Here lately, I've had quite the piercing addiction. I've always loved piercings, even back in my 'Piercing Pagoda' stages. My mom had my ears pierced when I was a baby. When I was about 14, I started going to the mall to get my ears 'gunned' with my parents. All together, I've had my ears 'gunned' 9 times. (3 lobe piercings on each ear, 2 cartilage on right ear and 1 on left ear) Those were all before I turned 16 and didn't know any better. When I was about 15 or 16, I got my belly button pierced and that was my first 'real' piercing, real in the sense that I went to a professional shop to have it done. After that, I was hooked. I had the bottom of my belly button pierced a year later. As well as my tongue and vertical labret when I was 17, which are both retired now. Recently, I've been more into ear piercings. Within the last 4 months, I've had my rook, snug and tragus pierced. I love them all, but that wasn't enough for me. I really missed my vertical labret, so I decided I needed another lip piercing. I needed spiderbites! (or are they venombites?)
At A Glance Author Anonymous. Contact Anonymous.@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Chris. Studio Artistic Skin Design, Inc. Location Avon, Indiana. I decided that I wanted this piercing after thinking about it for 3 or 4 days. I've always liked the look of one labret piercing on the left side of the lip, so I figured, why not get two right beside eachother? I'm 18, so I didn't need permission from my parents, though I've never had any trouble getting it. My parents have always been really cool about letting me express myself through piercings. I did bring my mom along for the piercing experience though. I never like to go alone.
So, yesterday (01/26/08) we were off! I live in a small town in Indiana, so finding a piercing place in my area was always difficult. The one I have been going to recently is about 30 minutes away. I've had my rook, tragus and snug pierced there. The people were friendly and it was a nice shop. I figured I would just go there to get my lip piercing. I brought a picture along to show my piercer so that I wouldn't get my words mixed up trying to explain what I wanted. But, when we got there, the shop had been closed! Not because they weren't clean or experienced, they closed the shop themselves. They just weren't making enough money, which I can understand. Not many people were getting pierced in their area. Of course, I was sad, but I wasn't going to let that stop me from getting this piercing! I decided to go to Artistic Skin Design, Inc. in Avon, Indiana. I had been there to get my tongue pierced and really enjoyed the shop. The people were friendly and the shop was clean and had a decent amount of jewelry to choose from. It's a bit of a drive for me to go there, which is why I hadn't made this particular place my regular shop, but after my last experience there, I won't be going anywhere else!
My mom and I went in and were immediately greeted by Chris, the man who had pierced my tongue on my last visit. I knew he didn't remember me, so I wasn't going to let him know we had been there once before. He asked me what I wanted and I showed him the picture. I said I wasn't sure of the name for the piercing, so I brought in a picture. He said there wasn't a name, just two lip piercings beside eachother, but I'm pretty sure there is some sort of name for it.
He had me fill out some paperwork, you know the usual, have you drank lately? Are you pregnant? types of questions, while he copied my I.D. He also went over the price with me. Since one labret piercing was $42.50, two would be about $85 + tax. I was fine with that. You get what you pay for and I knew he'd do a great job. Then, it was off to the 'little room'..
My mom and I followed him back to his booth. I sat up on one of those bed like chairs you see in a doctor's office while he got out all of the equipment he would need to pierce. We decided on 14g labret stud jewelry that would be a little long, to make up for the amount of swelling I would have. I watched him open all of the packages for the clamps, needles and jewelry. He had me rinse my mouth out with mouthwash and then marked my lip with that odd purple liquid. After we both decided on place, he had me turn around and lay on my back and put my head on the very edge of the table. Apparently, he had the smallest booth in the store and had to have people lay in many awkward positions due to the weird walls. Then, it was pretty much downhill from there. He clamped me and pierced the first one, put the jewelry in and went on to the second. It was pretty painless and over in about 15 seconds. Then, he explained all of the aftercare requirements. You know, no smoking, drinking, oral sex, etc. And told me what products I should buy for cleaning. Then, I paid and we were off!
It was a really good experience. We carried on random small talk throughout the process, which was nice. He also reminded me to come in about 2 months later and I could get shorter jewelry and he would be happy to change it for me. Today, I am really sore and swollen, but I'm loving the piercing! I'm so glad I decided to get it and I can't wait until I can stick some pretty jewelry with gems in it!
Also, for anyone looking for a great piercer, I would definitely recommend Chris from Artistic Skin Design, Inc. in Avon, Indiana!