it yourself.
It does catch on stuff, like shirt tags and collars and also necklaces, NEVER sleep in a necklace with this piercing!!!
I found a great makeshift patch can be made from clingwrap and adhesive bandages for those times when it is necessary to shower with out notice!
I totally recommend this to anyone game enough for it!!