After a long time thinking about it, I decided to get a rook piercing. I'm 15, so of course I had to convince my parents to let me get this done. I had to get good grades, and downsize my ear gauges from 00's to 2's.
At A Glance Author Kelly Contact flipperxbabies@hotmail.com When A month ago Artist Bradd Studio Skin Deep Ink Location Indianapolis, Indiana
I debated on whether or not I wanted my conch, tragus, rook, or industrial pierced. I ruled out the industrial and my conch. After reading all the risks on numerous websites, and the care taking of it, I decided to get my rook done. I think they are beautiful, on just about everyone.
At the end of this past school year, my mom finally decided it was time to let me get it done. I have been to Skin Deep before, watching a few friends get pierced, and one of my friends knew the piercer. I have seen some of Bradd's work, and found it all to be done well.
We called ahead, and they said that they usually don't take appointments, and just to walk in. So, it was time. I was getting it done on a Friday, all week I couldn't wait. Then Friday came along. I had my best friend come with me, because she has been pierced there, and just for support, because my mom was going to wait in the car after she signed.
We walked in; I was nervous and excited all at once. I told him what I wanted done, and he said "ouch" with a big smile on his face. I was thinking... awesome. I knew it was going to hurt from reading stories on here, and seeing pictures made it look very painful. My mom came in, we showed our ID's, and she signed for me. Then she left as quickly as possible. I picked out my jewelry, and he went to go clean it. I was even more nervous at this point. After he got done cleaning, he had me come to the back with him, and had me sit in this.. dentist looking chair.
I was holding the sides of the chair, and he hadn't even cleaned my ear yet. So then, he cleaned the area where the piercing would be done. He asked me which side I wanted it done on, and I told him the right, because it looked more even to me because I already have a cart. Piercing on the left ear. I had five in left lobe, the first being a 00 gauge ( I wasn't going to start downsizing until I after I got the piercing done in case my mom backed out ). Then I have one in the cart towards the top of my ear. On the right side, I had 6 going up my ear, a little past the middle of my ear. First one being 00. All the others were 16's. He then marked it with a toothpick. He marked it in two different places, and because I'm difficult, I had him pierce me in between the two markings.
It was time, after reading all of the stories, and talking to a few friends who had it done, I was expecting hell. I was expecting the needle to go up, from the inner part of my ear, to the top, but he pierced it downwards. He set the needle against my ear after experimenting with different ways he could pierce it without stabbing me.
I saw the needle in a sterile package. He took off the gloves that he had used when marking my ear washed his hands, then put new ones on. He pulled the needle out, and set it against my ear.
With the cold sharp metal against my ear, the knot in my stomach seemed to get a little tighter. I gripped the chair, looking at my friend. She kind of gave me this "this is gonna hurt like hell" face. I knew this was going to hurt. He told me to breathe in, and breathe out 3 times. Apparently I'm bad at breathing because he started laughing saying 'no, let's try this again.' And then after the third inhale, he told me to hold it. He pushed the needle through.
I was expecting a lot more pain than I actually went through. Expecting hell, I guess, made the piercing not seem to be as painful. It hurt a little right at first, with the needle going through the first layer, and after that, it just seemed like a lot of pressure. I asked him 'Is the needle all the way through?' He's said yes. I was thinking..that's it?
He then got the 16 gauge ring out, stretched it out a little, and put it at the end of the hollow needle, he told me this would be the worst part, so I held the chair. It didn't seem to be any different than just the pressure I felt. He got the ring through, then closed the ring a little bit and popped the captive bead in. That caused a little more pressure because he kind of had to pull on it a little bit, but nothing intolerable. The adrenaline rush was wonderful.
After debating on whether or not we should wipe up the blood or let it run down my neck to scare my mom, we decided to wipe it up. He cleaned it off again, and then held a paper towel under the piercing, where it was bleeding from.
I had never heard of this happening before in stories I've read and heard, but I felt off-balance for about an hour afterwards. It felt like, my ear had to pop and there was a lot of pressure like..inside my ear. It was weird, but he told me that he has heard of it happening, so I wasn't too worried about it. I guess something messed with the whole.. Equilibrium thing.. I don’t know. He asked me if I was familiar with the after care, and I told him yes, because, all I really do is read about risks and look at pictures of any and every kind of piercing online. Most of the time- on bme. I ran through it with him, just to make sure I was correct, and he said yes.
I went and paid for it, it was $35. I tipped him, and walked out (feeling off balance), and went to the car. My mom looked at it, said that it wasn't as ugly as she thought it would be. (Thanks mom). I got home, and sea salt soaked it for about 15 minutes, and then later that night for about 10 minutes before cleaning it with dial soap.
It's been almost 2 weeks, and I sea salt soak it about 3 times a day now, usually for about 5 minutes. I clean it in the morning in the shower, even though I've been told to clean it at night. But.. I'm not all that active or anything, and it seems to be doing alright just cleaning it after shampooing and what not. Everything seems to be doing great. I never get crusties, I did for the first few days, but not anymore. I can't rotate it through yet while I clean it. I can move it from side to side, but not actually through the piercing. I'm thinking that's okay though, because I don’t want to create any scar tissue or anything. So I guess that'll be okay.
I highly recommend Skin Deep Ink. The people there are friendly. They're very sarcastic, but they're friendly. Bradd's awesome. He treats you like he's known you forever, and I don't know, just makes you feel very comfortable..other than the 'ouch' he said when I walked in. They're VERY clean, and VERY precise. If you have any questions about it, or questions for me or you want pictures, you can email me, or my IM me on flipperxbabies. Feel free to. I plan to get more piercings in the future.. I've wanted to be a piercer since I was about 13. Hopefully I'll be able to talk my mom into a tragus at the end of the upcoming semester of school. Doubtful, but maybe.