First of all, I want to state, for the record, that I am not a masochist. People that haven't had their body pierced consider me a freak just for having a piercing on my lip. I don't know if it's ignorance or a difference in esthetical concepts, I really don't care.
At A Glance Author fucster Contact fucster69@hotmail.com When A week ago Location Buenos Aires, Argentina One day, a friend of mine stayed over and, since we were bored and couldn't sleep, I decided to pierce myself. I got some alcohol, cotton, an eraser (for a solid surface to push the earring into) and a normal silver earring (the ones used with guns). Since this earring had a virtually round tip, I had to sharpen it with a nail filer. Well, it took me twenty minutes, and I felt no pain at all, but after two days it was swollen and, since this kind of earring wasn't intended for this purpose, the little silver ball sunk into my flesh. I took it off, and solemnly swore never to pierce my body again, unless it was done professionally.
About two weeks ago, I raised the money for a real piercing (here, in Argentina, the piercing varies from 15-30 pesos and the standard lip piece is 15+). I had doubts on whether doing it on the center or on my right side. If I decided to take it off, the scar would show if it wasn't covered by a goatee. I finally decided getting it on the right side (I'll see if I can get a good picture to send you guys). I went with a friend (the same that witnessed my previous auto-piercing) to help me make up my mind. It was raining and cold.
When we finally got there (it was a place where they sold rock t-shirts, CD's, jewelry, etc.), they told me to pick an earring (I'm not really good with the piercing-culture jargon, sorry) and took me into a small room with silver colored walls (one covered by a mirror and another one with piercing and tattoo photos), a large chair, covered with some special plastic, for the blood I guess, and some piercing equipment. I was told to relax (I was, incredibly, pretty relaxed, I was trying not to think about the pain. I looked at it as a sacrifice. After all, this was my personal choice) and to breathe deeply. This I did, and waited until a bunch of creams and liquids were applied on my lip.
Some months ago, I had watched while a nurse pierced my friends eyebrow. She had applied anesthesia using a needle, making the pain non-existent. I was honestly waiting for a needle to come. Big was my surprise when it didn't come. Well, the typical needle filled with anesthesia didn't come. To replace it came a much, much larger needle covered with a Teflon tube.
My lip was fastened with some kind of pressure tool, kind of like a scissors wrench or something.
I, stupidly paralyzed by the speed at which events around me moved, couldn't help staring at the mirror while that immense exhaust pipe of a needle went through my lip. Amazingly, incredibly, IT DIDN'T HURT! Luckily, the guy was a real professional, and had an incredibly steady pulse, so I didn't suffer at all. He took out the needle, leaving the Teflon tube, cut it, put in the earring, took out the tube, and screwed in the little metal ball.
I sat there a few minutes, repeating time after time that I was OK. Nothing farther from the truth. I have a real problem with blood, I see blood and my pressure drops. Five minutes after the process was finished, the blood started to appear. Lots of blood. And the fact that I had a metal bar stuck on my lip didn't help at all. My vision got cloudy, I started sweating cold, my stomach hurt, I felt I was about to faint. The guy came, started to fan me (it was hot inside the store), made me smell alcohol, gave me some cold water, and I did something a dentist taught me the day I fainted inside his office, which I recommend for situations like this: I put my hands on the back of my neck, pushing down with all my strength, while pushing your head up, also with all of my strength. This helps blood and oxygen circulation to the brain.
Well, after a few minutes I was OK again. I paid and left. I went outside, under the rain, since I was still a little dizzy. The cold water woke me up. We walked around a little, and after a few minutes I had already regretted having gotten pierced. I didn't like how it looked, it got stuck on my tooth, it hurt. I just wanted the guy to give me back my money and go home. Well, the guy didn't give me back my money, so I said "lets see what happens, anyway, if I take it off now, I would have lost $15 on the spot." So I left it on (although I had to put my finger inside my mouth to eat, to keep it from getting stuck on my tooth). The first few mornings I woke up with my mouth full of blood, the some pus started to appear, but it normalized, and is becoming less swollen. And here I am, writing this as a happy piercing-bearer.