I'd been thinking about getting a larger gauge piercing for about 3 months, but I didn't actually believe I would ever follow through with the idea. There were plenty of reasons not to get it done, but the urge to have it was still there. I knew it would make finding a job more difficult, and that it was different from any other piercings I had, in that it was permanent, but I still wanted it.
At A Glance Author gear Contact gear@disrupted.net IAM gear When A month ago Artist Allen Falkner Studio Obscurities Location Dallas, Texas I decided on my septum because I figured I could hide it easily enough, and no one would have to know it's there but me. I picked 2g because it was big enough that I could wear a tunnel and put a captive ring through when I wanted the piercing to be visible.
I called the shop I had gotten all my other piercings at, only to discover they couldn't do dermal punching. I hit BME to find a more reputable shop in my area, and discovered Obscurities.
So I called to get more information. First, Allen asked me if I had any piercings (probably to ensure I could take care of this one after I got it), I replied yes and listed off the 11 piercings I have and healed already. He agreed to the dermal punch, but they wanted me to come in to get my septum looked at to make sure it would support the piercing, and order custom jewelry to fit if they didn't have something on hand that would fit. This wouldn't have been a problem, if the shop wasn't so far away and I didn't have to have my dad drive me there because I don't know my way around Dallas, so I asked if there was any way to get it done all in one trip. Allen said it wouldn't be a problem as long as they had jewelry on hand that fit. So, with my hopes up, I made an appointment for the following wednesday.
The only thing I hadn't really considered was the price. I figured I could scrounge up enough before the day came to get it done. It wasn't particularly expensive, but for a student with no job and no money, $25 for the piercing and paying for jewelry was that much more that I didn't have. So, I asked my girlfriend if she would pay for it as Christmas present. She agreed, so all was set. Come wednesday...
The ride there was a quiet one. I wasn't nearly as nervous as I had been about previous piercings, but I figured it was because the pain was nothing unfamiliar anymore. When we arrived, I find out Allen wasn't feeling well and hadn't come in the day of our appointment. This was discouraging. I talked to the guy at the counter, Shan, who was talking to Allen online in the shop. He told me Allen would come in if I really wanted him to because I had made an appointment, but that he wouldn't be "100%". Now, at this point my girlfriend and this Shan character were trying to convince me to come back another time, but I wasn't having it. I told them both I didn't waste my dad's time to drive over here only to get nothing done. So Allen was to shower and be on his way to the shop soon.
We waited around, looking at jewelry and discussing mods and so forth. Allen arrived and apologized about not being in. Immediately after, I got questioned about why I wanted such a big gauge, and precautions that it would be permanent and stuff, I wasn't really paying attention because I had thought it all through already and had already made the decision. Anyway, Allen get some gloves on then starts feeling around the inside of my nose, saying it was soft tissue and good for piercing. After that, we headed into the room I was to be pierced in, which looked cleaner than many doctor's offices I've been to. Allen invited Tasha, the other piercer at the shop in to 'spot' him. Shan followed, and Allen asked me to lay back on the table. He applied some technicare and got all his supplies ready, then asked me how I was feeling. I replied "fine", and he told me he was ready to pierce.
Allen had the punch up to my septum and asked Tasha if it looked straight. Tasha said yes, and Allen asked me if I was ready. I was, and he asked me to take a deep breath and hold it until he said to exhale. In with the punch, out with 2g worth of cartilage. He slid a taper through and put in the 2g plug they had on hand that was the right size, which happened to have a gem on one side (lame). Here's where things got difficult. The hole was bigger than 2g, and the plug (o-rings and all) was about to fall out of my new piercing and back into my sinuses. Allen asked me to lean forward and blow out of my nose. I did so, and blood along with the plug fell into his hand. We tried out the next piece he had which was a bit larger, and made of pyrex glass. I was much more fond of this one, even if it was a 1/2" diameter instead of 3/8". This was 8mm (1g), and fit just fine. So we were all set. Allen asked me how I felt, I replied "fine" again, even though I was a little disappointed with the pain involved in the piercing, of which there was little to speak of. I was honestly hoping for something excruciating, and I think it would have made the the piercing more meaningful to me if it was. This hurt less than getting my lobes pierced at 12g.
Anyway, Tasha gave me a bag with aftercare instructions, sea salts, and provon (I later found out they charged me for this) in it and rung up the total ($44 I think). I tipped allen 8 bucks cause it was all I had on me and we walked out.
I've had it for just under a month, and it seems to be healing well. I soak it in a small bowl of sea salt every morning before I clean it in the shower with provon, and I haven't had any troubles with it yet. I haven't showed too many people because I don't feel the need to, but the few friends that do know about it think I'm stupid for getting it, because no one can see it. I think the idea of hurting myself so others will look at me is stupid. Oh well.
I'm very happy with my first permanent mod and I recommend Obscurities to anyone in the Dallas area.