I never thought I would ever pierce my face.
At A Glance Author Rikki-Lea Contact butterymufkin@cogeco.ca When A month ago Artist Sean Studio Artistic Impressions Location Niagara Falls, Canada
When I was 13, I decided how much I wanted a facial piercing, but I never thought it would happen.
Number 1, because my mother said no. Number 2, because I'm a wimp when it comes to pain.
When I turned 18, I started thinking how wonderful it would be to have my labret done. But I wanted to make sure that it would be okay with my parents, since I love them to death, and if I live in their home, I want to make sure I don't do anything to make them unhappy. So when I asked my mom, her answer was the usual, "Not as long as you're living under my roof".
So the labret dream was gone.
But then I turned 20, I started paying rent, and part of that roof was now mine! Bwahaha!
So I went and got my labret. I was nervous, it was easy, perfect. I was now pierced. Finally, I felt complete.
Well, that completeness didn't last long. After a few weeks I wanted more. Something more... noticeable. A little more extreme. Sure, a labret is extreme to anyone that doesn't have a piercing, but it's quite the flabby area, so no one thought I was too brave when it was done.
So I started looking at the different piercings here on BME. The eyebrows interested me. A lot. I think they are wonderful on women. But I didn't want a hoop. Too trendy for me. And maybe just a bit too feminine. So I decided on a barbell.
I waited a few months, all the while the urge getting almost unbearable.
I went down to Artistic Impressions here in Niagara Falls, got Sean out of the little room (which I've always wondered what goes on in there), and I told him I wanted a barbell.
I originally was set on a 16 gauge little girly barbell. Well, he didn't have that. He had a 14 gauge mother of a barbell. Not just the gauge was huge. The piece of jewelry was too. I considered walking out the door right there, but I really wanted Sean to do it, since he did my labret, so I went for it.
After he sanitized the jewelry, he took me into the little scary room that intimidates me all to hell. I sat down in the chair, and he answered all of my concerns about other jewelry, migration, infection, tissue damage, and all that scary stuff.
He was very patient with me, and then told me to stop listening to people on the internet that were just trying to scare me :) He explained to me exactly how he would be piercing me, and then went right into it.
I kept my eyes closed for the whole thing. I didn't want to see what was going on. I know I'm supposed to keep them closed anyway, but I kept them closed through the first application of the alcohol, or whatever the disinfectant stuff is, all the way until he said 'you're done, open your eyes'
He explained to me that since I chose a curved barbell, it would probably sting a lot, and my eyes would water. That made me a bit nervous, but I wasn't going back. All I could think about was how proud I would be walking out and giving that rebellious look to my mom when it was all over.
The next little bit is kind of a blur. I started singing Christmas Carols in my head so I wouldn't think about what I was about to go through. >From what I remember, he put the clamp on, stuck the needle through, and then I think he started doing something else. I'm not sure. But I started waiting for the pain of the jewelry.
I felt nothing with the needle. Just a little pressure. Not painful pressure. Pinch your eyebrow. It hurt less than that. Anyway, I'm waiting for him to put the jewelry in, when he drops one of the balls. It lands right between my legs. Quite a funny, yet uncomfortable moment. I waited a second, and then picked it up myself and gave it back.
It was then that I realized that he had the jewelry in! It was in! I didn't even feel it. What a trooper I am.
Finally he said I could open my eyes. I was a little afraid of what it would look like, since the barbell was so huge. But let me tell you, I LOVE it. Absolutely. It really sticks out, and when I went out that night, I got tons of compliments. Every time I walked into the bathroom, there was always someone stopping me to ask about it, and telling me how cool it looked. Of course no one believed me that I had JUST had it done. It was barely bruised, not swollen, it looks like I've always just had it. Of course when it's healed I have the option of putting something smaller in, but I don't think I will. I really, really like this. And I have Sean to thank for not having any other jewelry!
The bottom line, is that it was painless, my piercer, Sean, is wonderful, and very friendly, and I now have a piercing that make the uninformed say 'WOW'!