Thinking about getting a nipple piercing?
Awesome!
However, before anything else, it’s important to know what to expect. This will help you determine whether you should really get one or not.
This is why, here, we’re telling you everything you should know before and after getting a nipple piercing. We’ll look at:
- Nipple piercing types
- Nipple piercing material
- How much do nipple piercing cost
- How bad do nipple piercing hurt
- How long does it take for a nipple piercing to heal
- How to care for nipple piercing
- Side effects of nipple piercing
- When can I change my nipple piercing
- Do nipple piercing close
- Are there fake nipple piercing
So welcome to your complete guide to nipple piercings.
Nipple Piercing Types
What type of nipple piercing do you want?
Luckily, there are so many different types out there — you’re sure to find one that fits your aesthetics.
So let’s look at the different types of nipple piercings.
First up, we have the straight barbell. This goes through your nipple horizontally or vertically, with both tips sticking out.
Curve the straight barbell a bit and you get the curved barbell.
This one is the horseshoe barbell.
The bead ring is a full loop with a bead at the bottom. If you want to be unique, you can also place the bead facing upward or sideways.
The seamless ring is similar to the bead ring. The only difference, of course, is that there is no bead. Go figure!
Next up is the nipple clicker. The hinge lock makes it very easy to open and close, thus making it very easy to insert.
How about this for a unique nipple piercing? This is considered twister piercing.
Finally, we have the nipple shield. As you can see, this is a combination of a straight barbell and a seamless ring.
So which one should you get?
It’s all up to you!
Nipple Piercing Material
What about nipple piercing material and jewelry?
Again, there are lots of options.
But, since the nipple is a sensitive area, it’s best to go with the safest materials, including:
- Surgical stainless steel
- Titanium
- Niobium
- Gold
- PTFE
Want it to be a bit fancier?
Then you can always add nipple piercing jewelry to it.
So say you want a bead ring nipple piercing. You can make the bead have a special jewel, like a diamond. Or, you can even change the bead altogether with a piece of dangling gold jewelry.
Use your imagination when it comes to nipple piercing jewelry. But make sure that the material that is pierced through your nipple is one of the safer ones to avoid complications.
How Much Do Nipple Piercing Cost
Okay, now you know what nipple piercing you want — it’s time to actually get it.
But wait…
How much do nipple piercing cost?
Well, the nipple piercing cost varies, depending on several factors.
For one, you have to consider the professional cost. Then, if you go for expensive materials and jewelry, you will have to pay a lot more.
So we can’t give a specific number. However, we can give you an idea of how much you will spend by looking at the average costs.
Typically, you will have to spend around $30 to $50 for the procedure. As for the material and jewelry, these can cost anywhere between $40 to $400.
Prepare to spend around $70 to $450 to get your nipples pierced. You can decide whether to go cheap or expensive.
How Bad Do Nipple Piercing Hurt
One hesitation you might have is the nipple piercing pain.
How bad does it hurt?
Well, pain is a subjective matter.
Some say that it was just a small pinch. Others commented on how painful it was.
Whatever the case, however, you can expect the pain to last only for a short time. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you won’t feel a bit of tenderness and sensitivity for a few days.
If you can bear that, then the nipple piercing pain shouldn’t be too big a problem.
How Long Does It Take for Nipple Piercing to Heal
So you finally did — you finally got your dream nipple piercing.
Now what?
Well, you will have to go through the nipple piercing healing process.
How long does it take for nipple piercing to close?
You will have to wait 6 months to a year for it to fully heal. That said, you can make the healing process faster if you take good care of it.
How to Care for Nipple Piercing
Since nipple piercing causes an open wound, you must avoid bacteria and germs from getting to it. If so, then it just might get infected, which makes it even longer to heal.
So how to clean a nipple piercing? Here are the steps:
- Wash your hands with antibacterial soap.
- Rinse your nipple piercing with warm, clean water
- Soap it with a gentle, unscented soap. Make sure you don’t use soaps with harsh chemicals as that might cause irritation and other problems.
- Rinse the soap off.
- Dry it with a clean towel
You should do this every time you take a shower or bath.
On top of that, you should also soak it in a saline or sea salt solution for the first few months. Here’s how to do that:
- Pour a saline solution into a glass. You can also make your own sea salt solution by mixing non-iodized salt with warm water.
- Place your nipple inside the glass. If not, you can get a clean towel, soak it with the solution, and lightly dab it on your nipple.
- Leave the solution for at least 5 minutes.
- Rinse the solution off.
Here are other ways to care for your nipple piercing:
- Wear loose clothing. Tight clothes will rub against the piercing.
- Wear thin cotton. This will allow the nipple piercing to get some fresh air, thus preventing bacteria from building up.
- Wear a thick, padded bra when sleeping or exercising. This will protect the nipple piercing.
- Be extra careful when putting on clothes. Make sure you don’t hit or rub against the piercing.
- Avoid touching, fidgeting, or moving your nipple piercing. This might cause irritation, pain, and even damage.
- Avoid creams and ointments.
Side Effects of Nipple Piercing
When you get a nipple piercing, expect side effects.
Here is a list of the most common side effects:
- Infected nipple piercing
- Sensitive nipples
- Swelling nipples
- Body aches
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Redness
- Rashes
- Can’t breastfeed
- Torn or damaged skin
- Nipple discharge
- Nipple crusting
- Piercing rejection
- Allergies
Some of these side effects, especially infection, can be prevented if you take extra care of your nipple piercing. So never ignore the aftercare.
When Can I Change My Nipple Piercing
Want to change the design of your nipple piercing jewelry?
You can definitely do that!
However, make sure that it is fully healed first. And as we saw, it can take anywhere between 6 months to a year.
Why can’t you change it sooner?
Well, that just might irritate and make it even longer to heal. It can also cause skin tears, rejection, infection, and much more.
It’s better to be safe than sorry.
So just be patient — you’ll be able to change your nipple piercing soon enough.
Do Nipple Piercing Close
What if, after a while, you get tired of your nipple piercing? Maybe you want to breastfeed but can’t do that with a nipple piercing.
That’s what’s great about nipple piercings.
If you no longer want it, you can have it completely removed because, yes, nipple piercings do close. In fact, it is one of the fastest piercings to close.
On the flip side, if you don’t want it to close, don’t remove your piercing for long periods. If you do, you might have to get it re-pierced — then we’ll have to go through the aftercare process all over again.
Are There Fake Nipple Piercing
Do you want a nipple piercing but don’t want to go through the aftercare and all that?
Maybe you’re terrified of needles — because, same.
In comes a fake nipple piercing.
Instead of piercing your nipple, this fake piercing just hangs onto your nipple. You can tighten or loosen the prongs to fit perfectly on the sides of your nipple.
There are even new, trendy clothes that make it look like you have a nipple piercing.
How cool is that?
You can show off an awesome nipple piercing without going through the whole process.
Conclusion
So that concludes your complete guide to nipple piercing.
Now that you know everything you should know before and after, you can make an informed decision.
Do you really want to get a nipple piercing?
Are you willing to go through the aftercare and even side effects?
If yes, then go ahead and choose which nipple piercing jewelry and type you want.
If no or not really, then you can opt for fake nipple piercings to get a feel of the look.
The decision is yours!
Another hesitation you might have is the nipple piercing pain.
