It all started one chilly November afternoon. I had just begun my freshman year at my ever-so-nasty school and longed for a lip piercing. I had done a lot of browsing online and gone through pages of pictures. My parents are in the medical business and are loonies about infections and scaring, making it seem like my face will transform into a deformed mass of skin if i get a single hole poked in my face. After repeatedly bringing up the topic to my mother, she finally gave in, but would only allow the more subtle nostril piercing. I was overjoyed that she would allow any type of facial piercing and agreed that it would make a super birthday present.
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon When Six months ago Artist Andy Studio Cloud 9 Location St.Cloud, MN After school, a the week of my birthday (5 dollar discount!) she dragged me downtown to our piercing parlor, Cloud 9. I was a bit nervous, but the man was very helpful and experienced. I have nickel allergies, so he suggested titanium for my sensitive skin. Unfortunately, they were out of titanium noserings, so I picked out a STUDly (haha..) green one from the catalog and bummed out of the shop, waiting anxiously for my call at home announcing the new shipment of jewelery.
Less than two weeks later, I got a call to set up a new appointment. I was very siked at school that day. I walked downtown after school and I found myself back at the counter, waiting anxiously for my turn with my friend at my side. Since I am underage, my mom had to fill out all of these forms and give him her permission and yadayada.. I was soon after called back to the piercing room and Andy helped me find the right placing on my nose with a marker. It took a few tries to find the perfect spot, and I was nervous but more excited than ever. He cleaned out my nostril and outside of my nose with a Q-tip and some various solutions. And it was time.
So I was prepared, and I have a history of passing out, so I had to lay down which for whatever reason made everything a touch spookier. Next, he shoved this weird metal tube into my nose, which freaked me out and was quite cold. He then asked me when I was ready, counted to three, then BOOM! The world would never be the same. It was completely painless. The emotional pain with the image of a sharp rod being shoved through my cartilage was far more scaring than the physical pain. A quick prick was all, and one tear managed to sneak out of the side of my eyeball. The most painful part of the process was when the jewelery was twisted through the hole.
The aftercare of this piercing is nothing. I purchased a bottle of antibacterial soap that smells like the putrid stuff you find in the bathroom dispensers at McDonald's. Lucky me, I had to use it on my nose. I was told to use a saltwater soak daily, which I gave up on the third day.
About a month later, my stud fell out in the shower and I tried to wedge it back through the hole but couldn't manage. After spending an hour sitting on the toilet and twisting it around, I gave up and called the shop. A few hours later, Andy was poking the needle back through my nose to break the last layer of skin that had miraculously grown back within hours. My nose was a bit red and swollen, but no other problems came about.
According to my handy pamphlet, it takes about 4 months for a nostril to heal. I was very disappointed when I went back in during February to find that my nose was taking an excessive amount of time to fully heal. In march, I purchased a cheap nosering and found that I could wear it for only a few hours before my nose became swollen around the hole and stung when I touched it.
This piercing seems to be rarely infected. My friend pierced her own after I did mine at her house with a safety pin. It looks great! She had no problems with infections, but supposedly the process was rough. She had to ice her nose and it look half an hour to punch the needle through the layers of skin. She came to school with a pink nose, but she is 60 dollars richer than myself. Everyone loved it and wanted her to pierce theirs. She did 4 more of her friends', then her friend's mom and her friend's mom's friends'. whoa.
I would most definitely suggest this piercing for anyone, even if you are frightened by needles. I am looking forward to a possible monroe piercing next :)