First off, I must apologize for the length of this experience, there is a good amount of back-story, but I feel it is important to the experience and why I got the piercing and who performed the piercing.
At A Glance Author xZerOsx Contact xZerOsx@bme.anon IAM xZerOsx When A month ago Artist The amazing Missy Studio Ink Assassins Location Erie, PA The idea of getting a nape piercing first came while browsing through BME. At the time I had never seen one other than in pictures here on BME, so I was thrilled by the idea of taking that step outside of the realm of pretty standard piercings.
On vacation, the year of my 17th birthday, I saw my first nape piercing up close in a tattoo shop down in Southern Jersey. I was in awe. It was then that I knew I would eventually have a nice piece of metal adorning the back of my neck.
Time went on, and the idea never left my head. It changed from just a piercing I had to have because it looked so cool, to a piercing I had to have because it meant something to me. It would be my first true surface piercing (not counting the ones I had/have on my fingers), and it just felt like such a big step in my body modification journey. I knew that when I did get it, it would have to be at the right shop, by the right piercer, at the right time.
A while after I turned 18, I headed into Ink Assassins to talk to a piercer about the piercing. I had good experiences with Ink Assassins with tattoos, but I had not been pierced there at the time, so I wasn't really familiar with the piercers there. I talked to Tim about getting my nape pierced. Asked if they used surface bars, how long they would be, the cost. Standard questions, basically. I planned on going in within a few weeks and having the piercing done. Long story short, I didn't go. I wasn't ready for this yet. And I wasn't sure I wanted Tim to do the piercing. Now, let me say there is nothing wrong with Tim. He is an excellent piercer and a very nice guy, but I wasn't so comfortable with him, because from going with friends to get pierced there, he is very quiet and that kind of unnerves me.
I let the idea of getting my nape pierced go to the back of my mind. When the time was right to get it done, I would get it and I was positive of that.
Over the next year, whenever I went into Ink Assassins for a new bead or jewelry, I was greeted by Missy. We talked of BME, and conventions, different kinds of mods. I liked talking with her, and she was very good at making a customer feel welcome. Time went on and it was nearing my birthday, and I definitely planned on getting a mod then. I wasn't sure which I was going to go for. I wanted my tongue pierced, because I had recently retired it and I missed it dearly, but that I could do myself (and recently did). I thought about getting my navel pierced at a large gauge. When I actually went into Ink Assassins, I was going to get tattooed. Things changed though.
I went in the day before my birthday, with Colleen and Jen. Colleen was going to get her rook pierced again, and I was going to figure out what I wanted to do. Well we talked with Missy for quite some time. I really liked her. She was friendly, seemed excited to be doing what she was doing, and just gave off very good feelings. After watching her do Colleen's procedure, my mind was made up. I wanted to get my nape pierced by Missy. Well, she said that she liked to give a full hour for a surface piercing, because she is very meticulous with them. She was off on Sunday, but even offered to come in on Sunday because it was my birthday. I declined, and we set up an appointment for Monday. I was thrilled.
Over the next day and a half I was a nervous wreck, and I was second guessing my decision. Should I get my nape now? Maybe I should just get something else. No. Come Monday I was ready. Mostly.
Colleen took me out to lunch and I babbled about how I was nervous. On our way over to the shop we ran into road construction and ended up being late for the appointment. Luckily, Missy was still willing to do the piercing.
I filled out the paperwork, but I didn't have to show I.D., because I am on file at Ink Assassins (how exciting). I was getting clammy and jittery. I don't usual freak out when I get piercings, and usually, I am piercing myself. Today was different, and I was definitely freaking.
Once I got into the room, and sat on the table, and listened to Missy talking, I calmed. She took her time with the markings and was very precise with everything. She changed gloves often and just made everything very comfortable. We talked, and laughed, and Missy said "shit, yea" a lot. For some reason, the "shit yea" made me feel at ease. Whenever I would comment about something, she listened and seemed interested, and that's nice to get from your piercer. You definitely feel like they have your best interests in mind when they are attentive, and Missy was.
It was finally time to get pierced. I got down onto the rolly chair and leaned forward against the table. I was sweaty and nervous. Missy talked to me, and kept me relaxed by quietly coaching me to breathe in and out. She opted to perform the piercing free-handed, with a 14G 5/8" surface barbell. So as I was breathing and listening to Missy's calming voice, I felt the needle being lined up against the markings. On one breathe out I felt the pinch of the needle entering my flesh, and from eye witness accounts, I started to shake. I felt no pain whatsoever, but I shook. I think this startled Missy, because she waited a moment before pushing the needle the rest of the way through, and tried to put me at ease again. Then, the exit was made and the transfer was set up. I was expecting the transfer to be hard, because I wasn't sure how easy it was to get a surface bar in. Missy used a threaded taper and pulled the surface bar in with no pain at all. I wasn't even aware that the transfer had taken place. It was in, and I was pretty much finished.
Missy had me sit and relax for a few minutes to make sure everything was alright with me, and I wasn't going to start shaking or pass out. She looked at it, no blood, and no redness. She took a few pictures of it (and I am now proudly in her portfolio), and I was very excited about that too. I thanked her very much for the piercing and the great experience, and told her I would eventually write this. I paid her the $75 for the piercing and tipped her $10. If I had had more money, I would definitely had tipped her more. The experience was just so wonderful, and the piercing could not have looked better.
Aftercare has not been much of an issue so far. I did sea salt soaks and cleaned it with sterile saline solution often, but now I am leaving it alone, except for cleaning in the shower and such. I've had no pain with it, unless someone bumps it when they put their arm around my neck or something. I have no signs of rejection or migration, and I am extremely happy with the piercing. If you are in the Erie, PA area, and are looking to get pierced, I urge you to go to Missy. She is just amazing. If you would like to see a picture of my nape piercing, you can visit my IAM page, xZerOsx. Thanks for reading and happy modding to all.