I went through this period in my life where I wanted to add as many holes and as much ink to my body as my wallet would afford. At this point I only had nine piercing in my ears, two a piece in my upper ears and two lobe in the left with three lobe in my right. I have this strange fixation with wanting most of my work done on my right side. I've heard that people develop a preference or a dominant side when getting work done. I decided that I wanted to add something to my left ear. I wanted something a little different. Something I hadn't seen anyone with before.
At A Glance Author Samantha Contact Samantha@bme.anon When Five years ago Artist Andrea Studio Bound By Design Location Denver I knew where I was going to go to get this piercing done. Bound by Design. They had given me two wonderful new ear piercings, my awesome nipple rings, and had fixed my tongue piercing after it had been originally pierced horribly crooked.
I spent days searching through BME for the piercing that would be right for me. A rook? A tragus? A snug? Maybe an industrial? After much agonizing I decided to screw it and head to Bound By Design alone for some professional advice. After mulling over jewelry thinking that maybe that would help give me a little inspiration I approached the girl working the counter and asked her what she thought. Her answer? A snug, definitely a snug. We approached Andrea and asked her what she thought. She agreed, a snug would look absolutely lovely.
We picked out the jewelry and while I waited for the jewelry to I thought about what my family might think or whether they would even notice. I went home every other week with something new on my body, whether it be a piercing or a tattoo. I had a feeling that no one would even notice what I'd done.
Andrea called me into the piercing room and had me lay down on the piercing 'table' where I just stared at the beautiful painting on the ceiling. She had me take a few deep breaths as preparation for what was to come. "Breath in and when I tell you let it go." I was ready for this. I was excited. She had warned me that it might hurt and by hurt she said a lot because she had a bit more tissue to go through than the last time I was in. I was worried that it would be as painful as when I had my nipples done. The first nipple was not nearly as bad as when she did the second one. That felt like I was having my nipple ripped off my body.
I breathed out like she instructed me to do so. Andrea had a hard time getting the needle through as quickly and as cleanly as she would have liked. It did hurt, don't get me wrong but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. She slipped the jewelry through and that was a little more uncomfortable than actually getting the needle pushed through my body. She cleaned off what little blood there was and washed it up a bit then had me sit up.
I felt a little dizzy when I sat up. I hadn't eaten much that day because I didn't really think I was going to go through with it that day. You know what it's like when you get into a body mod shop, you want to get something done. There's just something about that adrenaline rush that helps get you to go back and get something else done. It's a bit more than changing you appearance. They say that piercing and tattooing can become a kind of addiction. I think it's true. I take so much pleasure from the whole experience. From the moment I step in the door of the shop to the moment I get home from my little excursions that change my life forever in body modification.
After admiring my new shiny jewelry in my new wonderful snug, I thanked Andrea and tipped her. Then it was off to home to show off my newest addition. My dad wasn't too thrilled even though he didn't notice until I had pointed it out to him. He had called my mother earlier that day to tell her that he was a little worried about me because I was doing all this permanent stuff to my body. Her response? I was nineteen and therefore could do what I wished to my body. It did not change who I was on the inside. It added to who I was on the outside.
That was five years ago. It's been the only piercing I have never taken out. I have taken out my nipple rings only to have them done. I had to take out twelve (at one point I had thirteen ear piercings) for a job and that was the only one that was allowed to stay. I have received numerous compliments from strangers and from body piercers.
Andrea, I thank you for the wonderful job and all my compliments I owe solely to you and the girl at the counter for talking me into it.