Everything You Need To Know About Female Nipple Piercings

Perhaps you are considering piercing your nipple or wondering how the thing looks like? Here is everything to know about female nipple piercings.

By Emmanuel Onitayo
Everything You Need To Know About Female Nipple Piercings

Female Nipple Piercing: What It is?

It is not easy to hear about this subject for the first time and not wince, even if reflexively. Piercing a female nipple sounds like a painful adventure and though it is to a certain extent, it equally looks good too. Experts like Cassi Lopez say that the pain is only for a second or so. But before we delve so much into this subject matter, perhaps we should, first of all, remove every assumption out of the way by giving a plain explanation of what female nipple piercing is. It's simple; just close your eyes and imagine someone (an expert) with a needle or tongs in their hand heading towards the small projection of your breast to open it up with it. The procedure is exactly what it is called- piercing the nipple. The piercing is usually done horizontally at the base of the nipple but depending on your choice, it can as well be done at any angle, even vertically. And, supposing you wish to do multiple piercings on top of one another, that option is also available. Of course, a jewelry is supposed to be worn on those nipples once pierced and healing has taken place. Traditionally, females (and even some males) have always pierced their ears, tongues, lips, and maybe nose, but the latest in the world of body piercing is the nipple. It is popularized by popular celebrities such as Kristen Stewart, Kendall Jenner, Amber Rose, Bella Hadid, Beyoncé, and Rihanna all of whom have been rumored to have had their nipples pierced. As you read this piece, the chances are that you fall into any of these 4 categories here listed. The first category is those who already have their nipples pierced. The second are those contemplating going through the process. Third, it can be that you are among the females who see nipple piercing as another misdirected effort at searching for what is not lost. The last category is the female groups who would do anything just to get their breasts protected. Whichever category you belong to, if you think you have one thing or the other about nipple piercing you would want to know, welcome. Here's where you get nearly all the information you need to know about the subject as we shall be examining it holistically.

Female Nipple Piercing: What Benefit Has It?

Fashion is one thing that is changing with time. Perforating or piercing of the nipple by females can historically be traced to the African country of Algeria particularly among the Kabyle people; however, as earlier noted, the practice has left the shore of Africa as it is now in vogue even in the western world. Talking about the benefits now, it is believed that a perforated nipple with a jewelry such as a barbell or a captive bead ring makes a woman more attractive. Of course, to achieve this, you would have to go braless and wear a top that is meshy so as to reveal your stuff. Another benefit as reported by some female nipple piercers is that it makes the breast rounder and firmer. As the practice goes, once the nipple is perforated and a jewelry is worn, somehow, the breast grows fuller and rounder and this, no doubts, is a sexually attractive feature in a female. If you are still not convinced about the benefit of this somehow painful process, maybe you should hear this one; piercing of the nipple and wearing a jewelry on it is said to have a titillating effect on a female. Perhaps you did not grab that titillating of a thing? Don't worry, it means that with a jewelry on your nipple, just a small touch on your breast can make you feel sexually excited. Your sexual alertness is said to be greatly enhanced and if this is a thing you have always longed for, just a few seconds pain shouldn't be too much a sacrifice; or, should it? Since nipple piercing isn't a thing done by all women, it has become a means by which some set themselves apart. That means that if you want to be unique, one way to do so would be to have your nipples pierced. Just look around, you hardly can find many women have their breast modified, and won't going for one set you apart as a classy and fashion-inclined woman?

Possible Downsides Of Female Nipple Piercing

Well, merely hearing what the procedure is called, what would probably first come to your mind is the pain. As earlier stated, this is true but according to nipple piercing experts, this pain is just for a second or so. However, some women have complained that after the initial relief, the pain starts radiating to other parts of their bodies. Maybe it isn't difficult to understand why this is so. The female nipple is very sensitive not only to sexual stimulations but also to other unfavorable external stimuli such as pain. However, it has been said that no pain, no gain. The temporary pain experienced through the procedure may not be a sufficient reason to jettison it since there are other useful things that we do that also bring us pain. Apart from the pain, another downside you may want to be wary of when considering nipple piercing is the risk of rejection. That is a complication arising because your body is literally saying No to a foreign object you are trying to introduce into it. As with nipple piercing, rejection can surface when the gauge for the jewelry used for the piercing is too thin or in some cases, the piercing is not even deep enough. And where you have a rejection, your nipple becomes red and starts producing fluids. Similarly, you stand the risk of rejection if the metal from which the jewelry of your choice is made isn't compatible as it were, with your body. Also, if you toggle or pull the nipple too much especially with the jewelry on, your risk of rejection becomes high. One sign you would see telling you that you're experiencing rejection is a red streak across your nipple. Maybe we should tell the whole truth by also saying that some women have died as a result of complications arising from the procedure while some have had the whole of their breasts removed surgically to save their lives. It must, however, be added that these women in most cases, didn't employ the services of professional nipple piercers before engaging in it; hence, they often come down with the complications. With an expert piercing your nipple, you can pretty much escape paying this supreme price. As we round off with the possible risks for this fashion trend, it must also be added that a condition called nonpuerperal mastitis has become a risk factor associated with nipple piercers months after the procedure has been performed on them. Nonpuerperal mastitis which is sometimes called duct ectasia is a condition in women in which their breasts become inflamed with lesions. This is mainly as a result of the rupturing of the duct or infection by cysts. It would, therefore, demands that if you are going for this procedure, you have to watch against this.

How Female Nipple Piercing Is Done

Just like we have earlier noted, your health after you've had a nipple piercing depends to a large extent on the professionalism of your piercer. As such, it would be nice to conduct a thorough investigation both online and offline before submitting your nipple to be perforated by anyone. Typically, when your choice of a piercing professional has been made, depending on the individual company, you may be asked to fill a form showing that you are the one consenting to have the procedure carried out on you. Once that is done, the next thing is for you to choose your jewelry type. Of course, the type and size of the jewelry you choose would help the piercer to know what piercing tool would be appropriate. Right before you, the tongs or whatever tool is to be used is sterilized to remove the possibility of an infection. Once this has been done, you are asked to lie on a table or bed. The piercing room is usually very confidential as you would, of course, be asked to remove your top before the process is done. Just in case your nipple is flattened, your piercer may have to first make use of a suction to pull it out so the process can be easier. Your nipple is then sterilized with 70 percent alcohol and a surgical scrub and marked with a marker. Some piercers use a clamp to hold the nipple in place while some don't. This is optional and based on the discretion of the piercer. So, after all these have been done, the piercer takes a deep breath and in, the needle goes through your nipple perforating it. He or she then insert your jewelry and makes sure it goes through. Where there is bleeding, the piercer would apply pressure to stop it and thereafter cover it up with a bandage. Usually, bleeding may be witnessed up to the first week after the process and this has been described as normal. Where this has, however, extended beyond a week, you may have to seek help.

Healing And Aftercare

Since nipple piercing is essentially an injury-inflicting process, it's good to know something about the healing time and how to take care of your nipple to avoid playing host to infections. From most women's experience, it takes from between 6 months to a year for a complete healing to take place. As it is, some nipples don't even heal and often leaves their owners with a non-aesthetic scar. Although the time frame for a complete healing has been said to be around 6 months to a year, it doesn't mean you are going to bear the pain for that long period of time. Most women who have undergone nipple piercing without complications generally start feeling comfortable back after a week. The challenge with most of them is that because they have been relieved for just a while, they start being indifferent about it and begin to touch it indiscriminately too. This, according to some experienced nipple piercers is why the healing time is prolonged and sometimes complications also come up. The aftercare effort you need to embark upon after piercing includes keeping it clean at all times by gently washing with mild soap and warm water at least once in a day. Failure to daily wash it may lead to bacterial infection associated with breast. You would also have to stare clear of indiscriminate touching, pulling, and even unclean water until the complete healing has taken place. The bra to wear during the healing process must be soft preferably one made of cotton. This would prevent the risk of complications arising from constant irritation of the nipple. The ground rule here is that if there is any water you feel uncomfortable to drink, such must not be allowed to touch your nipple during the healing process.

What To Do If Your Nipple Gets Crusty?

It's no big deal if after piercing your nipple gets crusty; most women who have undergone piercing experience it. If you take the right step, there is no risk attached. All you need is a sterile bottle of saline and a shot glass. If you don't have a sterile saline or you don't even know what it is, you can prepare one for yourself. Get half a teaspoon of sea salt and put it into a clean mug containing warm water. Allow the sea salt to dissolve. Put the solution into another clean mug or a shot glass and cup over the nipple. Allow your nipple to soak in this solution for as long as you please. This is one thing you cannot overdo. It has been discovered that doing this shortens the healing time and get rid of the crust. Just in case the crust still persists, the next thing you would want to do is check your jewelry. It is possible it needs an upgrade. You can determine this by going back to the person that did the piercing for you and choose a better jewelry. You should never try using any of hydrogen peroxide, ointment, alcohol or any of those common things used in treating a wound to your nipple. It's totally forbidden. All you need are a soft bra, soap, and saline. Beyond that, you may be inflicting more wounds on yourself.

Female Nipple Piercing And Breastfeeding

Of course, one concern you may want to have about nipple piercing is what becomes of your ability to breastfeed your baby, if after the procedure you become pregnant? Well, the simple response is that up till now, there is no empirical fact to show that piercing your nipple affects your ability to breastfeed in any way. The problem that can arise is if the procedure is not done properly and you have come up with one complication or the other. However, repeated piercings may cause a permanent damage to your nipple. So, if you hope to be able to breastfeed your baby in the future, it's good to limit nipple piercing to one or at most twice. It is generally advised that before breastfeeding a child if you have had your nipple pierced, you should first remove your nipple jewelry so you can prevent the risk of the baby being choked or swallowing it. Not removing the jewelry before breastfeeding can also lead to a poor latching and milk escape from your baby's mouth. Because of the stress that piercing your nipple makes your body to go through, it is not advisable to undergo the procedure when you are pregnant. In fact, many professional would decline to pierce your nipple for you if they have sufficient information that you are pregnant. That's because the stress the process would cause your body can lead to many pregnancy complications.

All Nipple Types Can Be Pierced

Perhaps you are wondering if your inverted, flattened or small nipple can be pierced. The truth is that with a professional handling your nipple piercing, it doesn't matter how it looks or how big it is; all nipples can be pierced.

Female Nipple Piercing: Signs Of Infection

Infection is not usually as common with nipple piercing as it is feared in some quarters. Essentially, if you can observe the aseptic techniques earlier mentioned in this piece to take care of your nipple after piercing, you should do well. What is prevalent among women who have had their nipples pierced is an irritation arising mostly from using a relatively cheap jewelry. Also, where you notice a bit of pain or redness of the nipple more than projected, it may be that the barbell is just too small. All of these can be corrected by getting back to your piercer immediately. But in the case of an infection which, of course, we cannot totally rule out, you may start feeling feverish; your lymph nodes may become swollen, and your pierced nipple may also become excessively red and painful. If that be the case, that's not the time to be shy or hesitate unnecessarily; consult your piercer straight away or better still, get in touch with your physician. An infection via the nipple is not something you want to risk; if not addressed smartly, the result can be terrible.

Nipple Scars

You can expect that piercing your nipple would definitely leave some marks on you but how big such would be would depend partly on the professionalism of your piercer, your genetic makeup, and also, the quality of your jewelry. If you use a very good jewelry, chances are that you wouldn't have an irritation. Without any irritation, the scar on your nipple would be quite minimal and only an extremely curious eye would be able to notice it. Where there is rejection, you may come up with a bad scar you don't want anyone to see. It's therefore good to know what you are up to when considering piercing your nipple.

Other Facts To Know About Female Nipple Piercing

Here are more facts about piercing your nipple that you need to know 1. The piercing does not necessarily make your nipple harder but it does make it more pronounced than it was originally. This, among other reasons, is why some go for this actually. But, of course, the fact that you have a jewelry attached to your mammary gland is something to attract a lot of men to you. A pronounced female nipple is generally considered by guys as a sign of her being sexy. 2. If you remove the jewelry, the hole is surely going to close up maybe faster than you think. Of course, that is not to say we don't have women who stay without the jewelry for years but still have their holes intact; but this is very rare. The common thing is that when you remove the jewelry for like 3 months or so, the hole closes up. 3. Contrary to some assertions in some quarters that you cannot replace the jewelry yourself if you choose to, the truth is that you can actually do so. However, it needs to be stated that during the first year of piercing, the nipple can begin to close up by itself and you aren't the very careful type, you might injure yourself in trying to remove the jewelry. As such, you may have to consult the pro. 4. In choosing your jewelry, some metals are quite better than the other and spare you the risk of coming down with any complication. You can opt for gold be it rose, white, or yellow. Also, you may want to check out Platinum-made jewelry too if it's your plan to splurge. Generally, if you have to settle for stainless steel, endeavor to go for the quality ones as cheap stainless steel have been reported to cause irritations. 5. You can have your nipple pierced and still not be more sexually excited as you once be. That's because a lot of factors determine our sexual receptivity and arousal. Significantly, the nervous system controls this process and if the brain isn't releasing enough 'commands,' no piercing your nipple may not make much difference.

Final Remarks

You should be commended if, for whatever reason best known to you, you have decided to go for a nipple piercing. Not very many people love anything that is painful; not even females. Therefore, among other things, your decision presents you as a fearless woman. But beyond your bravery, it's good to know what you are actually going into before you delve into it. The reason most of us regret about our decisions in life is that most times, we do not sit down to count the cost. Without being unnecessarily sentimental about this subject, the facts as available have about female nipple piercing have been presented in this piece. Since we all have reasons why we do what we do in life, it's going to be up to you to make the right choice. However, it must be stated that regardless of how trending the practice may be and however fashionable it may look, only a worthy course should make you go for such a procedure that is capable of inflicting pain on you and terminating your life where complications arise. And maybe we should add as we close this piece that females aren't the only ones piercing their nipples. It's a practice found among the male folks too. In fact, in some countries, statistics place the number of male nipple piercers ahead of the females. Nonetheless, whether male or female, if you are going to perforate your nipple, you have been told everything you need to know about it here in this piece. We hope you find it useful.

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