Let me start off first with saying, I used to hate needles. I got my ears pierced when I was five, and boy did I make a scene. When I was younger taking me to get an injection became a big drama. Though I began to notice when I reached adolescence, that my fear of sharp pointy objects began to diminish, though the phobia is still there. So why, my mother and sister asked, do you want to get your lip pierced? It's a huge needle through your lip! It'll hurt like hell!
At A Glance Author Tanya Contact Tanya@bme.anon When A month ago Studio City Bodyart & Piercing Location Brisbane I've wanted my lip pierced for three years, not because it's "cool" or because "everyone has one" (which, to my annoyance, they do now). I wasn't sure why I wanted it so badly, all I knew is that I needed to have it pierced. I may be only 17, but I have my head screwed on pretty tight, it never crossed my mind to shove a safety pin through my lip, knowing that nickel can cause infections, as well as improper sterilisation.
Fortunately, the piercing age in Australia is 16 without parental permission (except for nipples and genital), so when I turned 16 parental permission did not become an issue. My parents are conservative, in their late 50's, so I knew permission wouldn't happen anyway. It wasn't, however, until I was 17 when I actually had the money all at once to get my lip pierced. So you can imagine my delight when I counted up my savings.
The very next Saturday I went into the city as usual, with $52.50 in cash and the rest on my keycard. Excited, I went straight to the ATM and checked my balance - but there was no money in my card.
"What?!" I exclaimed out loud, minus a considerable amount of swearing; attracting queer looks from bystanders. My money was supposed to be there, deposited in the bank, as of every week.Very disappointed, I made my way back to King George Square, where my friends hung out, and meeting my friend Mel, I told her of my dilemma. She offered to find $7.50 for me, so I waited. I saw her walking around and asking people for spare change. Usually I never borrow money if I can help it but I had turned to desperado. I could simply not wait another week to get my lip pierced, I had to have it done today.
Mel returned with $7.50, and with me and my sister Jo, went to McDonalds where she bought me lunch, which I accepted gratefully. Then we headed down to the piercing studio.
I had been in here numerous times to accompany my friends for "moral support", and so the studio was familiar to me. It looked great, clean and white, with lots of lighting, and flash posters on the walls.
The girl at the counter, who was to be my piercer, asked me to take a seat while she pierced another girl who was waiting. So I sat, with Mel and Jo, waiting. I wasn't nervous at all, and this was surprising given my past history with needles. So I sat, and waited for about ten minutes before the piercer came back and invited me through.
I followed her behind the counter to a kind of cubicle where there was a chair rather like a dentists. I did a mental check of the place. Yes it was sterilised properly. The lady began to get things ready, ripping open packets of needles and clamps etc, while we talked, and I told her I hoped I didn't puke on her. All the while the long awaited and expected nervous feeling began to grow on me.
The piercer took out a marker and marked a small dot on the left side of my lip, where I wanted it pierced; then showed me it in the mirror. It took a few tries but I got it exactly where I wanted it.
The piercer made me lay down and at this point my nervousness almost overwhelmed me and I closed my eyes, breathing in and out. I felt her put the clamps on, which felt like a slight pressure. For a second I felt her fiddling with my lip then a sting, rather like a needle in the arm. Then more sensations (I still had my eyes closed) that I guessed were her putting the jewelry, a 14G barbell, in.
Then it was over, and I opened my eyes and checked in the mirror. My lip throbbed slightly, and the flat disc of the barbell felt weird in my mouth. But other than that, no pain at all. The piercer wrote down instructions on aftercare and gave me a free saline solution which I should use. I paid her the $60 (including jewelry), and it was all done.
On the second day my lip swelled, but it only lasted a few days. I meticulously cleaned it using saline solution, and following the aftercare instructions. After three weeks I went back to downsize my barbell, as the longer one I found extremely annoying. The smaller barbell was much better. It's been a month and with everything going smoothly, I have quite a few other piercings on my "to get" list.
When people say piercings are addictive, they're damn right.