First of all, I've been really into piercings since I was 12. I have 11 piercings (4 in right lobe, 2 in left lobe, left rook, tongue, left nipple, navel) only the rook, tongue, and nipple were professionally done.
At A Glance Author Danielle Contact oh_froggit@yahoo.com IAM SouthernLush When It just happened Artist Mike Wilcher Studio Urban X-Change Location Chesapeake Sq. Mall, Chesapeake, VA I live in Georgia, but I went up to Virginia to visit my cousin, who just had a baby. On Friday, June 25th, we decided that she needed a break, and we went to the mall and the movies. While we were there, I said I needed some new balls for my tongue. We walked into Urban X-Change, and I just got that urge, you know the one...I NEED A NEEDLE! So I've wanted a snug done for a while now, but just haven't gotten around to doing it yet. I ask the guy behind the counter (who is absolutely edible looking) how much it would cost, what jewelry he would use, etc. He asked me where I wanted it placed, and I told him smack dab in the middle, and he was like, you don't want it to go through the lobe, too?? I still have no idea what he was talking about, because the only snug piercings I've ever seen only go through the back "curl" of the ear. So I decided that I wouldn't get it done. Then he told me, "a tragus would be beautiful on you though, you have the perfect ear for tha t piercing." I had thought about that one in the past as well, so decided that I'd do it. I asked him what the pain would be like, compared to a rook, and he told me it would be a little less, but still pretty painful.
He had a girl getting her tongue done before me, so he told us just to look around for a little while. So we sat there and talked about how hot he was, how we wanted to nibble his lips, how we wouldn't mind just gobbling him up, etc. He came out, gave me a killer smile, and told us to come on back. He was asking me what all I've had pierced, how they healed, what I used for aftercare, etc. He made sure I was watching as he pulled everything out of the packages, and changed his gloves, made sure I wasn't allergic to Iodine or shellfish, told me what he'd use instead if I was, and all that good stuff. Then he had me stand up so he could mark my ear, it looked great, so I was really. He kept asking me if I was nervous (to which I replied, "no, just excited!") and told me that if I got uncomfortable at any time during the procedure to let him know and we'd take a break. He stuck the receiving tube in my ear, to make sure it would fit and he wouldn't need a smaller one, to ld me to look the other way, and helped me to regulate my breathing. In through the nose, out through the mouth 3 times, relax the muscles, deeeeeep breath through the nose, slowly out the mouth. I hear a small crunch, but thought maybe he had bent the tube or something, then he told me that the needle was in, and asked if I needed a break. I was like, "what?!?! I didn't even feel anything!!" He put the jewelry in, dabbed the blood off, and told me that he was very impressed. I looked in the mirror, and told him the same. He gave me the aftercare sheet (just because he had to, he said he was sure I knew how to heal it out). He gave me some q-tips, incase it started bleeding, I tipped him, and off we went.
A few minutes after we left the shop I forgot it was even there. My lobes hurt more than this, I swear!!! Chewing, talking, and laughing didn't hurt, but they did make it bleed a bit, because that part of your ear moves with your jaw, and by the time I cleaned it before bed, I had some blood running down the inside of my ear, but I had been talking and laughing a LOT because we had a lot of friends over. So far this has been the easiest piercing I've ever had. I've even smacked it on accident a few times, but even then I had no pain.
The only thing I didn't like about the shop were the aftercare instructions. The said to use 1 teaspoon of sea salt in 1/2 a cup of warm water. I was like "WHAT?!?!" that is WAY too salty. I mean seriously, you should use 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt in 1 cup (8 oz) of water. It should be no saltier than your tears, correct?
Oh and I forgot, he showed me (without my asking) the spore test results from the clave, which is a VERY VERY good thing. Not many places I've gone have done this without me asking. I was impressed. :)
This is definately a piercing (and piercer) I would recommend to anyone.