Hey there. So to start off.. I'm the typical 14-year-old with an interest in body modification, but has the parents who are against it, and think of it as "mutilation". I'm also the type who loves to stand out, who wants to be different - or just very unique. I wanted a piercing that was uncommon around where I live, but not something too odd. I wanted it to boost my self-esteem, too.
At A Glance Author Mandi Contact mandi_sucks@hotmail.com When A week ago Artist Kelly Studio Westcoast Piercing Location Surrey BC Long story short, at first I wanted my eyebrow pierced, my parents absolutely hated the idea of something in my eyebrow and thought it was ugly, too. No matter how many times I asked or tried to convince them, it got me no where. After months of failed attempts at convincing them, I moved on to the monroe, which I found completely gorgeous. I told my parents and they thought about it, which was surprising - not getting an immediate "NO" to it. Eventually they said I could get it during spring break if I behaved and kept my grades up 'till then. I did, and I was SO excited I squealed... and I never squeal. Lawl.
We decided on March 15, a thursday, so I still had friday - the last day of school 'till spring break to show my friends. My friends Jenn and Jalissa were coming along to take pictures but it was only Jenn because Jalissa went to Costa Rica. A long month of waiting and the day was finally here. (It felt like the time where you're waiting for Christmas. Y'know, when you get all excited and "OMG CHRISTMAS IS COMING" a month before but it seems like it's taking forever to get there? Yeah. It was sorta like that.)
The day was here and I couldn't focus on anything during school from all the excitement that day. I finally got through the day and Jenn and I walked back to my house and I ate some marshmellows so I wouldn't get all dizzy after the piercing and Jenn ate some too just because she wanted marshmellows. My dad drove us to Westcoast Piercing at about 3:30, who do a really good job. They pierced my helix, and helped me heal it when it was being a bitch and got a keloid and a gross infection and swelled up pretty bad (it's fine now). It was surprisingly busy in there - we had to wait for at least a half hour after we filled out the consent forms and I got pretty anxious. Me and Jenn just wandered around the shop looking at all the neat jewelry they had while we waited. After all that, I heard my name called and we went into the little piercing room.
I sat on the brown padded bench thing and was shown the 14g titanium labret stud (that I chose before we went in) that would be used. I was given this stuff to swish around in my mouth for 30 seconds while the piercer (Kelly) set up everything. After that the outside of my lip was cleaned off. I was asked approximately where I'd like to be, and I looked in the mirror I was given and pointed to a spot on the left side of my face. A small dot was drawn there and it looked like the perfect placement. I lied down on the bench and the clamps were put on, which were alot was intense-feeling on my lip than they were on my helix. Maybe because it's softer there.. A needle was held up against the inside of my lip and all I hear from Jenn was "man, that needle is scary-lookin'...." then I saw flashes of light as she took a bunch of pictures. I got the usual "breathe in..... and out" and as I exhaled the needle was pushed through my lip. It seemed like it went through really slowly. I could feel it kinda 'pop' as it came out the outside of my mouth. An odd feeling, it was the only part of it where I felt some pain from the needle. The clamps were taken off and the needle was left hanging in my lip and I made a huge, stupid-looking smile and gave a thumbs up and Jenn took another picture. The labret stud was put against the back of the needle and was pushed through and the needle came out all at once and I felt a tight pinching as it happened. The ball was screwed on the top and the area was cleaned off again. I got up and looked in the mirror and suddenly felt super giddy. Honestly, I thought it looked absolutely perfect. I thanked Kelly and walked into the waiting area and got my money out to pay.
I got some smiles at it from some people waiting and one girl was like "looks really good" when I walked out. I paid, got an aftercare sheet, my dad drove Jenn home and I went home to show my mom and brother. My mom didn't like it that much since it was a longer bar and it stuck out of my face more than she expected it would. She didn't like how it was a plain silver ball on the end, she wants it to be one of those tiny diamond studs. I told her I have to have this one 'till it heals, then I could change it.
The next day wasn't so bad. A bit of swelling, just enough to fill up the rest of the labret stud, but it wasn't noticeable at all. I got alot of nice compliments. Things like "looks really cute on you" and, of course, the usual "did it hurt?" and a few even asked where I got it done. I never said anything about it the whole day, I just waited for people to notice it. My favourite comments were the ones when people were just like "hey Mandi, how's it goi-- OHMYGOD" when they saw the monroe.
Next few days? Ugh. The swelling was horrible. The inside of my lip was starting to cover the disc back of the labret and the ball was even starting to form a little crater on my face where it sat. I got really paranoid about it. I just continued to suck on ice and eat ice cream and drink slushies and the swelling went down in a couple of days. Aftercare is really easy to keep up with, I've had my monroe for about a week now and it's doing fine. I've gotten some mean comments on it, like people calling it "metal zit" and "robot pimple" and they'll point and say "oh, Mandi, you've got something stuck there.. oh wait, it's a piercing. ROFL." But honestly, I don't care. I didn't get it to impress people, or for popularity. I got it for me. It gave me a MAJOR self-esteem boost which I needed more than anything. I think it looks beautiful, and if I think it does, that's all that matters. I shouldn't worry about what others think anymore or the mean things they say to me. My monroe has made me feel so much better about myself lately and I love it.
Sorry that was pretty long. But thanks if you read it all. :)