I had wanted to get my Monroe piercing for about a year but my parents would never sign for me. So I finally turned 18 and I was so excited. But again, the parents rained like hurricane Andrew all over my piercing parade. They said they would disown me if I "disfigured" myself in any way before my open house. Reluctantly, I agreed to wait. So, two days after my open house, I called up my already metallic friend Amanda and we headed to downtown Flint full of excitement and anxiety.
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon When Three months ago Artist steve Studio consolidated Location flint, mi She was friends with the piercer so I felt a lot more comfortable, but I was still spinning. We stopped by her old house to pick up an old friend and every second was killing me. I was so nervous. Finally, we arrived at Consolidated. We walked in and smelled the sterile smell of a hospital and walked down a small, creepy stairway in to the piercing studio.
Steve looked at my lip to decide what size jewelry would best accommodate swelling. My mouth and facial features are small so he ended up having to shorten the stud. So I was lying on the couch, heart pounding, waiting for it to be completed. After what seemed like an eternity, Steve emerged from the back with my very own custom jewelry. I was so excited. He put on latex gloves and marked a spot on my lip where he thought it would look good. I looked in the mirror and then to my friends and we all agreed that that was the best spot.
Amanda told me that it would only feel like a pinch and my eyes would water a lot. She also told me that the Listerine would taste bad. Actually, it was Biotene. Steve told me that Listerine could cause over drying due to the alcohol and hinder the healing process. So I rinsed with Biotene and laid back on the couch. He carefully cleaned the area, inside and out and placed the clamps, repositioning them many times causing a minimal amount of discomfort and anxiety. He asked me if I was ready and I closed my eyes, braced myself and nodded. All I felt was a slight pinch and almost no pain, just a little heat. It was seriously much less painful than getting my ears pierced when I was little. My eyes didn't even water very much.
When I opened my eyes, I still had the huge piercing needle sticking out of my upper lip. All I remember thinking was "what the hell did I just do to myself". He inserted the jewelry and told me to sit up slowly so I would not pass out. After a few seconds, he told me I could stand up and walk to the mirror. For the first time I saw my new pretty piercing. My doubt was fleeting and I was ecstatic. It was so great looking. Everyone told me it looked almost natural. Steve even said he had never given anyone a piercing that looked so well suited. It was as if I was supposed to have been born with a metal stud in my upper lip.
I paid him, we chatted for a little while about cleaning, aftercare and the like, and then it was time to go to the store for Biotene and Saline. I cannot even begin to describe the feeling. It was the strangest, most bizarre feeling I've ever experienced. I just could not believe I had metal in my face. I kept looking at myself to make sure it was real. I was enthralled by it.
In the weeks after, I cleaned with saline three times a day and with Biotene after eating or drinking anything other than water. Since Biotene is alcohol free, I could rinse as much as I wanted and it wouldn't hurt anything. There was a little discomfort once in a while, but nothing major. It was mostly because I wasn't used to having it and I would hit it when drinking or wiping my mouth. It didn't even swell very much. I did get it caught in the washcloth almost every time I washed my face. I thought that was pretty funny, although it did hurt. I had to relearn how to yawn without it getting caught on my teeth, too. But now I'm completely used to it. I play with it all the time when I'm bored and I make it click against my teeth, which would be annoying if it was loud enough to be heard.
Overall, it was an extremely successful piercing. I can't wait to go get my vertical lip ring this weekend. I'm so addicted. It's the most incredible experience of my life so far. I recommend this and other piercing to anyone and everyone.