It was getting close to Christmas time of 2005 and I was making a usual stop in at Shogun Studios to visit Chantal. I was currently running out of ideas for piercing on my ears and only had my outer conches (flats) and conches untouched. She mentioned to me that she would be able to dermal punch my ears if I wanted. She told me that she hadn't done one in over a couple years but was willing to give it a go on me. I told her i was interested and she said she'd get the punches in for it and let me know. Within the next couple weeks she had gotten the punches in and we arranged a time and date.
At A Glance Author Rice and Bread Contact Rice and Bread@bme.anon IAM Rice and Bread When A year ago Artist Chantal Menard Studio Shogun Studios Location Pasadena, Ca The day we went in, a friend of mine decided she wanted to get her labret done. Due to the lengthy procedure of the dermal punches, we agreed to have Chantal do my friend labret first. This down time really wasn't helping my anxiety. I had gotten multiple piercings before, but this was big. My friend labret went well except for some excessive bleeding that added more down time. I was actually pacing in the piercing room before she even started setting up. Chantal noticed my restlessness and asked if I had eaten anything in the past couple hours. When I said no, she sent me to grab something to eat while she set everything up.
Upon returning she had everything set up and I had settled myself down with a quick meal and a cigarette. I took a seat in the chair and Chantal started briefing me on the procedure. Telling me how she would punch through with a 2g punch and taper it up to a 0g to prevent bleeding. She prepped my left ear and we were ready to go. Breath in, breath out...breath in, breath out.
I closed my eyes and took that last deep breath. A dull pain shot through my ear followed with a crunch of my cartilage. This wasn't a normal sharp pain. My adrenaline was rushing and it felt as though all the blood in my body rushed my brain. The taper followed which was a different sensation on its own. I could barely feel the stretch up, due to the endorphins and adrenaline that were pumping through my veins. The jewelry followed through smoothly and that was it. My mind was reeling and Chantal proceeded to have me sit up and walk around. I took a couple drunkard steps around the chair and sat myself back down. This was insane...this was awesome. She prepped my right ear and had me continue my breathing. My right ear followed through just as easily. It just added to this alternate plane of reality I was floating on. It was difficult to keep my balance after the completion of my ears.
I took a look in the mirror and loved them. We used glass jewelry to aid in the healing process. Amusingly, through this entire process I had only bled a single drop of blood. This being amusing due to the amount my friend had bled from her labret earlier. It was rather entertaining driving around after this. My equilibrium was slightly off the rest of the night. Though this experience, all I can say is that it is indescribable. It is something I highly recommend. The experience, the feeling, the adrenaline pumping through your veins. Also the fun of showing people your chunks of ear afterwards. It is something I would do again...if I only had the room for it.
It was rather difficult to sleep on either side of my head, but that feeling subsided over the course of the next couple weeks. To my surprise, they healed rather quickly.
Less than a month later, by tradition, I went to the Vandals Christmas Formal at the House of Blues. At shows I can't keep myself from dancing around. Towards the end of the show a crowd surfer flew over my head and an awkward pain shot to my left ear. I quickly shot my hand up to my ear and found that my jewelry had been knocked out. I could feel how tender my ear still was and started searching through hordes of moving feet for my jewelry. I couldn't believe this shortly after I had gotten them, I'd be forced to forfeit my punches. No later then I had lost my plug some kid runs up to me with my missing jewelry. Relief. (This experience also happened later on in the year at a Suicide Machines show, imagine that.)
To this date, my punches are doing great; they healed with no problems other than the couple knock outs. I may have enough room in my conches to another pair, but that will be what's to come.
The moral of this story: This is an experience that you must...experience. Regardless of some of the troubles that may come from it, when they heal, they are well worth it, and it's a story you can tell others with a slight sense of satisfaction.
THIS is essential Rice and Bread.