Unlike most of my other piercings, when it comes to my lip ring I know exactly why I got it and what compelled me to do so...heartbreak. Yeah, yeah, I know it sounds pathetic and cliché, laugh it up, good, now continue.
At A Glance Author Bondage-Kit Contact maygin_nothing@hotmail.com IAM Bondage-Kit When It just happened Artist BJ Studio Soul Survivors Location Winnipeg Without a word of a lie having my heart broken motivated me and compelled me to actually get my lip pierced. A week ago I pretty much had my heart ripped out of my chest and put through a blender. Needless to say I was hurting and needed something to kill the pain. Not to say that every time I get hurt I rush out and get a needle slid through me, I do enough damage to myself with my analytical thoughts thanks.
Anyway, I was hurt, so hurt that I pushed this pain right out of my mind. The problem with me is that when I block something out I tend to block it all out and my world pretty much goes numb. This time I wanted to do something about it. I didn't want to forget it all and the pain to slip away, I wanted a piercing- a visible one that could scream out "I'm heartbroken" over and over, I knew just the piercing to get... my lip. Left, right, middle, labret or ring, I didn't know. For a while I'd been set on a labret but my ex had gotten his done recently so I figured that it'd seem rather creepy and more copying than me. Besides this time around I wasn't going for the more conservative option, I wanted a ring.
Personally, I've always found something rather appealing about lip rings on the side. I never really knew what it was about them that tugged so slightly on my heart, but after some analysis it hit me. They seem so sad a piercing. Hooked there through many an emo kid's lip, tilting to one side or the other, never standing alert and perky, but rather sadly slumped. Each lip ring I see doesn't seem so tough, and I realize that they never have. To me they have always yelled out about heartache and faltered romance. Through a lip naturally so soft and innocent, begging for that slow soft kissing- even with the tarnished lipstick all lips are just so sensual. But then, with that metal so perfectly piercing it seems to tell all that the soft innocent set of lips hides such sorrow.
With my opinion realized I made up my mind. On payday I would get my lip pierced! I told everyone that I was getting my lip done, though I made my appointment only the day before and for an eyebrow piercing instead. I also had yet to ask/notify my mother. For some reason I knew that if I asked her and let her tease me a bit she would say yes.
Friday afternoon was the date of my piercing, 2:30pm actually. At about 10am I decided to break it down to my mom. The catch is to find the perfect moment and make sure she's already slightly distracted-but only slightly! I have to admit that when it comes to my mom and my piercings that this is the only one that turned from 'no' to 'not today' to 'yes' in less than a day. I told her that I had a downsizing appointment and asked if I could get my lip done. At first she of course said no and teased me about my nipple piercings, then proceeded to change the subject. I quickly changed it back and then came the not today along with excuses of sending photos to relatives and such. Again I stood strong and asked her about my lip. She asked when my downsizing was and I said 'today at 2:30pm"and that's when my mom screeched out "TODAY!" I had just told her that, but clearly she wasn't really paying attention. She teased me a little more and casually slipped in a 'yes'. I kind of couldn't believe my ears, my heart skipped a beat and I neither questioned nor celebrated my small triumph. I did look in the mirror constantly as we drove around examining my lip for the perfect placement.
As soon as we were at a store where I could branch off a little I phoned Soul Survivors and changed my piercing from an eyebrow piercing to my lip. There was no problem doing so, though I'm sure the receptionist found it awkward that I was so willing to change the type of piercing. Needless to say I was completely stoked!
After some quick shopping there was just enough time for a quick lunch so I treated my mom to Boston Pizza. I figured that it would get me on her good side and fill my nervous tummy at the same time. I hadn't even remotely thought of what eating would be like after getting my piercing, but luckily my last meal was a great pasta dish. Silly me for bringing the leftovers home... never did get to finish.
At about 1:30-ish my mom and I headed downtown, leaving enough time for Friday afternoon traffic. Surprisingly there wasn't any so we got to Osborne (the street where Soul Survivors is), with more than enough time to spare for some mother/daughter bonding time at the local organic store (hush, I actually enjoyed myself).
The concept that I find rather amusing is that my lip is the first piercing since my industrial that my mom has actually come with me to get. I kept telling her that I'd go to Soul Survivors while she was looking around but she insisted that I wait for her. It was actually pretty cool.
When we finally walked into the shop it was 2:30 on the nose and two guys were standing at the counter booking appointments and didn't seem to know what they wanted. Been there, done that. I waited out the extra 10 minutes that they took and soon had those familiar forms in my hands. When I had everything all filled out I realized that BJ, my piercer, was standing over me and handed him my papers. He wrote in my license number and asked me about the piercing. Would it be centered or on the side and was I getting it with a stud or a ring. I knew I wanted it on the side and with a ring, as for which side that was for him to decide. He said it was cool and that he'd set up and I'd be right in.
I pretty much had time to sit there and fidget nervously and make an ass out of myself before I was called in. As soon as I'm inside that little back room I go from nervous bubbly dumb girl, to excited bubbly girl who is totally calm and cool on the inside... I like to think that I gain a few brain cells once I'm in there too, but I still blabber my mouth off. When I got in the room BJ told me to take a seat in that much too familiar chair. There was a bit of small talk as there usually is, which snuffs out whatever is left of my nervousness. He asked if I wanted my lip ring on the left or on the right. I said that it didn't matter because I plan on getting both sides done eventually and putting in labrets. I think that'll look hot. He checked out my mouth and said that we'd start off with my right side. For some reason I was happy that he chose the right side, it just seemed right to me. BJ marked me up and hooked the ring on to make sure that it was the right side and angle and everything. He expla ined that he was placing it more to the center of my lip so that when I got the other and put in the labrets they would be just slightly out further than the studs in my nose. To me it was all good, no worries... then again there never are. BJ then got out the clamps to clamp my lip... I still find that the most odd clamping out of all my piercings so far. He slid the clamps on my lip then pulled my lip down and then tightened it. It was alright, kind of tight, but I don't mind tight clamps if it means you feel less sting. Unfortunately, I can't say that the piercing was all that much painless. I felt every moment of it even though my eyes were closed. I know closing your eyes seems sort of silly, but it helps me to envision the piercing.
All in all the piercing felt totally different from all the rest of mine. Usually the needle feels thick and not exactly sharp... the pain is usually a heavier pain and not very pinpoint able. This time it was a sharp pain, very sharp. I envisioned a sewing needle sliding through my lip, quite simply because that is exactly how it felt. I sort of felt the ring being slid in, but not really, I mean that was where the heavy feeling came... nothing bad, just well the usual. It didn't take long for BJ to put it all together and tighten the ring, but I remember thinking 'come on come on' even though it didn't hurt at that point.
After a few seconds BJ wiped off the little bit of blood and handed me a pill bottle with soft soap in it. He gave me a brief aftercare lecture, nothing like he's supposed to give but I'm also in there every two weeks so I know the drill by heart. No 'extracurricular' activities with significant others, but if I do whatever since my body heals super fast (though I personally don't recommend it in the least), clean for oral and body piercings. No alcohol, smoking, touching... and the list goes on.
I told him some of my ideas for my other piercings quickly, and then I was back out of the room and into the waiting room where my mom was reading her organic pamphlets. She looked at my lip and I giggled saying I knew she didn't like it. She got up, I paid and left a cheap tip of $10 and then we were out of there. I swear one of these days I'm going to leave a good tip!
I've had my piercing for a week and 2 days now. The very first day I had it I did almost everything that I wasn't supposed to do. An hour after I had it done I went to the provincial park and went swimming, then I went out for dinner with my friends (bumped it a million times), went to the bar and drank, had a smoke, ate a bunch of candy and on top of it all my friends made me laugh all day so it got pushes and pulled and bumped around far too much. The right side of my lip swelled up pretty bad, not tightly so it looked like it would pop, but enough to make it uncomfortable and numb.
I've been wearing lipstick and playing with it, but it's actually doing pretty well. The big annoying thing is that it's still sort of numb and I have to push on it once a day to drain-ish it. It's not bad or anything; I just don't need a killer infection in it. Oh I also brush regularly and rinse with alcohol free mouthwash and it makes it feel a hell of a lot better. The ring bumps on my tooth when I smile or laugh and that's the only downside.
In all honesty, I love my romantic lip ring. I feel whole with it in, I feel beautiful and risqué and like my beautiful heartbroken self. I didn't get this to prove a point at all, it isn't meant to say 'fuck you I got a piercing', to my ex. I just love piercings and well it seemed right to actually feel the pain of my lost love.
If you're thinking of getting your lip pierced go for it! I'm going to recommend a labret though because the ring bumping against your teeth is kind of annoying, it doesn't hurt I just don't like how it pushes my lip out where the ring is. It's a hot piercing and it certainly gives you a sly, sexy feeling about yourself!
If you're in the Winnipeg area go see BJ, he rocks, is a great piercer and is super great with his clients!!!
Until Next time,
Bondage-Kit