I don't remember how long I've been thinking about getting my eyebrow pierced. I think my fascination with eyebrow piercings in general started when I was about 16, and my boyfriend at the time talked about getting one. (He didn't, to my knowledge.) Anyway, at that time I was both underaged and living at home, so there was no way it was going to happen. Plus, my high school had a rule against "visible facial piercings" other than earrings.
At A Glance Author Kat Contact Kat@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Kerri Studio Zebra Location Berkeley, CA During my freshman year at college, I watched as one of my friends got her nose pierced, and was *thisclose* to getting my eyebrow done - but all the eyebrow barbells they had at that studio just looked too big to be shoved through my face. So, I forgot about it for awhile.
So here I am, in my sophomore year. I find myself thinking about the eyebrow piercing more and more, and decide that if I was ever going to get one, now would be the time. (I won't have to worry about job interviews, etc for at least 6 months, and by that time I can put in a retainer.) And, I know I can have it in for at least the rest of my college years. So, I decide I'm going to do it. Plus, my boyfriend broke up with me 2 weeks ago and I resolved to do something for myself to help me deal with it, and I decided that piercing the eyebrow would be perfect.
I researched a TON. I read almost every experience here at BME and elsewhere, and looked at websites for about 20 different studios in the San Francisco area. It dawns on me one day, though, that if I'm going to get this done I need to get it done right - on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley. Where else? Plus, that's where the piercing studio I was most impressed with - Zebra - was located.
One of my friends and her boyfriend were going to his brother's graduation from UC Berkeley this past Friday, so I hitched a ride with them and then took off by myself down Telegraph. I knew that it was too late to turn back now, since I had come all this way. I found the studio. There were tons of people inside - a busy piercing day. A guy helped me pick out my jewelry - I chose a simple surgical steel curved barbell, 16ga, 3/8in. He rang me up, and gave me a number - it was so busy that day that I had to take a number and stand in line. I was number 26, and they called 21 as I was paying for the piercing. I decided to eat something during that time - they had free cookies for people getting pierced, so I had one.
It only took about 10 or 15 minutes for my number to get called. When they did, I walked back into the piercing room. The piercing artist, Kerri, was getting all of the stuff ready when I walked in. She told me to have a seat in a chair next to the counter. While she was prepping, I had a chance to look around. Despite the weird murals on the wall, the room was immaculate and had a very professional feel to it (the entire studio did).
She cleaned and marked my eyebrow, and asked me how it looked. It looked great. Then she put the clamp on - which wasn't really even uncomfortable, just like pinching your eyebrow. I remember her telling me at one point that it felt much like tweezing like 4 hairs out of your eyebrow at the same time - ouch, but not severe pain, and it goes away quickly.
Let me take a minute to say that whenever someone tells me that their piercing didn't hurt, I never believe them. To me people who get pierced are "hardcore" in some way - like they like pain, or pain doesn't affect them. So, I was expecting this to hurt quite a bit.
I did feel the needle go in, and it wasn't the best feeling ever, but it hurt a lot less than I thought it would. Before I knew it, she'd inserted the barbell and screwed on the ball. I looked in the mirror - it looked wonderful. Perfect, even. I was so thrilled with myself for having gone through with it that I told the piercer, "I am awesome." Heh, I'm such a dork. Anyway, she told me to grab a soda out of the fridge, which I did, and I went on my merry way. Walking out of the shop I could barely even feel it. It was slightly cold from the disinfectant she used to clean the brow, and kind of warm because of the blood rushing to the area, but it felt fine. I couldn't help but stop and stare at myself in store windows and mirrors. I was in love.
Today, on Sunday, it still doesn't hurt. There hasn't been any discharge, no crusties, no bleeding, no nothing. I can even sleep on my left side without a problem. The first day I kept bumping it with my hands, and it would hurt for a second, but not very much, and the pain went away really quickly. Yesterday and today I've been able to clean it with absolutely no pain. Hopefully I won't have any complications - I'm being really good about cleaning it, and washing my hands with antibacterial soap before I touch it, and soaking it in salt water 15 minutes a day. Taking care of it is no chore, I love it so much.
I don't know if I'm going to get another piercing - I'm not really into heavy body mods or too many facial piercings, don't want my genitals or nipples pierced, and think the belly button is too trendy. But, this one is enough for me (at least for now) and I'm thoroughly enamored with it.
I just can't wait to see what my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles have to say about it when I go to our family reunion after school ends........