So prior to even considering the orbital piercing, I had recently gotten an industrial in my right ear. It's the most extreme piercing that I had at the time due to the fact that my parents had no part in it. My eyebrow ring had been growing out and it was the end of the school year so I thought I would end it with a bang!
At A Glance Author Sarah Pickrel Contact spickrel@monm.edu When Three months ago Artist Scott Miller Studio Tattoo Blue Location Macomb, IL My friend Andrea, who took me to get my industrial, suggested one day "your ear would look awesome with a hoop around your industrial". I gave this some consideration, say for about a month, enough time for the industrial to heal. I like to tell myself that the justification for getting the orbital was to piss off my parents. It sort of was, but at the same time it was to say "you know what? I'm 20 years old and I can make my own decisions" (as if the huge bar through my ear wasn't enough freedom). So once I sold my books back to the bookstore and received $110, I decided to borrow my friends' car and drive the 45 minutes to get it.
I had been to Tattoo Blue for my industrial and they remember me simply because I passed out after each hole of the industrial was pierced. Walking into the shop, they saw me coming and knew that it could possibly happen again. On another whim, I had decided to get my nose pierced at the same time since my eyebrow ring had grown out and my parents did say only 1 facial piercing at a time!
So I told him what I wanted and I filled out the forms just as before. He pierced my nose first which was a relief and a pain at the same time. One because it didn't hurt at all and I barely felt the needle and two for those same reasons: I think if I would've done the orbital first it might've been easier.
So after I was done resting from getting my nose pierced, he took out my industrial, which in itself was weird because that was the first time it had been out since it had been pierced and it had just finished healing. He marked the orbital and measured it twice to make sure it fit and I looked at it in the mirror. It looked good so I gave him the go.
I was so incredibly nervous. I was already sweating from sitting in the chair, but I had no idea what this was going to feel like. He said, "I've got the first needle ready to go so just take a nice deep breath and let it out slowly." I inhaled and right when I went to let it out he took the first needle through the top hole. Now this wasn't too bad. Worse than the gun that pierced my cartilage, but that's to be expected since it's being done correctly.
What I didn't realize was that he left the needle in because since the hoop goes all the way around, he couldn't put in the jewelry until both holes were done. I was feeling kind of light headed by now so he gave me some water and a wet cloth for my neck.
He said, "I have the second needle ready and in place so just tell me when you're ready." Now, I said I was ready so I thought he would tell me to breathe again.... Boy was I wrong! Right after I said "ready" he poked it right through. Of course the shock and anxiety and tension and adrenaline that had been built up in my ear caused a major head rush and I passed out cold. I was out for about 30 seconds and I woke up and he had put the jewelry in and handed me a mirror. It was beautiful! I was and am so happy with it. Even though it freaked out the parents when they finally saw it, I love it!
A word to the wise on getting an orbital: listen when they give you cleaning instructions. I thought I had, but I didn't. I got back to school that night and I sat in my room in pain for about 3-4 hours. He told me before I went to bed to clean it with anti-bacterial soap on both sides. This thing was so difficult to clean.
First of all, it wouldn't rotate whatsoever; since he pierced it with a 16g it had to be moved around quite a bit before it fully rotated and once it did, the feeling was heaven! My ear felt so much better. Since it is harder to clean than most piercings, I'd suggest using two mirrors, one for behind your ear pointing towards one that is stable up against a wall; that way you can see behind your ear to clean it correctly because it does hurt if not cleaned properly.
Also, if you forget to clean it, don't double back and clean it more than twice a day. My ear hurt so bad when I cleaned it more than twice a day; it was almost like I got it re-pierced sometimes. Just make sure to clean it thoroughly and not to be too rough with it. It does rest right behind your ears so if you have glasses like I'd suggest to wear them as little as possible as well.
Another thing that makes it easier to clean is putting the captive bead in the front. Since you have something to hold onto when you're rotating it and cleaning it, it makes it so much easier.
Even though this is probably the most painful piercing I've had, it's totally worth it and would recommend it to anyone, just not as a first piercing experience because it will scare the crap out of you.