In January of 2005 I began stretching my lobes which had been gun pierced when I was two weeks old. I had also received my first facial (and needle) piercing in the same month, which was my center lip piercing. This was the beginning of my desire to modify my body. After that, in August of the same year I acquired a septum piercing.
At A Glance Author Tiffani Contact Tiffani@bme.anon When A year ago Artist Paul Studio Braindrops Location San Francisco Anyway, I celebrated my 20th birthday in November of that year and found myself with a pile of birthday money that needed to be spent. I had taken my lip piercing out in September because of complications and I really wanted to get two double off-center lip piercings. However, I had gotten a job in retail the month before my birthday. I was worrying that the new piercings would not be accepted in the workplace and would need to be removed, thus wasting a lot of money. I went over it in my head a million times and decided that since I had just started, I did not want to cause any problems. So instead I decided on a pair of upper lobe piercings. I knew that if I got them pierced at the normal 14 gauge that I would end up stretching them later on so I decided why not just pierce them larger.
I chose to return to the shop that I had received my septum piercing because of its professional and clean environment. So I made my way to San Francisco, about 30 miles from where I live. After stressing over the traffic and getting lost in the city, I made it to Braindrops on Hayes Street. I walked in and was greeted by Emily, the counter technician. I informed her that I wanted my lobes pierced at 6 gauge above my first lobe piercings that were already at 4 gauge. She asked me if I wanted steel or glass jewelry and I chose some Glasswear Studios lavender colorfronts.
Paul was the piercer that day and I was glad because he was the one who pierced my septum three months earlier. I sat down on the medical table that they had covered with one of those paper covers just like they use in the doctor's office. Paul took about ten minutes, examining my ears and marking them. He then grabbed some captive bead rings that looked to be about 12 gauge and were missing the balls. He said he was going to put the space where the balls go on the marks to see if the rings hang the same way on both ears. After examining those for a while, he changed the marks and asked if they looked good. I agreed and he told me to lay down.
He was setting up the materials on his tray as I was staring up at the ceiling. I was nervous but more excited about getting pierced at a larger gauge. As I wondered what was taking so long, I looked over and saw that he was holding the needle. He quickly covered it with his gloved hand. I laughed at the fact that he was hiding the huge needle from me so I would not get scared.
He asked if I was ready and when I shook my head yes, he began lining the needle up to the mark on my right lobe. Once he was ready he told me to take a deep breath in and as I let it out, he pierced my lobe. The sensation was weird. It didn't hurt, just burned like crazy. He inserted the glass plug and proceeded to the other lobe which went the same way.
When I got up, I looked into the mirror and instantly loved them. My ears were red but the plugs looked great. Purple is my favorite color so I loved the lavender colorfronts. I also was happy about his placement. I had told him earlier that I was still in the process of stretching my first lobe piercings so he left a good amount of room between the two.
I paid the total, which was almost $100 (including the piercings, the jewelry, and aftercare supplies), tipped the piercer the remaining cash that I had, and left the shop. On the ride home the cool breeze felt good on my ears.
Aftercare included washing them in the morning and at night with Satin soap and doing one or two sea salt soaks a day. When I got these piercings, it had already been two or three months since I had stretched my first lobe piercings to 4 gauge. I was debating whether stretching my first lobe piercings so soon after I had gotten these upper lobe piercings would be bad for healing. However, my first lobe piercings were loose and ready to stretch so it caused no problems when I stretched them two days after I got the upper lobe piercings. The piercings felt completely healed after three months and changing the plugs to circular barbells caused no problems.
I have had my 6 gauge upper lobe piercings for about a year and a half now and I have not stretched them. I am going to leave them at 6 gauge because I like the way they look with my first lobe piercings, which are now at my goal size of 1/2".