"That's got to hurt"
At A Glance Author Fizz Contact i_love_men_in_uniform@hotmail.com IAM Ripley When It just happened Artist .:* Dava *:. Studio English Rose Location Peterborough UK "Yeah but it cant be as bad as my nipples"
"Fi it's your neck!!"
That's the basic conversation that my friend and I had the night before when I told her that the next day I was going to get my nape pierced.
So why a nape? To be honest I have no idea, I think the fact that its not a mainstream piercing and can be hidden (underneath my hair) encouraged me.
Anyway after organising to meet my friend so she could come I wandered about for a bit. I decided to go to English rose purely because it is the best tattoo studio in the area. Everyone I know who has had a tattoo or piercing had nothing but praise for the place. Although I've had piercing's done at in other studios this the only place I would of trusted with my neck!
Anyway, so up the steps and into a very busy studio. We sat down for a while and waited for Dava to finish a tattoo. We waited about 20 minutes; loads of people came flooding in all after tattoos it was the busiest I've ever seen it. I had a flip through some magazines, lusting after some ink (5 months to go!) A girl (who I assume was getting the tattoo) came out and Dava asked what I wanted. I told him and he lead me into his room. It was clean and there were plenty of things on the wall to keep me distracted from what was to come. Dava gave me a form to "sign my life away" that filled out and I sat on the bed.
You could see right through into another room so I watched a guy get a tat on his arm while Dava set up.
Now lots have been said about this guy. The conclusion is that he is a really top bloke and fantastic at his job. Which I can only agree with, he is a real sweetie. Made me feel relaxed about the piercing without being patronising. Any way he sprayed the bed and wiped it down and told me to put my hair up as high as it would go. He they told me to stand up straight and proceeded to prod my spine, I presume to get the placement perfect, which it was. For a horrible moment I thought he was going to pierce me standing up, not that I've ever had a problem with needles but I like the option of lying down!
He then got me to lie down, he wiped the area, I was blanking out as much as possible trying to concentrate on the floor and his shoes, he put the clamps on and asked it they felt ok, which they did. He then said, "I don't know what you are expecting but it will be really quick!" well it felt like a lifetime, "big breath in" I sucked in as much air as my lungs would take " and out". And that was it, pain?? Yes it bloody well hurt but if you expect the worst its normally not as bad as that, it was a lot more of an intense pain compared to my other piercing's. My nipples stung like hell but this was more an ache. Anyway I have no idea how he got the jewellery in, it's shaped like a staple from what I can see. He said my skin was "like old boot leather" which I think might be the reason why it hurt. Anyway he cleaned it up and told me I was ready but told me to get up in my own time. Of course I wanted to see it straight away, jumping up I went to the mirror and spun around a few times before admitting defeat and asking for another mirror. It was perfect. He had done such a fantastic job. "Glad to see that's put some colour in you" he said, my almost alabaster skin had gone bright red! I didn't care I had my nape pierced! I went out, showed my friend and left.
I don't know how other people react to theirs but I cant feel mine and I don't realise its there until I look at it, I haven't caught it on anything (yet) and I slept on my back last night and had no problems. My method of after care it leave it the hell alone and wash it in the shower, which is what Dava, recommended.
If you live in Peterborough and want a piercing or tattoo I would defiantly say English Rose is the place, it is quite intimidating going in there but they are really friendly and professional. I think if you scared about its appearance then you should really re-consider why you want something done.
Dava is a god. He so nice and great at his job, ill be defiantly going back to get some other work done! And I'd recommend him to everyone!!