I received a message from a woman who had a double nipple piercing done in the "iron cross" formation:

I hope you don't mind me asking you a few things about a piercing I had done.

In August 2010 I had a horizontal nipple piercing done and it healed pretty well, done at 14g with a titanium bar and later downsized to fit better with the same. Never had any issues with it.

On 23rd May this year I also decided to see if I was suitable to have a vertical nipple piercing done behind the horizontal one. After evaluation my piercer decided there was enough tissue there and we went through with the piercing. Again 14g titanium barbell.

For the first month or so it was sore then tender but nothing extreme, little swelling, no bleeding or problems. I soaked once or twice a day using the correct sea salt soak method (1/4tsp to 8oz water) and rinsed afterwards. Then I started to experience more pain, especially if I squashed it in the night by rolling onto it. I am a larger busted lady a UK cup size FF so it's hard not to squash them in sleep, during play and in a bra they are under a little pressure too.

At first I thought it may be cycle related at it seems more angry towards the end of my cycle but recently this pain has gotten worse and worse to the point where if I just lean on it sometimes there is sharp pain that takes a while to dull down. There is no external issue, slight crusties but no redness, swelling, bumps or nasty discharge.

My question is that do you think it will ever settle or is it simply not suited to my anatomy, from what I can see both piercings manage to go through the nipple and not the areola.

Is there anything I can do to assist this or do you think it could simply get better with perseverance? I do occasionally wear a light crop top in bed to minimise movement but try also to give it as much air as possible.
Thanks, J.

My reply:

I suspect that you may not have a lot of tissue between the two bars where they cross, and you're experiencing pain from the pinching of whatever tissue is in between. There's no remedy for that, per se. Though sometimes the pressure will cause loss of the tissue in between so your bar posts rest against each other inside the tissue. So that would actually be okay, assuming there's enough space between the piercings on the exterior and you're not experiencing any migration there. Once the tissue is gone, you should not experience the same pain or discomfort.
Thank you ever so much for your reply.

She wrote again:

You have actually confirmed what I think may also be the issue with the tissue being pinched inbetween.

Looking at them it does seem there isn't a great deal of room between the bars. I assume losing the tissue inbetween wouldn't cause any issues? A male friend of mine says his bars touch as there is very little room and he's had no problems.

There doesn't appear to have been any migration from either piercing so far.

 

I responded and for a change, I actually sent a photo myself to her this time:

I do think that's probably what's happening and that once the process is over, your piercings will settle and feel more comfortable. I have a double nipple piercing but they are both horizontal and don't cross anywhere so I haven't experienced that issue. 

Her final response:

Yours looks wonderful and such lovely jewellery too!

Good to know that it will hopefully settle, I do adore how it looks and am more than happy to persevere with it!

I shall let you know how it goes a few months down the line if you'd like an update :)

I get paid tomorrow and think I shall be treating myself to a copy of the Piercing Bible, I've wanted it for some time now!