So I'm getting my nipples pierced ...

[Pseudonym]

... and I'm curious about the healing process. I assume there are at least a few EN Worlders who have some sort of piercings, who could provide me with some insight from personal experience. How long did it take for yours to heal? Dos and don'ts I should be aware of?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[BrooklynKnight]

Lol, not a post I ever expected to see at Enworld.

 

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

Are you sure you wanna do that?

It hurts like hell - WAY more than getting a tattoo.

Basically, the piercer pulls your nipple away from your body with clamps, then runs a sharp awl through each side of your nipple.

It will be very sensitive afterwards too for the first week or so. You will be given these instructions from a reputable piercer, but you will need to keep it very clean as many people develop infections.

Are you still sure you want one?

I was gonna suggest getting one done to see if you like it before getting the other done, ( try your left nipple first - more easily concealed by shirts with pockets ) but on second thought, your nipple will "probably" become permanently changed in shape ( a bit larger and distended ) so you will want them to match each other.

Still sure?

Best of luck & don't go too large on the guage!

 

[Steve Jung]

Dos and don'ts I should be aware of?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Just one. Don't perform at the Superbowl Halftime show.

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

Well, I'm not pierced (nor do I want to be) but I do know people who have had piercings, albeit only one guy who has his nipples pierced...

It hurts, bad and from what I have seen having gone with someone who had this done and being in the room when it was done, it is possibly the most painful piercing you can do (comparing his reaction to the reactions he had when he got other piercings and the reactions of two other people who had other piercings , if that makes sense).

It can take up to a month and a half to heal fully, much like other piercings.
Basically everything BFG said in his post.

My only other advice would be to carefully research the place where you have it done. Look for reputable piercers and check online to see what people have to say about them. I'll probably get flamed for this but...I see you are also in MA. If possible go somewhere in NH, or RI. Piercing is only a few years legal in MA and you might find someone more experienced in NH, where it's been legal longer.

If you have any allergies to certain types of metals (and many people do), find out about it through some other piercing first, you do not want your nipple to get infected.

And get pierced with the best possible metal you can afford, even if you have no reactions to cheaper metals, you definately want the best stuff possible for a new piercing.

I also remember when my ex had his done, he got pretty sick (dizzy and weak) after it for a day or so. Could have just been a reaction to the pain, but I don't know. When my other friend had her belly button pierced she had a similiar reaction and they were both done at different piercing places.

Don't go by yourself if possible.

Good luck,
Sheri

 

[DaveStebbins]

Basically, I have to agree with everyone else. My one friend, who has had body piercings in three different places below the neck, said that when she had her nipples done it hurt more than the other two put together. And they were sensitive for six to eight weeks afterward, which drove her husband mad trying to be patient.

If you're sure, and confident of the piercing place, go for it. But know what you're in for. Asking here was a good idea, but I hope you do more research. The web is SUCH a wonderful tool.

 

[LightPhoenix]

While I don't know anyone personally that has had them done, another thing I would look into is the degree of loss of sensation in your nipples, if any. I really don't know if there is any, but generally deformation (and please pardon the term, I do not mean it negatively) of the skin results in lowered sensativity. Again though, I don't know how much if at all of a loss it would be, especially in an area of the body with a high density of nerve cells. Incidentally, that's also why it pretty much hurts the most.

 

[ph34r]

A good place to do some research would be BMEzine (Some Areas NWS). They have lots of pictures and stories of peoples piercings. They also have other types of body modification stuff on there, some of it makes my stumoch feel a bit on the uneasy side.

 

[ASH]

Hi all, I dont know anyone that has a peirced nipple anymore, but a close friend pierced his own nipple. He just took some ice and an needle and did it. He got a ring through, but it was too sensitive for him to handle so a few days later he took it out. He is not a masochist or anything, he just did not want to pay for it. I do not suggest doing it this way.

 

[Umbran]

While I don't know anyone personally that has had them done, another thing I would look into is the degree of loss of sensation in your nipples, if any.

Hadn't had the procedure myself. Nor done significant research on it. However, I've heard significant amounts of anecdotal evidence that there can be significant, even total, loss of sensation over time. This is only an important point if you care about that sensation, of course.