New addiction; piercings

[Dan S]

Got my (left) ear pierced when I was 12, and then my left nerple pierced when I was 20. Now, that shit might be normal bidness now, but I wanna tell you, ESPECIALLY the nipple thing was wierd back then! I'm taking 1974, so...

Anyhow, my ear was done with a darning needle, I've never had to have it redone, and that whole gauging thing, I don't know, all I can think of is plate-lips. I did the nerple in CCJ with a shoe-nail, sorta making a statement about my (lack of ) level of sanity. Ran the nail through a block of deodorant, then through the nerple, then the same with a piece of string. It's still open today.

I've run across some very, um, interesting piercings, and they aren't what I'd get for me, but hey-whatever floats your boat.

[Lioness]

Hey there.

I am quite addicted to both tattoos and piercings. I have 10 tattoos and 15 piercings. I have a couple of piercings that got retired and a couple that I am going to get re-pierced.

So far I have the following piercings:

VCH and HCH

Navel

Nipples (both are done)

dermal in my chest (getting a second one this weekend)

both tragus pierced

Septum (just got this on Saturday)

Traditional Nose piercing

Lobes pierced 2 times

Helix (left ear)

Retired piercings:

Tongue

Eyebrow

Inner conch (both ears) - going to get these re-pierced soon

My tattoos are:

infinity symbol and heart on my left wrist (inside), adding my anniversary date to this on Monday

Lion with the Leo symbol on my left upper arm

My deceased daughters name on my back right shoulder (adding more to this at some point)

Iris flower on my right shoulder (started as tribute to my mom, need to add more to it)

Lotus flower on my lower back (adding water, lily pads, butterfly and dragon fly to this piece soon)

Cala Lilies and my husbands name on my left breast (those were our wedding flowers and I keep him next to my heart)

Tiger lillies with vinery on my stomach surrounding my navel (tiger lillies are my favorite flowers......any lillies really)

Tazmanian Devil with my graduation year on my upper right thigh (my favorite cartoon and my nickname)

Musical note with a heart (for my love of music)

Tribal heart on my right ankle (I drew this and had it cleaned up a bit for a tattoo)

[slayer9019]

Got my (left) ear pierced when I was 12, and then my left nerple pierced when I was 20. Now, that shit might be normal bidness now, but I wanna tell you, ESPECIALLY the nipple thing was wierd back then! I'm taking 1974, so...

I've read a couple books about the whole piercing/tattoo culture thing that included the history of it. From what I've heard any non-standard piercing was considered very weird up until recently.

If anyone has an open mind I can PM them some good books that cover a ton about piercings

[Brock Varty]

Hey there.

I am quite addicted to both tattoos and piercings. I have 10 tattoos and 15 piercings. I have a couple of piercings that got retired and a couple that I am going to get re-pierced.

So far I have the following piercings:

VCH and HCH

Navel

Nipples (both are done)

dermal in my chest (getting a second one this weekend)

both tragus pierced

Septum (just got this on Saturday)

Traditional Nose piercing

Lobes pierced 2 times

Helix (left ear)

Retired piercings:

Tongue

Eyebrow

Inner conch (both ears) - going to get these re-pierced soon

My tattoos are:

infinity symbol and heart on my left wrist (inside), adding my anniversary date to this on Monday

Lion with the Leo symbol on my left upper arm

My deceased daughters name on my back right shoulder (adding more to this at some point)

Iris flower on my right shoulder (started as tribute to my mom, need to add more to it)

Lotus flower on my lower back (adding water, lily pads, butterfly and dragon fly to this piece soon)

Cala Lilies and my husbands name on my left breast (those were our wedding flowers and I keep him next to my heart)

Tiger lillies with vinery on my stomach surrounding my navel (tiger lillies are my favorite flowers......any lillies really)

Tazmanian Devil with my graduation year on my upper right thigh (my favorite cartoon and my nickname)

Musical note with a heart (for my love of music)

Tribal heart on my right ankle (I drew this and had it cleaned up a bit for a tattoo)

That's a good story....

You should get some tattoo work that doesn't mean anything specific. Sometimes the best tattoos are created from the memory and the experience rather than what it means.

[Lioness]

Oh I am......but here comes my but, LOL..... I see so many things that I like that I can never decide what to get on a whim.

I am bi-polar though and have to think things through or I may end up making a decision that I might not like in the future. I have to make sure that I am not in a manic phase when I do go get tattooed or hard telling what I will come out with. LOL. Usually the piercings come when I am in a manic phase due to the fact that I can take them out if I decide I don't like it later.

I have 2 artists that post ideas on their Facebook page that I absolutely love from their own drawings and they specifically state that the first person to come in and get it only pays xxx dollars and then they won't do it again, so I can end up with some very unique tattoos if I ever have the $$$ to go get it done when they post. I usually end up missing out due to work or not having the $$$

I am definitely the "unique" person at work. I barely see anyone else sporting ink or piercings at my company, but I don't get haggled or anything due to displaying my own ink when I wear short sleeves.

I may just get some random tattoo on Monday. It is my day off after being on call and I am having a "me" day to go get my other 2 piercings and my anniversary date added to my infinity heart.

That's a good story....

You should get some tattoo work that doesn't mean anything specific. Sometimes the best tattoos are created from the memory and the experience rather than what it means.

[Brock Varty]

Oh I am......but here comes my but, LOL..... I see so many things that I like that I can never decide what to get on a whim.

I am bi-polar though and have to think things through or I may end up making a decision that I might not like in the future. I have to make sure that I am not in a manic phase when I do go get tattooed or hard telling what I will come out with. LOL. Usually the piercings come when I am in a manic phase due to the fact that I can take them out if I decide I don't like it later.

I have 2 artists that post ideas on their Facebook page that I absolutely love from their own drawings and they specifically state that the first person to come in and get it only pays xxx dollars and then they won't do it again, so I can end up with some very unique tattoos if I ever have the $$$ to go get it done when they post. I usually end up missing out due to work or not having the $$$

I am definitely the "unique" person at work. I barely see anyone else sporting ink or piercings at my company, but I don't get haggled or anything due to displaying my own ink when I wear short sleeves.

I may just get some random tattoo on Monday. It is my day off after being on call and I am having a "me" day to go get my other 2 piercings and my anniversary date added to my infinity heart.

It sounds like you have a very unique situation. I think if you do enough looking around and enough research you will find something that you are interested in no matter what you mind state is. The world of tattooing is so vast that I know you will find subject matter and artist that interest you. There are lots of good resources on LST. I suggest you hang out here and check out some of what this site has to offer!

[bongsau]

I've had 4 non-visible piercings in my lifetime and only 1 has survived.

Had 14ga stretched out to 6ga nippy rings for 5 years until some twit at work gave me a "tit-flick" and ripped it out. I punched that pretty boy in the shoulder as hard as I could...where he got his very first tattoo 48 hrs before. He was a moron so I sent him to my apprentice buddy who did a decent job but carved the shit out of his arm. And the kid had no idea about aftercare so the thing was a big scabby mess...with a new purple bruise on top. I lost the piercing, tore my nipple and got to watch a 21 year old man (boy) cry. LOL.

Got a 8ga septum ring in New York in 2004. The chick who pierced it spoke limited english and I swear to god she went cross-eyed at the instant she pushed the needle through. sheeeiiiiiit. Septum never did sit right. I remember my nose being all bloody and right after I left the piercing studio I bumped into Pete Kohler from SOIA on the street and got my picture taken. Hilarious. I stretched it out and wore a tunnel plug in my nose for a good 2 year run. It freaked tout the squares in my office when they noticed the shiny booger (you could only see it if you were standing behind me). I just liked the novelty of the shock value being able to stick a fork through my nose. Then I started training kung fu and got bopped in the nose for the first time with it, and I realized that a facial piercing will turn into a projectile and do some serious damage to your face if you ever got into a fist fight or in a car accident.

I've had a PA for 10 years now, stretched out to a 0ga. I guess it just seems normal now to wear it, serves no sexual purpose in fact I remove it. Plus it's fun to bust out the Mr.Lifto party tricks once in a blue moon. Every seen a grown man hang a butterfly sword off his wang? The Shaolin Drunk Monk Iron Cock technique. LOL WHOA too much info.

These days a piercing isn't shocking anymore and makes you look like a hot topic rave teenager. Disco sucks fuck everything.

A piercing is temporary, a tattoo is permanent...the reason why tattoo is more appealing and interesting to me.

[Lioness]

I happen to like both piercings and tattoos and my co-workers still think I am a bit weird.

Most of my piercings I have had for years and most of them were covered up. I recently got my septum pierced, just to get it pierced. I am just wearing a retainer until I can find the right jewelry to wear in it full time. I am wanting a gold clicker piece with diamonds and tigers eye in it. I think I found a jewelry shop to make it. Just need to get the $$$ right so I can order it.

I've had 4 non-visible piercings in my lifetime and only 1 has survived.

Had 14ga stretched out to 6ga nippy rings for 5 years until some twit at work gave me a "tit-flick" and ripped it out. I punched that pretty boy in the shoulder as hard as I could...where he got his very first tattoo 48 hrs before. He was a moron so I sent him to my apprentice buddy who did a decent job but carved the shit out of his arm. And the kid had no idea about aftercare so the thing was a big scabby mess...with a new purple bruise on top. I lost the piercing, tore my nipple and got to watch a 21 year old man (boy) cry. LOL.

Got a 8ga septum ring in New York in 2004. The chick who pierced it spoke limited english and I swear to god she went cross-eyed at the instant she pushed the needle through. sheeeiiiiiit. Septum never did sit right. I remember my nose being all bloody and right after I left the piercing studio I bumped into Pete Kohler from SOIA on the street and got my picture taken. Hilarious. I stretched it out and wore a tunnel plug in my nose for a good 2 year run. It freaked tout the squares in my office when they noticed the shiny booger (you could only see it if you were standing behind me). I just liked the novelty of the shock value being able to stick a fork through my nose. Then I started training kung fu and got bopped in the nose for the first time with it, and I realized that a facial piercing will turn into a projectile and do some serious damage to your face if you ever got into a fist fight or in a car accident.

I've had a PA for 10 years now, stretched out to a 0ga. I guess it just seems normal now to wear it, serves no sexual purpose in fact I remove it. Plus it's fun to bust out the Mr.Lifto party tricks once in a blue moon. Every seen a grown man hang a butterfly sword off his wang? The Shaolin Drunk Monk Iron Cock technique. LOL WHOA too much info.

These days a piercing isn't shocking anymore and makes you look like a hot topic rave teenager. Disco sucks fuck everything.

A piercing is temporary, a tattoo is permanent...the reason why tattoo is more appealing and interesting to me.

[Shannon Shirley]

I think the general public dont think twice about lumping them together, Its us, the purists, that dont care for the association, I sort of feel sorry for every piercer I have worked around, I probably treated them like second class. Oh well, I too am a dick, apparently.

I think the only issue I would see with getting a piercing, (theoretically) is generally the tattoo shops that do piercings out here are places I wouldn't get tattooed and with having zero knowledge of piercing don't think I could trust their expertise on the matter. I know there used to be a few places that just did piercings but they have since expanded to start doing tattoos which kind of rubs people the wrong way because people feel that tattooing is just an afterthought and really its a money issue not a quality issue. There are top tattoo shops across the country, world whatever that do piercing (Chicago Tattoo and NY ADORNED, come to my mind first) but maybe it's just different on the west coast.

I also am not trying to be a dick, and I often wonder about the dynamic of this relationship and how people feel, but just never really knew how to word it and still not sure if I can fully explain it or understand it myself.

But I think people should do what they want whether it is piercing or tattoos,or whatever they think up next.

[Michelle]

I've had a couple of different piercings, but none of them lasted more than a year - either because they got infected or because I got tired of them..

I've had my ears pierced several places, at the moment I only have normal piercings in the earlobe..

Then I've had my nipple pierced, got my navel pierced two times (second time hurt SO bad when the piercer struggled getting the needle through the scar tissue!) and then I've had a Skin Diver next to my eye.

[Grant]

Keep Tattoo forums for Tattooing and Piercing forums for piercings.

Personally i love both,

But as a rule of thumb, i get pierced by a Body Piercer and tattooed by a tattoo artist.

I wouldn't mix the two together, they're individual.

[Dan S]

As has been noted, there are threads about whiskey, food, cars, bikes, guns, just about everything...why not about piercing?

The reputable piercers I know of around here all work out of tattoo parlors, so there is a connection.

And if you don't get into it, you can always click right on past. PErsonally, I wouldn't get any of the facial stuff, but I find ot interesting.

[Colored Guy]

As has been noted, there are threads about whiskey, food, cars, bikes, guns, just about everything...why not about piercing?

The reputable piercers I know of around here all work out of tattoo parlors, so there is a connection.

And if you don't get into it, you can always click right on past. Personally, I wouldn't get any of the facial stuff, but I find ot interesting.

I have one piercing and may want to get some more. Most of what I see I like on people, although less is more. I like that it can be discussed on a civilized forum like this one.

Rob

- - - Updated - - -

Keep Tattoo forums for Tattooing and Piercing forums for piercings.

Personally i love both,

But as a rule of thumb, i get pierced by a Body Piercer and tattooed by a tattoo artist.

I wouldn't mix the two together, they're individual.

All the ones I know (piercers or tattoo artists) don't mix the 2 disciplines.

Rob