Up until yesterday I had seven piercing. Three in my navel, both lobes (at 4g), and an industrial. I hated having my industrial pierced, it hurt so bad and I was in pain all day. I swore to myself that I would never get another cartilage piercing, ever again. This was until the industrial started looking wonky. Turns out, the angle was all wrong so I could not wear one bar in both piercing. I talked to my mom and decided to get a custom bar made, except get a third hole between the two. As my 16th birthday grew closer I started looking on BME at other ear piercing. I have always loved the look of the tragus piercing and thought I should get that instead, so not all of my piercing would be on one ear. My mom said okay and it was set. June 17, I turned 16. Finally able to get pierced by the man who helped me heal out my industrial and my navel. I called to make sure he was working and I could go on Thursday or Friday.
At A Glance Author Jessica Contact Jessica@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Alan Landsman Studio Rock A Billy Location Lauderhill, FL Thursday rolls around (my birthday) and my mom tells me we won't have enough time to go. I was upset but made nervous by the waitress we had when we went to Chili's. She had her tragus pierced and said it was the worst pain of her life. Oh no. that night I went out and had fun for my birthday. The next morning my best friend and I called to make sure they were open and my brother drove us over. We had to pick up the paper that needed to be signed and notarized. After going to 4 different places we finally found a notary and were on our way. After we arrived back at the studio the piercer (Alan) was busy with someone and there was another women in front of us. I was growing more nervous as the minutes passed. Everything I heard told me that this piercing would be extremely painful. After the women before me left Alan came out and had us fill out a little more paper work. My mom told me she did not want to watch so my friend and I went into the piercing room. By this point I w as shaking. Alan kept talking to me and trying to make me calm down. I asked if it was ok if I flipped out and cried because of the pain, he laughed and said it wouldn't hurt at all. He found a totally cute curved barbell and asked if I liked it. I did and so he had me sit down so he could mark the spot on my ear. He had to wait for me to stop moving so much though. After he marked me he asked me to look in the mirror. I go up and checked it out in the mirror across the room, it was a little bit to high. I told him so and he said it no problem, that's why I had you look . After he moved it down a little bit it was perfect!
He asked me to lay down on the table and take off my hat. My friend came over to me so I could squeeze her hand. He told me to turn my head away from him so he could get to it but I sad no way. I was shaking really bad and quite close to tears. He told me that I needed to turn my head and it would be over really fast so I did. He placed the receiving tube in my ear and told me to take a deep breath in. I stuttered no and that was when I started crying. I was already squeezing my friends hand and then, without being able to control myself I was breathing in big gasping breaths. After the first one let out Alan pushed the needle through. I let out a scream but not from the pain, only from the surprise of him doing it. Within seconds it was over but the tears were still streaming down my face. He told me to relax and it was all over, the piercing looked amazing! He put the CBB in and screwed the ball on tight. He told me to just stay laying there until I was ok and calmed down enough. A few minutes later I was alright, although feeling a little weak, and I got up to look in the mirror. I loved it. It looked amazing. I sat myself back on the table and gave him my moms credit card. Still a bit shaken up but not crying. My mom came back to see how it went and was a little freaked out that I cried. After Alan came back he explained to her that it was just nerves that made me cry, I had started crying before the needle even touched my ear. He had me stay there and relax for a few more minutes and made sure I knew what to do to care for it. Asked if I had enough soap and just made small talk while I calmed down.
Once I was calmed I stood up and had him look at my navel to make sure it was healing ok and asked him about a custom bar for my industrial. He told me about this place nearby that made their own jewelry and that I should be able to get one there. I was beyond surprised that it didn't hurt at all by this point. We paid the $40 for the piercing and I tipped him, I tipped a little too much but I felt bad for crying. After I got home we left to my grandpa's house for the weekend. Once we arrived here I did a nice long salt soak and was surprised to see a few small drops of blood in the water after I was finished. I then took a shower and washed it up, being very gentle. Then I went to bed. No pain so far. After I awoke it was still pain-free. I went to the pool and tried my best to keep it away from the water, however a few drops got on it. It shouldn't be too big of a deal. On the way home my mom, not thinking, grabbed my head and hit my ear. That didn't even hurt too bad. It hurt a little but within a minute it was fine. I was astonished by the lack of pain associated with this piercing. Even though it is only day two of having this, I am already in love with my new hole. Hopefully the rest of the healing period is as uneventful as these first two days. I have been going to Alan for about a year now, but this is the first piercing he has done for me. Before I was too young. He helped me heal my industrial and put separate bars in the holes when it got wonky. He stretched my ears from 14g to 4g (over time, of course!) and gave me advice on my navel. Now he has pierced me and I am glad I can go to him, from now on, to get the rest of my new holes. I would recommend to anyone in the area to go to him.