At A Glance
Author	Zykia
Contact	purrrrEvil@gmail.com
When	It just happened
Artist	Piercing Dude Mike (Mikely Crue)
Studio	Black Pearl Tattoos
Location	Kenosha, Wisconsin

Today, I finally did it. I got my nose pierced. Right now, I have a tiny, disinfectant-soaked little clear gem resting gently on the side of my left nostril.

My previous experiences in body mods have been 9 18-gauge earrings, three in each earlobe, two cartilage in one side, and one cartilage in the other. I loved getting pierced and finding creative ways to wear jewelry, and have been wanting a nose piercing for quite a while now. After consulting with my mom, who thought it would be hella cute, and my dad, who hated the idea of it but would respect my choice, I was ready to go.

I figured that getting my nose pierced would hurt about as much as getting my ear cartilage pierced. A number of personal experience stories from this site said about the same thing. It pinched for a few seconds, it just felt like pressure, just a little tap, et cetera.

So why should I be nervous? I shouldn't. I take pain very well, I heal fast, I have nothing to worry about.

After I got home from school, I grab my mom, go to pick up Julie, and head down to Libertyville to get my drivers liscence reprinted and to get this hole poked at Liberty Tattoo. When we get to the tattoo place, we have to stand outside while my mom parks the car because we're under age, and I ask how much it'll be, what kind of jewelry they have, and if I should make an appointment or just show up later. Turns out that the woman who does piercings for this place couldn't find a babysitter for her kid tonight, and wasn't going to be in until Saturday.

Saturday?! Dammit, I can't wait that long!

Needless to say, I was extremely dissappointed, as was Julie.

While we were at dinner, I have a stroke of genius. I race outside and call up directory assistance (I'll be paying an extra two dollars on my phone bill for the call, but 'eh, whatever'). Turns out that there was a piercing and tattoo studio called Black Pearl just accross the border in Kenosha.

Sweet! First of all, the guy who does piercings is there every day, and secondly, it's called the fucking Black Pearl.

We race up the highway to the store, this tiny little place in a strip mall, walk in, and meet Piercing Dude Mike. Piercing Dude Mike had a HUGE backpiece of no other than NIKKI MOTHERFUCKING SIXX, with incredible color and detail. HOTT DAMN.

I knew right from the start I dug this guy, and while he didn't say much while we were paying for crap ($53 bucks, including the saline spray, not bad!), once I left my mom and dragged Julie into the back room, he started asking me about my love for Motley Crue and showed me a picture of him with Nikki himself at a tattoo convention.

Well, ain't that some hot shit.

He showed me all of the sterile-wrapped supplies laying out on paper towel, cleaning everything in front of me. Five marker dots later, Julie and I were satisfied with the placement, and Piercing Dude Mike instructed me to lay back, look up, and let the fun begin. He was so great, he kept asking me if I was alright, if I was ready.

Oh hell yes, was I ever.

He set the clamp on, and told me that after I felt a poke, I should exhale as hard as I could while he sent the needle through. Julie stood next to me, and I held her hand as the adrenaline raced through my system.

I don't get butterflies in my stomach, I get this jazzed, buzzing feeling all over, like being high. And believe me, I was damn high by then.

I feel the poke, and exhale, concentrating on the air leaving my lungs...for all of about .02 seconds. As the needle made its way through my cartilage, steady breathing would no longer help. Gripping Julie's hand, wrist, entire fucking arm to the breaking point would no longer help.

It hurt like a MOTHERFUCKER.

After the needle went through, he paused for a moment. The real pain only lasted about 10, maybe 15 seconds, but it was pretty intense. After that, this sore, swollen feeling took over, and I looked at the mirror to see this two inch long silver needle sticking through my fucking nose. I couldn't help but laugh. After I had adjusted to the sensation of the needle being there, Piercing Dude Mike set the jewelry in place, sliding the needle out and the jewelry in, all in one motion. Which hurt like a motherfucking motherfucker all over again.

Then, because my nose was starting to get really tender around the screw, he wanted to loosen the hook on it to give me room in case it started to swell. This loosening process was done by shoving q-tips and gloved fingers up my nose, prying the metal open ever so slightly...from the inside out. I'll admit, I'm a tough girl, and anyone who knows me will tell you so, but this part made me groan.

But then, oh then. It was DONE. This hit me with a wave of happiness and even more adrenaline, but I had to stop smiling for the pressure on my nose.

I found out after the piercing was done that I had very thick tissue in my nose, which makes it strong and tough (a good thing) but isn't the easiest thing to pierce through (obviously, a bad thing). I said that I had nose surgery about 10 months ago, and he confirmed that he felt scar tissue in there somewhere.

Oh, skippy.

So I lay there on this comfy padded table for a few minutes longer, letting my breathing return to normal and the buzzing, jazzed feeling to leave my muscles. After a while, I got all my aftercare instructions, free cards and stickers, and was all set to go.

This all happened about two hours ago, and my nose is still a little tender, but feeling damn fine, and I can't wait to start showing it off.

Thanks, Piercing Dude Mike at Black Pearl Tattoo, Kenosha, WI.