I'm 29 years old, and have always thought about getting a piercing. I'd never been able to (or been in a position where I could "get away with it") before, due to various things, including working full-time or almost full-time since the age of 16 and having to look "professional" while on the job.
At A Glance Author mrbill Contact mrbill@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Justin Studio Atomic Tattoo and Body Piercing Location Austin, TX I've done a lot of things over the past couple of months out of the "what the hell, might as well do it before I turn 30" factor. A little over a month ago, I shaved my head. Two weeks later, I did it again. I'm letting it all grow back now because my wife prefers me to not look like a bouncer.
She doesn't have pierced ears, but was talking about it a couple of weeks ago. I got the wild idea that we could both go together somewhere and get both of hers pierced, and I could get my left earlobe done.
A few days later, she dropped the idea, but I kept it in the back of my mind, reading up on BME and various Usenet groups. I noticed that one of my coworkers had three CBRs in his left ear and two in his right, and asked him how much it hurt. He reached over and pinched my earlobe, saying "about that much".
Yesterday, I was able to leave work early (comp time) and decided to just go for it. Unlike a tattoo, a piercing is fairly and easily reversible; if it causes problems, I'll just take it out. I went home and told my wife that I wanted to get my ear pierced (I'd previously mentioned to her that I was thinking about it) and she was skeptical. "You'll look like Bruno the mean bouncer." For a while she tried to talk me out of it, but ended up saying "If you want to do it, do it!".
I looked on the Internet at various piercing places in Austin, and asked some highly-pierced friends for recommendations. I first thought of Forbidden Fruit and Glory Hole, both downtown, but by this time it was close to 5pm and neither my wife nor I wanted to drive downtown and deal with rush-hour traffic getting there. We realized that Atomic Tattoo and Body Piercing was just "down the street" relatively, on Burnet Road, so we called and they said to come on in.
After one final round of "Are you SURE you want to do this?", both from my wife and my conscience, we jumped in the truck. Five minutes later, we were there. One of the tattoo artists said that their piercer was busy, but would be with us in a minute. We spent the time looking at jewelry. While we were looking, another guy came in and asked about getting a PA and a tattoo - apparently he'd just turned 18.
A few minutes later, Justin (the piercer) came out, having apparently just done a tongue piercing judging from the way the girl was talking. He gave her care tips, and asked if he could help us. I said "Yeah, uhm, I'm thinking of getting my ear pierced.." and must have been visibly nervous. I asked if it was possible to use a small barbell instead of a loop or CBR. He said "Yeah; that's kinda different, but we can do it no problem". We walked back to his room and he showed me the choices he would recommend.
I debated for a few minutes between an 18ga, a 14ga, and a 12ga 1/4" surgical steel barbell (all in their sterile packaging with needles). At first I was leaning towards the smaller 18ga, but my wife suggested that I go ahead with at least the 14ga; easier to put smaller jewelry in a bigger hole than have to stretch a hole later. I picked out the 14ga.
Justin had us go back out front, carded me, and we filled out paperwork while he prepped. A couple of minutes later, everything was ready, and I was shaking (jittery and stomach butterflies from apprehension). I got in the chair, and my wife (who hates needles) stayed out in the hallway. He raised the chair up, cleaned my ear, marked the spot with a toothpick, and grabbed it with the clamps.
I felt light-headed, and for a second, thought I was going to pass out. "Okay, inhale." I inhaled. "Exhale." I exhaled. I felt the sting of the needle go in. I think the sensation of it sliding through my ear was worse than the pain itself. Neither was particularly bad, just DIFFERENT. Also, I no longer felt like I was going to pass out - definitely the endorphin rush that I'd read about on BME and other places. "Okay, its done, barbell going in now." I felt a slight sting as the barbell went in, then he screwed the end on and was done. "Did it bleed?" "Not at all."
"Are you okay?" "Yeah, I'm fine!" He lowered the chair, and we went up front to pay. Total cost for the piercing and jewelry was $40, and I tipped him an extra $10. Grabbed some bumperstickers for the truck, some aftercare instructions (which they have printed on the opposite side of nice laminated business cards), and headed home.
My ear burned for a couple of hours, then settled down to a dull throb. Justin recommended taking some Advil, so I did that as soon as I got home. I've been cleaning the piercing with cotton swabs and antiseptic wash. Last night I got a bit of blood (from the back of the earlobe, never the front), but I haven't had much seepage of pus or lymph and no blood at all this morning. I also have to not sleep on my left side for a week or so.
It's been almost 24 hours, and I still have the "wow" factor that I now have a pierced ear with metal running through it. I don't have any plans to get anything else pierced for now, but will probably change the straight barbell to a circular one once everything is healed nicely.
Now I just need to talk my wife into getting her ears done!