My roomate and I decided early in the first week after winter break that we wanted to get piercings done together. We were thinking of going on Saturday until Thursday night when we decided to go on Friday. So I made some calls and tried to get a piercing party together.
At A Glance Author Creatress Contact Creatress@bme.anon When A month ago Artist Jeff Studio Addictions Location Fargo, ND So anyway, I was hoping to get an industrial placement ('cause I didn't think they'd have an industrial bar hanging out, but they did) and Kim wanted to get her lobes pierced behind the ones she already had. I've wanted an industrial for like, two years, since I first found one at BME and was totally intrigued. I would never get a piercing that I had not been considering at least a year! I'm not THAT into the scene, so I want to choose my piercings carefully.
So we all walk into the parlor (Addictions, of COURSE) and fill out the prerequisite forms. I was getting SO nervous; I mean, even during the drive I was just insanely jittery, I wanted to get it done so much, 'though I knew it would hurt. I forked over the money and Jeff, the hot piercer from Denver or Detroit who replaced Chad, who left for personal reasons if I remember correctly, measured my ear and led me to the room.
He had me sit on the bench and he marked where exactly he was going after he put the gloves on. All this time he and I were just kinda chatting. Then he had me move to the chair as Behind-The-Counter Girl moved across to check out how things were going—she's studying to be a piercer, too; she's adorable. Anyway, so I'm sitting in the chair and he says "Okay, are you ready? Hold still." I just breathed deep as he put the needle through the back of my ear. It wasn't THAT bad. I mean, yeah, it hurt. But it certainly didn't instigate tears. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Then, he paused a moment, let me breathe out, and asked if I was ready, and if I was okay. I answered affirmatively to both and he made the second hole in my ear. That one was WIERD, because I could hear my cartilage crunching; it was like "Yes, that is the sound of my flesh crunching just there, mmm hmmm." It's a very odd sound, and it went straight to my inner ear by the vibration traveling through my flesh, but I simultaneously heard it via my outer ear, by the sounds anyone could hear the piercing make. It was just...kindof sickening, in such a delightful way. Anyway, so after the needle went through, Jeff had to put my jewelry through. THAT was a bit more painful, but I survived.
I absolutely LOVE it. I checked it out any time I was near a mirror for like two weeks; now, it's just totally a part of me. I tend to it religiously, I talk about it constantly, I LOVE it. It's CUTE! I mean, it's not as if everyone has one, but it's not a really scary piercing, either. I absolutely love it, and it's cute on my ear. It's very me. *angelic grin* Heehee. I wish it wouldn't take so LONG to heal, though. I mean, it's supposed to take 2 to 12 months for this thing to be fully A-OK. I mean, I can deal with that. But I just wish it wouldn't take so long.
I don't know exactly why I did it. I mean, I wanted to know what getting pierced was like (and now I AM addicted) and I was pretty sure it would look really cool. I wanted to splurge and spend some money on myself, and I wanted to join the ranks of pierced students hanging about. ;) But it feels very personal, very intimate, as if I really am saying "I'm grown up, now" in some juvenile way. I mean, I'm claiming my body, and decorating it as I please.
I fear I may be keloiding on my front hole, and in that respect, I'm feeling a bit out on a limb. I mean, I probably messed with it too much in the first ten days or so--no major incidents, just general playing. I know it was my fault. However, I've heard mixed reports as to how to minimize it, everything from hydrocortisone to vitamin E to aspirin paste. Most of the research I've done supported the vitamin E and recommended aspirin for oral piercings only and once a day, but Behind-The-Counter Girl said aspirin paste three times a day. I'm somewhat conflicted. So I'm kindof sticking to the vitamin E, and I might ask Jeff about it when I'm there this weekend helping a friend pick out jewelry. Hopefully he'll take a look at it and make sure I'm doing all in my power to fix it.