I was 13 when I got my first cartilage piercing. I've got my lobes done twice already. I was originally going to get my belly button done, but all the places we tried said I had to be 14! So I decided I wanted my cartilage pierced.
At A Glance Author Rosie Contact heartshapedbox_695@hotmail.co.uk When Three months ago Artist cant remember her name! Studio belly bar Location canterbury I've been to the belly bar before for my second lobe hole. They're good and friendly and a very retro style shop with lots of jewelry on sale and they have loads of notices saying they're registered with the council etc. So I knew I was safe. I went with my mum and we filled out forms and the woman (I don't remember her name!) lead us upstairs to the "studio". It was quite small but very clean with lots of disinfectant and a sink and a pink bed by one wall with one of those strange paper things across it like you get at the doctors.
Anyway. We went over to the counter and I chose a small curved bar with black and white stripy balls. All the balls and bars were in a plastic box filled with what looked like disinfectant or something. Very clean. She snapped the gloves on, chose the barbell and screwed on one of the balls. She told me to sit down on the bed and tie my hair up (its quite long and over my ears). I don't know whether all of the next bit is right because I only remember it vaguely and I was kind of nervous!
The woman was very nice. She had this tray thing with the barbell and antibacterial wipes and stuff on it. She marked the place on my ear and I agreed with it and everything. She put the needle through and it only hurt when it had come out!! The most painful bit was over apparently and I didn't hear the pop that some people say they do. I was a bit shocked by the pain so I don't really remember what happened next. I think she put something else on my ear and kind of pushed and it was a weird feeling like she'd pushed something out of my ear or something (???). Anyway next she put the barbell in and screwed on the other ball. She said it was bleeding a bit and dabbed some cotton wool on it and it was ok. I checked it out in the mirror. It looked amazing!!! But then ah! I went all dizzy and felt faint! I think this was because she told me it had bled! She then told me to lie down on the bed and got me a cup of water and when i felt better i could sit up again and we paid and left. I still felt a bit shaky but i was ok.
It hurt for the rest of the day but at night it was better and wasn't that red or swollen. Next morning the redness had gone and it was a bit swollen and hurt a LOT if i knocked it or anything. It bled a bit in the night a few days later and after I cleaned it up I nearly fainted in the shower! But I didn't so it was ok. That day I think, it bled while I was in the cinema!! All down my ear. I was with my friend Mel and we had to go to the toilets to clean it up and people were giving me strange looks and im not surprised! I went back to the belly bar and they said it looked like I had a small cut by the piercing and to keep cleaning it, as normal and it should heal up. 2 days after that I must have knocked it in my sleep or something because i woke up at 4am and there was blood literally EVERYWHERE all over my hand and on the pillow and in my hair. It was so gross and I'm not good with blood at any time. I woke my mum up and we got tissue and I washed my hands. Then walking back to my bed I felt a bit faint again but then I lay down and was ok. It was still bleeding quite a lot but we managed to get it to stop about an hour later!! And for the next few nights I slept with micropore over it just in case. But it was ok. Good job it was half term!! It all cleared up in time to go back to school and cartilage piercings aren't allowed at my school so if it bled I'd be in trouble!
So yeah 3 months on and its doing great. It doesn't hurt anymore (apart from if I knock it or when I was at the hairdressers and the girl washing my hair accidentally knocked it, but she said she knew how it felt because she had loads of piercings!). It looks so fab and I can't wait for 3 months when I can take it out and put a ring there or something.
If anyone is thinking of getting a cartilage piercing I'd say definately do because it's worth it and it healed up pretty quick for me! The pain is quite bad but i have a low pain tolerance. It looks amazing and is surprisingly easy to keep hidden for school.
Thanks again