Damn guns!

At A Glance Author Hilary Contact Hilary@bme.anon Artist ? Studio Hairbenders Location Airdrie, Alberta, Canada

It started about a year ago. I had had my lobes done with a gun when I was a lot younger, but never really got into bod mods until I was 13. I found BME when I was looking for gross info to deter my friend from getting her tongue pierced (ironic, huh?), and figured out "Hey, this is really sweet!" I started looking around for something my parents would agree with. Aha! A cartilage piercing seemed perfect. My mother still didn't agree, and gave me the usual "when you're 80" lecture. I decided I still really wanted this stupid thing. I called in to make my appointment (at a HAIR SALON!) later that night.

The next day was kinda cloudy and grey. I woke up, not seeing my idiotic decision of gunnery. So I hopped in to get a ride to my 3 o clock appointment. My mother didn't seem too happy with me. I got in to the hair salon and waited, and waited, and waited. Finally, my moment had come. I sat in the chair and picked out a blue stud. The person pulled out a gun and fiddled around with my ear. She couldn't get the damn gun on the right angle, so she called someone else over. She held my sore, red ear while the other nimrod pierced it. BANG! Crrrrrruuunch. Egh. That wasn't to healthy sounding. Well, I went up to pay for it, and get some cleaning solution. I walked out, and my mother gave me a dissapproving look. I smiled, because I was happy with it (at the time).

Day 1 of healing: I avoided sleeping on it as much as possible. When I woke up, it seemed perfectly fine, maybe a little sore, but that's to be expected. Turning it was rather painful, but, hey, I wanted it. People didn't seem to care much if I showed them, and most of them didn't notice anyway. (I have long hair)

Week 2: Seems perfect! I can't wait to get this annoying stud out of my ear. Still a little bit of soreness, which doesn't seem right. A tiny bump is coming up under the earring. I'm sure it will go away, right?

Week 6: Finally I can get this thing off! Or not.... I had to take a pair of pliers and pry open the backing to get it off. I discovered a HUGE bump sitting on the back of my ear for me. I did a little more research, and found out, of course, this was a keloid. Meh. Just left it alone.

A month later: I was at West Edmonton Mall, and felt the bump on my ear. I looked at my fingertips, and they were covered in blood. Guess it wasn't a keloid. It pussed and bled like hell, and was really sore. I put in a gold ring to (perhaps) calm it down a little. Well, it helped for a while, until I went to summer camp. I had a blast, but the not-so-perfect hygenic care, and me not being so careful made an actual keloid develop. Am I ever screwed. It hasn't gone away since, but it's my fault anyway.

I'm sitting here now, with a hot press on my ear. I've tried olive oil, draining it (duh), salt soaks, and changing the jewlery. Nothing helped. I even abandoned it, but I decided I liked it too much. *sigh* Oh well.

Does it hurt?

The experience itself doesn't, but when it gets infected, it damn well does!

How much does it hurt when it bursts?

You know when a cat scratches you? Doesn't hurt much, right? Now imagine about 200 of them packed into a half a centimetre-square bump. Yeah, it hurts. Actually, compared to other things, it probably isn't that bad.

Who the hell are you?

Well, my name's Hilary, and I'm just a normal Canadian high school student. I'm 5'1, and I suck at math. I enjoy drawing and singing.

Hmm. short 340 words. Well, I tried piercing my tongue last weekend. I found out that the barbell was too big to fit through the hole, and decided to wait until I was older to get it done by a professional. Not to mention my conditions were less than sanitary....

Anyway, besides that, I strongly advise you to get your piercings done by a professional! Guns can destroy your ear, or give you some weird disease. I'm extemely lucky that I haven't had (extreme) complications with my piercing. I'm trying to avert people from getting themselves pierced by guns. Unfortunately, there are no piercing shops in this city, so that's a definite reason why people get it done.

If you want to ask me a question about my experience, about me, or just talk, feel free to e-mail me!