I had four piercings on each ear, and I decided that I didn't want any more ear piercings, because I didn't want it to get too messy. Then a month ago my re-pierced helix on the right closed for the second time, and suddenly I decided to get a different sort of piercing rather than re-piercing it again.
At A Glance Author Nicky Contact Nicky@bme.anon When It just happened There were two piercings I was considering - the industrial, and the conch. I definitely liked the industrial better, I thought it was really pretty and really cool and I wanted it really badly, but I wasn't sure whether my ear was the right shape (it doesn't seem to have enough 'curve' at the edge of the ear, I don't know how to say it).
One day I passed by this tattoo parlour/piercing place, which is supposed to be one of the most professional places to go to here. I went in and asked the piercer if I had the right-shaped ear for an industrial. She was really nice, and she said that I could do it, but because I sometimes wear glasses in school it might get in the way. Not to mention it takes really long to heal.
Then a thought came to mind and I asked her, "What about a conch?" And she told me that she definitely recommended getting a conch over an industrial. I went home, slept on it and I decided to get a conch piercing done.
Yesterday my friends and I passed by the same shop so I decided to get it done then. I was feeling pretty nervous before I even stepped in. I'm always enthusiastic about getting piercings but always get really jittery when it's time to actually get pierced. Not to mention all my other ear piercings had been done with a gun so I was freaked out about getting pierced with a needle for the first time. I almost bought painkillers from the convenience store because I was so afraid that it might hurt really bad.
I picked out a small, plain 14ga barbell (they only had that size, but I didn't mind) and paid. She told me to return in 15 minutes while she sterilized it. We strolled around the mall for a bit before going back in 15 minutes flat. She took the 3 of us to a small room at the back of the shop. I told her that I wanted to pierce my left ear, but she suggested that I pierce my right ear instead, because I have very uneven-cut hair where it's about chin-length on the left but almost boy-short on the right, so it would be more visible. Her theory made sense, so I said okay.
She marked the spot on my right ear and I checked it in the mirror before giving it the ok-go. She told us that we could take a photo when the needle would be in my ear (since it'd make a pretty funky shot), so I got a friend to get my mobile camera on standby. When she was about to pierce me I gripped my friend's arm tight and I told the piercer not to count before she pierced, but just to go whenever. I guessed it might be less scary that way.
Soon enough I felt a sharp pain and I went "aaaah". Not in a screechy or loud way though. It did hurt, but just a bit more than a painful helix piercing (I have a few, and they all hurt different amounts when I pierced them), which was bearable. She asked if it hurt, and I said it was fast and sharp but okay. My friend quickly snapped a picture while the needle was just sticking out of my ear (pretty gnarly).
Then she said she was going to put the barbell in, and I heard that this can be the painful part, so I kind of went "aaah" again but it hardly hurt at all so it was a bit embarrassing, heh. So she screwed the ball on and she said it was done. My ear was burning and throbbing a little bit, but perfectly manageable. I checked it out in the mirror and I actually liked it more than I thought I would. We thanked her and left.
It sort of continued throbbing for the next few hours, but it never got painful to the extent that I wanted to take a painkiller or anything (so I was glad I didn't buy any after all). Right now it hurts if you poke it, but otherwise I can't feel it at all. What's great is that I love it even more than when I first saw it in the mirror, and it's cool because nobody else I know has it. Can't wait till it's healed and maybe change the barbell to a ring!