At A Glance
Author	IsoChick
Contact	IsoChick@bme.anon
IAM	IsoChick
When	It just happened
Artist	Mark
Studio	Manchester Piercing Studio
Location	Manchester, United Kingdom

I am a total novice to piercing. I had my ears done with a gun in 1993 and 1997, and that took me ages to pluck up the courage to have it done.

I have needlephobia (yes, it's called that, sometimes I wish it had a cooler name). I have it pretty bad. I didn't have a lot of my vaccinations at school because I was so scared, last time I had a blood test my partner had to come with me and hold me down, and the dentist has to use children's "magic cream" before injecting me. I have only recently been able to get a flu-jab, and that's not even a proper injection, they just scratch your arm with the needle. I can't watch any sort of injection/piercing/ needle-associated things on TV either. I'm not generally squeamish, but it's the thought of the needle going into skin, and the pain I associate with that which freaks me out.

I had a tattoo seven years ago, which I hoped would help with the phobia. I was fine through the whole procedure, but didn't associate it with needles (mainly because you can't really 'see' the needles).

I have always wanted my navel pierced, but the idea of actually letting someone near me with a needle was abhorrent. I went with my sister to some of her piercings, and kept seeing that she was OK with them. A friend at work had her navel done and said that it was a breeze – didn't hurt, looked great.

After 2 years of weight loss, I've begun to wear nicer clothes again, and had thought to myself, "wouldn't it be nice if I had a little shiny thing, just there, to show off..."

Over the weekend, and admittedly after a drink, I told my best friend and my husband that on Monday I was going to get my navel pierced. "Sure, sure...of course you are" was the response.

So, Monday rolls around, and I'm sat at work. I find the piercing studio's number. The studio is local to my work, and it's where my sister has had the majority of her work done. I've always found the people that work there friendly and knowledgeable.

They tell me to just pop in, but have something to eat first.

I leave work an hour after lunch, without telling anyone where I'm going. As I walk to the studio, I'm so nervous. I listen to my mp3 player to take my mind off it.

I get to the studio and meet Mark, the piercer, who has 19 piercings of his own, a lot of them self done. He's a real sweetie, answering all my inane questions and putting me at ease. I choose my jewellery, a 1.6mm bar in stainless steel, with a little pink 'jewel' on each end, and Mark goes off to clean it and set up. No going back now!

I go into the separate room, and Mark asks me to lay down and make myself comfy. He tells me what he is doing at each stage, which is nice and routine. He marks up my belly, and asks me to stand and take a look. He changes his gloves between marking me up and piercing me, and is very gentle. This is important to a total beginner like me.

He sets the forceps up and sprays me with freezing spray. I'm a little worried, as it doesn't feel particularly frozen, or numb or anything.

I've told Mark that I'm going to close my eyes, so I can't see the needle; and I apologise in advance in case I faint/vomit/curse at him. He tells me to take a deep breath in, and let it out slowly and he will pierce me. I breathe as instructed and wait for the needle, for the pain that I know comes with needles. Nothing.

"OK, just putting the bar in" Mark says, "Don't look if you don't want to see the needle." I feel a tugging around my belly, and a little pinch as he screws the ball on.

Is that it? Is that what I was worried about? What I got myself all worked up over for all those years?

I stand up and peer down (I'm not the most svelte of people, and my belly does tend to be rounder rather than flat) but I can just see a pink sparkly stone... nice.

Mark instructs me in aftercare, and says that if I have any problems I should just come back to the studio. He puts a dressing on it and I walk back to work.

3 hours later: It aches a little, and I am more careful when sitting down, moving around etc. especially as I'm still at work.

I feel like I'm carrying a precious gift on my stomach... protect at all costs... and I can't wait to go out next week and show it off, even though I'm not usually one for belly showing tops.

I'd like to get other stuff pierced, although I'm not sure what yet, and I'd like to wait until this heals, before I do anything else, but I'm very, very happy with my navel (although you wouldn't get me to have a blood test or injection!)