A couple of months ago, my lobe orbital was healing nicely and I once again felt the urge to get more ear piercings. The only problem (besides a general lack of funds) was that my piercer, Billy, had left the tattoo shop at which he had been working. I heard that he was opening his own studio, called "Ancient Trends," and found out the general location. I passed by that shopping center on the way to work and would always look to see if a sign had been put up yet.
At A Glance Author Nikleba Contact Nikleba@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Billy Studio Ancient Trends Body Piercing Location Lake Charles, LA, USA After several weeks of watching for Billy's shop to open up, I was getting a bit antsy and only the aforementioned lack of funds kept me from scouting the city for another piercer who was as experienced as he was. Then, a few weeks before Christmas, I was very excited to see that a huge neon outline of a circular barbell had been erected in a window of the shopping center! It looked a lot more tasteful than the "TATTOO'S STARTING AT $25!!!" signs that adorned some of the other body mod places around town.
I took care of the funds by telling my parents that I wanted piercings for Christmas. They gave me the money, and I stashed it while I waited for a bad cold to subside. I wanted to be in good physical condition before getting pierced. Finally I was ready, and I stopped by Ancient Trends one day after class.
I was very impressed from the minute I walked in. Since it's solely a piercing studio there was no tattoo flash on the walls, but lots of African tribal-style art and masks. There was a big-screen TV (blank, at the time) in one corner and some comfy-looking couches in the other, with a large coffee table sporting body mod magazines. I could see into the bright white piercing room through a window. I was very pleased to see that the piercing area was closed off from the main area, because the other studios I've visited around here have a tattoo/piercing area that's open to the rest of the place, with only a curtain if you want it for privacy.
I took this in as Billy walked up to greet me. I told him of my plans for a slave industrial in one ear and several cartilage piercings (rook, snug, anti-tragus) in the other. He was rather busy, so he asked me to stop by tomorrow at 1:00 so we could order the right jewelry for my industrial and possibly do a few piercings.
I returned the next day promptly at one and he measured my ear and wrote down the jewelry order. I asked him if we could do some of the cartilage piercings today, and he said sure. Billy had me fill out the consent form and brought me into the piercing room. I asked him to first change the jewelry in my lobes. The last time I tried to manipulate a 14 gauge CBR by myself, it flew across the room and I never saw it again. He took the jewelry I brought and soaked it in a disinfecting solution, then switched the circular barbells in my ears for the new CBRs.
We decided to do my rook first and then, if I was feeling okay, proceed to do the anti-tragus (which I had heard was a more painful ear piercing), and save the slow-healing snug for another time after these piercings had calmed down. Billy showed me a very tiny 16 gauge CBR and said he thought it would look great in my rook. I agreed, and he prepped his instruments while I lounged on the table as I prepped myself mentally. I usually get some butterflies before a piercing, but I have thankfully never experienced nausea or dizziness at any point in the process.
Billy asked me to lay back, and he cleaned my ear and made his battle plan. He asked, "Okay, are you ready?" I thought, oh shit, but said "Sure!" He told me to take deep breaths in and out, and on the second exhalation he pushed the needle through.
DAMN. The needle felt fiery and jagged as it pushed through my tough little rook, and yes, it did make that infamous "pop" noise. I tensed up and made some sort of exclamation, but kept up my deep breathing until Billy put the CBR in, which also hurt like a bitch. The ball was tiny and he had a bit of trouble getting it attached, and I laughed and told him I was afraid that he was going to drop it down my ear canal. The burning sensation passed and I could feel a tiny stream of blood making its way down into my conch. He murmured, "That looks fucking badass..." as he cleaned my ear, and I got up to check myself in the mirror.
It looked awesome! I could see a little bit of ring poking out from my ear when I looked at myself head-on, just a hint that there was something unusual there. Of course, I could see most of it when I turned my head. I sat back down on the table and tried to determine whether I wanted to go ahead with the anti-tragus. I guess adrenaline was taking care of my rook, because it had ceased to hurt. I squeezed my anti-tragus and thought about it. It wasn't sore at all, though it was hot because of the blood that had rushed to my ear. It's pretty big as anti-tragii go, with a hard knot of cartilage encased by thick lobe tissue on either side.
I decided, fuck it, this is going to hurt no matter what so I may as well just get it over with. I told him I was ready for the anti-tragus, and he got out a 14 gauge curved barbell with fairly large balls. I lay back down and he asked me if I was ready to rock and roll. I shook my head and said, "I guess so!" Billy pulled and pushed on my anti-tragus for awhile, found a good position, and asked if I was ready. I said, "Yep" and started breathing deeply, faster than the first time because I was still on an adrenaline rush and wanting to get the pain over with.
Again, on the second exhalation, Billy pushed the needle through, and for a short second nothing else existed in the world except for the needle and my anti-tragus. It was nothing like the rough pain of my rook, but instead was tremendous mind-numbing pressure. I felt the needle go through the softer tissue, then the knot of cartilage, and then out. I think I kicked with one leg and I know I tensed up majorly and spouted some profanity. Billy said reassuringly, "You're okay, you're okay," and I almost panicked when I realized that the barbell was next, but then it was over after only hurting a little, and I winced as he screwed the ball on.
The pain subsided quickly. I relaxed as he washed up, and he asked me if I was feeling okay and I said I was fine. I got up and went to the mirror again and we talked about how great my new piercings looked. We emerged from the piercing room and I paid him, and he gave me an aftercare sheet detailing usage of antibacterial soap, salt soaks, saline solution, and lavender oil.
It's been two days since then, and my rook has been too sore to allow me to lather any soap on it. It still bleeds a little, and the only way I've been able to figure out whether or not I've completely cleaned the dried blood from under my rook is to photograph it at strange angles with my digital camera and look at the pictures on the computer. I've lost my hand-mirror, or I would use that.
I have reflected a bit on the pain of the experience. The piercings themselves hurt quite a lot, but only while the needle was going through and a few seconds afterward. I don't think that it was too much to get the two piercings together, especially since neither one of them really protrude from my ear so they don't brush against anything. I take care to sleep on my other ear so as not to complicate the healing process.
I like the reactions I've gotten. Mom looked a little queasy when she first saw the piercings, but then said, "I have to admit, they look damned cool." Most of my coworkers oohed and aahed over it, but when I walked up to one associate and told him to look at my new ear piercings, he nearly spit out the mouthful of soda he had, and said, much to my amusement, "Ouch! Agh! Girl!! Jesus doesn't like that!"
I laughed my ass off thinking about his comment. I wonder... What Would Jesus Pierce?