I had been wanting to get my daiths done for quite some time. I think it's a great looking piercing and was something I had to have. Plus when I was perusing the BME Encyclopedia I discovered that the piercing actually has a metaphysical slant to it. According to the Hindu philosophy, rings left in an orifice act as a "Guardian of the Gate." Basically, the purpose of the daith is to act as a filter for whatever is being said to you. Who doesn't need a bit of help filtering out all the nonsense that we hear on a daily basis! I thought it was a fascinating concept and thus solidified my need for the piercing. Besides, if someone tries to pull one over on me I can tug at my ear and tell them I can't hear a word of what they're saying to me!
At A Glance Author Stacy Contact Stacy@bme.anon IAM jnspayne When A week ago Artist Lisa Studio High Priestess Location Eugene, OR I was out and about on my birthday and picked up a copy of the Eugene Weekly and saw an ad from High Priestess Piercing. I noticed that the daith was the piercing of the month and had a discounted price. It was a sign! After we saw "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" we set out to High Priestess for my birthday poke!
We went to their downtown location. I was pretty nervous, mostly because I'm older than the average client and felt a bit out of place. However, the second I walked in I was greeted and asked what I was interested in having done. I told him that I wanted my daiths, using both pronunciations. You know, day-th and doth as in goth, the latter being the proper pronunciation. He checked out my ears and said that there wouldn't be any problem getting them done. So I filled out the obligatory paperwork and sat down to wait for my turn. I heard my name called by another guy, I didn't catch his name. Again, my ears were checked out to make sure I was anatomically suited for the daith. He suggested 16 gauge 7/16th CBR rings which I agreed to. Then his ride showed up and I was passed off to Lisa.
So I sat down again, flipped through "Skin and Ink" and waited for Lisa. When she introduced herself I was instantly at ease. I immediately liked her. She shook my hand then checked out my ears, this being the third time. Lisa told me that she was going to go to her piercing station and sterilize everything. When she was ready she called me into the room.
So Jay, who was acting as my trusty side-kick, and I went into the room. I hopped onto the piercing table and he sat in a chair in a corner. Lisa and I talked to each other while she was cleaning my ears. I remarked that this was probably the cleanest they had been in years after she was done. At one point I had cotton swabs sticking out of my ears and I commented that I felt like the kid in that 80's flick and she quickly said "Better Off Dead". What a gal!
Lisa marked my ears and commented that they will be a little crooked as my ears weren't quite the same, but she assured me that no one would notice. For one thing, you don't exactly see them both at the same time. I joked about having freak ears and told her that it was fine. I completely trusted her judgment. She had me lie back on the table and turn my head so she could get at my left ear. Now of course, I can't see anything anymore. But Jay told me that she used a clamp with a broken off q-tip in it. This was to keep the clamps from closing completely so they could act as a guide for the needle, pushing it away from my ear so I don't get skewered where I wasn't intending. Lisa also used a curved needle for the piercing.
Lisa told me to take deep breaths so I did as she asked. I felt the needle penetrate my skin, and then it was pushed through my cartilage and out. It was a two step procedure, at least that's what it felt like. Skin, pause, cartilage, sigh of relief. Lisa then warned me that I would feel some pressure as she put in the jewelry. Honestly, my left ear didn't hurt all that much. And wouldn't you know it; she got the bead on the ring with no problems! If I try to put one of those dastardly things in I'll fight with it for an hour, dropping it no less than ten times. Jay said she used ring opening pliers to open the ring just a bit, put the ball in place then released the ring. Just that simple! Now me trying to do that in the mirror when everything is reversed, torture!
I was rather surprised at the lack of pain. If anything it felt like I was pinched with fingernails. My nostril hurt way worse! But then it was time for the right ear. So I flipped over and we went through the process again. Deep breaths, needle prick and holy crap this one hurt a lot more! I had the sound track in my head blaring, "Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up! Get it through!" Then finally, sweet bliss. It was over. Except for the jewelry. And that didn't want to cooperate either! Thankfully the ring finally went through and the pain was all over. All I did was wiggle my feet and scrunch my face in response to the pain, so I didn't embarrass myself. Yea me!
I sat right up and Lisa asked how I was feeling. I told her fine. I was very happy. Those lovely little endorphins were coursing through my veins. Who needs to do drugs? Not I! I was babbling away, high as a kite! Neither ear bled either, which isn't surprising. I'm not a bleeder. My navel, which has been long retired from rejection, is the only piercing that ever bled.
Lisa went out to the lobby with me and went over the aftercare. She talked me into an aftercare kit as well, which is cool. She told me to use the Satin soap once a day to clean it and after that to rinse it with saline via a cotton swab. Then for the second cleaning to just use the saline. Lisa made absolutely certain that I knew how to take care of my new lovelies before she cut me loose. She shook my hand again, as well as Jay's. I assured her I would be back. I paid up, left a tip and took off. When I got into the car I checked them out in the mirror for the first time. Love at first sight!
It is eight hours later and my ears are doing fine. Just a very slight ache and a bit of warmness to them. I did my first saline rinse and discovered that they are indeed a little sore when you prod them around a bit. No spinning of the rings. Lisa said it wasn't necessary, which is good because they don't move. If I smile really big I can feel a slight ache from them. I'm not too worried about sleeping as the rings are nestled into the conch. But we'll see!
First Day: Things are going well. The biggest issue I have at this point is to remember that I have my daiths pierced and I can't exactly scratch my ears when they itch like I used to. I have adopted using a q-tip with the cotton pulled off for a scratching stick. Washed them with the Satin soap and rinsed with saline in the morning and did a saline rinse at bedtime. Sleeping on them was a non-issue. No pain at all. The only con is I can't wear ear plugs at night anymore.
Day Two: The daiths are both much more sore today. Probably because I keep trying to scratch my ears and knocking the piercings around. Hopefully I'll remember not to do that soon! Did the Satin/saline routine in the morning and saline rinse in the evening.
Day Three: The right daith is doing fine, but the left one is way more painful than it has ever been. It was very sore when I woke up in the morning, so I suspect I may have tried to scratch my ear during the night and knocked the ring around. Even though Bactine is frowned upon, I used it for both ears. In the past I have used Bactine when piercings became exceptionally painful and it always does the trick. I only use it as a supplement, not as a part of my regular aftercare routine. I also ended up taking some Tylenol before bed to get the pain to ease up.
Day Four: Today the right daith hurts more than the left. So I used a bit of Bactine again and did some research. I ran across "emu oil" as a method of aftercare that had great results with some people. I decided to look for the stuff the next day. I also read some scary stuff about using Bactine for piercings and decided that even though I had never had any problems prior, I wasn't about to take any more chances. Again, had to take some Tylenol at bedtime.
Day Five: Went to a health food store and found the emu oil. Went home, put a bit of sterile saline in a cap, then saturated q-tips with it and cleaned my holes. After that I used a dropper and put a bit of emu oil on both holes of both ears. I have to say, it seems as though this stuff works! Within a few hours the pain decreased rather dramatically.
Day Six: Did the saline/emu oil three times today. For the first time I can move the rings. I was happy as I figure this is a sign that things are healing up! I'm wondering now if emu oil shouldn't be renamed "miracle oil"!
Day Seven: Daiths are feeling great. I even used some emu oil on my three month old nostril piercing and it's feeling better than it ever has. I am sold on the emu oil! Great stuff!
So, that's my daith experience! I love the piercings even though they were a bit painful for a couple days and I can't wear ear plugs at this point any longer. I've learned how to scratch my ears without the use of a cotton swab, plus it helps that my ears aren't all that sore any longer. And honestly, I just love the way they look. They are my favorite piercings at this time! If you want daiths, go out and get them! A little bit of pain is well worth the beauty in the end!