So December 05 I had finally decided I was getting my nape pierced and knew where I would get it done. Down the road from my college was a tattoo studio called artistic tattooing and I really trusted them there. They had done a few piercings for me previously and their aftercare was awesome. I had spoken to the guys about nape piercings and they actually tried to put me off the idea due a to a bad experience had with surface piercings by one of them. I was grateful for the advice but didn't listen.
At A Glance Author atreyu_snabk Contact atreyu_snabk@bme.anon When A year ago Studio artistic tattooing Location crewe, England On the day I went in to have it I had not organised my time well, I had to catch a bus home to get to work in time but knew I couldn't go back without that piercing. I explained to the guys that I really wanted it and they reluctantly agreed to do it. I was going to be their first customer in Crewe that had asked for a surface piercing, its not a big place.
One dilemma I had was choosing between metal staple shaped bar or a bendy plastic one as both seemed to have pros and cons. I eventually went for the plastic as I thought that it might be more accommodating for movement. In hindsight I wish I had gone for a metal bar as I think that the shape would have meant it didn't grow out as fast as it did.
So he drew the marks on me and asked me to check them, I thought he had got it spot on, as I wanted the longest bar so the balls would be further apart. I lay face down as still as possible while he clamped my neck, he had put some anaesthetic spray on before so the clamping didn't feel too hard.
I think the piercer was actually more nervous for me than I was.
It took a few seconds longer to pierce than others id had but it was not as painful as I had expected. I know the spray made a huge difference but after the initial pierce I could feel the needle moving but it was an unusual sense, not so much painful.
Once done, I looked in the mirror at it and was chuffed. Both the piercer and me were really proud of it. He dressed it for me and off I went to catch my bus home with the piercing I had wanted for ages.
I kept the dressing on that night then changed it the next day, making sure I cleaned it well twice a day. I used salt water because I think its just as effective as the potions you can buy and with it being natural there is less chance of reacting badly to it. I don't know whether this is true but it always made sense in my head.
I went into college after the weekend and hadn't told any of my friends about it, as I go to show them one of my mates turns around to reveal to everyone he had had it pierced at the weekend as well. Shocked I showed him mine and laughed about how we both went to surprise everyone else and ended up being surprised our selves.
I found that the piercing bled quite a lot to begin with and that I was having to clean it in the middle of the day as well. I would say it took a lot more looking after than anything else I have had done. Although it was not particularly sore whilst healing.
After a couple of months I had started to notice the bar was being pushed out as my skin healed. I knew surface piercings grew out but I expected it to take a couple of years. At download festival I had the balls changed for metal ones purely on my aesthetic preferences.
It continued to grew out and by the time I moved to Leeds for university it was half out, so reluctantly I decided to remove it (in November) and allow it to heal with the hope of less scarring. Less scarring means that I can have it pierced faster.
To help the piercing heal I have been using bio oil. I'm not sure if it is working but I hope it is as I plan to have it re pierced as soon as possible. This time though I would defiantly have a metal bar in the hope that this would be more difficult to grow out. I also like the angle at which the bar sits much more on the staple bars now.
I have since had other surface piercings that have all been lovely but my favourite is still nape piercings its just a shame that mine grew out significantly in under a year.