The only previous experience for BMEzine that I have written was one about my surface bar corset but I never thought to write about my more common ones. Although the title may be a tad misleading into thinking it is a dramatic tale of fighting a gun out of the hands of a piercer, it demonstrates how a lack of education could have given me a poor nostril piercing.
At A Glance Author Holly Monstrous Contact Holly Monstrous@bme.anon When Two years ago Artist / Studio Blue Banana Location Lincoln, England Ever since I was a kid I wanted my nostril pierced, but I knew I would have to wait till I was 16, because my secondary school was very strict about piercings, but once I got into 6th form (16/17 years old) I would probably be able to hide it with a small stud. I didn't know how nostril piercings were done, nor that you could buy retainers to hide them.
To date I have had 7 ear lobe piercings. The first pair were gunned when I was 9 and became infected within a few weeks. I had the 5 others gunned at 15/16 by a local jewellers in cramped, unsanitary conditions (but lots of people went there, including my Dad, was my justification, and at about £3 per ear) and also at Blue Banana, who on the website and in their leaflets say they only use 'sterile single use needles'. However, my earlobes were gunned at Blue Banana, as were those of my friends. We didn't know any better.
To cut a long story short, my interest in lobe stretching was what made me look at BME. And it educated me against guns, and poor hygiene in studios. It also made me quite an amateur rough guide when it came to piercing and jewellery.
I still wanted that nostril piercing, but knew that unlike a friend of mine, no gun was going anywhere near my nose.
Despite this, I chose Blue Banana to have my nose pierced the day I finished year 11. I would have the whole summer to heal it so I could put in a retainer I was going to order.
As I have said, they use guns for earlobes, but despite this, they are a fairly clean studio, with an autoclave and piercers who wear new gloves for every client and lab-style coats. They are also one of the few studios in Lincoln at all. Almost every piercing on every one of my friends has been done there.
It was quite a slow wait that day, as the piercer was training an apprentice. I spoke to the woman at the counter who seemed a bit startled when I asked for a nostril piercing, but specified for a needle. She asked me if I sure I didn't want a nostril gun, which was about £10 cheaper, and said that the part that goes into your nose was sterile. I confirmed politely that I wanted it done with a needle and I filled out the form. She asked me to pick out the jewellery, all of which were in the cartridges ready for a gun. I paid for the piercing, about £20.
I stood in the queue and was eventually called into one of the booths behind a curtain. I personally don't think a curtain is the best way to separate a piercing room from the waiting area, but still. The piercer said that she would be doing it, rather than the apprentice, as they hadn't had to do a needle nostril piercing yet. I sat on the bench and I think my nose was cleaned, but I'm not sure what with. I specified that I wanted the right nostril pierced and she marked it. It was correct the first time, but I'm not sure whether a reusable pen was used or not.
The piercer talked the apprentice through what she was doing as she broke the jewellery out of the cartridge. The jewellery was a nose bone, but at the time I didn't know what problems that would cause later on. She took the needle out of its package and prepared the other equipment for the piercing.
Apologies, as the actual piercing is a bit hazy, as she asked me to close my eyes, and it was almost 3 years ago. I seem to remember she used a clamp to hold up my nostril, to give the needle more exit room. The piercing did not hurt at all, I actually asked if the needle had gone in yet and at that point she was feeding the nose bone through. A tear did come out of my eye, but I think that is perhaps due to nerve stimulation.
She gave me a paper towel to dab any blood onto and sent me on my way with aftercare instructions and complementary tea tree oil. I stood outside of the shop with my parents, who had met up with a friend whilst I was having my piercing.
Aftercare was quite simple. I often bathed the piercing with sea salt and boiled water, but also used some of the tea tree oil on a cotton bud. I found the nose bone quite uncomfortable as it had a tapered spike end rather than a ball and stabbed me in the nose when I was laid on my side. Perhaps nostril guns bend the end once forced in?
I ordered a clear dental acrylic nose screw and two days before year 12 started I put it in. This is where problems started. Getting the nose bone out made my piercing bleed and hurt a lot (I measured it and at the widest point the nose bone is almost 1mm bigger than the part that sits in your piercing). As a result I got a bit confused with my fingers and had problems getting the screw in. I had only had the piercing for a month and a half, so I still considered it to be in its healing stages.
From then on I had regular bumps around the piercing that were ugly, red and painful. I did salt soaks and stupidly, I popped one, which made it go down, but also produced a lot of blood. I think this was due to the irritation removing the nose bone caused it.
Now I have a healthy nostril piercing. I quickly ordered a nose screw to replace the nose bone, which I have not put in since the initial piercing.
I have since had no piercings at Blue Banana, nor will I have any more, but this is due to the fact I have simply found a better studio in terms of hygiene, actual procedure and service (Holier Than Thou in Manchester). Some people are not as picky as me, and for many people the service at Blue Banana is fine for them. I however, no longer want to be pierced at any studio that uses guns for any piercing.