So. I decided to get a piercing. I already have my tongue pierced but that was easy as pie. No pain at all. I'm the ultimate in babies when it comes to pain. Pain and I don't get along well and I generally avoid it at all costs. However, I was wanting some more decoration on my face, so I figured why not? Even after mulling it over for months when I finally walked into Ritualistics I still wasn't quite sure what I wanted.
At A Glance Author Nik Contact Nik@bme.anon When Six months ago Artist Jonny Studio Ritualistics Location Edmonton, AB I quickly decided on getting my labret done.
The receptionist with somewhere around 15 facial piercings could tell I was more than a little bit nervous and he started trying to distract me. He told me all about every one of his piercings while we waiting for my piercer to be finished with his current client.
Then I meet Jonny. He's to be the one doing the piercing. He's all business at first, helping me choose jewelery and explaining the different gauges and possibilities of what I could get. Then we get comfortable in his little room and he started joking around with me...I guess I was still obviously nervous. I was pretty intimidated by some of the equipment in the room and by pretty much everything he was pulling out of various places and setting on tray covered with a sterile cloth. Jonny walked me through the whole procedure and what all the things on the tray were to be used for. It helped. A lot.
He checked my lower lip and teeth & gums to make sure it would be safe to do the piercing. It turned out that because of how low my gums sit on my teeth; he didn't feel comfortable doing the piercing. He suggested if I really wanted the labret done to wait for the head piercer to come it the next day. However, I was impatient and after having psyched myself up over getting it done for so long, I just wanted to get something pierced, so I ended up deciding on a lower lip piercing instead...same deal as a labret, just a bit higher up.
So, we went through all the prep work again...disinfecting everything, new gloves, new everything.
The piercing itself wasn't as bad as I had been expecting. I had been expecting some slow horribly painful ordeal but that wasn't the case at all. Jonny had the needle through my lip followed with the jewelery in next to no time at all. I Once that was done he went through all my after care instructions with me and then sent me on my way with more instructions to come back and see him if I had any problems and again when it was time to downsize the ring...and away I went, another smiling happy pierced girl...until I walked outside. It was mid November in Edmonton, AB...it was beyond cold outside. I was never so thankful to be wearing a scarf to cover my face. Cold metal in a fresh piercing is not by any means a pleasant sensation.
Fast forward a couple months...I finally went in for downsizing. I had a few minor issues with the piercing such as a small infection due to not following the after care instructions quite as carefully as I should have, but it did all clear up just fine...aside from learning the hard way that vodka slimes and salt and vinegar chips aren't a great way to welcome a new piercing...same deal for most alcohol actually, which kind of sucked seeing as I'm a bartender and enjoy the occasional shooter bought for me by a customer. So I called and made my appointment to get my lip ring downsized. I didn't anticipate any problems with the jewelery change. Well, my piercing had other ideas. As soon as I sat down in his little room and he checked out the piercing Johnny commented that my lip looked a little angry that day and wanted to know if I was sure I wanted to do the downsizing that day. I assured him I was ready for it. We talked about what I wanted to replace the ring with and I decided on going with a labret stud. As it turned out, he didn't have the right length post for me so I had to go with a smaller ring. Well, the piercing was indeed angry. Getting the original ring out wasn't the issue. The problem turned out to be getting the new ring in...it was more painful than the original piercing was. But Jonny got it done in as little time as possible and then sent me home with more sea salt and some pretty new jewelery.
Fast forward again...I ended up having to take the piercing out because I couldn't keep it for the job I got at the time. I tried to put a retainer in by myself but was unsuccessful. I didn't think to use any kind of lubrication when I was trying to put it in and it got sore and angry pretty quickly. I couldn't get back to the shop quickly enough and ended up losing my much loved piercing. I have since left that job and have definite plans to get my lip pierced again...making sure to take proper care of my new piercing this time.