Being moderately modified at the time, I had become a good friend/guinea pig for Paul and Squib at Hedonism, and hence was used to a mixture of piss taking and general banter about my 'mods' and new procedures.
At A Glance Author ubergary Contact gary@tunnelvizion.co.uk When Five years ago Artist Paul + Squib Studio Hedonism Location Stoke-on-Trent Today was no exception, apart from a devious glint in Paul's eye, and being made aware of the new toy at the studio... 5mm dermal punches....
I'd had 'unusual' procedures on my ears before, using large gauge insertion needles to achieve 3-4mm holes, but now I was being presented with the chance of going straight to a 5mm cut, with a possibility of stretching straight after... going from 0mm to 7mm in a matter of minutes...Why am I so goddam impatient!
I'd been thinking of this procedure for over 8 months now, ever since Paul had mentioned they were looking to see if he could get the tools to do dermal punches (they were relatively new at the time, well at least in this area) so, now presented with the opportunity, I wasn't going to wait any longer.
Even thought both Paul and Squib admitted it was their first attempt at cutting with a dermal punch, and there would be some elements of learning of the fly, I wasn't concerned as I knew both guys had an excellent reputation at unusual and extreme piercing (usually on me or close friends).
So as soon as the shop closed we retired to the studio, were the guys started prepping for the procedure, and I started praying (as much as Paul was a good friend, that also left me open for him to be ever so sadistic-in-a-friendly-way) Squib went thought the usual speech about the piercing procedure (this had now become a running joke I had heard it so many times) and it was time for action
My ear lobe was cleaned, and we got all the customary jokes about being a dirty so-and-so out of the way. The individually packaged dermal punch was removed from the bag, and we all looked at it (kinda like you do with a new baby, crossed with looking at road kill). I was then asked a final time if I really wanted to go thought with it, as for the obvious reasons it isn't easily reversed... I agreed, and assured them if my ear fell off I would claim I was feeling a bit 'Van Gogh'
With my ear marked up, I sat there and waited for Paul to start. The experience was... rather unexpectedly... mellow. No real pain, no real discomfort, which Paul told me was down to the nice, shiny scalpel. I say it was mellow.... It was until the punch didn't go thought the back of my ear. With all the preparation, coupled with the inexperience with this type of piercing, we had forgotten to plan for the exit hole!
So I sat, in the chair with half of my ear punched. There was no chance the punch was coming out the back without some manipulation. At this point Paul and Squib decided next time they would put a cork behind the ear... next time!...but, unperturbed, we looked around for a solution...
This presented itself in the form of a little pair of clamps. I was told to grit my teeth, because "this could really f*%king hurt" and the clamp was pushed into the 'centre' of the dermal punch, the outline of which could be seen though the skin on the back of my ear.... Yeah, it stung, but nothing exceptional. But a lot of blood could be seen. This was to be expected, and this is where the second part of the procedure (and pain) came in.
We knew from experience that a simple cut, plugged with a tunnel would carry on bleeding, as there would be no pressure to essentially 'plug' the wound. So stretching was the only viable option. So Squib then approached with a 7mm taper. This was going to be fun!
There was no denying this really did hurt. But only for the usual 2 seconds before my ear and face lit up with the customary burning sensation... and POP, in went the tunnel, job done!
But this wasn't the end of this tail... oh no! After giving my punch the necessary cooling down period, I went back to see Squib to stretch up from 7mm to 9mm. So, we sat in the studio, ready to do a simple stretch, when I get a sly grin from Squib. After enquiring, it seems he and Paul 'unintentionally' (I don't believe them for a second) mixed up the tapers, so where I thought I was getting a 2mm stretch from my 5mm punch, a had been given a 3mm stretch. So I had actually gone from 0mm-8mm in a matter of minutes. After a few choice words, all in jest I hasten to add, we joked that he had done me a favour, and I let him carry on stretching me up to 10mm (I ensured he had the right taper this time!)
Obviously, this would have never happen to a 'normal' member of the public, and was only done because I was a close friend and colleague. I trusted both Paul and Squib to give me the piercing I was looking for, and they gave me more! It's comedy experiences like this that give you great client-piercer bonds, and I returned and had pretty much the same procedure twice on my other lobe (albeit, a cork was used that time) and now own a pair of very awesome 20mm tunnels!