The first time I ever saw a nostril stud was in my British literature class on a girl who sat in the row next to me. So instead of translating Beowulf, I was checking out her nose every day. It was so cute, and even though it had never occurred to me to get a piercing, I wanted one just like it. I thought, "Hmmmm....Maybe I should get my nose pierced." At first I wasn't really serious, but when I mentioned the idea to my boyfriend, I was instantly serious. The "maybe" became "I think I'm going to get my nose pierced." I'm dependable, responsible, sensible, and never do anything remotely unsafe – So when I got my nostril pierced, most of my friends were shocked. "That's so unlike you!" they exclaimed. It was, and it felt delicious to do something that I wouldn't normally do. I wanted to get out of my box.
At A Glance Author frank Contact anniewhaley@yahoo.com When Six months ago Artist Elvis Costello Studio Acme Body Piercing Location Cincinnati, OH Chris, my supportive boyfriend, encouraged me to get it done right away because he knew I would get scared and talk myself out of it. He had gone with other friends to get pierced and suggested Acme Body Piercing in Clifton. He even said he would pay for half of it, and the next afternoon I was standing across the counter from a guy who seemed to have everything on his face pierced! (These people are serious about their piercings). I showed my ID (I'm had just turned 22) and filled out all my paperwork, after which I picked out an 18 gauge ball stud and was taken into a private room down the hall.
Acme Piercing is wonderful: Clean, and they listen to excellent music. Plus the people there are nice, which is a good indicator that they're going to take care of you. My piercer told me his name, but I quickly forgot it because I was so nervous. Not to mention that he looked uncannily like Elvis Costello, so I wouldn't have been able to call him by his real name anyway. I must have looked terrified because as he was putting on his gloves, he asked, "Gee, did you lose a bet or something?" I been gearing myself up for this brave event, but I felt so small and scared. Lucky for me that Chris was standing right next to me and that Elvis was so thorough about explaining the procedure. (I know that it's his job, but I appreciated it all the same). We picked which side to pierce (the left) and where to put the little dot (right in the curve of my nostril). He told me about the autoclave, and I remember thinking that my mom would be happy that Acme was so sterile.
I closed my eyes, and Elvis told me to take a big breath and count to three. There was no way I'd ever watch - He explained everything as he was doing it, and before I knew it, I was through the clamp, the hollow needle, and the stud was magically in my nose. It hurts; I won't lie about that. Chris says I made a terrible face, so it must have hurt worse than I remember, but the transaction was so smooth and quick. If you can handle some momentary pain and watery eyes, you'll be fine. You'll be so happy that you did it. Even now, I'm a little uncertain about how the stud actually gets into the nostril, with the hollow needle and all. Maybe I should convince one of my friends to get it done so I can watch.
Acme gave me a sheet of aftercare instructions and some sea salt to soak the piercing. I was supposed to clean it twice a day with clear liquid soap and water, and then do the salt soak, which I didn't do as often as I was supposed to. That was probably bad, as it would have healed faster. Still, it has never been infected and it looks very healthy. I don't think I've ever been so happy about a decision before. I know it sounds cliché, but I honestly felt like a new person when I left the studio. Chris kept looking at my face like I was the cutest thing he'd ever seen, and I felt like it. I felt empowered – Nose piercings are one of the most beautiful piercings you can get because the nose is so central to the face, and they're so delicate and feminine (Even though they look great on dudes, too).
You might like your stud so much that the thought of ever getting rid of it makes you sad. I'm in the process of getting my high school teaching certificate, so I'm praying that by the time I get my own classroom, nose piercings will be allowed in the school I teach in. I love the silver flicker on my nostril. My little stud has made a home on my face, and I think it makes my face interesting. Piercings make your life interesting – You'll get to talk to people you might never have talked to before; If you're scared, you'll overcome a fear (hopefully); you'll participate in an event that people all over the world have been doing for centuries.
My best advice is to find a good piercing studio that you trust; Ask people where they got theirs done. If you're ever in Cincinnati, go to Acme. They're on Vine Street near Bogarts. Take someone with you for support so you won't change your mind. – And don't feel that because you aren't someone who looks like you should have a piercing that you can't get one. In fact, if you're someone like me, I think you should definitely get something pierced. If you don't like it, you can always take it out. But I bet you won't.