“We also offer custom gold jewelry options that can easily cost several thousand or more. When it comes to fine jewelry and genuine diamonds, the sky’s the limit,” he explains. According to Pearce, acceptable materials that are most commonly used for nipple piercing jewelry include Implant Grade Titanium (ASTM-F136), 14k to 18k solid gold (never plated or filled), and Implant Grade Steel (ASTM-F128). But the metal that makes up your jewelry isn’t the only factor. Vicki Rose at Studio 28 Tattoos in New York explained that the type of jewelry—be it a barbell or half-circle ring—can also play a role. “We just use straight barbells for initial nipple piercings regardless of the size of the nipple,” she says. “Rings can put pressure on the healing wound and dig into the breast tissue at the bottom if the client wears bras or binders. The barbell that we use to pierce is slightly longer to accommodate for initial swelling.” “For nipple piercings, the initial pain tends to subside very quickly after the piercing is completed,” Vicki Rose says. “Nipples are sensitive areas to begin with, so please do not listen to your friends who say they don’t hurt. But if the pain was unbearable, no one would get them done, and we perform them frequently.” Some piercers may apply a numbing agent of sorts, but Samantha McKenzie, a 29-year-old who has nipple piercings, tells mbg that it doesn’t quite work as expected. “The only numbing takes place outside the openings so all that pain of it going through is still there. It does not get any less painful after three piercings,” she says. “Getting the first piercing always feels like a literal stab in the heart. By the second nipple, I’m usually still trying to breathe from the first, so that typically hurts a little less. Just a little.” The actual piercing takes just 5 to 15 seconds, she adds. Your piercer will typically mark your nipples with a marker to make sure you’re satisfied with the positioning. Some piercers may use clamps to hold your nipples in place, but that’s not always the case. Finally, they may instruct you to take a few deep breaths as they prepare to insert the needle. During the initial healing phase, which begins immediately after getting the piercing, use a sterile saline solution to clean the piercing once or twice a day, she recommends. Outside of cleaning, the best approach is to leave it alone. She also cautions against “partner attention” for a month. Phase two will continue throughout the life of the piercing, she says, and you should continue to pay special attention to keeping it clean. “Often people think that they no longer need to wash piercings after they have healed. This is wrong. All piercing holes should be attended to daily during your shower routine,” she tells mbg. “I cannot tell you how many times I’ve come across years of filth that have accumulated on jewelry that’s never taken off. Things smell bad for a reason. Bacteria, sloughed skin, and oils get trapped in piercing holes.” After the piercing is fully healed, cleaning with regular soap and water while in the shower should suffice. You do have the option of removing your piercing while cleaning (though it’s not necessary), but it’s important to remember to put it back in as soon as possible to avoid closing the hole. For Morgan Oughton, 38, who got her nipples pierced 20 years ago, it took just about a full year for her holes to heal. “They were very tedious to maintain when I first got them. Even with extra care and cleanliness, they took about a year to fully heal, a commitment I definitely didn’t know I was undertaking at the time,” she tells mbg. Less is more when it comes to nipple piercing aftercare, says Pearce. Allowing your body to heal with minimal interference is the easiest and safest approach. If you want to support the healing process, Pearce recommends focusing on overall body health instead of excessively tending to the piercing location. That can include drinking water to stay hydrated, eating fruits and vegetables, and getting enough quality sleep each night. You may experience crusting and slight oozing during healing, Sheena Rose says, but there shouldn’t be an odor coming from your piercing. There may also be a bit of swelling, but this can often be resolved by consulting your piercer to see if your jewelry is too tight. Again, during this time, you absolutely should not be touching, playing with, picking at, or otherwise disturbing your piercing outside of regular cleanings. After that first year, Oughton still had a few minor issues. “The left one would still give me annoying small crusty infections or inflammations, and it slowly grew out of my body to the point that the metal of my barbell could be seen through the middle of my nipple and was barely hanging on both sides, so I took it out for good about 12 years ago.” She blames her active lifestyle for the prolonged issues with her left nipple, saying, “There’s probably more muscle stress, sweat, sun, and saltwater involved than in most people’s lives, which is probably what affected my healing process with them being jammed in sweaty sports bras and wet bathing suits so often.” “Many people are self-conscious about their bodies, and they feel sexier and proud of their piercings afterward. This is one of the reasons I love my career as a body piercer. Empowering people, women, and men to have their unique anatomy adorned for them to share with whom they please is something that I am proud of,” she says. This is a part of the reason 35-year-old Emma Alda got her nipples pierced for her birthday. Alda explains that she has always thought the piercings looked “neat” and her “husband has taken quite a liking to it as well! There is something kind of sexy about it.” Since getting her nipples pierced, Alda says she has fallen more in love with the look of her breasts. The major risks associated with nipple piercings usually only occur with more “advanced nipple piercings such as surgically altered nipples, inverted nipples, and third nipples,” Vicki Rose says. “If the piercer isn’t versed in these piercings or performs them on tissue that isn’t viable, then rejection or migration of the piercings may occur.” “While it’s rare for nipple piercings to interfere with breastfeeding, mastitis (inflammation of the breast) and decreased lactation are possible side effects. It’s OK to completely remove the piercing during feedings to prevent these complications. It’s important to note that piercings can close within 24 hours, so reinsert your jewelry quickly to avoid having to re-pierce,” she tells mbg. Avoid pulling, touching, or playing with them as they heal—no matter how tempted you may be. It’s also important to keep a watchful eye during those first few weeks to make sure your piercings are healing as they should. You can have your piercer and/or doctor look at your piercing if you’re concerned with how it’s healing.
