I've been planning my piercings since I was 12. I'd always known that I would get one to mark my 16th birthday (since that is the age you can get piercings without parental permission). So, on the 7th May 2005 I went into Newbury with my best friend Em, we met up with some other friends and I had the money in my grubby little paw and we all walked up to Area 51. I had been pierced in Area 51 before (my lobes) and knew that they were clean, reasonably priced and safe. I had also asked friends where they had been pierced and most if not all of them had said Area 51. So that's where I went. I went to the desk where you pay for stuff and asked them if they could pierce my conch, the lady behind the desk told me it was a tragus piercing (she turned out to be wrong but she probably couldn't see where I was pointing properly, and she doesn't do piercings so it doesn't matter that much). They said that I should come back in half an hour as they had other customers lined up, it was a Saturday so this is understandable, and I saw my friend Faith (15) asking to get her tongue pierced in there at the same time as I wanted my conch doing. I later found that she was asked for ID and ended up getting it done at the less-nice piercing studio in Newbury.
At A Glance Author Alkaline_Fairy Contact Alkaline_Fairy@bme.anon IAM Alkaline_fairy When A month ago Artist Alex? I think Studio Area 51 Location Newbury, England Half an hour later I was back, ready to have a needle pushed through me. At the desk I showed them my ID and filled out a form with lots of health questions on it (anaemia, haemophilia and the like) the top part of this (the bit they didn't keep) was my aftercare sheet and was the same as what I was told by Alex (the piercer) when I was in the room. The form was filled out before I was even allowed to enter the separate piercing room. Anyway, after the form I went into the lovely little piercing room (which became almost a second home to me in the next few days) and sat on the couch type thing. It looks to me like a psychiatrist's couch but it isn't, obviously. It had paper over it and I always feel bad because I always rip the paper, but it gets thrown out afterwards anyway so I shouldn't care that much. Anyway, by this time I was quite nervous, butterflies in my stomach kind of thing. I ignored them as I always do when I'm apprehensive or nervous. The piercer (who I think is called Alex, but I'm not overly sure) talked me through the procedure while putting on gloves, how he was going to clean the area, then mark it, check it then push a needle through it and then insert the jewellery. I was like "ok" it didn't sound too complicated. I talk way too much when I'm getting pierced, and asked him lots of questions. I chose my jewellery (a dark blue ring). He sprayed a metal tray with some sort of cleaning/sterilising solution (I guess, I didn't ask) put the jewellery, needle and clamps and all sorts on it. I can't actually remember what was on it apart from the jewellery and needle. I watched him open everything from sealed packets except the pen, which had run out so he took off his gloves, binned them then went upstairs (the tattoo part of the studio) and got a new one, came back in, shut the door and put on a fresh pair of gloves. I thought this was a good sign.
Alex cleaned my ear with those really rank smelling wipes then marked my ear. I looked in the mirror at where my new hole was going to be, approved it and sat back on the bed thing again. I held onto the edge of the bed as is my custom (even with my lobes I did that) and squeezed as he told me to breathe in and out and as I exhaled he pushed a needle through my ear. It didn't hurt as much as I'd thought it would. It was more a stinging/hot sensation which carried on for a few minutes. I had heard that the jewellery going through was the worst part but I didn't even notice him putting the ring through, I only realised he'd done it when the ball snapped in place where there was a very slight tug and I realised what he was doing.
So that was it. A very big smile from me, a long look in the mirror at my new addition and a check to see I wasn't feeling woozy or anything from Alex and I was on my merry way. I paid (a very reasonable £12) and left clutching my aftercare sheet. Over 5 weeks later and it is a little bit crusty, fairly sore when I catch it (which I do quite often due to my long hair and me being an idiot) but mostly ok. I've been back to have it checked once and Alex said it was healing nicely. Salt water solution is good stuff!