A lobe piercing! Finally, I was able to get both done in the same day. It took a bit of inspiration, though. I had talked to a lot of friends about it, talked to the piercer, and decided what gauge to go at. I went with a friend, and on the way there I heard tales of lobe piercings go awry, blood spilling down the side of the person's face and such, but these did not deter me. No, I felt that I really had to conquer this and get it done.
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon IAM xsamx When N/A At first I just wanted to get one ear, perhaps a small 10 gauge ring in the left, kind of a small symbol of...something, at least. But I couldn't really figure out what it would represent or why I would be getting just one and just a small one at that. So the realization hit me, why not two? Why not make it even in both ears, at a larger gauge, which would even out things all around. After thinking about it for awhile I felt much better about it. Most of my friends were supportive, some even prompted for a larger gauge, multiple lobe piercings, etc, but for now I just wanted to chill with two and see how it went. Plus, I knew I could always add on, stretch, and change jewelry to fit how I wanted to be seen and present myself.
After talking with the piercer at the shop before the session I decided to go with 8 gauge. A small ring in each lobe, and I thought everything would be pretty cool. The piercing itself was actually not that bad. Sitting in the chair I was a bit nervous, but after the spots had been carefully marked and I got to check them in the mirror I realized how cool these piercings would actually look. A little pain, even less blood, and I had two new holes! I was smiling wide and my friend could tell how excited I was about my new adventure. I know it sounds kind of cheesy, but it was definitely a great experience for me. I had conquered a fear, and at the same gained what I thought was a definite plus on the physical attraction scale. Two small 8 gauge rings that were stainless steel (which the piercer had recommended) inserted cleanly. I received much information on cleaning and care of the piercings, but I figured I would stop back in a few weeks to have them checked on as well as get some pictures for the piercer's portfolio. The piercer said that my ears healed exceptionally well and had nothing to worry about regarding inflammation or infection.
Looking back on it, it was definitely a step in the right direction. I became exposed to new people and a new culture, pretty much, as exemplified here on BME. Just two small holes in my body can mean so much to me, I realized. I'm not usually a spiritual person, but that is what I would be tempted to correlate this with. A spiritual awakening. It's just the entire "modification" aspect of it that intrigues me. I've already investigated stretching my lobes and putting plugs instead of circular barbells in, and I will probably go back for more ear modifications. Right now I'm looking at getting an industrial on either side to match the lobes that will soon be stretched. Not to mention other facial piercings that I will probably go after.
Once the swelling (as minimal as it was) subsided and everything was healed properly, I felt great about the piercings, but as I soon found out in the job market, not everyone else does. In some interviews I was automatically rejected because of the visible piercings alone. Even with my clean suit and tie the piercings stood out. I wasn't about to take them out either. That would sacrifice my integrity and go back on the reason I had got them anyway – to stand out (to a certain extent) yet maintain a safe and moral background. I did eventually find a job working a gas station where the atmosphere was more relaxed (as was the pay, unfortunately), but I still received my share of looks from the customers.
I would highly recommend an experience like this to someone who is not yet delved into the world of body modification. Perhaps a different style of piercing, or maybe even more, but the feeling it brings, the "wholeness" is almost indescribable. I felt compelled to write about this so I could share this pseudo-religious experience with everyone. It's not an addiction, but at the same time body modification seems to be a way of life to me now. And it all started with through two small holes in my ears. Body-piercing has definitely been a positive and rewarding influence in my life.