I've always been interested in piercings. I never knew which one I wanted to get until I rummaged around on BME and found the industrial. I fell in love with it. It was something I had never seen before. It was unusual yet very interesting. So, I had decided. I was going to get and industrial. Problem was, I was 15 and there was no way in hell my parents would take me to get it pierced.
At A Glance Author Lucy Contact LessThanJake1232@aol.com Artist Kat Studio Arcane Arts Location Davenport, Iowa Sixteen rolled around and I still wanted it pierced but it kind of slipped my mind for awhile. The piercing age in Illinois (where I live) is 18, so that was out of the question. The piercing age in Iowa though is 16. That was a definitely a possibility because Iowa is right across the river from me.
So, I had wanted an industrial for the longest time, then an opportunity arose. On Wednesday, May 30th me and my friends, Heidi and Justin went to Iowa to a studio called Arcane Arts so Heidi could get her lip pierced. I had money on me but I didn't have my license so I wasn't able to get my industrial. Heidi agreed that she would take me later. So later that night at around 6 or so we went back but I had my license with me this time.
Let me tell you a little about Arcane Arts. The prices are very reasonable. For example, a tongue piercing usually cost anywhere between $45 and $60 but at Arcane Arts, it is $35. The studio is quite small but it is very clean.
Okay, back to my story. The piercer's was named Kat. She was a nice lady with lots of body mods herself. I told her what I wanted done and she said it was $40 plus tax. I showed her my driver's license and she took down the info then I had to read a form and fill it out. She gave me a sheet to keep that explained how to care for my piercing. She led me to a chair and explained the procedure. I watched her get out a brand new needle. She cleaned up my ear first. I was scared at this moment because I never had gotten a "real" piercing. My friend Heidi was next to me holding my hand so I could squeeze it if it hurt.
Kat said to me "Just relax, this will just feel like a double piercing." So in went the needle, it hurt a little but not as bad as I expected. Then it went through again, the second one hurt a little bit more but still not as bad as I expected. Kat cleaned me up because it was bleeding a little bit. At that point I was thinking, "Wow, it's over already?" I expected it to be so much worse. I read through BME industrial experiences and they always said the needle didn't hurt all that much but when they shoved the barbell in it hurt. I don't even remember Kat doing that. All I remember is feeling the needle jab into my ear twice and that's it. I thanked Kat and then headed out.
The aftercare required that I clean it at least twice a day. The sheet said for cleaning I needed Q-tips, a low pH soap (Kat recommended Dial Antibacterial in a pump bottle), warm salt water to rinse it, and Bactine Spray. I have been cleaning it more than twice a day because I do not want it to get infected. It's Monday today so I got it pierced 5 days ago. I think I needed to get a bigger barbell because the one I have now is too short and its bending the top of my cartilage. I am going to go back Wednesday to get that, because Kat even said that if I needed a bigger barbell she'd give me one. A majority of the responses I have got from people is "Owe, that looks painful." I tell them it didn't hurt that bad because it didn't. My parents absolutely hate it but at least they didn't make me take it out. My sister likes it alot. Some of my friends like it and some don't. I don't really care about what other people think because I like it alot and I am never taking it out.
All in all, I am very happy with my piercing. I can sleep on it after 5 days so it's healing well. Sometime this summer my friend and I are going to get our orbitals done. I may get a few more piercings (some facial) but not until I quit my job because they don't allow that. I recommend an industrial to anyone. I hoped you found this information useful. Email me if you have any questions.