For Senior Week, my friend and I went to Ocean City, Maryland. My Mom and sister drove us there. They ended up spending the first night with us. The next day, before they left, my mom and sister picked my friend and I up some alcohol. (My mom trusts me now and she trusted me then. I in no way condone the use of alcohol for other minors. Its only relevant to the story). They bought us your basic drinks like Hooch and Mike's Hard Lemonade. We started drinking immediately. I didn't know it, but this would be a mistake.
At A Glance Author Bridgett Contact Bridgett@bme.anon IAM subrucalime When Two years ago Artist Kat Studio Boom Location Ocean City, MD My family was leaving and I decided I wanted a tattoo. I had been planning for years just what I would get. Well, tattoos are illegal within the city limits of Ocean City so that was a no go. I must get pierced then, I decided. I really couldn't decide where though. I had my labret pierced already and I had both tragus' done then, too. I decided I'd get my eyebrow done.
Since I was still under 18, (we went in May and my birthday is in June), I had to find a place that wouldn't require my birth certificate. My mom was there but thats not something we carry regularly, go figure. A lot of places around there are picky. Even though they allow piercings in the city, its still a family oriented place. Plus, they don't enjoy being sued by little Billy's mom when Billy gets his tongue pierced and it swells like a sausage.
Anyway, we went to Boom. (I'm pretty sure the store is no longer there) It was clean and had a large selection of jewelry. They were also okay with having just a parent signature.
The girl behind the counter was very helpful in choosing the kind of jewelry I wanted. I didn't want a CBR, as most people had those. I decided on a straight barbell that would go into my eyebrow on a slant. I picked my left eyebrow because it was my favorite. I realize its weird to favor an eyebrow, that eyebrow just always looks nice.
I signed the waiver that I hadn't been drinking and told the girl that yes, I had eaten recently. Both were lies. I wouldn't normally do something like this, but I didn't expect to get a piercing that day. If I had planned it, I would NOT have drank before getting it done(or lied about it, for that matter).
I sat back in a chair while the piercer prepared the supplies. I watched her open the needle and disinfect the barbell. I watched her take the clamp out of the autoclave. So far, I was impressed. I was a little worried about getting something done in some random shop.
My eyebrow was marked and the clamp put on. I did the breathe in, pierced on the breath out deal. I was surprised, it didn't hurt at all. I felt a slight pinch and it was over, sort of.
I started to bleed and bleed. The piercer asked me if I was anemic and I said that I wasn't. She asked if I was drinking, I said I wasn't. She said she guesses I'm just a bleeder and to wait there until it stopped. It fully stopped about 5 minutes later. There was so much blood though that it was all in my hair and down my face. I definitely DO NOT RECOMMEND drinking before a piercing. I'm lucky I stopped bleeding. I sure learned from that mistake. I loved the piercing, though. It looked awesome sitting in my brow on a slant. Bloody face and all.
I had the piercing for about a year when it started to itch. At first, it was only after I took a shower or after I washed my face. Generally, whenever it got wet. Then, it started to itch randomly, wet or dry. Before long I noticed the skin was getting a little tough over the barbell. It was like it was thickening. Then, the skin started shrinking. By now I knew that my skin was rejecting the piercing. After a year, it started to grow out.
The skin over the barbell got smaller and harder until, eventually, the skin cracked and the barbell fell out. I probably should've taken the barbell out before it came all the way through, but I liked the piercing. I just wanted to see what would happen if I left it alone. Other than a scar, I never had any real problems. The skin was already healed by the time it fully came through, so I didn't have to worry about keeping it clean or infection getting in.
If the rejection had anything to do with drinking, I don't know. Maybe it was just not meant to be. Eyebrow piercings, I believe, are common to reject. But, I know I'll never go about it that way again.