So I got my eyebrow pierced today (6/12).
At A Glance Author Holly Contact bobo@ack.nu Artist Jason Studio Body Piercing Unlimited Location Anchorage, AK I was surprised my mom actually let me do it. She has a way of getting my hopes up and then busting my bubble the next minute. "Can I get my tongue/labret/tongue web pierced?" "Sure." "When?" "When you turn eighteen." Woo ... ? So when I asked about my eyebrow, I knew we'd go through the same conversation we go thought every time I ask to get something pierced. The conversation started out the same way it usually does, but this time, she said she'd take me tomorrow (6/11), instead of the "when you're eighteen" i'm used to.
When we got to the studio, I wasn't feeling nervous or even excited about getting my eyebrow done. I had brought along my school ID, since I didn't have a state ID or permit/drivers license, and I had previously thought that you need a photo ID to do anything. At the studio, we talked to Jason, one of the piercers and the owner, and were informed that I need an ID with my age on it along with my mom's ID. Pissed off, I took an aftercare pamphlet with Jason's name on it home to read and show to my mom.
The next day (6/12), we left the house early to stop at the DMV and take my permit test, since we had to do that soon, anyhow. I barely passed the test (reading the permit book would have been a good idea), but I got my permit, and that's the only thing that counted.
When I went back to BPU, I got a "You were just here earlier!" from the owner. "Uh, yesterday, actually." We talked to the woman at the counter and signed the papers, paid the money, and waited for 30 minutes (which turned out to be an hour, but it's not a big deal) for the other people to get needles shoved through their skin. When Jason called me in, I was starting to get a little nervous, but I never really got to the point where I was having doubts, although my mom kept telling me she thought "I was crazy."
I'm sure you've all read many of these stories, and know how the procedure goes, so I'll go through a short explanation: 1)Jason cleaned the area and dried it off. 2)He marked the two spots where the barbell (curved, purple) would enter and exit my eyebrow and asked me to look in the mirror and OK the dots. 3)He had me lay down. 4)He put the needle through my eyebrow right when my mom peeked and let out a kind of yelp. 5)He put the barbell in and told me to look in the mirror. 6)Done! It did hurt, but it was less pain than I expected. Plus, factor in that I'm a wimp ...
The only time my eyebrow was actually red was when we were still at the studio, right after the piercing. Right now it's normal color, there's no red at all. It was aching for a few hours, but now i don't even feel it, except when i move my eyebrows alot (confusion, sarcasm, those kind of facial expressions). I've only hit it once when i was trying to get my hair out of my face, but I didn't feel any type of pain or discomfort. I'm worried about when i go to sleep. I'm afraid I'll roll over and catch it on the pillow or blanket. I hve the feeling I'm not going to sleep very well tonight. What does it matter, though? It's summer, I'm not supposed to sleep! :)
It's only been a few hours since getting the piercing done, so I haven't really gone through any aftercare at all. I'm supposed to wash my piercing in the shower with anti-bacterial soap and then use this ear piercing solution I bought from BPU to clean it a few times a day. We went to Fred Meyer to buy sea salt to wash it with, like Jason suggested.
I was really impressed with both Jason and the studio. I had the feeling the people in the studio were going to ... be not so nice, because I didn't look like the type of person who would be there, getting pierced. Everyone who worked there was very friendly and answered all of our questions (including my mom's many "does it hurt?"'s) without making us feel stupid. I'm definitely going to go back (When I'm eighteen, I doubt my mom will let me get anything else done before then). And for the many people who've asked me why (a large amount, considering I only got it done four hours ago) ... why not?