At A Glance
Author	Deadboy
Contact	cogwraith@gmail.com
When	Three months ago
Artist	I did.
Studio	My Bedroom.
Location	Tucson, AZ.

This is my Second entry to BME. My first is "My Liptastic Journey." This experience chronicles the self piercing of my Upper frenulum, also known as a Smiley or Scrumper.

Well well well... Since I've found BME, I've admired Smileys. I hadn't ever heard of them before I found this site. After a few more weeks of surfing, I decided that I really wanted one. I read a few experiences and found that they were generally, a quick, painless, easy piercing. That's the truth.

After I decided I wanted one, I had the issue of getting it done. At the time, Not only was I broke, but since I got my lip done, My mom wasn't really up for another visit to the piercing place. So then my mind traveled to other places. I settled mentally on having a friend pierce it. A friend of mine is piercing savvy, and said she'd done her's once. I was stoked. I asked her if she'd be up for it, and she was! She said she needed to order more needles, and that she'd do it another time. I waited. And as things seem to turn out, It just didn't happen.

A few months later, I was browsing BME as I often do, and saw the scrumpers again. The Piercing flame within me lit anew! I NEEDED it. I asked her and again, she was out of needles and stuff. We decided to do it "later." After a while...I thought about the experiences I've read And decided that I'd probably have to do what most people do for this piercing.... Piercing myself.

I was generally too much of a girl to pierce myself. I do my own stretching which is no big deal, But actually piercing myself? Hah. I was afraid. I took my piercing kit into the bathroom with the intention of switching lip rings. I took out a needle I had. I went over to the mirror and pulled my lip up. I poked it a few times. Ouch. I had expected to feel nothing up there, but I sure was wrong. So at that point... I decided not to go through with it. I switched rings and put it out of mind.

A few weeks later, I wanted to try again. I got all set up in my room this time. I set up a mirror, I set down a towel and laid out my tools. Before me I set: A Bowl of alcohol, the needle, and a small 16 gauge CBR. I Sterilized the jewelry and needle, and pulled my lip up, inspecting my upper frenulum. I pinched and pulled on it. I guess I was ready. I pulled up my lip grabbed the needle out of the alcohol. I took a few deep breaths and positioned the needle. I decided that I was going to pierce pretty far back, because I had read that the deeper you pierce it, the lower the chances of rejection. I exhaled and pushed. And I felt the needle go into the skin just a little and then I felt an odd pressure. I could see that the needle was kind of.. stretching the skin and not going through. I let go of my lip to take a little break before trying again. I left the needle in, and after a few seconds it just fell out. That was pretty sad.

After a swish of Listerine and another dip into the alcohol, I was ready once more. This time, After a firmer pressure, I actually got the needle through. I didn't bleed or hurt, it was just generally uncomfortable. I quickly yanked the needle out and grabbed the CBR. I tried to slide it into the pinhole I had made, but that was a total no-go. Another quick break and I was ready to go again. I was DETERMINED! I bent the needle into a kind of... "C" shape, and poked it through the spot I had before. This time, I just left it. I sat there for 5 minutes with the needle in. After that. I slid the needle out and put the CBR in. Even now, I find that the easiest way to get it in is NOT to pull up your lip. That tightens the tissue. It's easiest to just slide the jewelry under your lip while the webbing is relaxed.

Now I've had it for well over a month and its healed up just fine. I love my smiley.

I probably shouldn't have to tell you this, but piercing yourself is a BAD IDEA. Its much safer and easier to have a professional do it. Don't follow my bad example and pierce yourself. But, If you have it in your dense little head, This is a good beginner piercing.