I'm very interested in piercings, but unfortunately my family and friends aren't so keen on them. So once I decided I wanted my nose pierced I braced myself for people to do the usual, and try and stop me. I told my mum, and she just looked up from the book she was reading, looking kind of shocked and said 'okay sweetie' and resumed reading. I think this was the first time I'd asked permission for a piercing. Normally I go out, and come home with something new and she just rants for a bit about ruining my body and then gets over it. My friends agreed with me that a nose piercing would look cute, also weird behaviour. But so far so good!
At A Glance Author Cecily Contact Cecily@bme.anon When A week ago Artist Adam Studio Urban Piercings Location Reading, UK Only thing I hadn't told them was that I didn't just want one side pierced, but both. I'd seen some photos on BME and they looked so nice!
Now the only problem was school, they don't allow piercings, so I decided that on the last day before leaving for study leave, I'd take my two best friends and go to Reading and get it done.
Only problem was that I couldn't find my passport for ID, because I was going to a studio I hadn't tried before (Tat2U) and I was told they always ID. (I usually go to Urban Piercings, but Tat2U have a good reputation, and are a little bit cheaper, and I'm a bit skint at the moment.)
We went there anyway just to try our luck. Nope. No luck that day. So I resolved to try again the next day, but taking my passport with me.
Next problem, my friend who was meant to be coming with me wasn't awake when the train pulled into the station, so as I sat on the train on my own, I started to get nervous. I decided to go straight to the piercing studio and get it done as soon as possible.
Walking into the studio, the same bloke was standing at the counter; I told him what I wanted and he took my passport as ID. After a few minutes tense wait he returned to where I was standing and said 'sorry the photo doesn't look like you, we can't do it'.
Another failed attempt. But not allowing myself to be disheartened I decided that I'd go to Urban Piercings, they've done all my piercings so far and they're very professional. And really, if it's going to be a good piercing then it doesn't matter if it costs a bit more.
So, walking into Urban Piercings made me feel more comfortable than when I was in Tat2U. Adam, who did my piercings, was sitting at the counter. I told him what I wanted, and once I'd filled in the necessary forms we went upstairs to the piercing room.
We chatted about placement and why I wanted both sides, while he prepared all the equipment. And had a laugh while he was doing the placements on my nose. It's quite weird having someone stare so intently at one part of your body. It took a good 20 minutes to get them perfect, and my nerves started to come back as Adam changed his gloves.
Now for the actual piercing. He told me to close my eyes, keep still and take a deep breath in and out. I gripped the edge of the bed and let out a little involuntary squeak as he pushed the needle through. It wasn't a sharp pain like most of the piercings I've had, more like a burning sensation. I heard the pop as the needle pierced the other side, and the pain was gone.
The jewellery was by far the most uncomfortable thing about the experience. As he twisted it in I gripped the bed tighter than I had for the actual piercing. But, as soon as it was in the pain subsided and I was fine. I took a shaky step from the bed to the mirror while Adam changed his gloves again. It looked perfect!
Piercing number 2. He said the second piercing always hurts more than the first. And it did! The pain was the same, an odd burning, followed by an uncomfortable insertion of jewellery, just more intense.
When I looked in the mirror again I fell in love with them. They made me feel special; no one I know has both nostrils pierced, and prettier. Two perfect sparkling silver studs in my nose.
My family and friends got a bit of a shock when I got home though, but they all like it so it ended up okay. No ranting and shouting from my mum this time!
I have had people looking at me with shocked expressions, who say, " oh my god, does that go all the way through". Sometimes I'm tempted to say it does, but only to the ones I know are gullible!
Overall the studio was very clean, as was the experience and equipment. And the pain was only momentary, but does make you grip hard if you're not that great with pain. It doesn't hurt after the jewellery, unless you brush it with your hand or something.