I've wanted my nose pierced for as long as I can remember. Well, I've been pretty obsessed with piercings for ages but I always thought nostril piercings looked best. I would pour over the pictures in BME, admiring them. While my dad was open to piercings (he didn't bat an eyelash when he discovered my navel was pierced), my mom strongly opposed.
At A Glance Author Sophie Contact Sophie@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Mickey Studio The Hole Look Location Anchorage, Alaska When I my grades began to slip, my dad randomly told me that if I got an A in English, I could get my nose pierced. English is a breeze for me anyways, I just started slacking off. So I got off my lazy ass and started writing English papers.
I did, indeed, receive an A in English. However, a few days after school ended I was due to be in Germany for a few weeks. I decided I wouldn't want a fresh piercing to heal in a foreign country so I waited. I am thankful I did because I was allergic to the point of misery and I'm sure the piercing just would've been irritated.
Today I brought up the offer with my dad again and he was all for it. I picked a studio where my friend had gotten her lip pierced. It was clean and friendly, and some of the piercers my dad knew. He signed the forms consenting me to get it done and left to drop my brother off.
I admit, I was nervous at this point. My navel was self done (which I don't recommend- I was stupid and young and I'm lucky it didn't get infected) and my ears were done with a piercing gun when I was 10. It was my first "real" piercing. After he had sterilized the jewelry I had picked out, Mickey invited me to the back.
The back consisted of small rooms that looked much like the doctors. Mickey put me at ease with his safety and professionalism, putting on gloves, taking out new packaged equipment, and telling me what he was doing along the way. He showed me all the tools he would use and had me sit on the table. He marked a spot on my right nostril and had me check to see if I liked the placing. I did, so he explained the piercing procedure to me as he went along. He told me to take a breath in through my nose and let in out through my mouth. By the time I had done so, it was over!
It was barely anything. It stung for a moment or two and one (yes, ONE) of my eyes teared up. It was uncomfortable as he twisted the piercing into a screw but no big deal. He explained the after care procedure to me and gave me some pamphlets on healing for reference. I bought a product from the studio called H2Ocean and it works quite well. It's basically purified salt water in a little spray can. You just spray it on the area a few times a day and let it soak in. It seemed a lot simpler than soaking half my face in a bath of sea salt and water.
It was a bit red and swollen for maybe 15 minutes but by the time I got home, it looked pretty normal. I cleaned it up and took the dog out for a walk. This evening I applied a hot compress to it and it's a bit sore but again, nothing aside from being a little strange and slightly uncomfortable. I was carefully not to knock it around while I washed and dried my face and it seems fine. A friend asked if hurt when I breathed deeply, and it doesn't. A bit of a twinge when I flare my nostril but I suppose I shouldn't do that anyways, eh?
My mom isn't too thrilled about the new addition to my face but it obviously doesn't bother her too much. It's an itty bitty thing, really. She clucked her tongue a few times but that was the end of that. She even showed it off to few of her friends who came over. She was horrified when I showed her the inside of my nose, with the screw, but it's not any worse than my navel.
For anybody who has been avoiding getting their nostril pierced because they're worried about the pain or after care, I say go for it! The pain is just a split second and not even that intense. The after care isn't very difficult either, providing that you take care not to bump the jewelry around. Also, my mother warned me that she was sure my allergies and the piercing would clash but I've sneezed a few times and there was no problem. No pain, no moving of the piercing, nothing. I love it, it was worth the wait. Thanks to BME for all the great info and the confidence to get this done!