I had wanted an industrial for almost two years now and although I'd spent the good part of those 2 years begging my parents to agree to a piercing, my efforts failed, until finally just after Christmas my mum had a change of heart and decided maybe it wouldn't be do bad. My dad was a little harder to crack, but what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him right?
At A Glance Author s k a y e m Contact s k a y e m@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Kazz So I called the studio, made an appointment, and 2 days later headed off in 40 degree heat.. not the smartest thing to do in Melbourne on a hot summers day, but anyway. Once I arrived, I was given some forms to fill out and all was dandy. I spoke to the piercer about a few things, she seemed laid back, friendly and honest. So while I waited for the jewelry to be sterilized we chatted about her tattoos and piercings.
She finally took me into the room which was clean and sterile and it had that smell too, which always seems to put you off, and by this point I could feel my stomach starting to do backflips. I like to think im someone with a relatively decent pain threshold, but apparently I'm not so good with nerves. I sat on the bed, like the ones they have in a doctors surgery, with the thought of "its not too late you can still get out of it! Its not too late!" pounding through my head. Well wasn't that encouraging!
Eventually, after drawing all over me with the marker we got down to business and she showed me where she'd be putting the bar. I've read a lot of stories on BME and it seems a lot of you are pierced and have rings put in.. which I found rather strange considering I'd always assumed it was just done straight away with the bar which is what I had done.
She laid me down on the bed thingy and told me to turn my head, cleaned my ear and rattled around for what im guessing was the needle. Suddenly I could feel the pressure of the needle about halfway down my ear, and I then I felt it go through every layer of skin, cartilage and god know whatever else is in there, and then break though to the other side of my ear. I then felt her slide the tube in and that was it. I never even felt the first needle or tube or the jewelry go in. there were no breathing techniques, no counting, she just went straight through without saying a word, which I suppose was rather good because I didn't know it was coming so my body was still semi relaxed, although I might have liked a little warning.. She then cleaned a little blood up and I was good to go.
My mum had come in with me and watched the entire thing, well most of it. She saw the first needle go in and felt sick so turned away and was starting to grip onto my leg like she was the one have needles and steel bars wedged through parts of her body!!
My ear was on fire.. no.. the entire right side of my head was on fire! I rushed home feeling a tad nauseous and swallowed some panadol to calm the burning sensation which really only lasted about half an hour anyway.
Now I cant stop looking at it, I'm so proud and feel like such a hardass haha. My first decent piercing!! aside from my nose which was a horrible experience. Its been almost 3 days and I still cant really sleep on it, but the bleeding has subsided greatly, only tiny bits if I sleep on it and compared to the first night I had it, it's doing pretty well. I had dried blood all over my ear, oh what a pretty sight that is to wake up to.
Hopefully it should calm down within the next few days and I'll be able to sleep on my side again, fingers crosses! Apart from that, I've have no problems, im yet to find any small bumps or scabs, I'm sure it will take time, but so far so good. The bleeding has stopped and the pain is almost completely gone, aside from the occasional banging into things or getting caught when I'm putting my hair up. I think that will be my biggest challenge. But I guess it will all come in time.
All in all I'd say Im pretty damn impressed with it, now I get to go to school and show it off haha. And to anyone else considering this piercing, id definitely say go for it, you've got nothing to lose, just make sure you go to someone who knows their stuff, and take care of it. Its great fun! I can twist one end and feel the other move too! Haha oh boy do I need to get out more...