The first time I ever saw someone with big gauge earlobes was when I was a young teenager, and it was a documentary on foreign cultures. The next time I saw it was in a tattoo magazine. I really thought nothing of it. I liked it but I never thought it would be for me. I was so very wrong. About 2 years later I finally saw someone up close and personal that had big gauge ear lobes. I was in awe. They were the most beautiful things in the world. How would I ever get them, seeing that before I was 18 I was not even allowed to get a nose ring? How could I ever explain it to my mom and dad? A couple more years go by, and 'whoops' I have more tattoos and piercing then my parents ever expected, and to my surprise they have accepted all of them. So I am getting braver and braver, my ears are already 2 gauge, and I know my mom thinks if I go any bigger it'll be gross, although she says "it's your life". So I start thinking, "it's a done deal, I'm doing it".
At A Glance Author Ms. Pixie Hellfire Contact Ms. Pixie Hellfire@bme.anon IAM pixie_hellfire When A month ago Artist Myka Studio Black and Blue Tattoo Location Nanaimo, BC Finally the day comes where I decide I am going in to the shop and I am going to ask about it, get it done. So I go in and I'm super nervous. I have no idea why, but asking makes me nervous. I ask and I make an appointment. Now, I am no longer nervous, I am just excited as hell. It was I think a week before I got them done. The day of the appointment I was eating and drinking (non-alcoholic of course), making sure I have my blood sugar levels up as to not pass out. I get to the shop (after hours as to not have interruptions) and Myka (very good piercer at Black and Blue Tattoo in Nanaimo, B.C.) goes and buys me some apple juice to drink, because apparently it helps the blood to coagulate, in other words, helps it to clot.
So its scalpelling time, I sit there and he takes my old jewellery out and draws on my lobes, figuring out where to cut. Now because we are trying to go 7/8, he has to cut out a piece not just cut a line, I always assumed that is how it was done, so it was no big deal. I lie down on my back and turn my head to the side. Left ear first. My nerves are doing okay at this point, I am just happy to be getting it over with. He asks me if I am ready, I say yes, and "WHAMO", first cut made. Now the first cut stung a bit, it was not at all unbearable. After that cut I felt warm liquid running down my head... blood. Lots of blood. Now the left ear took awhile because it was first and my earlobes were not as big as the first looked, but I wanted 7/8s not 5/8s, so after the circular cut there was a few more just straight cuts. Then a whole lot of pulling and pushing to get the damned tunnel in. I think the 'trying to get it in' hurt way worse than the cutting itself, but it didn't last as long, so I guess it was a trade off. But wait, isn't there 2 ears?
So after the left ear was finished, I was okay, not light headed, no dizziness, I wanted some apple juice and some air, kind of take a breather before starting the next one (which was a very GOOD idea). After about 5 minutes I decide I am ready to attack the next one. This one promised to be shorter because he knew exactly how much cutting he needed to do. I wasn't very nervous because I knew what to expect... or so I thought. As soon as he made that first cut, I realized this ear wasn't having it. It hurt like a bastard! I felt like a wuss, I think at one point I even said "ow". Ha ha ha, can you imagine it, getting you ear scalpelled and saying "ow". Okay so this side did live up to it's promise it was quicker, which was good because at the end of it, I was actually starting to feel light headed. He actually apologized at one point saying "I am sorry this side is hurting you more", which as corny as it sounds made me feel better.
So both sides finished, I needed to just sit for a second, which was okay because he was helping me out with the blood on my neck. I looked like I had been in a car accident; I had blood all over my ears, in my ears, on my neck, in my hair, everywhere. It's not like I wasn't covered in order for this not to happen. He did the best he could at getting some of the blood off, and then took some pictures. I was in love. The first thing I thought of when I looked in the mirror was "my ears are sex!"I went straight home afterwards, to shower of course. That night I didn't sleep with my head against a pillow, no way! I slept on the chair in the living room where I could have my head prompt up without my ears touching anything. Let me tell you they are sore for the first couple of days, no pillow fights! I have to go back when they are all healed because I have what is called 'blow out', I hadn't heard of it until I got my ears done, it isn't to bad, some of it goes away when your ears heal. Blow out, from my understanding, is the flesh that kind of sticks out of your ear that isn't supposed to be there, its not very pretty, but like I said some of it goes away on its own, and the rest you can get "trimmed". Scalpelled ears also bleed, for a couple weeks. Its not all the time constant, but it is enough that you will want to get a styptic pencil (thanks Myka) and use it for times when you really can't have bloody ears, (i.e. Work, date, school). They are also crusty as th ey heal, like any other major wound to your body. They are great as far as 'taking care of them' go, you shower, make sure they get some of the cleanliness of the water, and you're good to go. Also I find that they itch a bit to, but try not to scratch them, dirty fingers are no good, and neither is scraping of something and making them bleed.
Other than that all I can say is, be very prepared to get a lot of questions. I have had many facial piercing and many tattoos, I have worn outrageous outfits and had my hair every colour of the rainbow; the last 4 weeks I have gotten more questions about my ears than I have ever gotten about all those other things combined. I ever have people ask if they can stick their fingers through the tunnel, to which I usually say no, doesn't seem like it's a good idea, I explain that I try not to touch them myself as they are still healing. Most of it has been good questions, but I have gotten the occasional "what about your wedding day?" and "that looks sooooo painful". Oh and my mom called them ugly, but she then said, "It's your life". In the end, was it worth it? Hell yes! I love my ears; they are worth all the annoying questions in the world.