The decision to get a Medusa piercing was actually not a very hard decision at all. I should say that for the past three years, I worked at a place where we had to wear uniforms, could not dye our hair unique colors (I found that one out the hard way ;), and were not allowed more than two earrings in each ear and forget having any visible piercings. Needless to say the piercing/tattoo bug started to itch, worse each year. Eventually, the tattoo bug got to me, as my tattoos are not readily visible (but I love them and I am hoping to add to my collection, they're SOOOOO addicting :)
At A Glance Author Slinky Pirate Contact slinkypirate@hotmail.com When It just happened Artist Richard Cutcliffe Studio Pinnacle Piercing Location Portland, ME
Well, I finally went to college this fall, and after getting my belly button pierced this summer (it's part of a tattoo in progress) I decided to get a facial piercing. Now, I had wanted to get my nose since I was a child, but, after examining the possibility, I just came to the conclusion that it simply was not right for my nose. I'm also one of those people who wants something unique, of course if you get pretty much any piercing you're going to get something that someone else also has it, but I've just had the experience that people get a piercing because it's the 'cool' thing to do. But anyway, I did some research on piercings, and I saw the Medusa and I thought that was very unique, as I know a few people with Labrets and Madonnas (which look awesome) and I thought that would be perfect for me as I couldn't imagine myself with either of those but I liked the lip piercings.
So, after I decided what I wanted to have done, it was a matter of deciding where I should get it done. Well, I had to do a little exploring as I'm in a place where I haven't been living very long (Boston) so I had to find good piercing places, because there are quite a few here. Because a Medusa piercing is still pretty rare, no place that I checked out would do it or had the means to do it or charged an arm and a leg and for a college student, that's something I don't have a lot of. Eventually, I decided to do some research online and came across a place in Portland, ME, which works out perfectly for me because my boyfriend goes to school up there and thus I go up to Portland quite frequently. Well, I kept coming across this place called Pinnacle Piercing and everywhere I found it listed it got excellent reviews. In fact, one of the places I looked was on bmezine.com and noticed that some people wrote about it too. My friend from college got her nose pierced there and sa id that it was amazing, and she was right. Pinnacle Piercing is actually part of the piercer's, Richard's, apartment, so it's very personal and intimate and doesn't have that intimidating and unnerving medicinal smell that most piercing and tattoo parlors have.
That weekend, I happened to be going up to Portland to see my boyfriend so we checked out a few piercing places in Portland and Pinnacle was the last place we checked out. Again, it was personal and intimate and was definitely not a forgettable experience. We went there and asked several questions and he answered every one very confidently and with a lot of expertise. I knew this was the place I had to go, and surprisingly, it was about as expensive as any other place.
The following weekend, I went up there to get it done. It took a while, but it was not as if he was just messing around, he made sure he had the right gauge barbell and that he had a ball that was the same gauge. He made sure everything was thoroughly clean, for example he ended up touching unsanitary things and changed his gloves accordingly and re-cleaned my barbell after it fell on the floor. After the cleaning was done and he was prepared, I was ready to go.
I sat in a dentist's chair and he had me rinse with anti-bacterial solution. Then, he took a few minutes to determine the best place to put my Medusa (though, it didn't take too terribly long as there's not a lot of variation in positioning this kind of piercing), then I looked at it (it was PERFECT) and then he sterilized the area. Then he told me to breathe deeply and then the clamps came on. It's a very good technique, as one pays more attention to breathing than to what's going on. When I was ready, he pushed the needle through while I was exhaling. Now, I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt, because it definitely did. Don't let that scare anyone from getting a Medusa, it looks SO good, but you definitely notice the pain a needle going through your upper lip causes. My eyes started to water but that was the worst part and it only lasts a few seconds. It's definitely not unbearable, and it doesn't really bleed (at least mine didn't).
After that, he cleaned it up and put the flat back labret into the piercing and we went over after care and I was given a 5 page-long sheet. I felt reassured that it wasn't difficult to take care of.
The first few days weren't bad, cold drinks and foods were the best thing for it, and yes, there was some swelling but it was minimal. Now, it's fine, it's interesting getting used to smiling and talking and the sensation of metal on my upper lip but it's not that hard, I'm starting not to notice it anymore. And it's not hard to take care of, I have to rinse with anti-bacterial mouthwash 2-4 times today and brush simultaneously (it's logical, who wants food bacteria building up around your piercing). I also have to clean it with sea salts twice a day (external cleaning).
If you're looking for a unique and attractive facial piercing, a Medusa is definitely the way to go. It looks good on pretty much any face and I have had NOTHING but positive feedback. I'm so content with it that I probably will not get another facial piercing, it looks so good on it's own, I'm really happy that I finally decided to get it. I can't wait to go back and change my stud! Now to show the parents...:)