So I wanted a third hole in my right ear, and a second in my left. I'd had terrible experiences with the rest of my holes; the first lobes were done at Claire's (which we all know is bad, bad, bad) when I was nine. Of course they got super infected, and I took them out about a year later. The holes never really healed up, but whenever I would put the earrings back in they were hurt like a mofo. I eventually had to have surgery on one of the lobes to remove scar tissue. Then when I was thirteen, I decided to get them repierced and somehow convinced my mother to let me get a cartilage done as well. We went to Claire's again (where was my brain?) and got the cartilage done, which stung, but they refused to do the lobe because there was still some scar tissue. And the cartilage of course got infected (duh!) and I got terrible keloid scarring, which had to be surgically removed as well. Plus it hurt for about a year to sleep on (which should have been a tip-off).
At A Glance Author anonymous When It just happened Artist Me! Studio My room, the bathroom, the kitchen.... Location Seattle So I finally did some research, and discovered that gun piercing is terrible for your ear. So when it came time for a second lobe piercing, I decided to go to this really clean, but expensive, professional tattoo and piercing parlor. They are really sterile and it is probably the best place in Seattle to get piercings done. The guy who did it was really nice and answered all of my questions, and basically just made me feel really at ease. He did a great job repiercing the left lobe and giving me a second hole in my right ear. He used stainless steel hoops, and everything healed up right away.
But I've always wanted three holes in one ear, and with my cartilage piercing gone, I decided to get another lobe piercing in each ear. But wait! My mother absolutely refused, pointing to the fact that I had had surgery twice and infections galore, and piercing anything else was just tempting fate. But did I listen? Of course not. I resolved to do the piercing myself. I bought stainless steel hoops from the same super sterile place I had gone to before. I tried to convince my best friend (who did her own ears) to do the piercings for me on New Year's, but she refused, saying "I like you too much to poke holes in you." Well I like me too, but guess what I was about to do...
So on New Year's Day, I, slightly hungover, prepared to pierce my ears. I found a needle and boiled the shit out of it. I cleaned my ear with hydrogen peroxide, as it was all that I could find, and got out the stainless steel hoops. I marked the spot with a pen, and, after washing my hands, stuck the needle through my lobes. It didn't really hurt, it was just weird to see it in my ear. I had some trouble getting it to come out the back, and I hurt my finger. I took the needle out, and tried to get the hoop in. But it wouldn't go in! I could get it almost a the way, but it wouldn't come out the back. I couldn't figure it out. I struggled for almost an hour, but it wasn't about to go in. I ended up taking it out and shoving the needle in several times, and at one point threading the needle...I tried everything. It just wouldn't go in. Completely frustrated, I found my studs from my first piercing (from back in third grade!) and shoved one in. I didn't even clean it first! I d on't know what the hell I was thinking...
Reserved to the fact that the hoops would not work, I boiled the needle and the other stud, and pierced the other ear. It was easier this time, and definetly took less time. I took a shower and cleaned both ears with antibacterial soap. I did a salt soak later that night and went to bed.
Well, that was yesterday, and they still hurt this morning. I tried to put the hoops in, but of course that didn't work. The one I had trouble with has swollen up, and is swallowing the stud. I took some Ibuprofen, and did another salt soak, and they hurt less now. I'm just afraid the stud is too tight and will cause an infection. I know that if I got the hoops in they would be fine, because then they would be ten times easier to clean and stainless steel if better for new piercings anyways. Self piercing is never something you should do if you don't know what you're doing (like me). I mean, people have been piercing themselves forever unsanitarily, but how long did they live? I'll just keep them clean and hope they heal. Hopefully at the end of the month I can put the hoops in so they'll heal faster :).