About 13 months ago I got a nape piercing. After constant fighting with it, my body won and I decided to take it out. With overworking myself and always being run down, the piercing was getting infected every few days. It got really bad the past two weeks as you can see:
So, tonight I unscrewed a ball and pulled it out from under my skin. This is what the bar looks like:
I guess I should really just stick to tattoos. At least they don’t get infected.
Dude, seriously, what was the point in getting that in the first place?
(I ask as I can’t for the life of me understand why someone would want to pierce their nape.)
Ahh … bet you’re glad to say goodbye to that!
What Mark said.
Ron: Nope, I miss it. When it wasn’t infected it looked well. Two little silver beads in an unusual location.
Mark: Body art/body jewellery. Just a fashion thing I guess. I find some piercings and tattoos to be quite attractive. I really liked nape piercings and so wanted to get one myself. Since my body rejects piercings so often I didn’t want an eyebrow or lip ring in case of scars. Wouldn’t trust a tongue stud either, no matter the benefits. As I said, I’ll stick to tattoos.
Fair enough.
Yes, it’s an unusual location, Damien, at least to me. I’ve never seen one before.
Hope you had a Happy New Year.
Cheers.
Awww, Shame! I plan on getting mine done soon. I hope it doesn’t reject. Got a few gigs coming up so I’ll wait until they’ve passed so I don’t need to worry about people catching it!
Im hoping to get one soon and was wondering about rejection, pity yours didnt last though. At least you gave it a go – i think they look good.
I sympathize with you…I’m going to get mine taken out tomorrow due to it’s rejecting 🙁 It was nice while it lasted!
I got my nape pierced about a month ago and it is doing fine. I saw it in a movie and thought that it looked awesome and plus its something different and new and I think that is why alot of people don’t understand it. It’s not widely accepted like a nose or an eyebrow piercing. Sorry for your luck Damian.
i think nape piercings r really hot thats why i’m getting mine soon *hopefully* but i’m a bit of a coward so did it hurt much when u got it ?
Nope doesn’t hurt at all really. A mild pinch.
hey chance upon your page while researching on nape piercings i think it’s cause you got the wrong barbell or something cause i read it on BME you’re suppose to use surface bar. did you pierced with clamp? cause i seriously thought bout getting one too 🙂
Yeah they used a clamp. I got it done in a place in Dublin, Ireland called Bodyshock. They’re quite professional but me and piercings never got on. I have one ear piercing (conch) and it is the only one that’s stayed. Nipples, napes and belly button piercings all rejected over time.
oh that’s sad, cause i find nape very beautiful indeed. i’am from s’pore, gonna get my piercer to do it for me. hope it wont get rejected though, if not i’am so gonna be upset. i read some article in BME, some of them stayed intact for up to years! it’s pretty amazing. something to do with aftercare or something (:
ive had my nape pierced for 3 years and 2 months and im starting to wonder if the time has come to say goodbye. im sure i will cry if i have to take it out because i am so proud of it but its becoming such a pain in the ass that i dont know how much longer i can go on with it. i had no problems for the first two years but then i went in to get the bar re-bent (i was hoping to make it look cooler-bad idea) but ever since then my neck got pissed off and started reacting with keloids which would go away with care but kept coming back. i talked to a piercer and he said i need different jewelry to relieve pressure which should fix my problem but im not going to get my hopes up.
to anyone thinking of getting their nape pierced dont hesitate to get something if you really want it but take care of it and keep in mind that it may not last.
i just gone a double nape , but they used a straight bar instead of a surface bar… i had no idea they were different, but uh now im worried cuz of it… the piercer said to change them in 2 weeks or so to plastic ones… but i’m wondering if he’s talking about the bendable kind…
or if i can just change them to surface bars
gosh i’m just hoping mine dont reject because i really want to get 2 more..
gosh i love those piercings, what i love the most tho is no one expects that from me cuz i’m so “clean/innocent” looking
it’s an awesome feeling when i see other’s reaction when they see it.. they just like drop their jaws.. lol everyone loves them and me too but i want the proper bar cuz i hate that it has that damn bump cuz of the straight one
[…] The most accessed image and corresponding blog post on this site is the one about my nape piercing. The pic of my infected piercing is horrible, so be warned. I now feel strangely responsible for providing better content and information for those that come to my site for the search “nape piercing” or “nape bar” two phrases which has the nape blog post in the first few results in Google and Google Image Search. […]
haha whattt i think napes are hot. my friend had one… soo hot 🙂 it’s tuff 🙂
by the way…. almost all nape piercings reject…
awe that must suck ass:( well at least its not bothering u now… i have mine done but it got infected like once but i took really really good care of it in class i would ask to got to the bathroom so i could clean it lmao yea well hope none of your other piercings do that.
best of luck
-Chut
you know what went wrong? that’s the wrong type of surface bar. you need one at a 90 degree angle, not at a 45 degree angle.
hey man thats too bad that your nape didnt take but the way i see it is i got mine done a month and a half ago and so far its doing great, but that is only cuz i have a girlfriend that will clean it three or four time a day like i was told to and when i got it done i was told that if i got two years out of the piercing i would be lucky so you did not to bad having it for 13 months. the pain like you said didnt come with the piercing itself but the pain come from eveytime i put a shirt on or off or catch it when im sleeping lol wakes you up real quick. anyways to any1 who hos it good on you and for any1 wanting to get it good luck
hey. my friend got hers done about a month ago.. i went with her and we were talking to one of the piercers about it and i read you got it done with a clamp… It most likely rejects when it’s done with a clamp.. The new procedure here helps it not reject as often.. So, honestly, I think thats the only reason it rejected.. Although, you got a good 13 months out of it.. That’s good!
Yeah my nape piercing looks EXACTLY like how yours were when you still had it on…. But I never really considered taking it out. My piercer recommended a steroid-based solution called “Kenacomb” which you can only get by prescription so I’m crossing my fingers and hope for the best.
I got it done with normal bended bar as well. And I read recently that’s a major no-no. Should’ve gone with the “surface bar” but that thing looks mighty painful, a bit puzzled as to how they could get that under the skin!
I have my Nape pierced…If you get your Nape done with the Punch & Taper method, it’s more likley not to reject. Also, if you get the flat disc instead of the balls, your not going to catch it on everything as easily. Like one person said up there, it’s better to have a 90 degree bar, and make sure it’s a surface bar. Good Luck!
http://www.bmeshop.com/ProductCart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=10&idproduct=3020
Check that out…this is the kind of bar you should be using.
i have both sides of my lip pirces, my body also rejects pirceings often. The lip heas verry well just avoid the surface pirceings and you should be ok 🙂
Miss Blank
I really don’t see the point in getting the nape of your neck pierced.
It’s kinda gross and half the time you can’t see it anyway.
Fairplay on getting it done though cause it must have hurt alot.
But I think I’ll stick to my lip and ear piercings, ha!
🙂
I don’t know about anyone else that got it done, but when I did it, it didn’t hurt at all. Just a slight pinch. It hurt less than a cartilage piercing. After I had it for about six weeks I went back in and got plastic put in with the metal balls. I can’t feel it and I rarely catch it on anything. Just a thought. Everyone who does have it done, what was your pain level?
I really want my nape pierced badly but i know ill be pretty gutted if it dont last…….is there any one out there that has had theres last longer than 3 years?
Hmmm, not bad, not bad
got my nape pierced yesterday. the first thing people say is, ‘did it hurt’ and i must say, me being the BIGGEST wimp ever it really wasn’t even painful, it pinched a little, but no pain. it’s the best piercing i’ve ever had and i’ve fallen totally in love with it – even if random people in the street do scream ‘eugh!’ at me.
my piercer did it with a clamp and a plastic surface bar, incase my spine pushes onto it when i sit down. he really knew what he was doing. (afflecks palace, manchester, U.K.)
i’m just dredding it growing out, or rejecting!
wrong surface bar.
and by the looks of it you were probly over cleaning it, or under cleaning it…..mabie not even cleaned it at all.
I got my nape piercing 7 weeks ago. I rarely clean it, and when I do bother to, I merely dab it with ordinary salty water. It gets red around the balls sometimes – I hope thats normal. My piercer wasn’t very nice to me, she didn’t give me any instructions. Through the very little research I’ve done on the net, apparently my piercing should have healed by now (within 6 weeks).
Does this mean I can remove my piercing?
Do I still have to clean it?
Is it still likely to reject (since it is already healed) even though I haven’t had any serious problems with it yet?
hi,
I had my nape pierced in July of 2005, its now Nov 2006 and it still gets infected from time to time. it may get itchy or red or at worst, swollen. i am also thinking of taking it out..but it looks so nice when its in good condition, and I have put up with so much pain with it, it is a hard choice to make!!!
THAT SUX!!! I luv my nape piercing (maybe bcuz my Boyfriend hates it!)!
My best friend did it it was her 2nd surface piercing and im usually her test dummy! HEY think of it this way at least if it scars thats a neat place for ur next tattoo!!! 😉
autsh.. i`m going tomorrow to take that piercing but i had little problems whit a piercing man.. here in finland its unknowing place to take piercing and the man said that he wouldnt do it for me, cause its easilly get infected and causes problems here in finland cause here is very cold nowdays and we have to use much clothes and them would get grapped on that piercin an blaablaa.. but then i get very mad, cause its my problem not him..? and then he said ok but i dont like this.. 😀
I got my neck done about 4 months ago.. and i haven’t really had any problems with it. But.. i just went to my doctor to ask his opinion about it.. and he was really serious when he told me that i should take it out. He said that if it gets infected then the infection can easily spread into my spine because of how close the piercing is to my spine. He said that if this happens, then i can become paralized?!!! i’m scared!!
I wouldn’t be overly concerned about paralysis, piercings get infected frequently, especially surface piercings, and from the testimonys above, they may reject but none of those people are paralyzed. Cleaning your piercing 4-5 times a day is completely ridiculous, you know how drying that is.. A dry area is more proned to cracking of the skin providing more area for bad bacteria to set it. Besides, everyone seems to forget that not all bacteria is bad, you have natural flora on your skin, which is one of the ways you are protected from infections, and over cleansing and using all those stupid anti-bacterial soaps that they still for some reason recomend for cleaning is just destroying your skins natural environment leaving you exposed to the elements.
I’m getting my nape done in a couple of days, should be exciting….. Apparently piercing with a heavier gauge prevents quick rejection. I have a friend that has his done at a 10ga and it’s a titanium surface bar, he’s had it for many many years (at least 3), and although it has migrated out a bit it still looks good, and he never had any infections… actually the same goes for nipple piercings too, heavier gauge reduces rejection…
Best to all
hey, got my nape done 2nd dec, looks wicked!! tryin not 2 clean it 2 much but dreadin it getin infected!!!
HEY, HOW MUCH DID IT COST YOU GUYS??… IM JUST GETTING IDEAS. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME..
hey guys, i got my nape pierced yesterday.
it was $100 CAD, i dunno where you guys live so you can do your own conversions
it didnt really hurt at all, it was like a little pinch. about the same as when i got my lip pierced, though i was told nape was A LOT worse… it really isn’t.
i find it very hard to clean because im supposed to soak it in salt water, but i have no idea how to soak something on the back of my neck! any tips at all?
i had no idea that rejection, migration and infection of nape piercings was soooo common. crap. ahahhaha.
i’ll try my best
if anybody has any tips at all to share, i’d be really happy.
also, i got it done with the surface bar bent at 90 degrees, which seems to be the general consensus of best bar… so im glad 🙂
shit! now i have my piercing but i am allergic to it.. wonderful..
hey Steel,
you should check to see what kind of jewelry you got pierced with. I go to a place in Los Angeles California here in the States called Tommy T’s Body Piercing and they told me that you should only be pierced with Implant Grade Surgical Steel and that the jewelry should be internally threaded. I’ve seen some surface barbells that are externally threaded and if that’s what you got in you I would change it out. It’s possible that it’s the jewelry that you are allergic to.
here’s a cool picture of a nape piercing they did.
http://bodypiercingpictures.painfulpleasures.com/showphoto.php/photo/4051/sort/1/cat/all/page/3
i had my nape for about a year i took it out and it closed i just got mine re done in the same spot 4 days ago and i wanted to do it with flat beads not balls so the second day comes around and my skin is growing over the flat bead i thought it was just due to swelling but i have takin lots of ib prophon and i have iced it anyway the swelling went down and my skin is still growing over it im gonna give it a few more days just an fyi to all yous who said u wanted one please make sure that it is done with beads and not flat beads also i was reading about the one guy who got it pireced with a barbell you need to find a new place to get pierced fella
thanx
mike
mine jewelry is teflon but balls are titan.. my diagonal said that Surgical Steel causes allergics, cause its contain nickel.. :S
I had my nape done about 5 months ago and never had any problems with it although it does get a bit sore around a certain time of the month but i still keep up with sea salt soaks – 10 mins twice a day my bar is PTFE but i have titanium jewelled balls on it.
I think it is a really pretty piercing and i love mine not painful to get done
so anyone thinking of getting it done i would say go for it but just look after it i had mine done at Coldsteel in Camden it is a really great place and Julie the piercer is sooo nice.
That is just ignorance. Surgical-grade steel is steel which is made to be IMPLANTED inside of someone’s body. In other words, it will not contain nickel, it is a pure, stainless metal. Stainless means it won’t rust, rust occurs on iron and nickel. Stainless has neither. The best way to go is stainless and titanium, which is also a puremetal.
Peoples bodies react differently to different metals i know mine does i had my first tragus pierced with stainless steel and had nothing but problems with it so my piercer put a 18ct gold fixed bead ring in it and within 2 days it was all sorted then i had my second done with titanium and had no problems at all and i still cannot wear steel in any piercing but have not had a single problem with my nape that has PTFE in it.
Different piercers will tell you different things and as for soaking a nape then either use 2 shot glasses 1 over each ball (be quick tipping it) or soak 2 cotton balls and place them on it you will get wet !!!
HEY!
im considering getting my nape pierced however my parents are completely nono on any piercings except earlobes they nearly disowned me when i ignored them and got my belly done, any more and they say they really will; So i was just wondering if it is possible to buy flat/ball to go on the end of bars that are clear so they have less chance of spotting it. If so how long would I have to wait before i could change the sides to clear ones? How often do you have to wash it and how long for and whats the best stuff to do it in? An what type of bar and angle is best because everyone’s comments above don’t seem to agree. By best i mean like less chance of rejection infection etc? I was also wondering are you supposed to have a clamp or not because everyone has different ideas. how long till you can take it out without it healing over? and how obvious is it when it is in because when im getting my hair cut id rather the hairdresser didnt find out and tell my rents. i remember reading something about antibiotics? are you really supposed to take them before and after piercing? I never did with my belly and didnt have any probs at all. Last thing lol does anyone know any good piercists in either loughborough leicester nottingham or if not birmingham or manchester?
I know Iv got a lot of question LMAO but i would really appreciate any help/advice as Im quite confused about what i should do!
thanks
xxxx