I did it all for the ROOKie!
December 6th (my 15th birthday) was nearly over, but I wasn't ready for it to end. All day I had been hoping for something exciting to happen, and suddenly, it hit me - I wanted a new piercing. It had been nearly six months since my last piercing and I was itching for a new mod. I knew exactly what piercing I wanted and exactly who I wanted to do it.
After getting permission from my mother, I immediately called Liquid Visions - which had been recommended to me by friends - and asked if Mike was there and available to do a piercing. They said yes, he was; I then informed them that I would be there shortly. Ten minutes after gathering my birth certificate and school I.D., my mother, my girlfriend, and myself arrived at Liquid Visions.
The three of us walked into the studio and up to the front desk. Mike asked how he could help me and I told him that I had called about the rook piercing. After showing photo identification, my birth certificate, filling out the necessary forms, and picking out jewelry, Mike led me into the back room. Despite the construction the studio was undergoing, the room was clean, sterile, and organized. As Mike washed his hands and put on a pair of latex gloves, he asked me to watch as he took the autoclaved equipment out of its individual packaging. After laying out the clamps, taper, needle, marker, and jewelry, he changed his gloves. (It is important that your piercer changes his/her gloves after touching anything that is not clean.) When he was done marking my ear, he handed me a mirror to examine the enter/exit points. (My rook was pierced quite deep; Mike and I decided that it would be easier to pierce it freehand.) I asked him to move the markings, and after doing so, we wer e ready to begin the procedure.
Mike explained that I would feel a bit of pressure - but nothing unbearable. As he slightly bent the needle to accommodate the angle of the markings, I began to slowly breathe in and out. As I took a breath in, I felt the pinching and burning sensation of the needle making its way through my ear. As expected, I heard the ever-famous 'popping' sound as the needle exited my ear. Mike swiftly picked up the taper off of his tray and began inserting the jewelry. I found this to be a bit uncomfortable; however, it was just a bit of tugging and pulling.
As Mike put the bead in my CBR and cleaned my ear, he instructed me how to care for my new piercing, what not to do in case of infection; how long it would take to heal, and gave me a pamphlet with other information. He asked me if I had any further questions and handed me a mirror to admire my new pokeage. Before leaving, I made sure to tip/thank him.
I've had my rook pierced for slightly over a week; I have found that certain things, such as washing my hair, are a bit more difficult to do now that I have a fresh cartilage piercing. I often forget that it is there and knock it on random objects - that's bound to happen with an ear piercing, though. When using hairspray, gel, or mousse in your hair, you're going to want to be careful, as to prevent it from irritating your ear. Get used to either sleeping on your back or on the side that your new piercing is not on. If you do sleep on the ear that is pierced, make sure to regularly wash your pillowcases - especially if pets sleep in your bed. Make sure to disinfect your phone and anything else that comes in contact with your ear.
As far as cleaning my rook goes - I clean it twice daily and that's all it needs. If I bump it on something, I do hot compresses for 15 minutes. If you use washrags for hot compresses, never use the same rag twice - wash the rags with bleach after each use. The same rule applies with cotton balls, Q-tips, and paper towels - never use the same object twice when touching your ear. Be sure to wash your hands before touching your ear, and never pick/play with your ear. Pesky 'crusties' should be soaked and gently removed with a Q-tip. Don't pick at your ear with dirty hands!
If you're interested in having your rook pierced, and have the patience to care for it - I saw go for it! Remember - always do your research and find a reputable piercer when getting any piercing; in the end, you'll be glad that you took the time to do so.
Disclaimer: The experience above was submitted by a BME reader and has not
been edited. We can not guarantee that the experience is accurate, truthful,
or contains valid or even safe advice. We strongly urge you to use BME and
other resources to educate yourself so you can make safe informed decisions.
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