So I have been checking out BMEzine for 3 or 4 years now, ever since I was researching for my first tattoo. Well I have always been into tattoos and never thought much to piercing since my lobes are attached and kind of weird, but as I was looking through some of the sections I found the conch piercing, and I was amazed. It seemed like the only piercing for my ears, because of the shape of them. About a year and a half ago I found this wonderful piercing and set my heart out for it.
At A Glance Author Beaudoin Contact DMBeaud@aol.com When It just happened Artist wish i got her name Studio Adorn Body Art Location Beaverton, Oregon Big problem was my job at the time, working at a movie theater and they already had me covering up the tattoos, which was expected, but also very strict on piercing, even ear piercing. Well I figured soon enough I would leave that job for school and then the other problem would only be the parentals. Yes I am 20 right now and so I can legally make any decision on tats and piercing I want, but I still live at home and really don't need pissed off parents for this. My dad comes from a pretty strict catholic family where piercing were only for girls on the lobes and tattoos were for sailors and bikers. Thankfully my mom is pretty laid back about that stuff and she has always been okay as long as my dad was.
Well he has lived through my 3 tattoos (so far) and so I had to convince him of the piercing. My mom gave the okay a few days ago when I couldn't stand to wait any longer and said as long as my dad was cool with it I could get it. Well I rushed over to my grandmas to ask my dad since he was helping her out there, and just asked him straight up, "can I get my ear pierced?" He thought awhile and looked a little away from me, so I was pretty nervous he was upset over this question and a break from his ideals on the subject. And I was really surprised at his answer. He told me, "you are almost 21 years old now and have made a lot of decisions without any of my help and from what I see, it has taken you to good things. You can make this choice on your own and don't have to ask me anymore." WOW, I was very happy, I kind of expected that answer but it still blew my away. I could have just waited another 3 weeks and done it when I left for college, but I am happy I asked my parents and they gave their permission.
So I was off, I planned on getting his answer and taking off that afternoon to get it done, and I did. I called up my friends and told them the news and asked if they wanted to come (since they have watched me get my tattoos, and watched my friend Dan get his eyebrow pierced.) We got together and took off to Adorn Body Art.
I have been there once before trying to get an appointment for my friend Krista to get her tattoo on her 18th birthday, and they couldn't get her in, so this time I called and they told me to come in anytime for piercing since they don't take that long. They place is very nice, kind of cramped in the "lobby" area, but the artists were all very nice and everyone seemed to get along, even the customers as they came and went. I went up and told the guy what I wanted and he got some forms out and then we kind of had a pow wow about what gauge to get. I was thinking 12g, but he said that was kind of small and it helped the healing to have it bigger, and also helped the fact if I wanted to go bigger later on I wouldn't have to worry about painful stretching the conch if I just got a good size now. So I decided on an 8g glass bar, and so he got that put in sterilization stuff while I filled out the forms and checked out the aftercare sheet.
One of the other piercers came by and basically made me her little brother by joking, calling me a pussy for not going bigger and smacking me around. I wish I got her name because she was really cool. Well she took me back to one of the piercing rooms and sat me down and made small talk while she got the stuff out, cleaned and marked up my ear. She gave me a range of between 2 dots where I could get it done and I told her just above the bottom dot. She remarked and I checked it out and was very pleased. I had been telling her about my light headedness with my tattoos and my experience earlier in the day asking my dad and she joked around some more and made me feel at home. While sitting in the chair I noticed a stun gun laying above the CD player, and thought to ask about it, but decided not to bother and that I should just be good. Well we were getting ready and after hearing my fainting stories she ask if id feel better laying on the medical bed, and knowing myself I decided to go with it. I laid down and she got her stuff together and got the needle out, man was that needle big, but I wasn't too worried about it. She was lining the needle up and warned I might feel a prick as she put it in position, she pricked my barely and I guess I was already bleeding. I had a feeling I was a bleeder since my ears turn red with blood when I get tired. So she wiped that up and got me going on my breaths. Breath in, breath out, I did that for awhile getting used to the rhythm and on out she pierced it, all I felt was just a pinching and a LOT of pressure on the cartilage. Thing was she didn't get all the way through the first time. She was like okay one more deep breath and out and she drove it home. I laid there and just waited for it to go through and POP it was done. The jewelry was super easy as she slid the needle out the jewelry went in and it was done. SO simple, so easy. She told me I did a good job and grabbed the mirror and I checked out my new hole and was very happy with it. I knew once it was °>ÃwŒë healed id get a CBR for it and it would be perfect. Well she gave me some lollipops for being such a good patient and to get my blood sugar up. And I chilled while my whole world came back down. She went out to help a coworker and took the stun gun with her and zapped it in the air. My friend Dan said she came out from the back and flashed him a look with the stun gun for fun. I came out very relieved and happily handed over my debit card, paid and tipped and then took off still on my adrenaline high.
It is the second day of having it and there isn't any pain except for being achy when I moved it. The conch has really made me more aware of exactly what my ear does when I talk or move my head. All in all it has been a great experience and I am very happy with my new and first piercing. I would suggest it to anyone who has there heart set on it. Everyone is different, but don't worry too much about the pain, for me it was nothing and I glad.