I am fascinated with body modification. Piercings especially. I prefer facial piercings. (All except eyebrows. I do not know why, but they bug me. They just do.) I would LOVE to have both of my nostrils pierced, my septum pierced, and my lip pierced! Unfortunately, I have chosen the path more traveled by. After receiving my diploma, I got busy looking for a nice standard corporate job. Thus, I have limited choices about what visible modifications that I can make. I work in an office. Yep. A full on Dilbert-esque world of cubicles. (Hey. I work to live; I do not live to work.) During the Christmas season, I decided to buy myself a little gift. It came in the form of a nostril piercing. Before I had the piercing done, however, I talked with my Human Resources person. (Please refer to my previously written experience entitled "The Christmas gift that keeps on giving".) After I had my nostril pierced, I knew that I wanted even more modifications, but where to start?
At A Glance Author Jennifer Contact Jennifer@bme.anon When Three months ago Artist Jeremy Studio What?!? Freaks on 39th Location Kansas City, MO The obvious choice was my ears. After getting my lobes pierced for a third time, I decided that a cartilage piercing would be the ticket. This would be my first ear piercing to be done with a needle. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. I had all three of my lobes pierced done with a gun by some preppy little mall rat in some girly jewelry shop. Three different times, three sets. (The third set was done twice due to an error in placement. Geesh. You think a girl would have learned something, right?) At the time, I was unaware of the draw backs of being pierced with a gun.
When the idea of having my nose pierced struck, I got on the internet. I knew I would have to go to a professional piercer to have my nostril done, but that was all I knew. I did not want to have anything done unless I knew as many of the facts available as humanly possible. I was deathly afraid of needles, and I needed to know details. In other words, thank God for BME! Once I found BME, I became much more comfortable with the concept of being pierced. I found out that the small incision a needle makes does not necessarily cause pain. Well, it made me feel better, but I was still a big tulip.
I did quite a bit of research concerning cartilage piercings in particular before mentally agreeing that I would do it. I was particularly concerned about proper healing.
I had already spoken to my piercer, Jeremy, concerning proper jewelry. Jeremy is one of the most knowledgeable people have ever met when it comes to the subject of body modification. He is also a fine young man. He told me that a straight bar would heal much easier and faster than a hoop. The curve of the hoop puts pressure on the exit points. That totally jived with what I had already read, so I went into do it one evening.
Unfortunately, Jeremy had stepped out. Two weeks later, the power was out. Three weeks after that, he had his bike breakdown. Of course, I was wondering, "Does someone not want me to poke this hole in my head, or what?" Fourth time was the charm. Jeremy was there. Also there was a young man apprenticing. I signed the necessary paperwork, Jeremy copies my license, and we headed to the back room.
Now, I have a very low tolerance for pain. (I can actually hear what you are thinking right now. Why the heck are you getting pierced then?) I laid down because I was afraid that I would pass out. Since this is cartilage, I was expecting pain. My nostril was soft tissue. It didn't hurt. My ears did not hurt when they were popped with the gun.
As I laid there, Jeremy was explaining things to the apprentice (forgive me, I can't recall his name) about this procedure. I wanted the piercing through the flat part of my cartilage instead of through the curve of the ear. The apprentice questioned him about using a clamp. Jeremy replied that with this piercing (as with some others), using a clamp could make the skin too taut when the needle is pushed through. This could cause the piercing to be crooked. He is also explained why he was using the particular jewelry he had chosen, which was a small gauge bar with a flat back.
I know this is terrible, but while I could hear the two of them snapping gloves on and off while cleaning and preparing the equipment, I kept my eyes closed. I know at times like that, I should be carefully watching the sterilized packages being laid out and the clean needles being prepared, but if I see the needle which will be pushed through my skin I will be nauseas. (Did I mention that I was a tulip?)
The apprentice says that he is going to mark my ear for placement. I opened my eyes and sat up. Jeremy instructed him to mark slightly away from the curve of the ear so the rhinestone will be visible. The apprentice marked me with a toothpick dipped in the violet ink. After I agreed with the placement, I laid back down. Jeremy performed the actual piercing. I closed my eyes, and Jeremy instructed me to breathe in deeply. He placed his fingers on either side of the marking, and pushed the needle through with his thumb. There was a pinch, but no pain. I could hear him reaching for the jewelry, and he instructed me to keep breathing. (I think I was holding my breath when I realized that my ear was impaled.) He stepped over to me once more, and made the quick exchange from needle to jewelry. He announced that I was finished, and to take my time getting up. I sat up gingerly.
The apprentice took over at that point. He brought out a sheet to explain the whole aftercare thing. It basically consisted of the L.I.T.H.A. method of aftercare. (Leave It The Hell Alone.) He explained that the flat back on the jewelry would help the scab form and stay in place, thus letting the body do its natural, quick, and effective job of healing. The apprentice also gave me a certificate stating that the jewelry is ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) grade steel, which is the same quality used in surgical implants. Basically, this means that there is no turning or fussing with the jewelry necessary, because my skin will not grow over it.
I went up front and paid for my piercing. My ear wasn't even stinging. Heck! I could not even tell I had extra metal up there. I heard Jeremy mention something about grabbing some lunch. I slapped a ten dollar bill on the counter and said - hey, lunch is on me.