The day that I got a Monroe piercing was an eye opener. A friend of mine and I were shopping in our local mall looking at body jewelry. She had remarked at the fact that she wished she had the patience to keep her previous Monroe piercing intact, so she could wear the body jewelry. She had the piercing done twice before and could not wait the three weeks it took to heal. She removed it both times and let the opening close. She was talking about may be doing it again and thought it would be a perfect time, being that she was between jobs, to try, try again. I liked the idea of a pretty little jewel above my lip and thought why not? We decided on a whim to go to a piercing place and "check it out."
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon When N/A Artist Erin Studio Alien and Co. Location Sioux Falls, S.D My friend and I are the type of people who challenge each other and have a hard time backing down after we have made a commitment. Thus, we were sitting in a tattoo and piercing joint, patiently filling out our forms allowing us to be pierced. Several times we asked each other if we really wanted to do it, and several times we agreed that we should go through with it.
I chose to go first, so I wouldn't lose my nerve. I didn't want to think that I was a 28-year-old woman with two children, in a professional job that would not allow visible piercing on the face, or what other consequences there would be to face. One minute I was contemplating the consequences, the next I was looking at my face in a mirror with a silver ball sticking out of my upper lip. It stuck out very far and didn't look at all attractive like I thought it would be. The ball seemed too big and didn't fit my face.
My friend was next and hers turned out very nice and neat, but it looked a little big for her face too.
Uneasy about my choice, and feeling like, "What have I done?" apparently are a reactions Erin the Piercer has dealt with before. She was very reassuring and patient while answering our questions and concerns. She then whipped out some after care sheets for our newly pierced faces that entaled mouthwash, cotton swabs, antibacterial soap, swelling, and a whole lot of other things that I didn't anticipate. We left the place and were feeling a little blind-sided due to our own ignorance.
I hadn't realized that there was more to this piercing business than going out and doing it. For example, I will be wearing a Band-Aid over my piercing at work until I can replace the silver ball with a clear retainer after it has healed. According to hospital policy it looks unprofessional and will not be tolerated. Like wearing a Band-Aid on your face looks really professional. My hope is that one-day they will catch up with the current times and understand that society, as a whole, is changing.
I often get goofy stares and people asking me if it hurts a million times a day, which gets really old. Some times I feel like I should take it out and forget that I ever had it, because of the thoughtless comments or stares from people. At one point I was very glum and again questioned keeping it. My boyfriend who tirelessly listened to me rant and rave about it day after day must have finally reached the end of his rope when he asked me, "Do you like your piercing?" I said yes, of course, and wondered where this questioning was leading. He then proceeded to tell me that I answered my own question. The only opinion that matters is my own. If I like my Monroe piercing, who cares what other people think! Who knew it was that simple? Great wisdom from a truly great person!
I also better understood why Erin had put these exact words in the after care sheet: Piercings have a tendency to have a series of "ups" and "downs" during healing. I did not have my piercing in for a huge amount of time but I was certainly experiencing those "ups and downs." Thanks, Erin!
All in all, I'm very happy with my piercing and I am eagerly anticipating the day that I can put a pretty jeweled ball above my lip when it has healed. I'm guessing that my health is also better since I've gotten pierced. Preventing the piercing from migrating by not smoking cigarettes and keeping yeast infections at bay by not drinking beer were hard rules to follow. But, believe it or not, I haven't had a cigarette or a beer since that day but I, however, find Tequila a very nice drink! B