It all started in mid-April, when I was suddenly struck with a strong desire for a change. Thing had not been going my way at the time. I was pining for a boy, who I thought I couldn't have, I was missing home, one of the few rare times that I actually did miss it (See, I moved to Arizona from Illinois almost a year ago, and I'm absolutely loving it. Illinois was a hellhole. But every so often, I miss my family back home.) Things were just putting my in a funk. It wasn't until I realized that I was hardcore missing my septum piercing that it hit me; that another piercing was just the thing to bring me up and out of the doldrums.
At A Glance Author Little Miki Urine Contact freeicecreamday2@yahoo.com When Three months ago Artist Myshelf. Studio meh room Location Tucson, AZ
I had a few piercing needles squared away (gifts from my older sister, bought from the BMEshop.) Now, while I used high-grade, professional materials, I did the irresponsible, unsafe things and did it myself. No one should probably be pierced unless it's by the hands of a professional piercer, in a clean studio with good equipment. However, my piercing, though I love it, was an act of desperation. If I had the means (both money and parental consent), I would only go to studios for my body artwork. However, I do not, plus, along with irresponsibility on my list of character flaws, I am very impatient. Though I could wait until I'm an adult and be safe, I choose not to do so, and I am very aware of how bad this decision is. I am making myself vulnerable to diseases, such as HIV and/or Hepatitis, or infection, or even just poorly done piercing jobs, as I am no professional. I have no business piercing myself or others. I'm very lucky to not have encountered such a misfortune, and I'm very happy with the result. With piercings, you should be as safe as possible, so going to get them professionally done is the best thing to do.
Before I started with the piercing, I tried to clean/sterilize everything as well as possible. The jewelry was boiled, soaked in alcohol, rubbed with peroxide, then polished of with antibacterial soap. The piercing took place in my room, so I cleared away all the excess junk and emptied my bed, then put on some music. I cleaned my ear thoroughly with antibacterial soap, all around the area, not just the lobe where it was to be pierced. Despite my best efforts, nothing was 100% clean and sterile, but I settled for less. I very desperately wanted this piercing.
.... I took a breath, then pressed the needle though. I mostly just felt pressure on my lobe, maybe a slight sting. There wasn't a lot of pain, but I always get a feeling from piercings. I guess I'm kind of sensitive to things like getting needles shoved through parts of my body. I was kind of shaky, and pale. I remember my eyes being severely dilated, like I had done loads of drugs. Piercings are almost like drugs to me. There's a rush, and a short moment of feeling out of myself. Though this may sound unpleasant, it's quite an experience. I effing love it, and I only get it from piercings. Though adrenaline and endorphin rushes are not that rare, the ones I get from being pierced are truly unique, and very fun. I threaded the jewelry, which I lubricated with antibacterial soap, through and into the newly made hole in my ear. I used a 10-gauge needle and a circular barbell of the same size, because I've always loved the larger gauges. After I had put the ball back on the ring, I admired my ear in the mirror. It wasn't completion, but it was improvement. An upgrade. I loved it. It was beautiful.
Aftercare and healing was more or less uneventful and easy. For the first few days, I washed the piercing with antibacterial soap two to three times a day, then tapered it off to once a day, then after a couple of weeks, just once every few days. It healed well, with no complications whatsoever. I started out with pink acrylic balls on the ring, so there wasn't much pressure on the piercing while it was healing, but after a few weeks, I changed it to steel balls. It was kind of weird to get used to the weight on my ear (it's been about a year or more since I took all of the rings out of my ears) but now I don't even notice it. I still love admiring my ears in the mirror. I pierced my other ear a few days later, but that's another story.
Thanks for reading, and I can't recommend enough times to go to a professional. It's so much safer and better, and I wish that I could do it.
-Miki