I'm a teenager, living in a total piercing desert. After having my navel pierced by a local "certified professional" at a beauty salon, who probably does make-up and nails too (that's the way things are here, the only part of the procedure that totally matched with the experiences here on BME was really the one where I signed papers about it not being they're fault if I died), I've finally started to pierce myself. I've also decided to write about my attempts, maybe someone finds my experiences useful. The first one I'm writing about is actually the fourth one I've done, so far the second one I've managed to perform somewhat "properly".
At A Glance Author Menah Contact Menah@bme.anon IAM Menah When It just happened Artist me Studio my room Location Estonia Before I start: DO NOT PIERCE YOURSELF UNLESS THERE'S NO OTHER WAY AND YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT OR UNLESS IT'S A WELL-PLANNED SPIRITUAL EVENT. ALWAYS TRY TO BE AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE, BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!
The "why?" part
I've been in love with piercing for a long time. I've had my navel done (grew out after 8 months due to an accident), nostril (self-done no 2), lobes gunned 3 times (1 repierce). My to do/to get done list is very long, on the top there are nape and venoms, both of witch I'd probably never attempt myself. Here where I live, navel and gunned nostrils and lobes are the only things you can get done. Here are no real piercing or tattoo salons, the closest ones are quite far and even those probably aren't very professional. So my choices are: to put everything off for a very long time, to have someone gun my holes, to do it myself. The second one is of course out of the question, the first one would be really hard, specially because when I'd finally be able to travel far enough on my own I might already me working and have a no-piercings policy (my school allows piercings). That only leaves me with the oppurtunity to do it on my own.
Preparation
My friend's mom is a nurse and they have all sorts of needles around the house. So I convinced my friend to give me one. I shamefully have to admit I've absolutely forgotten the gauge, but it was really small, maybe 20 gauge. The other equiptment consisted of cotton pads, some cork, brilliant green (that's how we call it, english isn't my first language, sorry) and some rubbing alcohol.
The piercing itself (the easiest part)
It was the third piercing in my right lobe, so first I took out all the other rings, cleaned and marked with the green stuff. I held the cork behind my ear and used two mirrors and a ruler to line the needle up as good as I could. Then came the hesitation, but my hands weren't as shaky as they usually are since this one was my second piercing that night (the first one was more of a play-piercing) and I'd had some champaigne too (I wasn't drunk!). So I took some deep breaths and pushed. It hurt more that my navel (It has been poked 3 times in total) and maybe even more than my nostril (poked twice). As always, I didn't get the needle quite through with the first push, it didn't come out from the other side. I threw away the cork and held my lobe between my fingers. After a few seconds of breathing I pushed again and it was through!
Jewelry insertion (the hardest and bloodiest part)
After getting the needle through I had to either follow the jewelry through with it or pull it out. Of course I tried the first option, but failed because I pierced from front to back and couldn't see what I was doing. Then I pulled the needle out, but the jewelry (surgical steel stud) went only half way through). At that point my ear was bleeding quite a bit witch I hadn't expected. I was starting to lose hope, but still decided to try to reinsert the needle. It went in suprisingly easaly, didn't hurt as I had expected to.
I decided to try different jewelry and quickly cleaned a golden ring. I don't know how, but I managed to follow the needle through from back to front with it! I couldn't belive I had done it!
Aftermath:
It bled and hurt a lot more than I expected to.
By some miracle I got the jewelry through.
It's day two and it hurts.
The spiritual side
This piercing actually has no specific meaning. But getting pierced has become a pleasure for me. It's like a drug: it causes addiction, it gets you high, it never feels like the first time again. When my hands shake and my heart races I actually feel terrific. I feel happy. I feel powerful.
Ofcourse all my close friends who know the truth are pretty shocked. But it doesn't matter. They have to accept it. One day I'll suspend and show them the pics...