At A Glance
Author	scratch
Contact	scratch@bme.anon
IAM	scratch
When	A week ago
Artist	I did
Studio	My bathroom
Location	Gibsons, B.C.

While I have always been very interested in the body modification world, I am by no means certified, let alone experienced enough to pierce people. I've been pierced many times and even worked as the shop bitch briefly at a shop out here on the Sunshine Coast. For this experience, please know the following; I am not an advocate for at home piercing. A clean, reputable shop is always the way to go. I proved to myself last night that even if you have some of the proper tools and a semi-decent set-up, lack of experience can kick you in the ass.

The idea of piercing as a profession has always captivated me but I've never been overly serious about seeking out an artist to apprentice under. I was recently offered the opportunity to apprentice under a certified piercer, however that is a story for another day. The town I live in is very small and very un-educated on piercing safety and risks. People are more than willing to trust their body parts to anyone who seems to know what they are talking about. I've always made it extremely clear to the people attached to the five earlobes that I have pierced, that while I am not experienced, I do know enough, and have enough tools to get the job done if they really really want me to do it. I have not yet been able to get my hands on a pair of clamps so all my "work" has been freehand or in other words, extremely challenging. If friends still want to be pierced after knowing this (which oddly, they always do) then I am more than happy to help out a friend and am thankful for the opportunity to practice my skills.

My buddy Ferch had wanted his lobes done for quite awhile. Why he'd rather I do it than someone certified, I don't know, but I appreciate the chance to practice. I start by setting up everything in my bathroom where the best lighting comes equipped with a sink and running water. By my recommendation, Ferch has purchased two 14-gauge captive bead rings and they are already autoclaved and ready to go.

I've got two 14-gauge needles, a pair of ring openers, lots of latex gloves, a bottle of iodine, some lube and a whole lot of paper towel. I am missing clamps, which means this will again be freehand and I'm also lacking a proper sharps container. I'm using an empty prescription pill bottle to dispose of the needles. Everything is as ready as it's going to be, except for Ferch.

This is Ferch's first piercing experience ever. I sit him down and take almost an hour to explain healing, aftercare and things to avoid. I even quiz him to ensure he understands. Not knowing how well his body heals out piercings, I recommend that he use President's Choice Anti-Bacterial soap. My own body is pretty fussy when it comes to healing piercings and I have had nothing but success with my aftercare regiment. Ferch is first instructed to never ever let anyone touch his piercings or to touch them himself with dirty hands. First things first, wash your hands thoroughly. I explain that all dried matter must be removed from the entrance and exit points by soaking the piercings in warm water and gently removing them with a q-tip. I ensure he's aware that not removing dried blood cells and then cleaning can result in scratching his piercings which can lead to longer healing time. I instruct him to work up a good lather with the recommended soap and warm water and to work the solution through the piercings by rotating the jewelry back and forth, making sure they are well saturated. I stress the importance of making sure that they are very well rinsed afterward as even a little leftover residue can cause infection. I tell him to purchase some Epsom salts and to feel free to do the occasional soak when they feel sore or they are dirty and he can't get to his soap right away. I explain everything he needs to avoid and why, including oceans, girls who feel the desire to suck on his ears, dirty hands, polysporin, hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, and the need to be extra careful when putting on or removing shirts and sweaters.
I explain the risk of infection and that he needs to come and see me if he thinks he may have an infection and we will treat it accordingly. Once I'm confident that he understands what's ahead of him concerning aftercare, my photographer (Stephen Leckie), Ferch and I all crowd into my bathroom.

I first clean the area to be pierced with iodine and rinse well. I then use a q-tip to apply lubricant. I'm using K.Y. Jelly because I don't have any surgical lubricant and KY is water based so I am confident that it will suffice. I don't bother to mark my entry and exit points, as I am not sure what kind of marker a piercer uses, and I don't see regular pen ink being beneficial to new piercings. Again, I also don't have clamps so my chances of hitting the marks right on are pretty slim anyhow. Everything is ready and then needle is in my hand.

I'm feeling pretty nervous because this is my friend and I'm not looking forward to hurting him. He is instructed to take deep breaths, in through his nose and out through his mouth, while I do the same to calm my own nerves. On the third exhale, I gently push the needle through his earlobe. He takes it like a champ and assures me he is not feeling dizzy and feels fine. Using the edge of the ring, I push the rest of the needle all the way through his earlobe and the ring slides through nicely; a wonderfully smooth transfer if I may say so myself. Now, on to the next side. The area is again cleaned with iodine and lube is applied. Ferch takes a couple deep breaths and on the second exhale, I gently push the needle through his lobe. While I start pushing the needle through with the edge of the ring, it slips. The needle is now sticking out through the exit and the ring is in the entrance. This is isn't good. I decide to try to continue pushing the ring through but I can't get it through the exit to save my life. The needle falls to the floor and I start sweating. I can't push the ring through and I know I am hurting him more than he needs trying to find this exit hole. He starts to bleed a bit and I feel just terrible. I again reminded him that this is what can happen when you go to someone who doesn't really know full well what they're doing. I explain that I can try again to push the ring through, which will be painful, or I can open a new needle and re-pierce through the same spot, which will hurt but probably not as much as fishing around and forcing a ring through a hole that doesn't want to exist. He opts for the re-piercing while I re-assure him that I won't let my mistake ever happen again. I wipe up the small amount of blood and line up the new needle against the same hole. He doesn't feel sick or dizzy and isn't in too much pain so ahead I go. This time the transfer of needle to ring goes smoothly, thank god. I work quickly to get the bead on so this poor boy can relax and be done with that unexpected extra dose of pain.

The end result looks great, even though the placement is slightly off. Ferch's ears already tip at a diagonal angle so it was hard to place them to begin with but it worked out really well and they looked perfect. Though of course I am cursing myself for not having had clamps. I still feel horrible and my lack of experience sets in deep. I feel extremely guilty for having messed up but then Ferch did his happy little hippy dance, which made me feel better. He loved the result and that is all that matters.

I explained that the second lobe will likely be more painful and may put up a fight during healing. All in all, it was a good learning experience for me and Ferch is extra happy with his new piercings. I hereby solemnly swear to never ever pierce again without the helpful aid of clamps. Thanks for reading folks, and remember, don't do this at home.