Since the age of 13...I've always wanted that little bit of my ear pierced...the little bit you know that is there for no reason...my tragus.
At A Glance Author nicola When It just happened Artist Mike Strange Studio Ancient Arts Location Brackley, Northamptonshire I finally got it done for my 18th birthday, 2 days ago, and how glad am I that I went through with it? Extremely!!
I spent weeks reading peoples stories, some ghastly, some not so bad, but all of them said they were so glad they had got their tragus done, so I had to go through with it. And they were right, it's the best!!
The build up....I was well scared, I went and sat in the chair, I flinched when the guy looked at my ear, backed off when he put the pen on, and wouldn't even check to make sure where he was going to pierce it was ok, I just trusted his judgement.
The pain....I had read somewhere that the clamping is the worst bit, and it was, I felt sorrier for the person who let me hold their hand, but the clamp made the whole process so much better, it basically stops the blood flow, to make the pain of the needle more bearable. well it was over in a matter of minutes, and it didn't hurt, well ok I'm not going to lie, it did hurt, but not as I imagined, the pain was so bearable, I see how people can become addicted to it, in a weird way its a nice pain, if there is such a thing?! I actually think it hurt more when I got my ear lobes pierced, the difference is though, the pain doesn't go straight away with your tragus, the rest of that day was pretty achy, just like an ear ache, but nothing ibroprufen couldn't sort out and when I woke up the next morning and it was fine, in fact I had to check it was still there as I could not feel it at all, the next night I was able to sleep on it, answer the phone and clean my ears out.
keeping it clean...I have been using rock salt with boiling water and putting it on using cotton buds, I wasn't given any solution, which I was a bit surprised about, but mike has such a good reputation I didn't really think about it after I had left the shop, but the salt water thing has been working for me so far. I'm usually pretty lazy with stuff like that, but I have been making sure I've been cleaning it at least twice a day, sometimes 3. I clean it also when I have an itch behind my tragus as I still cant press it down, its forming a little lump, which I have seen is pretty normal and it mainly seems to be swelling and bruising, after all, I have just had a hole made in a thick bit of my ear.
Is it worth it....? YES!! YES it is! I say if you are thinking about having it done, you should definitely have it done, it looks so cute, and I love it! You can have your tragus pierced whatever sex, age anything, I have seen grown women with it done, and it looks just as cool!!
I had to have it pierced with a ring, apparently it makes it easier to keep clean although the healing time is a bit longer, and I would rather that than it become infected. I am looking forward to putting stud in it though; I think it will be about 2 months. I chose to have my left tragus pierced as advised by my brother, I'm not sure if it really makes a difference but most people seem to go for the left one!
The man that did mine, mike, well he was a really nice bloke, he had been recommended to me by lots of people, the place was so clean, and he would've let me watch him take the needle out etc but I was too scared to open my eyes, but I saw him cleaning up after the previous tattoo he had carried out. I was so scared, but he calmed me down completely, made me laugh, and even took the mickey a bit for me being so scared, which made me laugh and relax. my breathing kind of went stupid because I was so scared, but he told me to calm down otherwise he wasn't going to do it, and then it was time to hold my breath, and in went the needle, well I think the person whose hand I was hurting was glad the needle didn't hurt, because it meant that I could let it go finally!!
I'm the biggest wimp going, I cried an whole hour before my BCG injection...and it took three attempts and eventually bribery before I would get my ear lobes pierced, and I could handle this. I'm not a big fan of piercing and I doubt I will have anymore, but I'm so glad I chose to have this one done! I just wish I had done it so much sooner!