I have had a horizontal industrial in my right ear for almost two years now and to this day I can not sleep on it, place the phone on it or even lightly touch it. I had the worst experience with my piercing and it was due to my naivity to the process. I want to share my story with you in the hopes that anyone even considering a piercing of any kind will do research on the piercing and the parlour in which they chose to go to. Here goes:
At A Glance Author Jackee Contact Jackee@bme.anon When A year ago Location Alberta It was the day after Boxing Day last year and my friend Crystal was getting her first tattoo as a Christmas gift from her mom. We were both only 16 then. As I was sitting in the tattoo and piercing parlour, listening to the buzz of the tattoo needle on my friends skin, a thought came into my head: I need a new piercing in my ear to go with the 12 I already had! Crystal agreed, and that was all I needed to hear. So, I got on the phone with my mom and asked her permission (I'm a good girl). She said yes and she even talked to the piercer to give the okay, because of my age and whatnot. That should have set sirens off in my head, but I was too excited to bother worrying about it. I had no idea what I wanted yet, so I looked in a photo album. I fell in love with the industrial and decided to get it, even though I feel an industrial is two piercings, not one.
I told the piercer my choice and he led me into the room saying "This is my favorite piercing to do, you know ". He sat me down and began to get ready; he washed his hands and got the needle, etc. He held the 14g needle in his hand and told me on the count of three, he would pierce me. I watched on a mirror above him the whole time. So, he counted and in it went with ease and only a little bit of pain. So far, so good. It wasn't anything new to me. I continued to watch him in the mirror; I watched as he slide the barbell in the new hole and left it to dangle as he prepared for the next hole. He lined the barbell against my ear to see where to place it. This is where the story gets ugly. The piercer then took the barbell in his hand and with one quick push and no warning, he jammed it through my cartiledge. Not with a needle, but with the sharp, coiled end of the barbell! It was the most excrutiating pain I have ever felt; I swear I could feel every nook on that barbell coil . I burst into tears and almost threw up. He just laughed as he screwed the balls onto the post. "Now, was that so bad?" he said, almost mocking me. Without saying a word, I left the room, paid at the register and left the parlour, bawling and wiping the dripping blood from my cartiledge. Crystal asked if I was okay, but I was in shock. I never knew exactly how an industrial was pierced, but I knew it shouldn't have been like that. When my parents saw my new piercing, they were so angry; they didn't talk to me for the rest of the night. I was so embarrassed by my stupidity.
I was told that my piercing would take about six months to heal. After eleven months of pain, blood, and huge bumps on my cartiledge, I thought my piercing was doomed. I had no idea what to do. I got on the internet and learned that I should have been pierced with hoops, not a barbell. I also looked at all the piercing places in my city and found one I was confident with. I went there and they were appalled when I told them my story. The girl there, Keltie told me that I had been pierced crookedly and that is why I had so many problems, because of the strain put on my ear. She put captive bead rings in my ear and told me exactly how to care for it. Keltie makes me check in once a month so she can see the progress, as well. And when I'm all healed up, she'll tweak my barbell for me so that there is no strain put on my ear. It turned out that the piercer who mutilated me had worked at my newfound piercing place but had been fired due to complaints and such. Keltie knew exac tly what she was working with.
It's been about seven months since I've had my bead rings in, and my ear is still very painful, but it looks great. It will be a while until I put my barbell in, but I'll wait until it's perfectly healed. Keltie has it estimated to about five more months.
I hope that after reading my tale, you will understand the importance of research. I'm no expert, nor am I trying to sound like one, but you should not need to hear horrer stories to know that you should look into your piercing before going ahead with it. Split-second decisions on piercings aren't such a good idea. Do your research baby!!
E-mail me if you have an interesting tale for me!