It all started a couple weeks ago when my boyfriend and I discovered our favourite tattoo/piercing place was doing a 2 for 1 piercing deal; one person gets pierced, their friend gets theirs free. So we decided to get two piercings each.. a cartilage and industrial for me and a nose and tongue for him.
At A Glance Author Maeg Contact Maeg@bme.anon When A month ago Artist Felicia Studio Renaisseance Location Abbotsford, BC, Canada However, being the age I am I needed my mother's signature. Now, my mother is odd in that she'll allow me to get permanant tattoos, but not piercings. And she most definately did NOT want me to get an industrial. After much persuasion I was finally allowed to get two holes in my helix (under the guise of getting an orbital, of course..). So she signed the form (I needed her signature as she would be at work when my boy and I were getting pierced).
Anyhoo, the next day we went over to the studio and looked at jewellery for a bit. The piercer, Felicia, came and got us and we went to the room where they do the piercings/tattoos.
My boy got his nose pierced (it hurts, so I hear..), and then his tongue. Thus it was my turn!
I say down in the big white chair as she got all the jewellery ready. She pierced my right ear first - just a 14 gauge ring through the helix. I'd never had a cartilage piercing done before, and I thought that one hurt quite muchly. She put the ring through, and then it was time for the industrial in my left ear.
Felicia marked the place on my ear where she'd pierce it and disinfected the area. She had latex gloves on for the whole placing/disinfecting part, and she put on a new pair for the actual piercing. She got the needle ready and told me to take a deep breath and exhale slowly as she pierced.
OUCH. Regardless of what anyone might say otherwise, it HURTS. It's a really sharp, sudden pain followed by intense burning/throbbing. She put the bar through the first hole (14 gauge) and then pierced the second, which hurt muchly as well. The arms of the chair had little grooves from my fingers.. Much naughty words were said during both pokes with the piercing needle =). After putting it in she cleaned the new piercing and we talked about cleaning/aftercare. She also gave both of us an 'Aftercare Guide For Body, Facial, and Oral Piercings'.
As a bit of a shameless promotion.. Renaisseance is THE best place to get pierced or tattooed. They're very clean, professional, and the prices are cheap - $60CAN for the industrial ($35CAN for all others excepting lobes). If you have any problems with the piercing, i.e., you think it's infected, you can go in and talk to Felicia or Traci (the owner) and see what they think. Felicia is very nice, and she knows what she's doing.
By the way.. TIP YOUR PIERCER, especially if they've done a good job!
I've had the bar in for a while now and it still hurts. You won't be able to sleep on it at ALL until it's fully healed. The second hole bled a lot for a couple days, but it's pretty fine now. Best way to clean it is with Dial antibacterial soap.. preferably liquid. It's got the consistancy of water so it's easier to clean. Use a clean cotton swab for each side of the hole and clean thoroughly. Sea-saltwater soaks are the best.. the water should taste mildly salty (stronger solutions irritate the piercing). If you don't have seasalt you can use regular tablesalt.. about 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) to a cup (250 ml) of distilled warm water. It promotes air and bloodflow and usually soothes the pain. Soak for 5 minutes each day with cotton balls and then rinse with clean water.
NEVER use rubbing alcohol or peroxide because they dry out and irritate the piercing, and don't use things like Bactroban or Polysporin because they don't let air in the piercing. Don't overclean either.. once when you get up, once in the shower, and once before you go to bed is enough.
The bar usually gets covered in crusties after awhile (especially if you don't clean it.. aheh), so after about a month you can try cleaning the entire thing. I made a solution of saltwater and Dial and took the bar out, cleaned it and the holes, and put it back in. I don't recommend doing that, as it can be hard to get the piercing back in and it can close up. Industrials take about 3 - 4 months to heal; possibly more depending on how your body heals. Don't move the bar back and forth, because this will make it sting and hurt VERY MUCH. Twist it when you clean it.
As much as it hurts.. it's worth it. And if you ever find yourself in BC, go to Renaisseance! (mention my name, and not only do I get money for a referral *coughcough*, but you also get a discount on your next piercing). Now go get an industrial!