Ever since I first saw a tragus piercing on an ex-manager of mine I fell in love. It was a highly visible, but not too risqué, original piercing that wasn't just your average cartilage piercing that every other 12 year old has.
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon When A month ago Artist ? Studio Paul's Piercings Location Langley, BC, Canada I've always been a rather big piercing aficionado, and I'll admit my tragus piercing wasn't the top of my "to do" list when I became legally entitled to sign for my own piercings at the age of 16. So after a few piercings, and becoming a regular blood donor I wasn't in a rush to get another piercing. But I was still a lover of piercings and loved just going with friends while they got theirs done for moral support and to watch.
That's why this March when my male friend was going to get his eyebrow pierced for the second time (he had to take it out for work the first time) and my female friend went to get her naval done I HAD to go with them.
My friend drove us the half hour ride into Langley one day after school, and as soon as I entered the piercing salon the scent of iodine and other chemicals used for sterilization hit me and that regular rush of endorphins and excitement hit me. I wasn't even getting a piercing!
After talking to the piercer for awhile my friend realized he had forgotten his ID (typical) and my other friend started freaking out because she didn't want to be the only one to be getting a piercing. I finally gave in and said I would get my tragus pierced. I was rather upset because now I wouldn't be able to donate blood for 6 months (as is the law in Canada) but I was also very excited to be getting yet another piercing.
We decided my friend should go first so she didn't chicken out. She laid down on the table and the piercer cleaned her up. She was clamped, marked, asked if the placement was right then told to take a huge inhale. When she was told to exhale I was holding her hand and man did she squeeze. Apparently it hurt? She just looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, "oww". I just looked at her and laughed, my naval piercing didn't hurt at all. It was all worth it when she looked in the mirror and smiled at her gorgeous new piercing, however.
Now it was my turn. I sat on the chair and my regular piercing thoughts started racing; Why was I here, yet again? Putting myself through torture, for cosmetic reasons? It didn't make sense. But at the same time my heart was racing, and, man, was I excited.
I'll admit, looking at the piercing on others rather freaked me out, I mean that's some thick cartilage you've got going on there, but with piercings I've never been one to back down. You've just got to go in and do it, then it's over and you're left with a cute little piercing. I asked around to see what most people thought of it. Most people said it was the most painful and worst healing piercing they'd ever gotten. That was ok by me though, because I knew that one persons experience is different, my nostril piercing was the most painful thing ever... whereas most people would say it's the least painful. But all the same, as I was getting prepped for my piercing I had to wonder if other people had been telling the truth.
The girl doing my piercing clamped it, marked it, and then got ready to insert the needle. She didn't ask me about placement, but then again, exactly how much room is there to choose between on your tragus to begin with? She told me to inhale and that she would tell me before she put the needle in. I just laughed at her and told her I knew that was a lie. They never tell you, they just do it when you're exhaling. At this remark she smiled at me and told me to exhale. I don't really remember how much it hurt. It was all over so quickly and the jewelry was in before I could even realize whether or not it hurt.
I hopped up and looked in the mirror, it was so cute! Smiling to myself I thanked the piercer and my friends and I walked out of the piercing room into the waiting room. My male friend was just scowling at me angry because I hadn't reminded him to bring his ID.
When I got home I started cleaning my piercing with Bactine. It was nice because it was clear and didn't tarnish my jewelry but after a few days my piercing started swelling and burning and I realized it was infected. With all my previous piercings I had never had a problem and for all those I had used an iodine solution but for some reason my piercer had changed their cleaning solution. I had lots leftover from previous piercings so I decided to start using the iodine. After a few days the swelling went down, but it is still sore and has a slight bump around the hole.
Overall, aside from the slight problems with healing, I am very happy with my piercing. I love it when people look at me shocked and ask if "that" hurt as they point at my ear. I just grin and shake my head no... after all I barely remember the pain it was over so fast, and the after effect is totally worth it.
HAPPY PIERCINGS!~