Well, I'm twenty-four and just turned twenty-four a few days ago. I've been entertaining the idea of getting my eyebrow pierced for several months but I, like everyone, was nervous about this new idea. How much would it hurt? That was my main question. Things like, how long will it take to heal were next in line, but my pain threshold is very low, so I was worried.
At A Glance Author Angelle Contact Angelle@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Steeney Studio Freaks (Broadway) Location Westport (Kansas City, MO) I think what actually convinced me to do it were the stories on this site. So many of the eyebrow piercing stories swore it was practically or completely painless and after reading about fifty different articles, I felt like I knew what to expect.
I researched the internet for weeks, looked up pictures of piercings and photo shopped silver balls onto pictures of my face. I got opinions of friends and weighed the cons against the pros. And only after exploring all of these things did I decide to do it.
You might say I was overly cautious, but I'm glad I went to all of that work. It let's me know I'm making an informed decision and cements me all the further into believing I've done the right thing and didn't stupidly leap without looking first.
I suggest that everyone who wants a piercing to take your time. Don't rush into a decision like this. It's going to affect the way you look and the way world sees you. It's an important decision and you should do your homework before you make it.
But I'll step down off my soap box now to tell you what I went through.
I got the names of several reputable parlors and then I called them all. I asked the following questions...
How late are you open?
Do you do piercings?
Do you use a gun or a needle?
Do I need to make an appointment?
My first choice was a place some friends raved about. Unfortunately, their piercer, I was informed, is out sick and they aren't sure when he'll be back. They recommended me to my second choice and I called Freaks and asked the same questions. The man on the phone was very polite and didn't seem to mind my questions. He said I didn't need an appointment so I grabbed my purse, washed my face and headed out the door.
I was a little nervous when I walked into Freaks. It was a small, slightly shabby building but it was very clean. There were about six other people in the small lobby so I thought I might have to wait awhile. A young woman gave me some forms to fill out and I did. Then she took the papers and my driver's license in the back to make copies.
I had to sign a form releasing them from liability for future problems, but I expected that. Then the six people all left at once and I was invited in back to sit down on a black reclining chair/bed/table.
The girl piercing me had lots of piercings of her own and several tattoos. She was very friendly and chatted amiably for several minutes while she got her supplies ready. Then she showed me that she was opening a sealed package that contained a sterile needle and another sealed package with a sterile barbell.
She asked me which eyebrow I wanted to pierce and I told her I didn't really care and asked what was commonly chosen. She said most people pierce their left eyebrow so I said that was fine.
Then she put on some gloves and washed my eyebrow. She massaged it for a minute and said it loosens up the skin and relaxes the brow so that the needle slides through more easily.
She painted some dots on my brow with a tiny paintbrush and showed me a mirror asking if the placement was okay. Then she leaned the chair back so I was lying down and told me everything she was going to do before she did it so I knew just what to expect.
Right about then, my eyebrow started tingling. "Did you numb it?" I asked her, surprised.
"No." She laughed.
When I told her it was tingling she said that sometimes the soap they use tingles a bit.
I was expecting her to clamp my brow but she didn't, she just squeezed the skin between her fingers and told me it would only take a couple of seconds to get it in. Then she told me to take a deep breath. I did, and then she told me to exhale slowly. I did as she asked and while I was exhaling she stuck me.
I can't say it didn't hurt. But, and this is a big but because I have no pain tolerance at all, it didn't hurt very much. It was mostly just a sharp pinch. When she first pierced me I felt a stick and the pinch and then when that part was done it ached a little bit but the initial pain receded in seconds.
Then she slipped in the piercing and screwed on the ball. I was expecting it to hurt but it didn't hurt, not at all.
Then she asked me, and I thought this was very sweet, she asked if I was okay. I said I was fine and she sat me up, telling me to take it slow and showed me a mirror.
It was love at first sight! I adored my piercing immediately.
She sat with me for several minutes after it was done telling me what I should do to take care of it and told me that I can come in any time if I have any questions at all or if I want to get the ball tightened or loosened. She answered all my questions and gave me a print out sheet of after care instructions and her personal card.
Then I went to pay her. It was thirty-five dollars but I gave her forty and she thanked me.
Over the next several hours my eyebrow went from not hurting at all to aching very slightly. I went to the store and bought some sterile saline solution like she said I should and I took a couple of ibuprofen to keep the swelling down.
Now, about ten hours later, it does ache a little bit, but mostly I don't notice it there at all. I've already cleaned it once and it didn't hurt. It hasn't swelled or bruised and it didn't bleed.
All in all I would say I had an excellent piercing experience. For those of you worried about pain as I was, I want to encourage you not to let that stop you. Yes, it did hurt. But really not any more than when I got my ears pierced and I absolutely love it. I must also highly recommend Steeney of Freaks in Westport (Kansas City, MO) who did a terrific job and took all my fear away.
Happy Birthday to me. :)