Before we start, I'm aware that single central or side lip piercings seem to be 'the new big thing' with the younger generation - but that doesn't mean that anyone should get a piercing just to fit in with a look, and nor should anyone criticize them for the piercings they want to get. Your body mods should be what you want to get, because of what you think will look good on yourself, and you shouldn't let anybody else tell you otherwise.
At A Glance Author Leoni Contact Leoni@bme.anon When Three months ago Artist Name shamefully forgotten Studio Inkfish Studios Location Maidstone, UK Now that little self righteous moment is out of the way, on with the piercing. After years of coveting, a few months of parental persuasion, and a few weeks of saving, I finally got around to getting my side lip piercing. Although I've heard that getting it pierced with a ring can be better if there's a large amount of swelling (so that the ends of the post don't dig into the swollen tissue), I chose to be pierced with a stud to keep with my college uniform rules. I discussed this with my piercer and we agreed to use a 9mm post.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. I had originally wanted to get my lip done at Cold Steel, London, because of their reputation and also because of the good job and friendly attitude I received on getting my navel pierced there. However, I only had a few weeks away from college in which I could give my new piercing the TLC it needed, so I began to look around my hometown and all the studios I visited either seemed a little seedy or unfriendly, and unfairly expensive. I was returning home despairingly one day when I thought to poke my head around the door of a new tattoo studio that had opened near me - Inkfish Studios. I immediately liked the place. The people were friendly, the shop immaculate, and (hurrah!) the prices sensible. I booked an appointment for the next day, and skipped on home.
The next day, I went down to the shop with the anticipation of four years crammed into one afternoon.I remember running my tongue across the inside of my lip, and thinking it would never feel unmarked like this again.
The piercer, a big guy with plenty of tattoos and metal, was incredibly friendly and not in the slightest intimidating, and took me through all the forms and aftercare before leading me to the piercing room at the back of the shop. They asked my age, although not for ID, but whereas in the other studios I would have been suspicious of this (as studios that don't bother with age limits are often the dodgy studios), here I felt that they did consider the age of their customers, and if I'd been any younger they would have refused to pierce me without confirmation of my age or a parent present.
He chatted to me while I washed my mouth out with strong antibacterial, and made sure I specified exactly how I wanted my piercing to look, picking out a fairly thin post for me as he amusedly remarked that it would work delicately enough on my face - I got the feeling he was more used to piercing people a little 'tougher' looking than me - and after applying a little anaesthetic to the inside of my mouth (which was a very strange sensation, I accidentally poked my tongue in it and we both found the way I talked from then on to be hilarious), let me carefully mark where I wanted my piercing. On went the clamps, which did cause me to drool slightly - my piercer made me feel better about being so undignified by telling me it was perfectly normal, and that it wouldn't bother him as he was wearing gloves anyway - zip went the needle, with only a fraction of a sting as it broke the outside skin, and through went the jewellery. My piercer had a little trouble putting the ball on the end of the post, as it was so small, but sensibly when he dropped it, he discarded it and unwrapped a new, sterile one for me.
As soon as the ball was on, he showed me my new piercing in the mirror. I loved it, and thanked him profusely. It didn't particularly hurt at all from then until the next week, no more than a normal ear-lobe piercing would, but eating felt very peculiar - I kept thinking I would bite or swallow the back of the post, although I soon grew used to it being there. The piercing began to ache a week later, as the healing really got underway, and stang if I ate anything salty, and a few times I considered removing the piercing, but I'm now so glad that I didn't. Any piercing has a potential to hurt as it heals, but with patience and SENSIBLE care (don't go dabbing it with TCP and sending yourself through the roof, kids), it should heal fine and be well worth it. Months on, I've replaced the post with a 7mm diameter ring, and I'm as happy as ever with it.
Next stop, tongue!