The most common jewelry used for a nipple piercing is a 14 gauge (14G) barbell, but you might get pierced with 16G (thinner than 14G) or even 12G (thicker than 14G) depending on your nipple size. You will most commonly be pierced with a straight barbell.
Using a sterilized needle, the piercer will make a small hole in your nipple. They will then insert the jewelry of your choice (usually a barbell or ring) through the hole.
Titanium nipple rings are an excellent choice to wear in both fresh (healing) and healed nipple piercings. Titanium is a better option than stainless steel because it doesn't contain any nickel, so it won't cause any skin reactions in hypersensitive people or people with metal allergies.
The most attractive spot for a piercing is the belly button. The least attractive is a tie between the nose and the nether regions. That's right: Men apparently don't like sexual piercings, or won't admit they do.
Can I lose sensation? Your nipples will become more sensitive after being pierced, not less. Nerves in the nipple are spread out and not in one place that can be severed by being pierced.
Potential risks include infections (or even breast abscess formation), nerve damage, bleeding, hematoma (a blood-filled cyst), allergic reactions, nipple cysts, and keloid scarring (raised, red scarring). Unfortunately, nipple piercing is also associated with hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection, and even HIV.
Nipple piercings are still consistently one of our most popular piercings, and in 2019 our piercers performed 1,276 of them, 180 of which were as single nipple piercing (just one nipple pierced), and the remaining 1,096 were done as a pair.
The types of piercings guys tend to favor most are helix piercings, industrial piercings, earlobe piercings, eyebrow piercings, septum piercings, tongue piercings, labret and other lip piercings, nipple piercings, and male genital piercings.
Nipple piercing jewellery should be 1.6mm thickness or above, and curved bars are recommended over straight ones to minimise pressure, and therefore reduce the chances of migration over time.
Uncommon piercings may be more costly due to the fragile nature of the procedures. A few more uncommon piercings are eyeball piercings, dermal piercings (pictured to the left), corset piercings, some genital piercings, uvula piercings, bridge piercings, and anti-eyebrow piercings (the latter two are pictured above).
There will be some pain when you get your nipple pierced. It'll typically be sore for a week after the piercing. You may also bleed, itch, or see swelling or discharge from the wound. Your nipple may feel sore or irritated as it heals over the next few months.
Rook piercings are located in the cartilage at the uppermost part of the inner ear. The location does go through a thick bit of cartilage so it can be more painful and harder to heal than many other spots on the ear. The Rook is more in line with the Snug when it comes to pain and healing.
Of all the body sites commonly pierced, the navel is the most likely to become infected because of its shape. Infections can often be treated with good skin hygiene and antibiotic medications.
What piercings reject the most? Surface piercings have the highest rejection rate. Surface piercings such as microdermals as well as eyebrow piercings and navel piercings reject the most because they are closest to the surface of the skin.
According to them, the 8 most popular piercings for women to get (beyond earlobe piercings) include belly button piercings, nose piercings, ear cartilage piercings, tongue piercings, nipple piercings, eyebrow piercings, lip piercings, and genital piercings, in that order.
CAN INVERTED OR FLAT NIPPLES BE PIERCED? Most of the time, yes! It's best if you come into the shop and have a consult with one of our piercers, though. If you have inverted nipples, a curved barbell could be a better choice since a curved needle would be used to pierce your nipple.
If you feel comfortable moving forward with a piercing, the next question is: Should you pierce one or both nipples? Most people get both pierced at the same time, but it's your choice. "You should get what you are comfortable with, not what people tell you to get," said Cantwell.