I wanted to write an experience for BMEZine, but had a little trouble deciding which of my piercings to talk about. So then I thought about my most memorable piercing. Well, piercings.
At A Glance Author Lynnie Contact Lynnie@bme.anon When Two years ago Artist Michelle Studio Stainless Studios Location Toronto I'd wanted to get venom piercings in my tongue for 2 years, after I had seen some pictures in the bmezine gallery and fallen in love. However, at the time I had been working in an establishment that does not permit facial piercings of any sort, not too mention employees were limited to 2 piercings per ear (I had a little trouble working around that one). I begged my boss to let me get the tongue piercings, because once they were healed, they wouldn't be so noticeable. I even suggested changing the balls on the barbells to pink or clear balls to hide them even more, but no dice.
Shortly before my 18th birthday I stopped working at said establishment, and with my newfound freedom to pierce, I decided to treat myself to a little birthday present - not one tongue piercing but two, side by side. I've never been so excited for a piercing before because I had waited so long to get this one, and it was even more exciting because none of my friends had anything like this, so I felt...well, I felt cool!
So I caught a train with some friends to Toronto to make a visit to the infamous (at least in my area) Stainless Studios. I'd had a few piercings done there already and I couldn't imagine going anywhere else. Everyone there was really nice (as fellow Stainless-goers will know), and it didn't take very long to fill out the form, pay and be called back. The short time I did spend waiting, I was so nervous. One of my friends had a tongue piercing herself, and she told me not to worry, it didn't really hurt, and it healed really quick. I think I might have appreciated her advice a little bit more if I didn't know that I would have twice the pain and two times the pain to go through!
I went into one of the piercing rooms with the piercer, Michelle, and 2 of my friends were even allowed in to watch. One of them had a tongue piercing herself and was telling me about "the drool cup" that comes with the tongue piercing procedure, although at first I didn't think I was going to need one. When Michelle was setting up the clamps and whatnot for the first piercing, and I became instantly terrified and my mouth was insanely dry. Drooling was the LAST thing I thought was going to happen. She got the needle lined up, counted to 3, pushed the needle through, and out came the drool. Boy was I happy for that drool cup then!
I was surprised how little the first piercing had hurt, although it felt really awkward having this long barbell through one side of my tongue. My surprise was then multiplied by a billion when Michelle set up for the second hole and pushed that darn needle through...I wanted to scream!!! Of course, my tongue was already swelling from the first piercing, and the second one hurt so very much! It stopped hurting so much once the barbell was in and fastened.
My friends giggled at my new speech impediment and complimented the piercings while I sat with Michelle waiting for the bleeding (thankfully not much) to stop.
When I had recovered I had to walk out of that room and tell my boyfriend the wonderful news that I wasn't going to be kissing him anytime soon! I thanked Michelle again and again (as best as I could with 2 inches of steel in my mouth), she explained the healing process and how to take care of the piercings, and we were on our merry way.
It took me half an hour to eat a potato wedge that night, and cigarette cravings were not easy to satisfy for a couple of weeks, but I had no problems whatsoever throughout the healing process, which took a few weeks. Well, no problems with the exception of not being able to speak properly, but hey, the sacrifices we make! The other kids in my classes at school had a field day making fun of me whenever I spoke up in class, because for the most part no one could understand what I was saying! Needless to say, I was a very quiet student while my tongue was healing.
But alas, my venoms have since been retired because it WAS a little annoying having so much metal through my tongue, and I was also a little worried about tooth and gum erosion. I would hit the barbells on my teeth or bite down on them accidently, and man would that hurt. Perhaps someday I'll pull out the dormant barbells and do it all over again, but for now I'm having fun poking holes everywhere else!