New inner conch.. and then some!
At A Glance Author Jess Contact Jess@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Professional piercer Studio Stardust Creations Location Wanganui, New Zealand Ahh - what an adrenaline rush :) I'm not that much of a human pin cushion but I do have both my lobes pierced (just like everyone else.. I know - boooring!) and have had both tragus piercings done.
I've been wanting to get my inner conch pierced for awhile now but never really got around to it. I wasn't scared or anything, the pain doesn't really get to me, in a weird way I sort of like it. Anyhow.. I was in town today, running a few errands, having a bit to eat etc. - when I decided I'd finally go get it done!
Stardust Creations is about the only place in Wanganui that I can trust.. the guy there is the only one in town who uses needles for cartilage piercings. Everywhere else is trashy as hell (for example.. "Cleopatras," who got done over by the health inspectors for having their piercing equipment soaking in the kitchen sink with their food and drink dishes!!) plus I'm not so keen on getting cartilage done with a gun (due to possible shattering).
I went in and asked if the guy had a spare 10minutes to do my inner conch. He said it was sweet but he just had to wait until all the customers were out cos he was the only one working there at the time so he'd have to close up for 15minutes. It sucked pretty hard cos I was all prepared to get it over and done with and I had to keep holding off as more and more people entered the store!!
Eventually the place was emptied out and we went out the back. My sister sat with me and went a bit white.. she's not really one for blood etc... but I was doing pretty well considering! I picked out the plain silver stud I wanted (I just prefer them to barbells) and watched the guy go through the cleaning/sterilising of everything. He's fucking cool man, real laid back but real nice at the same time. I've had 3 piercings done there before so I sort of know him.
I got him to mark a felt-tip dot where I wanted it, decided it was a bit too low, made another dot a teeny bit higher. He felt around at the back a bit to make sure it was ok, gave my ear a good cleaning.. and then got the clamp out. We were good to go!
It was funny, I've had both tragus piercings done before so I knew what the clamping felt like, but this time it seemed sooo tight that I thought he'd actually put the needle through already and that we were done! Was I wrong or what?! Then he put the needle through and the sound that it made through my thick piece of inner conch cartilage was crazy.. I don't even know how to explain it. Sort of like a cracking/crusty/chewing sound. And just slightly painful hah!
After about 2 seconds of real hurt, my ear felt fine again, and it looks beeeautiful! Well, I think so anyway. Mum got a bit squeamish at it. I bought some Meths with 100% Bitrex formula and was off on my merry way :) --
BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE..
-- I got home and was checking it out some more (vein, I know..), then realised that I dearly missed my tragus piercing in my other ear which I'd taken out about 6months ago for no real reason. The whole hadn't really closed over because it'd healed after having the piercing since about 2005, so I decided to try slip a tiny nose stud through (not before cleaning and sterilising the area and stud first, of course!) and after a bit of pushing I managed to pop it through the thin scar tissue layer - voila. So now I have a cute little inner conch piercing in my left ear, as well as my sexy tragus piercing on the right! What a day :)
I've shown my dad, my mum and my step-mum. They were all pretty disgusted, but my boyfriend liked it and my other friend just had hers done the other day so I know she'll appreciate it too.
I'm not sure what's next in store for me. I'm kind of tempted to stretch my lobes, but not by much. Need to look into it a bit more. I think they're incredibly sexy at the right size though, Brandon Boyd's are just delicious! Ha I guess it helps that he's like the sexiest man alive anyway though.
What I wanna know is: is there anyone else on this website from New Zealand? I fricken love this place.. especially the pictures section. It's inspiring as. For anyone thinking of getting their conch done -- do it. You'll be so pleased. I know I certainly am. I hope this article convinces a few people out there to go through with it, just like other peoples' articles on bmezine.com convinced me!!