My mother nagged me for as long as I could remember to get my ears pierced. Of course she was referring to the standard lobe piercings, for some reason believing that all girls should have pierced ears, and at the age of 18, I was well behind my friends and indeed every other girl in the world if I was to believe my mum. I didn't have any motivation or see any need for having my ears pierced, none at all. In fact, I was pretty scared of having something like that done to my ears. I mean...NEEDLES! Pain! I didn't want my ears pierced. That was until my brother came home one day with THREE holes in his ears.
At A Glance Author Sazindie When A year ago Artist I didnt catch her name :( Studio Pure Location Kings Lynn, Norfolk After asking him the usual 'did it hurt?' questions, and noticing he had one in his cartilage too, I realise just how nice those piercings looked. Also, the fact that my brother, who was two years younger than me anyway, got his ears pierced, gave me motivation to get my own ears done. Sibling rivalry I guess.
Looking back on myself now, I realise just how naive I was about the whole thing. I didn't understand piercings, or how to care for them, but I went along to the studio anyway and queried about two standard lobe piercings. Asked whether I wanted a gun or needle, I naively said 'gun' (although those two holes have never caused me any problems, or indeed my other two gunned holes. This story however, isn't about the lobes..) The procedure was quick, relatively painless and uneventful. I was amazed that I didn't throw up, or faint, or do anything completely stupid that you usually hear in the old 'piercing horror stories'. I think an obsession was beginning to form..
Those two holes healed pretty quickly and uneventfully, so I was soon back for more. This time asking about a cartilage piercing in my helix. This time she told me she would have to use the needle. This freaked me out a bit because of the whole 'needle/pain' thing, but I needn't have worried really.
After signing the consent form and handing over the cash (not a lot, about £15) she asked me what jewellery I wanted in my ear, and presented me with some captive ball rings of various colours in little plastic bags. I just wanted a plain silver coloured ring so she asked me to go through and sit down whilst she prepared everything. I remember noticing how clean and sterile everything looked whilst I sat myself down on what looked like a doctor's bed. When she came in she asked me whether Id eaten anything recently. I said I hadn't so she said as soon as she was done I should eat some chocolate, or something sugary. I remember chattering about nothing in particular, and telling her I was very nervous. She was very good at putting me at ease though. She asked me where I wanted the hole and she marked it with marker. It looked fine so she asked me to breathe in and out whilst she lined up the needle. I don't remember whether she used any clamps or anything like that, I didn't feel any but then I didn't feel them for another cartilage I had even though my boyfriend said they did put them on. I remember she sprayed some freeze spray on though. In one quick movement the needle was through. I don't remember anything spectacular about that, no 'pop', no 'crunch'. I remember thinking the gun hurt more though. Putting the cbr on hurt slightly more, as it was fiddly and a little awkward. But then it was all over. I looked in the mirror and was very proud of my new piercing. :)
Once I left there was the usual burning sensation, but it wasn't uncomfortable. She handed me a sheet on aftercare, which I read on the way back to work. (I had gone during my work break!)
I've had this piercing for just over a year now and I still love it. It doesn't give me any grief although a large lump has formed on the exit hole. I've been pondering over what it is for a while now. It is just basically a lump, it has no head, it doesn't puss, it hasn't grown any bigger at all, it's just a lump. I've tried everything to get rid of it, but apart from being aesthetically displeasing, it's not causing any problems at all. Recently I've been compressing it with a cotton wool ball soaked in H2Ocean whilst I clean my newer piercing, but I'm yet to find out what good it will do. I've been wondering what I did wrong to cause it, and the only thing I can think of is scratching my ear hard during the night, catching the ring in my finger and not being able to sleep again due to the horrible pain. That was a few weeks after I first got it, whilst it was still healing. Not good.
Anybody wondering about whether to get a piercing other than the standard lobes, or indeed any piercing, consider this: I have the LOWEST pain threshold someone could possibly have. I hate needles, I hate pain, and yet after having my ears pierced for the first time, I've been back on numerous occasions for different holes. Its true you do get addicted, in a way at least. If you really want something done, think about it of course, but don't let pain put you off. They really do NOT hurt that much.
Since my mum last nagged me about ear piercings, I've had seven holes punched in my ear, although one I had to take out due to an infection. I'm lucky in the sense my workplace doesn't mind so much about ear piercings (I work in a bank!), so I'm thinking about having some more. My mum nags me about them still, but for totally the opposite reason. ;) My brother on the other hand, has taken all his out save for one. I guess I'm a late starter, but I'm sure gonna make up for it. :)