I’ve wanted my nipples pierced for a few years now. I had seen my friends getting them done and heard their stories, so when my roommate wanted to get another piercing I jumped on the opportunity. I love the aesthetic of nipple piercings, but I made sure that I was getting them for myself, and for nobody else.
(Photo Courtesy of Pinterest)
We went to Purple Haze, a reputable piercing studio in Greenville. We told the lady at the front that we wanted piercings done, and she gave us waivers to fill out. These waivers asked questions like, “Are you prone to fainting?”, “Have you eaten recently?”, and “Have you taken ibuprofen?” Once the formalities were out of the way, we went to the back of the store to wait to be called.
After waiting for about an hour (on a Monday too!) we were finally called back. The piercer was a very nice lady who took me step-by-step through the process. She first told me to take my top off, so she could see what she was working with. She then squeezed around a little bit to make sure the nipples were hard, so she could mark them. It was all very professional and not uncomfortable at all. Then she took ink on a toothpick and marked the sides of both nipples to make sure the piercing would be straight.
I sat down in the piercing chair and held my friends’ hand. The piercer then put clamps on and warned me that this part would hurt the most. She told me to take a deep breath, and as I exhaled, she put the needle through. The needle definitely hurt more than the clamps did. It felt like a sharp pain, but it was over very quickly. She then spun the chair around to do the other nipple. She warned me that this one would hurt more, but I honestly think they hurt the same.
Cleaning is the next step of the process. Every piercer has different suggestions on how to clean, but my piercer recommended that I spray the piercings three times a day with a salt spray for a quick cleaning. She then recommended to soak them a few times a week using a shot glass full of salt water. The healing process takes 6-8 months, so it’s crucial that the piercings are cleaned very well. She also said oral contact isn’t allowed for eight weeks (bummer) so that they won’t get infected. Since I am “heavy chested” she recommended sleeping with a sports bra on to avoid any friction and rubbing.
The piercings hurt like a bitch to get done, but the pain was worth it because I love the results. If you’re nervous about doing it, but love how they look, don’t let the pain stop you from going for it! It’s only temporary. As long as you are making the decision for yourself, you can’t go wrong.