So I have had a few piercings done in my day, and a few tattoos, and I have even written of the dangers of going to just any random shop. My problem, and my own stupidity, was that I wrote of the dangers of going to just any random shop for TATTOOS, now I've learned and I will pass on what I've learned to those who may not be so inclined to do their research.
At A Glance Author Draco Contact Draco@bme.anon When Six months ago Location Orlando, Fl It started one long and tiresome day. My fiancee and I had just put in our resignation letters at our job, as we had another job that was just so much better. To celebrate we decided "Hey, let's go get something pierced" Wait, stop there. I have had bad luck in the world of piercings. In fact, I don't have a single one of my piercings left. And what did I get out of them? Swallowed rings, scars, and pain. But oh well, damn it, I like piercings and I was DETERMINED to keep this one and have no problems!
So we went out to eat, we treated ourselves to a nice fancy dinner at Denny's oh yeah! After that we took a ride down International Drive. For those of you not familiar with this area, it is a heavy tourist area in Orlando with a tattoo shop on every corner. We drove and drove until we found a shop that didn't look crappy and run down, and decided to stop in. We waited around for about 5 minutes or so for someone to come out of hiding and see us. And with them they brought bad news: They were closing and their piercing guy went home early, but they had another shop just a mile down the road.
Now here's the problem: A mile on I-drive is like driving 5 o'clock traffic on the interstate with an overturned semi 5 miles in front of you. So after a very long drive we finally made it to the shop and as we went in I felt rather uncomfortable. It had a very bad feeling to it and reminded me of something you'd see out of a bad 70's street gang movie or something. But I wanted my lip pierced and I was determined. The lady that was at the counter was very nice and very helpful as she gave us paper work, rang us up and got us our aftercare supplies. Then we went into the back room...
My fiancee has never had a piercing in her life, and only one tattoo, so needless to say she was a little nervous, so I agreed to go first. I sat up on the medical bed as the piercer grabbed the marker and marked out just the right spot. I must say, I wasn't nervous. I knew exactly what to expect, a little pinch from the clamps, a count to three and a quick stab, nothing major, right? Well, if only that were true.
First came the clamps: nice and shiny and cold as all metal objects are. Problem though, WAY too tight. In fact her had to unclamp them, and the clamp them again, TWICE. After he finally got them on there and shut he realized that he forgot something, and left the room, leaving me hanging with the clamps hanging from my lip. AWKWARD! And then he comes back, and what did he forget? Nothing important, just the needle, which, for some reason wasn't in any of the drawers in the piercing room where we were sitting.
So now comes the whole "I'm going to count to three and then stab it, ok? 1, STAB" right? Nooooo, none of the pleasantries for me, it was just "Ok" STA...Clink? So here I sit, with a needle halfway through my lip, as it seems that the clamps have gotten in the way and we must now wiggle the sharp pointy object in my flesh while using it like a pogo stick for fingers. Oh sweet Jesus please give me the release of death...or alcohol! Finally it goes through, my lip is throbbing and bleeding and my fiancee has a look on her face that said get me the hell out! I didn't want to put her through what I just went through...But I did! Oh yes I made her get up there but luckily for her, all went well and she said she really didn't even feel it. My little trooper.
So days turned to weeks and no surprise, I was having a LOT of trouble. The swelling wasn't going down, the pain wasn't going away, and I was having trouble eating. My fiancee on the other hand, hers was almost perfectly healed...Bitch. I gave it another month, and though some of the swelling went down, I was still having trouble eating, and the pain was still a firey burst of hell. Worse than dislocating my knees. Finally, I had to remove it, let it heal over, and now my record goes unbroken. 5 times pierced, 5 piercings retired, 5 scars. But I wont stop. I will open all my holes again!
So let me just say this, please let this be a warning to those who are looking to get pierced. Be sure you know what you're doing, where you're going, and make sure who you're going to know's what THEY are doing. Just because someone is working at a shop does NOT mean they're good, and just because the shop is there doesn't mean it's the best place to go. Do your research. Ask around. And please PLEASE avoid going to shops in heavy tourist areas. Get to know the people there if you can. I now have 1 place where ALL my tattoos come from, and I know them well and I know the piercer there does good work, so when I am ready, I will be going there. Please, take your time and don't rush into things. Best wishes.