So ever since first discovering BME I have planned out exactly what piercings I'm will soon get. My sister had her navel done at a nearby parlor, and a year or so later I had mine done as well. I was underage, and my mother signed for me.
At A Glance Author Liz Contact Liz@bme.anon When Six months ago Artist Bobby Trendy Studio Local Color Tattoo Location Broomall, PA. In February 2005 a few of my friends had just turned 18 and were going to get some piercings. Two of my friends were getting their navel and one was getting her eyebrow. I wanted to go with them, and see what they think about the piercings, but I was also jealous because I wanted a new hole. After some mild pestering and begging I got my mother to agree to a forward helix. My mom doesn't like piercings, a lot at least. She looked at the forward helix and thought it was a nice looking piercing. Catch was I had to go to church first and take out one of my previous ear piercings. Agreed.
After church we met my friends at the parlor. My mom signed the papers and paid, but had to leave, so I was left there with my 4 friends and two of their moms. My friends went first, getting their navel, the two were really nervous but realized what I said was true and that it didn't hurt at all. Then it was my turn. I decided to go before my other friend who was getting her eyebrow because she was having a little meltdown. I knew the piercer, he had done my navel and after being in the room for the other 2 he knew I knew the procedure. He asked if I needed it repeated, but I told him I thought I was okay. He marked my ear, and I laid down.
Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in...pierce, breathe out. I'd never felt that sort of pain before, it was awful. I could feel my ear bleeding, and I could feel the right side of my head getting really hot and red. I just kept my eyes closed and tried to keep breathing. He finished up, and cleaned the blood up.
I loved the piercing, but in the following weeks, despite my excellent cleaning and not touching and not sleeping on, the piercing was done too shallow and was rejecting. I could feel the difference of where is was and where it had moved to. I knew it wasn't a good idea to keep it in much longer because it may cause permanent damage. It was not the piercer's fault the piercing was shallow. I had brought a picture and he did exactly what I wanted, it just apparently did not work. I went back to Bobby and he told me I was right and he'd remove it for me, then re-pierce it deeper for free. The next day I came in and he took the ring out. Two weeks later I went back to get it re-done.
I came back in on a friday afternoon after calling almost every day in the earlier trying to make an appointment with him. This time I called a day and a half in advance so I'd get an appointment. He only had about 45 minutes in between other tattoo appointments but said that'd be time enough. I went in with my mom again, and she signed the papers. My mom was not as happy this time because she was mad the first piercing rejected. She wouldn't hold my hand or anything. She was mad and it was a little upsetting because I would have liked to have a little support. This time he didn't explain anything to me, and barely warned me before he put the needle to my ear. He kept changing rings, trying to find one that was a good size. I could feel the tip and he says "breathe in, breathe out, breathe in .....crunch...breathe out." It bled even more this time, and hurt even more because it was deeper. It bled more this time because it took him a while to get the bead in, so the more movement he was doing with it the more it hurt and the more it bled. It was awful.
I love this piercing, and I take a lot of good care of it. I get a lot of complements on it and I really enjoy it. Even with how much good care I take of this piercing, it has still developed hypertrophic scarring on the entrance and exit holes. I do not sleep on this ear, I do not play with the piercing, and I don't touch it with dirty hands. I'm doing two sea salt soaks a day and I'm trying to get it back to being healthy.
All in all, I don't know if I'd recommend this piercing, since I've had such trouble with it, but I do think that it's a very attractive piercing and I enjoy having it.