From: ebail@ctp.com (Erik Bailey)
Subject: I'm perforated! [LONG]
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 14:48:20 GMT
Organization: Cambridge Technology Partners

Well, after thinking about it for a LONG time, and flip-flopping on whether
or not I'd actually do it, I now have two beatiful purpleish rings in
(well, behind) my nipples! I'm posting this for the purpose of informing
those who are not pierced about the experience, so there'll be a lot of
basic stuff in here. I know that over the past few years, I've benefitted
greatly by people posting their experiences, so I'm trying to do my own
share, and help a few others.

I've contemplated getting pierced for a while now. I've had two earrings in
my left ear for the last six years, and one in my right for the past year
(I only wear this one sometimes). I got a tattoo on my right hip two years
ago. Actually, I'm starting to think that October is my "body modification"
month, since in three consectutive Octobers, I've gotten an ear pierce, a
tattoo, and nipple piercings! :-)

Anyway, I did the actual piercing at Gauntlet in New York. I'd been there
twice before; once to "look around" a few months ago, and once about a
month ago because I was actually thinking of getting an ampallang. I, uh,
kind of chickened out of that one. I may go back someday and do it; it
holds a fair amount of appeal, but it also holds a fair amount of terror! :-)

Anyway, I went in with my girlfriend Liz (who reads this group, and may
post her own experiences as well) this past Saturday afternoon. We talked
with the staff for a while (*very* helpful and pleasant), and I worked on
picking out my rings. Liz was undecided, but I knew I would do it. (I'll
let Liz tell her own story, if she chooses, so this'll concentrate on my
personal experiences). I had three basic choices of rings: surgical
stainless, gold, and various colors of niobium. The stainless was out
because I didn't really like how it looked on me. I liked the niobium, but
my real love was for the gold. So I selected a nice gold hoop, 14ga (I
think; to tell you the truth I forgot to ask what gauge I got!). Then they
rung it up -- $109.50! And, as it turned out, they thought I was only
getting ONE! So I rather quickly abandoned the idea of getting gold, and
had a look at the niobium.

I ended up with a pair of beautiful maroon/purple rings with a shiny black
captive bead. The color is perfect for me -- it looks like an extension of
my nipple area! So then Liz and I proceeded into the piercing room. It was
about 10x10, clean, and well-stocked. I was being pierced by Mark, the one
with the da Vinci tattoo on his left arm -- he was GREAT!!! I took off my
shirt, and he marked the entry and exit points of the pierce. Then I lay
back on the piercing chair, which was similar to those in a doctor's
office.

Mark clamped my right nipple with a small pair of forceps, centering the
markings in the loop of the tip. Then he told me to lie back, maybe close
my eyes, and breathe very deeply. He said he would do it on my exhale. I
held Liz's hand, and breathed deeply. On about the third breath, I felt a
firey pain in my chest that caused all my muscles to tighten, and squeezed
Liz's hand hard. I don't remember much of the pain, except that it was
easily more intense than I'd felt in a long time. But, for some reason,
that wasn't negative. The operative word was "intense," not "painful." As
fast as it had begun, the needle was out the other side. I was still
recovering from the intrustion when Mark slid the needle all the way
through and in came the ring. He bent the ring back, attached the ball, and
it was done! I looked down in disbelief -- there was this metal thing
sticking out of my body!

We waited about a minute, and then repeated the procedure for my left side.
This one was both better and worse -- better because I knew what to expect,
and worse because I knew what to expect! :-) It knew it would be painful,
but I also knew I'd get through it. It was, and I did. Again, a firey,
dislocalized pain that subsided as quickly as it came. A pull here and a
twist there, and my left nipple was done!

Well, lemme tell ya, I was *flying high*! I felt great! Sure they hurt, but
the rush I got as a result was really amazing. I was able to stand up soon
thereafter, put on my shirt (untucked this time!), and wander out into the
waiting area. Here Liz and I talked, she hemmed and hawed, and finally
decided she was going to do it. They couldn't do it right then (about
2:30pm), so we made an appointment for 4:30, and went out to Macy's to go
shopping. On the way we stopped by a pharmacy and picked up some generic
Betadine for cleaning.

As we went outside, I was almost giddy. The pain was very real, but
certainly not debiliating, and almost reassuring -- had it not been there,
I would have felt, well, cheated. I felt high -- like there was a "fog"
between me and the outside world. But when we were in Macy's, I crashed --
I simply ran out of energy. So while Liz was shopping for seamless bras, on
advice from a Gauntlet customer we talked to, I just sat on some stairs,
unable to do very much at all. I followed Liz around with absolutely *no*
energy at all; I was beat.

We finally got back, and Liz had her piercing done. Hers was similar to
mine, but I think she got even more of a rush off the piercing than I did
(maybe it hurt more too, no way to know). I can sure say that she squeezed
my hand hard! :-) Finally we headed off to the subway to get back to her
apartment.

When we got there, we both took off our shirts to admire out new
adornments. I *loved* looking at hers -- these beautiful blue rings coming
out from her lovely nipples. And looking down at mine, or in a mirror, I
could scarely believe that I had actually done it!

Mark had told us to clean them twice a day with the Betadine (which boils
down to showering twice a day and cleaning in the shower). The first
shower/cleaning was a bit painful, simply because I had to twist the rings
side-to-side to clean them. But it has since gotten much easier.

I *love* the feel of them. When I bend over, I notice them, and it feels
great! It's now Tuesday, and I really don't notice them at all on a
day-to-day basis; only when I do something special (like move a funny way,
bump them (ouch!), or whatever). I can't wait for them to heal so I can
play with them, enlarge them a bit, and just have some fun! But even now
they feel great. There was a omnipresent throb that ebbed and flowed in
intensity, and got less intense with time (it's all but gone by now), and I
had a vague feeling that all my sensations were heightened. I like to touch
them through my shirt; it's a great warm feeling.

I'm "out" with them with a couple people in my office (more if anyone reads
this post! :-)), and the reactions have been interesting. Of course, the
first question is "didn't that hurt???" I reply, "Yes, but only for about a
second or so each, and it really wasn't that bad. And the payoffs are worth
it!" I've had some pretty interesting conversations -- one coworker stopped
me in the hallway yesterday afternoon: "All right, Erik, let's see'em!" :-)

I realize that this has been very long and probably very boring. But I
wanted to post my experiences, because they have been so positive. This
group and others (like alt.sex.bondage) has shown me a lot of what is out
there to experience, and experiencing it is just so much fun, I wanted to
share! So, to sum up, I *love* my nipple piercings, and if anyone is
thinking of doing it, I highly recommend it. Mark at NYC Gauntlet is great;
I'd certainly have him pierce me again.

Perforatedly yours --Erik

-- 
Erik Bailey   | Cambridge Technology Partners      | The usual disclaimer
              | 304 Vassar St., Cambridge MA 02139 | applies: this post is
ebail@ctp.com | (617) 374-8418                     | mine, not my employer's.
      /earth is 98% full; please remove any excess inhabitants.
Newsgroups: rec.arts.bodyart