I have been wanting to get my tragus done for a few years. I begged my mom and dad for weeks to get it for me for my birthday because I was only 14 and could not get it myself without parental consent, my fathers reaction was to ask my mother while my mothers reaction was, "Sweetie, we will talk about this when you are older."
At A Glance Author Kristina Contact Kristina@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Leo Studio purple scorpion Location salem, MA When I was in tenth grade I tried to pierce it myself with a safety pin. I was on BME looking at all the pictures of piercings and thought to myself how hard could it be. I went into the kitchen got some ice cubes then a safety pin and a lighter. Ran up to my room with my little heart racing and took a shower to cleanse the area. When I got out I read some more stories on BME then got started. I put ice on the area until I could not take it anymore than I held the lighter to the safety pin. When it turned black and I thought ok it's sterilized.
After twenty minutes of hesitation and pain I had the safety pin through my tragus and shooting pains through my ear. My ear was a crimson red and felt as hot as the fire from my lighter was. I put ice on the area again and slowly took out the safety pin and putting in an 18g earring. I thought it looked so good so I cleansed it again and left it alone. For about two weeks I cleansed it with soap twice a day and left it alone but it was swollen and hurt. One morning I woke up with shooting pains in my ear. When I looked in the mirror I found out why it was hurting so bad. The area was black and blue like a bruise all around the earring, It was so swollen that the earring was sinking into my skin. I decided it was time to give up so after a very deep breath I took out the earring and my ear started to bleed. I cleansed it and went to my mom.
After two hours waiting in the emergency room the doctor finally took me in and I was told that my ear was very infected and I needed a shot and to put alcohol on the area everyday until it healed. After that I decided it was a bad idea to get my tragus pierced and I stuck to that.
Now fast forward to Wednesday March 7,2007. I just got out of work and had two hours before my next job started so I went to walk around the mall. I was walking by this jewelry store when my friend called out to me, I had no idea she was working that day so I ran in to give her a hug and say hello. We were just talking about a movie we saw when she blurted out that she thought we should go get a piercing together. She is 100% Puerto Rican and has very strict parents who tell her that she can not have any piercings outside of her ears so we decided on getting our tragus done. We both got paid Friday so we decided on going after work.
Friday comes and I go to meet her at work. Just as I thought she tells me she is too scared but will watch me get mine done. Now I'm standing here about 30minutes from getting a needle shoved through my ear and my friend is chickening out and I remember what happened to me, I'm not sure I should get this done. I tell her I am going to get something to eat and I will be back soon. I am sitting in the food court thinking and getting very sweaty palms when my ex-boyfriend walks up and says hello. We talk for a few minutes than he asks me what is wrong while looking at my hands. I realize I am shaking a bit and I tell him what I was thinking about and just like always he laughs in my face. Than to my surprise he says, "Kristina your 18 and graduating high school, I know your a tough girl and can handle this like it is nothing." With that inspiration I walk back to meet my friend and off we go in her little silver Honda civic.
We get to purple scorpion and my nerves have the best of me yet again but I take a deep breath and into the parlor we walk. It is very sunny out so the place is lit up and the counters are filled with piercing jewelry. The guy at the counter asks if he can help me and with a shaky little voice I declare I want my left tragus pierced. He takes my ID and introduces himself as Leo. As we wait for him to scan my id me and my friend take a seat and I observe the area. It is very clean and the walls are purple, a sign is hanging that says, "One sting and it is all over." Leo has me sign the papers and asks me what jewelry I want. He tells me it will be another few minutes so that the jewelry can be properly sterilized. I take my seat again and now I'm really shaking.
When he comes back he smiles and I feel assured this will be quick and easy so I follow him up some stairs into a room with a shiny purple chair, a sink, and a counter. He begins to explain to me how to care for my new piercing and what kinds of things to watch out for like hair brushes and dirty pillow cases. Than he explains what it will do after a few days, how it will feel and what I should be doing. Then he begins taking out the jewelry and the needle. He shows me he is washing his hands and putting on clean rubber gloves than he cleanses my ear with that gross smelling brown goo.After he wipes that off he puts a dot on my ear and has me look in the mirror and let him know if that is the place I want it. After looking at it a few moments I decide it is perfect and assure him with a weak smile. Now we begin.
He puts the clamp on my ear and makes sure im comfortable and he begins to talk to me about my job and my friends. Before I know it he is telling me the needle is through and I had no idea he was even starting yet so I begin to relax but then he lets me know the ring is not in yet. I think oh this will be nothing if I did not feel the needle, but I am wrong it stings like a bee sting but only for a single moment. Finally on goes the ball and he cleans me up while reminding me that I need to wash it twice a day with dial antibacterial soap and then put some bactine on it with a Q-tip.
I get up and look at it in the mirror and at once I am in love with my new little piercing. On my way out my friend gushes about how easy it looked and I try to get her to do hers and she backs up with wide eyes and says she is not ready yet. We laugh and get into her car and the next few days feels like an hour.
It is now March 12,2007 and my new piercing is still doing great. I'll admit there is some soreness but not too much and so far no swelling. Brushing my hair does not take two seconds anymore nor does putting a shirt over my head but it looks great so who is complaining.
I will end this story by saying get it done if you really want it but go to a professional because you will regret doing it wrong. And if you are ever in Massachusetts than go see Leo at purple scorpion. He is friendly and they are very clean.