Sometimes you hear about a piercer who has screwed a piercing, but you just ignore it and go see them anyway (because they have good price, and it's a friend of yours... all reasons can be good). But when you see a month later that it was your piercing that he/she screwed up, you will regret that you haven't listen to the gossip.
At A Glance Author kyo Contact j_matou_l@yahoo.com When Three months ago Artist France Hebert Studio 1806 Location Campbellton, NB, Canada I chose my piercer because she was a local, and a friend mine had his labret done there. She did my labret, and used a ring about ¼ inches too small; it rips off and I have to take it out. When she re-pierces it, she gave me a discount on a piercing that I'd get done at the same time. So I got my industrial done. Even if she did screw up my labret about a month before, I thought that she wouldn't screw up twice! Yeah right...
After she was done with my labret, I told her I'd like to get an industrial done for the discount. She asked me what an industrial was; this should have rung a bell, an amateur explaining to a pro. After a few minutes of explanation on industrial and orbital, she marked the helix as I wanted and got her things ready. I closed my eyes trusting her blindly (literally); I thought everything would be ok. I was waiting for the needle to come, but instead I had a piercing gun causing a shock trough my whole body.
It took me about 5 minutes to come back to my self and protest about the use of the gun. I showed her the whole problematic about the use of the gun. I even did the demonstration with the sheet of paper. She, apparently, had absolutely no idea of the problems it could cause. She finally agreed about doing the back one with a needle. (I recently heard that she still use the gun, for other piercings such as nostrils)
It was extremely painful, but I never had any ear piercing, so I thought it was ok. But I couldn't sleep on my ear. It was so red and swollen, even looking at it was painful. And yet, my goal to get the industrial was not reached, I couldn't get my barbell through, the gun only pierced with a 18 gauge, and the barbell is 14 gauge.
On the second week, I stretched the rear piercing to 16g with a claw. I fought with the 14-gauge barbell for over half an hour. A friend of mine got me a 16-gauge piece of jewellery. I was so glad that he had one on hand, and he gave me a hand. As much trouble as I got, I decided not to try my front one because I didn't touch it and it was already stinging. I couldn't sleep on my ear, because it sting in the whole helix. By the end of the week I could lay on my back hole with minor discomfort. But no luck with the front one, it was still red, swollen, and painful.
So on week 3, I got a tapered insertion pin. I stretched my back hole to 14 ga, as it was to be done earlier. When I tried the front hole, the stud became stuck, my friend finally pulling it out. It started to bleed enough to get dirty. Something crusty came out (maybe it was dead skin), and it was stinging like hell. The 14 gauge I had inserted was uncomfortable; I had to put the 16 gauge in instead.
Somewhere between the stretch from 16 ga and 14 ga, I notice that my front helix looked like if I had sunburn. The skin had turned white and was peeling. Dead skin was falling off; I could clearly see it on my black shirt. At that point I had no idea a piercing could get rejected, but this is the first sign I should have seen. But instead I ignore it and started to put polysporin on it to get moisture into it, hoping it would be better when I'd get the single barbell through the holes.
Week 5 come. I give a tried for the link of the industrial. I had a link barrel, so I could have 2 smalls' barbells. It took the about 2 hours to get the 14 ga barbell in the front hole and lined it with the back one, and screw them together (dear goddess, I'm glad Frank is always around). The next day I had to unscrew the barrel because it hurt too much. The front piercing was migrating to straighten up (maybe this 'cause of the rejection, but I believe the process was started way earlier). This was actually very painful, my whole ear was so red, even more than when I got it pierced. There was a small part right over the front hole, which was completely white. It took about 5 days to stop to stinging and look better. But even then, there was no way I could sleep on it. The back hole was fully healed, but the skin on the front one was heavily peeling, even under the polysporin.
Week 6, the front one is definitely getting rejected. Dead skin is constantly falling off, and it scratch like bitch. I took it out, and the jewellery dragged some dead skin with it, doubling the thickness of the barbell. When Frank looked through, he could see the light! It required another week to be able to sleep on my ear.
The front hole took another month to completely re-close, and a definite scar is left on my helix. I have not decided yet if I'm going to get it repierced. But this time I'll get the barbell in the two holes from the beginning. And I did change of piercer! I talked around about it, and I'm not the first one she screwed up, and sadly, not the last! I now try to warn everyone I see to avoid her. It's a real shame that some piercers are giving a bad name to the whole industry. Final word, when you choose a piercer, talk to the people who have been to them before, they are the best reference you can get!