I saw a picture of someone with an anti tragus here on bme. I was intrigued, it looked quite unusual. That was a few months ago. Then I was out shopping one day and I noticed a girl working in a shop with it done, so I asked her where she got it done. (My usual place, skinworks in Belfast, they wouldnt do it for me). She told me that the Otherside studio in town did it.
At A Glance Author kathy Contact kathyspeltwithak@hotmail.com When A week ago Artist dunno Studio Otherside Location Belfast, N.Ireland A few weeks later I was in town with my friend, and we were in the 'in-shops' mall, and walked past otherside. I thought I would go in and enguire about it, so I did. The woman at reception said that there would be no problem, except I needed ID. I didn't have any with me, so I was just going to have to come back tomorrow.
The next day I met up with my friend Tom in town. He said he would go wherever I wanted in town, as he didn't care! (not like Tom, he always has a huge list of shops he wants to visit).
So I took him into otherside with me. He was very excited to be going into a piercing studio with me, his first time! So we went in and I told the reception lady I wanted my anti tragus done, and gave her my ID. She helped me fill in my form and I paid before I got it done. £18, thought it was a bit expensive, but I really wanted it done. The piercer man asked me if I wanted it done with a ball closure ring or a bar. As I am still at school, and our school is pretty strict about uniform (only one pair of studs in each ear lobe) I decided on a bar as it would just look like a lobe piercing!
The next thing I knew was that the guy had called me in to the piercing room. When I found out that Tom was not allowed in with me I nearly cried because I wanted to share this experience with him properly!! I was not nervous, I have had mm right ear pierced professionally with a needle 2 times before and kind of knew what to expect!
So I went in and sat on the couch. He had a look at my left ear (the one I wanted pierced) and said that I had a 'good nub' to pierce! Lucky me! So he cleaned it and marked it, whilst wearing gloves. He told me to look at it in the mirror. I got him to move it a few millimetres to the right. I explained that i was extremely fussy about my positionings! He smirked and I told him to go ahead with the procedure.
The packet with new clean needle in it was sitting before me on a clean table. I had never seen a piercing needle fully because I had always turned away when my other piercer went to show me it, I always panicked! But I was proud of myself for managing to look at it properly! Anyways. He sprayed my ear with what was meant to numb it from pain. Well, I do not believe it worked because when he put the needle through i almost vomited - PAIN! It seemed to take him forever for push the needle through! I think he did it freehand too. Anyways, the needle was through and he clipped off the plastic tubing that was left in my ear. He put the 1.2mm bar though my ear and took a few minutes to screw the ball in, which felt a bit uncomfortable, but it was alright!
I was done. I was fine! It was a bit sore and raw, but that was to be expected! He told me how to clean it and some other stuff. We got into conversation about what he does, it turns out he does every kind of piercing. I would love my sideburn done, I know it would reject after a short while, but I think it would be interesting! We had some more small talk, and then I left and said thank you. I would definitely go back there for more piercings in the future, especially my sideburn. He has been piercing since he was 13 (he is now 28) and I would definitely trust him.
That day my piercing got really sore, especially when I smiled, so I had to try and keep a straight face which was so hard. The next day was New Years Eve. My ear was really sore when I smiled. It was not very practical when I went out that night. I partied so hard, had so much fun regardless of my new and sore piercing!
It been about 2 weeks now since I had it done. It is still really quite swollen, but that is normal apparently! When I go out into the cold Northern Irish air it can get quite sore still, but the guy who pierced it had a look at it last week and said it looked really well for being quite fresh! I would recommend this piercing to anyone, especially people who do not smile much! Seriously, just go for it, it looks really well and will get you much attention when you show it off. Everyone I know marvels at its unusualness and awkward looking placement! It was well worth it though because I can keep it in for school!