First off, sorry about the unimaginative title...
At A Glance Author Alex Contact Alex@bme.anon When A month ago Artist Can't remember.... Studio Polymorph Location Sydney, Australia THE PIERCING
I had toyed with the idea of getting a labret piercing for a while, though unfortunately I was in an emotionally abusive friendship/relationship/whatever and I was not allowed to change my image or do what I wanted.
When that was over and done with, I asked my boyfriend (who is thankfully into piercings and change) whether a labret would suit me and he thought a centre lip piercing would suit me. I had always wanted one, but I thought my lips were too small. That was not the case!
After searching around for a reputable piercing place, and agonizing over what my boss would say when I asked him if I could get it done, I got everything in order and set out to get pierced!
I went with my boyfriend and his sister (a cute little alternateen bordering on baby bat, who now wants to get her lip pierced too :D ) to Polymorph in Newtown, Sydney. I told the guy at the desk what I wanted done and had a chat to him about dermal anchoring (my next project!) and sat down to wait for a couple of minutes.
I had walked in with a rather casual and calm outlook on the whole situation, but as my time to get pierced drew closer I got a teensy bit nervous. I had had my ears pierced quite a few times, and I had got a belly button piercing and a tattoo done before my lip, so I wasn't a stranger to pain, but still, there are always nerves!
I got called in and my lovely boyfriend came in with me for moral support. I commend my piercer for taking every precaution and being thoroughly clean and sanitary. He changed gloves three or four times before he even came near me with the needle.
I sat down in the reclining chair while he marked my lip with a toothpick and ink. I checked in the mirror and it was perfect. I wanted to get pierced in the middle of my lip, with the view to eventually getting a ring put in. (At Polymorph, you have to get a lip piercing done with a post and ball for at least four weeks, to lower infection and discomfort).
He informed me he was a free hand piercer, which meant he didn't use any clamps and just grabbed me with his hands.
I lay back and closed my eyes, trusting my piercer to do what he had to do with minimal fuss and pain. He help my lips with one hand and on the count of three pushed the needle through my lip.
It hurt more than I expected it to, though I didn't really know what the hell I was expecting. It felt like my lip was really thick and there was a lot of pressure. Though, it didn't hurt that much, and it was over in like, 2 seconds, so whatever!
I made a weird, piggish grunting noise when it went through, then said "ow" a bit while the piercer put the jewelery through.
It looked so cute when I saw it in the mirror, a tiny silver ball just below my lip. I was very happy indeed.
THE AFTERCARE
After I got pierced, I couldn't close my mouth or talk properly for about 15 minutes, I think my lips were in shock or something. Then I eventually got used to it and could talk almost normally. We all went to Eating World in Chinatown (BEST FOOD EVER AND SO CHEAP!!!) and I was hungry, but I thought I couldn't eat. I was wrong!
I managed to eat some rice and chicken gently, by forking it into the back of my mouth and chewing it there.
The next 2 and a half weeks or so, it was quite annoying. It got quite crusty (THE CRUST WAS NEVER ENDING) although not infected, because it didn't hurt, and lymph crust is normal and good.
I cleaned my teeth and washed my mouth out twice a day (which is what people should do anyway) and did a sea salt soak after every time I ate. That was for about the first week, then I got very complacent and only washed my mouth out with water, sometimes not at all. I'm lucky nothing bad happened to it!
Now it has been four weeks since I got it done, so I went back to Polymorph to get a downsize and I ended up getting a CBR in it instead, which I LOVE!
My parents have not seen it yet, they weren't very happy with just the little ball, so I'm looking forward to some interesting scenes when I get home. Excellent.
I recommend the lip piercing, though be prepared to put up with it being quite irritating for the first couple of weeks!
Also, the lack of kissing isn't very nice...
Happy piercing!