At A Glance
Author	Strat0sphere
Contact	Silv3rX@hotmail.com
When	A year ago
Artist	Jonny Trouble
Studio	Mothership Tattoo & Piercing
Location	Pismo Beach, CA

Four years ago I was looking through BMEZine and saw a picture of a beautiful girl with an even more beautiful bolt of metal through her ear. After searching around a bit I found that it was called an industrial piercing. I wanted it! I was 14 at the time and so I had to talk my mother into it. She supported my four lobe piercings but I wasn't sure if she would go for this one—she didn't. It took me three years, but finally I had talked my mom into allowing me to do it, with the help of my boyfriend, despite the fact that she didn't like it herself.

I'd never been to a piercing shop before, but I knew a girl from school that had an industrial and so I asked her where she got it done. She didn't remember the name but described it to me well enough to identify it as Mothership Tattoo & Piercing. I decided and arranged a date and time and waited in adrenaline-filled anticipation. When the day finally came my mother, my boyfriend and I eagerly drove down to Mothership, which is usually a short fifteen minutes away but at that time it felt like an hour at least. We parked and stepped inside. Immediately my stomach turned and my body went numb, it was all extremely thrilling. It was happening!

I asked if I could get it pierced with the barbell and Jonny recommended that instead we do the initial piercing with two hoops and then change the jewelry out in a few months. I was totally disappointed but after reading about some bad experiences with initial barbells, I realized he was definitely right. He's the professional after all! We filled out the paperwork and signed on the dotted lines while Jonny Trouble set up his station.

We were welcomed back into his station and I was seated on a huge black dentist chair. By this time my hands were shaking so I sat on them while the markings and measurements were being made on my ear. It took a few times to get a placement that I liked that also avoided a vein. He then talked me through the procedure in detail and assured me it wouldn't be all that painful.

We decided to do the helix first, as that was supposed to be the more painful of the two. The clamps went on and I was instructed to take a deep breath in and a deep breath out, and expecting the worst I did as told. On my breath out the needle was pushed through faster than I expected and with much less pain than I anticipated. The clamps were taken off and the jewelry was threaded through. Although it's not the most comfortable experience, the placing of the jewelry didn't hurt much. I haven't passed out yet, so it's on to the second half...

My ear was red hot at this point in time so the cold clamps were actually almost comforting. I took another breath in and out and I didn't even realize the needle had not only gone through but the jewelry was already threaded through as well. By this time I was whiter than the walls so I was told to lie down to avoid passing out, and Jonny gave me some candy to get the color back in my face. After some conversation and joking about, we were on our way out, paid with a big tip and left with an even bigger smile.

My helix was sore for about eight months, but that's simply my personal experience. The helix did keloid and flare up a few times, but with sea salt soaks and regular cleanings it disappeared after several weeks. Sleeping was not a problem, nor was talking on the phone as long as you were conscious of what you were doing (i.e. answering your cell while going 80 on the freeway is probably not a good idea right after you get it done).
About six months after the initial piercing I went back to get the rings changed out for the official barbell. We had to specially order one for a small ear, but it came in no time. Jonny set up his station then sanitized and removed my jewelry painlessly, switching it out for the barbell painlessly.

It goes without question that I would do it again if I had the space in my ears. I highly recommend Mothership Tattoo & Piercing in Pismo Beach, CA for anyone nearby or a few hours away, the excellent work, cleanliness and customer service will be worth your drive! It is the only place I will ever go to get pierced, Jonny Trouble is an awesome guy and will make you feel relaxed and will promise you the least amount of pain possible.