I'm one of those people who wants a new piercing about five seconds after getting pierced. I had my first lobes done when I was in fifth grade, and due to some unfortunate circumstances, I had to have ear surgery and wait six months to repierce my ears.
At A Glance Author Sara Contact Sara@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Sarah Studio Cowpok Location Buffalo, NY It was then that my mother said I could never get another piercing.
Well, it took me about six years to convince her that I really wanted my second holes done, and she finally caved. We went back to Claire's (because my mother would never set foot in a piercing studio) and got my second holes done.
Little did either of us know, this was only the beginning.
From then on, I got my third holes pierced, my cartilage and my industrial. The last two I went behind my parents back and did them, as soon as I turned 18. What shocked me was that my father threatened to take away my car if I got a tattoo, but he didn't even give my industrial a second glance.
Anyway, here's were my rook comes in. It was my friend's 19th birthday, and she really wanted to get her nose pierced. So, I thought, hey, I'll throw in twenty bucks and call it a birthday present. So, we were looking at piercing studios in Buffalo, because that's we're we go to college, and found Cowpok. Luckily, they were running a special that day for navel piercings, which my roommate wanted to get done. Now, I hate going to piercing studios knowing that I wasn't getting pierced, so I started to think about what I wanted to get done, and looking through BME, I decided I wanted my rook pierced.
So, the Saturday before my friend's birthday, we went to Cowpok with my friend, my roommate, her boyfriend and me. Parking kind of sucked, and we had to walk a bit in the cold, but it wasn't bad. We entered the studio and saw a small lobby. We were immediately greeted and asked what we came in for. We all said what we wanted, and he told us the prices. We already knew the prices for my friend, because we had called, and the special for my roommate, but I didn't know how much mine was.
$59.81!!!!
When I heard the prices, I decided not to do it, at least not then. Too much. My industrial was only $40!! And it was two piercings! (Of course, I got my industrial done somewhere else). Well, I watched my friend get her nose pierced, and I was talking to the piercer, Sarah. She was extremely knowledgeable, and very professional. She told me the only reason not to get a piercing was either money or your job. I don't have a job right now (college student) and I did have the money. So, I figure, she's an excellent piercer and I really wanted it, so I went for it.
My roommate got hers done and it was my turn. It was when she called me in that I started to get nervous. I mean, I had already gotten my industrial done, which Sarah told me was probably the most painful cartilage piercing, just because it's two holes at once. But anytime someone's about to poke a needle through you, it's natural to be nervous.
My friend came in the back with me, and I must say, Cowpok is a very sanitary place to get a piercing. I had to throw out my gum, and Sarah immediately told me not to touch the garbage, for sanitary reasons, and use the foot pedal instead. She and I chatted away as she set up, using one-use everything. Everything was taken out of it's packaging after she'd washed her hands and put on gloves. As she marked my ear for placement, I was really, really nervous. So, as I checked the position, I starting thinking to myself that it couldn't possibly hurt more than my industrial.
I got back on the piercing bed and took some deep breaths. Sarah kept me informed of everything she was doing. When she told me this was going to pinch, I asked her if she was putting clamps on, like I've read about on this website. She told me if anyone ever put a clamp on my cartilage I should kick them in the shins and run away. Never let anyone use a clamp on your ear!!!! After explaining that, she told me to take a deep breath in, and out, and in went the needle.
I'll be honest with you it hurt a little, but not nearly as bad as my industrial. She finished putting in the jewelry, a 16g 5/8th in curved barbell, and that was it! I jumped up to see how it looked and it looks amazing! I love my rook piercing.
When I was done, the three of us paid, got out soap cleanser and a list of aftercare instructions. I was extremely pleased with my experience at Cowpok. Sarah was an excellent piercer, answered every question we had and made sure we knew how to care for our piercings. I definitely will be back there, maybe for my tragus and my snug. Cowpok is definitely the best piercing studio in Buffalo.