Newbie here, so a bit of background first...
At A Glance Author Emma Contact Emma@bme.anon When A week ago Artist Danny Studio Punktured Location Brighton, England Until last week I had 5 piercings – 4 lobe piercings, first pair done with a gun, at a local hairdressers for my 10th birthday (I cringe now looking back!) and second pair not much better done with a gun at a jewellers shop for my 20th birthday. I wouldn't recommend anyone having piercing done anywhere but a dedicated studio.
In 1996 I had my bellybutton pierced at a Tattoo Studio, when body piercing was not so common (I curse the Spice Girls for making my navel ring and Japanese symbol tattoo so passé in the late'90s!). At the time I thought this was my first proper piercing, but when I tell my 'properly' pierced friends about how I was pierced with anaesthetic and a 1mm gauge ring unsterilised and chosen from a sweet jar and the yellow pus filled navel for about a year afterwards they are horrified!
My boyfriend Julian has 9 piercings including 10mm flesh tunnels, nipple rings and a PA, so quite an expert on how things are to be done properly. With his help, my lobe piercings have been stretched up to 3mm and 2mm respectively, the aim being two 4 or 5 mm tunnels and two at 2.4mm. My navel is now adorned with a more standard gauge 1.6mm spiral (I've avoided the belly bars, considering them 'trendy' and stuck with BCR's until recently).
As I approached my 30th birthday I'd started to consider another tattoo, but decided to carry on the tradition and get my third lobe piercings. Having studied this site and others like it and discussing my plans with friends, Julian and I decided to spend a couple of days in Brighton for my birthday and get pierced at Wildcat, as we had been getting our jewellery from there.
When we arrived at Wildcat, we discovered that they no longer had a piercing studio, so picked up a flyer for a local studio called Punktured. Luckily Punktured was just up the road from Wildcat and as it was a week day the shop was empty, so the staff were very pleased to see us! Lobe piercings were £17 each, but I got a £5 discount for having two. I signed the forms and was given an aftercare sheet and some saline solution.
The piercer Danny, asked what size I wanted so I said I wanted something a similar size to my smaller rings (2mm gauge x 12mmdia) thinking he meant diameter, expecting the hole to be a standard 1.6mm. What he had prepared for me though was a pair of 2.4mm gauge rings, so I agreed to this as waiting for sterilisation of smaller gauge rings would have given me too much opportunity to change my mind!
I think Julian wanted to stay and watch,but his presence was making me more nervous, so I asked him to wait outside.
Having never stepped foot in a proper studio, I was not expecting a dentists type chair (complete with map of the world on the ceiling to concentrate on!) After cleaning and marking my lobes, Danny explained how I had to breath deep and relax and he would pierce on my breath out once he was satisfied I was sufficiently relaxed. The first entry was a shock, as I had expected it to be less painful than using a gun and I almost decided against the second one. But being a grown woman of 30 and this piercing experience now being a 10 yearly ritual I concentrated hard on Australia on the world map and let Danny get on with it!
Second entry wasn't so bad, but the worst bit was when the rings were put in as they're pretty fiddly. I was worried when I heard the needle drop to the floor when the first ring was being put in, because I thought it was the ball dropping on the floor and I felt a bit silly when I realised...
My ears were quite sore for the rest of the day, but I'm hoping the salty sea air was good for the healing process!
5 days later I forget I've had my ears pierced again (until I try to go to sleep!) and the daily salt water soak helps keep the holes clean and draw out the gunk.
I'm happy with the results, but it's frustrating that I have to wait till next summer to resume the stretching of my other piercings, although I know its necessary to give my fresh piercings the best chance to heal.
I didn't really get a buzz from the pain like I did with my tattoo and I have much respect for those of you who have dermal punches and the like! I think this will be my first and last experience of proper piercing, but what a way to celebrate my 30th birthday!