For about four years, I have been begging my mom to let me get my lip pierced. Ever since I was 12 years old and first saw it on my cousin, I wanted it. For years, begging did nothing. Finally, I convinced my mother to give me a chance. I wrote a thirty two page report about piercing, how they heal, the risks, the history, the type, and everything else you could think of. I even picked out a studio and got her directions and everything. So finally she conceded to my requests, as my 16th birthday present.
At A Glance Author ProffesionalVictim Contact cat0ptricshards@aol.com When A week ago Artist Dan Carroll Studio Masterpiece Studios Location Salem, NH We were originally supposed to go on wednesday, the day of my birthday, but i had already made plans to spend the day out with my best friends and me boyfriend (who wasn't too crazy about the idea of me getting my lip pierced either, but basically ended up saying whatever makes you happy go for it). So my mom moved the date up to saturday instead. My father did something stupid and lost the money for my piercing. So she moved the date up to the next wednesday. which got cancelled cuz our tenants gave us the rent late. So she moved it to thursday, but my little brother had to go to the hospital. So she moved it to friday. At this point, I was pretty sure I wasn't getting it done. Anything that came up my mom used as an excuse for "We'll go tomorrow instead."
Finally on friday we went. I live in Boston, but Salem was only like a 40 minute drive. I had my best friend Alicia with me too at the time. We spent the whole ride up there blasting music n talking about everything except the piercing. When we finally got to the studio, i was too excited to be nervous at all. Besides, recently whenever I saw someone with an oral piercing, i had asked them if it hurt and they all said no. So I wasnt worried. The wait took forever...but finally they called me into the little room to get my piercing.
Unfortunatly only three people were allowed in the room, the piercer, the piercee and one other person. And since I'm a minor, they had to have my mother in there with me so my best friend couldnt see it happen. The guy was really nice and calm and reassuring. I started to get a little bit nervous when I saw him laying out the stuff.
He had me rinse out my mouth with a really strong mouthwash..my eyes were tearing up by the time i spit it out. Then he marked a spot on my lip where he would do the piercing. He asked me to make sure taht was where I wanted it, and we had to move it several times. then he wiped down around my lip, inside and out and told me to lay down on the bench thing. He put the clamp on, which isnt bad at all, when i had heard it was going to be the worst part. He told me to start to taking deep, even breathes and relax, which was very easy at the moment.
I have an intense fear of needles, so when he turned around to open it i closed my eyes. He told me to keep taking deep even breaths and relax. I though he was adjusting the clamp a little bit first when all of a sudden he said "Hold on a second...I just have to put the jewelry in now." I barely felt it.
It's only like a pinching sensation. Like when someone just pinches you with a lot of pressure, not the sharp painful kind of pinches. It was sorta of awkward at first. I wasn't used to having the ring there. I was afraid if I moved at all it would start to hurt or something.
When i got home I immediatly cleaned it out and took ibuprofen and started keeping ice on it. The next day it still didnt hurt at all, but i kept cleaning it and being really carefull aroudn everything. Everytime i ate something, i would cut it up into 1/2 inch pieces and put it into the back of my mouth with a fork. The third day, it still didnt hurt at all.
By the fourth day when it still didnt hurt at all, I got lazy with it. Before I would clean after every time I ate anything, drank anything (except water) or smoked. I used biotene constantly. When I woke up and before I went to sleep i would completely clean it with soap n brushing my teeth and all that good stuff. But then i stopped using the biotene after everything.
I wish I hadnt. Now the piercing is very sore. Its very red. Its VERY swollen. It looks like it may be getting infected. Now I'm trying to be very careful again. I'm giving it two days before I got to a piercing studio to get it looks at by a proffesional piercer and see what they recommend.
Take my advice:
1)persist in asking if your parents say no
2) get a piercing if u really want it, but make sure you've wanted it for a while so you dont change your mind.
3) TAKE CARE OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!even if it looks like it doesnt need all the extra care and attention, it does. remember that.