Last week, I pierced my tragus.
At A Glance Author anonymous When A week ago Artist me Studio Some time last week Location My bedroom It wasn't that hard at all. Nope. Months before I had pierced my cartilage twice, the second time I had done it, the safety pin (not so safe, in fact, I didn't clean it) I was using got stuck and I couldn't pull it back out- that was quite a scare! So before I go any further- DO NOT SELF PIERCE... unless you read up on it before hand like I did ;) and make sure everything you use is clean... please?
More on my cartilage-
It bled. I knew it would bleed but... it wouldn't stop bleeding... it just wouldn't stop! I finally got it to stop after about 20 minutes of me holding a tissue up to my ear, hiding from my parents.(I never got consent before any of my piercings, all of them my parents had to find out about). Later, the next day, I brushed it with the back of my hand accidentally in gym class and it started bleeding yet again! I didn't know if that was normal or not- so please- read up! Don't be stupid like me!
The tragus though is a different story... a story with no happily ever after though for me :'(
Now, when I pierced my tragus it was a spur-of-the-moment deal. I had been looking at pictures on BME all morning and I just had to have my tragus done- I HAD TO!
I went down to my room at 10 p.m. that night and pulled out a straight pin, the kind you use with sewing, and I let it sit in alcohol while I cleaned my ear and numbed it with an ice cube.
I took my needle out of the alcohol and dried it off with a paper towel and took a deep breath. I brought the needle up to my left ear, steadying myself with my compact- yes, a little make up compact, between my knees. I placed the needle where I wanted my little tragus and I pushed.
It was pretty quick that it went through- there wasn't even a sickening little pop like the one I got on my cartilage... I wiggled the needle around a little bit to stretch the hole and then I pulled it out. There wasn't even a drop of blood! It was kind of disappointing in a way.
I couldn't get my (22 gage, regular stud size) earring though the hole- the needle surprisingly was much thinner than the earring.
I was ticked off so I pierced my tragus again, a little lower this time. This time the needle went in even faster than the first time!
Still, the needle wouldn't go through! So I did it again...
This time, after a few minutes of working with the earring I got it in! The back of the earring was tough to get it in, between me sitting with a compact between my knees and my sister in the next room telling me to go to bed, me trying to hide what I was doing from her. It was pretty funny, but then again, I'm not a self-proclaimed genius of a piercer now am I?
The whole procedure took about.. oh... maybe 10 minutes tops- that includes everything from cleaning everything to getting the back on the earring.
By the time I was done with getting everything together I wasn't sure what to do next- I wanted to pierce my other ear but I should wait until my left one healed so it would be a lot easier to sleep, besides, it was late and I was tired and had a bit of an adrenaline rush and my hands were shaking.
It wasn't comfortable to sleep on, but a lot easier than it was for me to sleep when I first got my tragus. I didn't care though- I was so happy!
When I got to school the next morning black girls were looking at me like I was crazy, saying it was disgusting and painful looking but my friend Jessica was freaking out- talking about how badly she wanted to do hers, asking me a million questions! People either seemed to find it incredibly ugly or incredibly beautiful- there was no in-between. I think I was maybe one of 3 people in my school of about 1,000 students who have that done so I was happy you know? It was pretty unique. I loved the attention though, I usually like to blend in and be alone but this was great- people noticing something I did on my own, no one helped me- that sort of little immature happiness.
Then I got home.
Your tragus you'd think would be easy to hide with your hair if your hair comes down to past the middle of your back like mine does but it's not. You can still see it with your hair down if you're talking to someone directly in front of you. My parents saw it and I got in trouble for "self-mutilating." So I had to take it out.. *sigh* I miss it... *mourns the death of her piercing*
It's okay though, tomorrow I'm going to get my lobes done :)
Since it's healed shut unfortunately.
So, clean your needles, know what you're doing and be careful. This is a painless, beautiful, fairly unique, easy to do piercing and I'd recommend it to anyone with the right ear for it!
Good luck with yours!