I have been wanting to get a facial piercing for a very long time, but due to my ultra conservative Catholic parents, I've pretty much been forbidden to do so unless I was in the mood to have all my possessions taken away.
At A Glance Author anonymous When It just happened Artist I don't even know Studio Ink Addictions Location Garden City, MI Last summer I played with the idea of getting my nostril done and put a little rhinestone sticky on my nose to see how it looked. I thought it was really cute and my little sister saw me and of course ratted me out and my mom freaked out about the idea of me even THINKING of doing it. She ranted on and on about how I would look like a Cannibal [I have no idea why she associates it that way] and that if I did anything like that, she would stop paying for my college tuition. All for a stupid nose stud! I felt defeated and extremely pissed off.
This summer I decided that as soon as I got back to school, I was going to get a piercing anyway. I started researching some options and although a monroe was my first choice, it would be impossible to hide even if I gave it a few weeks healing time and put a retainer in. I decided for a septum and got excited about the idea. My friend photoshopped how a septum piercing would look on me and it actually looked really cute! I started reading dozens and dozens of experience stories on BMEzine. I became pretty self-informed on the procedure and aftercare, and wanted to make sure that when I got it done it would follow the same guidelines that other people were experiencing.
My friend/roommate suggested we go to a place near Westland that her boyfriend's friend got his nostril pierced at. I was a bit wary, because they did not even have a website for me to look at, and I had no idea how shady it was going to be. After a while of being a nag, I decided to just suck it up and get it done, because I was anxious and excited and just wanted it to be over with.
About 2 hours before heading out, we called up the place and asked if they had any size 16 retainers. They didn't. They only had size 14, so I decided what the hell and said it was fine.
We drove about 30 minutes from where I live in Detroit [on my tank of gas, I should add] and had something to eat. We walked in and there were big burly men outside and everywhere smoking cigarettes and looking kind of scary. I filled out the form and paid my $45 and waited. About 5 minutes later the guy came out, but didn't even say his name or anything. He just told me to sit on a vinyl bench just like the kind in the doctor's office. He put some antibacterial soap on my nostrils and inside my nose, and it took him about 2 seconds to clean, which was the first thing that I didn't feel completely comfortable with. Second of all, it took him about 25 seconds to make the entry and exit marks on my nose- I feel like he barely even tried to make sure they weren't crooked. He did not talk me through the procedure at ALL- I had no idea what he was doing and I actually had to make conversation with him and ask what he was doing since he wasn't saying anything. Also, from what I have read, most other people's piercers changed their gloves a few times throughout this procedure. My piercer did not change his gloves at all except for when he put the initial pair on. I did not even realize this until after it was over, and I was a little upset about that.
Anyways, he lined up the entry and exit holes, and like I said he barely even made any effort in making sure they were even or repositioning them or anything. Then he put the clamps on which was pretty uncomfortable but it wasn't impossible to handle. He told me to breathe 3 times and in the middle of the second breath he pushed the needle through. It hurt pretty bad- I really can't compare it to anything except feeling like there's a needle going through your nose. I felt the little "pop" when it exited the other side of my nose. and it was almost like a searing pain. I whimpered a little bit and my eyes watered from the nerves reaction but that was it. I don't recall feeling anything as he was sliding the jewelry through. When I looked in the mirror I was appalled. The retainer was the size of a fucking drain pipe and practically came down to my top lip!! I am used to seeing retainers as looking like small little staples, but this thing was u-shaped and huuuuge. I was really pissed at myself more than anything for not even asking about other jewelry options, I just assumed that if I was getting a retainer it meant that it would be relatively small. I also probably could've gotten a small horseshoe but I wasn't sure if that could be flipped up and hidden.
I looked straight-on in the mirror and could clearly see half of the retainer showing in my left nostril. I realized that this was because my piercing was crooked and was pierced lower down on that side, so that even when flipped up you can see the metal on the rim of my nostril. I was able to push it up further and temporarily hide it, but it will not stay hidden for more than maybe 3 minutes unless I keep my facial muscles completely still. At this point I am not sure if it is just too long and heavy to stay up, or if my piercing is just really effing crooked. Needless to say, I did not tip my piercer.
My parents are coming over tonight to finish moving all my stuff into my apartment, and I am absolutely terrified of them seeing it. I am contemplating going to a different piercing parlor today and seeing if they will change the jewelry for me. I have no idea if they will even do this for me considering my piercing is not even 24 hours old.
Even though I researched septums for weeks, I did not follow through with everything and definitely should have followed my gut and gone to a place that I felt comfortable with. I strongly recommend that anyone who is considering any piercing shop around until they find a piercing shop that they are absolutely comfortable with.