This piercing was my first after a rather painful experience a while ago, which involved a dull needle and my nose. Ever since, the thought of a piercing inspired me with horror, from entering the store to getting the clamps on to the needle itself.
At A Glance Author Daphne Contact Daphne@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Didn't catch her name Studio Jenna's Location Leuven
I had been looking into a new ear piercing for a while, as I only have slightly stretched lobes, and I settled for a helix. Later on, I changed my mind about the placement, and decided to go for an earhead as it is very uncommon around these parts where helixes are - no offence - quite overdone.
Okay, so we had a piercing idea. Reading up about it, check. Risks read, check. Place? I was definitely not going back to the place where I had my failed septum piercing, so I decided to go to the small but neat place where I had my navel done.
It was a Tuesday, around 5 pm, and still there were quite some customers. I had my best friend along for moral support and I babbled like an idiot, probably because of the nerves. At the door, I was all "You know what, I'll just ask some info and think about it some more", so I went inside. Some guys were having their lobes pierced, but after that, it was my turn. I explained to the woman that I was planning on having my cartilage pierced, but that I was very very nervous about the whole thing after my last experience. She was very friendly and understanding, so much that I decided to go for it. I picked out a nice little diamond stud, and went to the back room with her.
We talked a bit, mostly about how the heck I managed to get pierced with a dull needle while they're pretty much all the same. After the piercing she showed me the needle, and explained that it could have been the catheter slipping in front of the sharp point.
Back to the point. Marker time! She suggested two placements, of which I picked the lower one. She did her very best to reassure me, letting me sit up even if that meant causing herself some discomfort as she preferred people to lay down for it. Finally I sat down and leaned back against the wall like she told me too, while she cleaned my ear and told me everything as she did it.
After that was done, she got out her equipment, neatly packed and sterile, and put on gloves. I asked her if she could leave the clamps off, I was that nervous. She explained to me that that wasn't possible, but that I had to see them as an extension of her hand. The clamps weren't very uncomfortable, I've had them in worse place. I can remember it was cold, and a bit of a pinch. Okay, so the clamps weren't the worst.
So the supreme moment had arrived, everyone's favourite: the second between the clamp and the needle.
My friend was talking a bit about Apocalypto, after some jokes about how much it would be bleeding and such, and she asked me if she should warn me when she stabbed. I told her that wasn't necessary.
Just when I told my friend just how interesting the language used in Apocalypto was, she pushed in the needle.
A very slight pain, I might have made a face, but it lasted only a second. She left the catheter tube in and told me that she was inserting the jewellery, a very nice bioplast bar with a little diamond stud. There was hardly any pain at all, I could hardly feel her pulling out the tube. Some pulling and there, I had my stud.
When it was done, she put a bit of some orange fluff on it to stop the bleeding, which was quite minimal. (I only bled a bit afterwards, nothing more but a little crust around the wound.) Of course, it stung a little, but there was no real discomfort. After gazing into the mirror a while, I picked out some nice ear plugs to match and left the store a happy customer. I even went to a lecture on creationism and evolution with my friend after that, sort of to repay him the moral support!
I use a pin to keep my hair away from it, and haven't touched it deliberately all the time. Of course I'm hoping it'll heal well, and I'm now officially over my fear of piercings! Not that I'll be hopping into the store for the next one carelessly, but I won't shy away anymore.
In the end, I'm glad I did it. It's a very nice little piercing, and discrete too. Although my cartilage probably won't forgive me soon, as it still makes itself felt.
Oh, and if you've had a bad experience like mine, or are just nervous, tell the piercer that. They'll be happy to make you more comfortable.