Obviously, piercing are a fashion statement, in that fashion is a means of personal expression (you wouldn't wear or buy a shirt if you didn't like it). As much as I love the way facial piercings look and respect the fashion statement they make (I think a little metal makes anyone more attractive) I can't think of any that would accent my features in an aesthetically pleasing manner. So, I have decided to focus on my ears, having already skewered the tongue.
At A Glance Author Candace Contact Candace@bme.anon IAM TheWench When A week ago Artist Cory Studio Action Ink Location Ma For the past few months I have been looking at various ear piercings, and I really like the multiple cartilage thing that so many people do, but that seems like such a time consuming project. Unless someone would pierce several holes at once, wouldn't that entail perpetual piercing and healing and never sleeping on your sides again? I don't have that kind of patience.
I had never seen an industrial until I started looking around BME (there's a lot of stuff on BME that I had never seen before). I really like the way an industrial sort of maximizes the metal from two holes. As soon as I saw the first picture I decided to get one, and although I didn't go right away, I kept that picture in the back of my mind.
Months later, out of nowhere, I suddenly needed to get pierced. I think I just like to always have a healing mod. ,and I was finally used to my new tattoo. So I dragged Brittany (my designated piercing pal) along with me to see my favorite piercer, Cory. Somehow I got the brilliant idea to go before work instead of waiting for my day off, not the best plan.
After signing all the paperwork and paying the $50, Cory took me to "the chair," and we decided on the best positioning for the barbell. She said that my ear was perfect for the piercing since there is a pronounced lip on my cartilage. I didn't start to get nervous until I actually saw the equipment, then I got that intense sinking feeling in my stomach.
I don't even know which hole she did first because the pain was so intense that my whole ear was on fire. There was a distinctive popping noise, and I know I let out an "eeep" sound. It hurt so much that I even asked her if she had done both holes, I honestly couldn't tell. But then she did the second one, which was even worse than the first. At this point I was clenching my fists so tightly that my fingernails were cutting into my palms. Luckily she didn't waste much time, and quickly put the jewelry in. That had to be the worst part, because my poor ear was already so sore.
When it was finally over I looked in the mirror. I think it looks really good, and apparently Cory agreed because she took a picture for her portfolio. Then I had to sit down because I had a moment of almost passing out, it felt like my ear had been amputated. That is how I imagine it would feel to lose an ear and then have phantom pains.
Now that I am healing there are some things that I should have considered and didn't, that are now plainly obvious. When I look at my ear now I see just how thick the cartilage is in the spots I chose to have pierced. I also see how difficult it is to keep an area like that clean, especially when the pain from touching it literally knocks the wind out of me. I have long hair, so now tucking it behind my ear is not an option. Even when I put it up, there are always escapees that refuse to cooperate and head straight for the upper ball. I can't hold them back with a bobby pin or head band because inevitably the hair apparatus will fall and hit the barbell, and I will scream. Washing my hair is an adventure now, as is drying it, sleeping, pretty much any kind of movement results in me hitting it in some way. Then it burns for a while.
On the third day I rolled over in my sleep at some point. I woke up to an ear full of blood. The blood had run out of my ear and down my face. I discovered that dried blood is nearly impossible to clean out from behind the barbell. I realize that I should be turning it while I'm soaking it, but it still hurts too much. Soaking it is a problem in itself, simply because of the angle. If I want to get both ends at once I have to completely submerge my ear in a container that is almost full, which makes a mess.
I didn't write this to discourage people. If an industrial looks good to you then you should get it. It is a nifty piercing, and I'm sure once I heal I will be much less grumpy. Maybe I'm just a wuss who can't handle a simple ear piercing. But maybe some other wusses will be more aware of the difficulties that this seemingly simple piercing can cause. For example, short hair is probably a plus.