The hood piercing used to be one of those that I never thought I would want to get... but months of reading R.A.B. and B.M.E. got me over that!I decided to go to Thrilling Drilling in Bielefeld for it. I had found their website (http://come.to/thrilling-drilling) while surfing the net and had found it to be very informative, so I decided to keep the studio in mind since there seemed to be not a single decent studio in my hometown- at least not one where I was going to take my pants off! During the following months I found experience reports and heard from various people that they were indeed very good, so I thought it would be worth the 1.5 hour train ride. They just moved into a new studio, it looks very friendly and they have lots of jewellery on display. They share the shop with a tattoo studio called "Taetowiersucht". I brought a friend along who had been wanting a navel piercing for six months but who was afraid because she tends to pass out. We had come about 30 minutes early because we had planned to look at portfolios, but there were no customers before us and we kind of forgot about the portfolios. I had wanted a vertical hood, but after a good look at my anatomy, Vanessa (one of the two piercers) said a vertical would not be a good idea because the piercing canal would have been too long. I decided to get a horizontal instead. And if that hadn't worked, I would have had an industrial done. I was determined not to leave the shop without a new hole or two!
So I picked out a 14 ga titanium BCR and while it was being autoclaved, I talked to Vanessa about the aftercare, having a cup of coffee. I wasn't really nervous or scared because if I want something or something has to be done (like a shot) I manage to gather enough self-discipline to remain calm which I'm very glad about.
Finally it was time... The piercing rooms are in the back of the shop. Vanessa and Coach do the piercings together, in a kind of nurse+doctor way, in my case Coach was there to open the packages with the instruments in them (I was surprised that the marker could be autoclaved) and hand them to Vanessa. And yes, he was of course fully gloved and everything. As far as I could see, their hygiene is immaculate, and I'm a veterinarian, so I have an eye for cross-contamination. I took my pants off and laid down on the bench, noticing a silly- looking rabbit clock with moving eyes and a wagging carrot which, according to Vanessa, has hypnotized people?! :-). Vanessa marked the holes, we checked the placement again with a mirror, then she clamped my hood which did not hurt at all. While were were talking, she stabbed me without warning which I think is good because you have no time to tense up, and "oww!". Definitely my most painful pierce yet, but the pain only lasted for half a second or so. The ring was inserted which I didn't even feel (they use IV catheters) and -done!
I got up and my hands were shaking a little, and I felt no pain at all. I picked up the pile of aftercare stuff and we went to the front where I remembered I needed a smaller ring for my tragus. I decided to take a 16 ga, 7 mm sss BCR with a turquoise bead and we went back to the piercing room and stretched my tragus from 18 to 16 ga (I like to take it slow, okay :-) ). Then I asked Vanessa about an industrial and a rook that I plan to get done in the future (the addiction!), and both are possible so I have something to look forward to...
While I had been in there, my friend had decided that since she was there, she might just as well get pierced there and then. Vanessa checked the appointments and there was enough time to do it, so she went through with it? My friend has low blood pressure and had fainted after all three earrings she got done and after every time she has blood drawn, so she didn't get up at once after the piercing was done (with a hollow needle this time). Coach gave her a dextrose sucker (multi-vitamin :-D) and Vanessa got her a glass of water, and she was up after a short while, a bit white in the face but happy!
I'd say Thrilling Drilling are what a piercing studio should be like- piercers who take the time to talk to their customers, excellent chairside manners and hygiene, good coffee :-D, a vast collection of jewellery (so many barbells, so few holes... ). Their new counter leaves rust marks on your pants though which is the only negative thing I have to say :-) - and I wish I had gone there sooner!