I've wanted to get my nose pierced for a few years now, but it was only last night, in a moment of boredom, that I finally decided I was actually going to get it. I was originally planning to go on Tuesday because I figured the studio wouldn't be open today (Sunday) and tomorrow is a national holiday in Canada. When I woke up this morning, though, I checked the website of the studio of the place I wanted to go and it turned out they were open today after all, so I went to ask my friend Katie if she'd come with me.
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon When It just happened Studio Tentation Location Montreal We left at about 2:30 to head down to St Denis, where the studio is located. She and another friend, Carla, had gotten ear (cartilage) piercings there a few weeks ago, so I knew it was a good place, which put me at ease. We got to the studio and after filling out the paperwork confirming that I was eighteen and knew what I was in for, I had a brief moment of doubt ("Should I really be doing this? It's so close.. I could always back out now and come back later...") but I decided to just suck it up and get it over with.
My piercer was a short woman with bright purple glasses who, to my surprise, had no visible piercings at all. She took me into a back room and locked the door, asking me what kind of stud I want. She helped me pick out a cute little diamond one. As she was putting on her gloves and getting the needle ready, I tried to calm myself down by talking to her and telling her that I was nervous, that the last time I had been pierced was when I was eleven (and it was just my earlobes), that I'm not good with pain, etc. She didn't seem at all fazed by this, fortunately, and just told me that it was fine to be nervous but it probably wouldn't hurt as much as I thought it would and that it would just take a second. She then asked me which side I wanted it on- my right, I decided, because I have a very asymmetrical face and it would definitely complement that side better- and then put a little dot on my nose with a purple marker. I got up to look at it in the mirror. It was perfect and I told her so, then sat back down in the chair.
I was pretty tense and she actually had to tell me to lay back in the chair instead of sitting stiffly upright like I had been doing. She cleaned off my nose with a little antiseptic swab thing, and then, as I closed my eyes, put a little metal tube up my nose, I guess so the needle wouldn't end up anywhere it wasn't meant to be. She asked me if I was ready. I didn't answer, mainly afraid that if I did and she stuck me just then, the piercing would be messed up because I was moving my mouth, but fortunately she took my silence as the cue to go ahead and pierce.
There was a initial sharp pain as she stuck the needle into my skin, and then a lot of pressure as she pushed it all the way through my nose. I could pretty much tell what was happening but I still had no desire to open my eyes and find out for sure, so I kept them closed while she pushed and pulled some more and I could feel pressure on the hole. There was another lesser sting and then she told me that the worst of it was over. For some reason, I assumed that the stud still wasn't in, so I kept my eyes closed for another few minutes. My eyes hadn't watered during the actual piercing, but now that it was over, they were streaming pretty good. She dabbed at them with a tissue for me and after a while, I got the nerve to ask if it was over yet and she replied that she had put the stud in right away and all that was left now was to wait for the minor bleeding to stop.
Overall, the pain was a little worse than I expected (just before going, I had read a ton of stories talking about how it was nothing at all, just a tiny pinch, less painful than ear piercing, etc etc). There was definitely some pain associated with it, but it certainly wasn't unbearable. Even being the total wimp I am, I got through the whole process without so much as a wince. It was worth it without question. Honestly, the pain could have been three times as bad and it still would have been totally fine.
I'm really glad I got my nose pierced! If you want it, just go for it.