I was at home playing around online a week ago when a friend of mine came on and told me that she got her labret pierced and we talked about it for a while. I told her that I really wanted my nape pierced and she and I goofed around talking about how that piercing is only for bad asses etc. She told me that she had a coupon for 10% off a piercing or five dollars off new jewelry. She was nice enough to say that I could have the coupon. I was totally jazzed and after a quick shower I got dressed and immediately headed down to High Priestess Piercing (in Sacred Art Tattoo).
At A Glance Author Martina Contact Martina@bme.anon When A week ago Artist Paul Studio High Priestess Piercing Location Corvallis, OR I got there with my fiancé and he and I started asking the poor piercer (Paul) and counter guy (Tony I believe) about nape piercings, and the other piercings I was interested in. (Tongue web, Cleavage, Monroe, etc.) Tony showed me his double nape piercing and we talked about catching things on them etc. My fiancé and I were asking all the annoying questions and Paul and Tony were great to us, answering everything we asked and letting me taking my time while looking through the portfolios.
Robert and I decided to leave and do some thinking about all the risks involved and everything, but within half an hour we were back and I was filling out all the paperwork and handing over my license for them to copy. I was excited and totally ready for it. I was right after a girl getting her nose pierced and so I sat around looking at the flash on the walls and getting totally nervous. (I am a "whim" piercee. I do my research on a piercing I like, but in order to get it done I have to go in on a whim.)
Paul came out and told me it was my turn so we headed back into the piercing room. He had me stand up in front of a full mirror so that he could draw the dots for the piercing and make sure they were all lined up and straight. (Thank God for that!). He chose a half inch 14 gauge surface bar with normal sized balls. (It was internally threaded which was better for insertion.) After about 15 minutes of marking, and checking with both me and my fiancé he had me lie down so he could start massaging my neck to loosen everything up.
After the "massage" (it was rough, not relaxing folks) he changed his gloves again and told me to start breathing deeply. I gripped the side of the table with one hand, and clenched my fiancé's hand while taking deep breaths. In a flash one side was done, and I had to keep breathing so that he could pierce the other side. Then with my next breath the needle was out the other side. The adrenalin started running and I felt slightly light headed.
Then it sat there for a bit while he made sure that I was ok while he tried to screw on one of the balls on the surface bar. He was having trouble getting the ball on so he had to get another one out and he screwed one ball on. Then Paul checked with me and got all ready to insert the surface bar.
With a bigger pinch (and more pain) the surface bar was in and Paul was screwing on the second ball. He placed a saline rinse on it to clean me up and had me stand up and look at it after making sure I wasn't light headed anymore.
Instantly I was in LOVE! I really love it! I left after paying and getting sea salt and antimicrobial soap so that I could take care of my new piercing. I have been showing it off to anyone and everyone. (All my friends know I just have to show it off.) Hell I even cut my hair so it sits there uncovered for all to see. :)
The next few days I woke up with a stiff neck but other than that the pain is not bad. (I take some Ibuprofen when I need to.) The only problem I have really had with it is forgetting that I have it and knocking it, or catching it when I am trying to take off a hooded sweatshirt.
I wash it twice with my Antimicrobial soap and at least twice with a saline solution, or my sea salt. I keep it crust free with Q-tips and the soaks. I am really careful when I brush my hair to keep from catching the balls in the brush head. And I check for excessive redness by looking in the mirror at it after I do a soak.
Feel free to ask any questions! :)