Over the past year or so, I had been planning to either get a tattoo or a piercing for my 18th birthday. My mother is completely against both (she's way old fashioned), so she did not let me get anything done except for one lobe piercing. She is even against two piercings on a lobe. I decided that since she is so against it, then I have to get something done.
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon When A month ago Studio Urban Exchange Location Chesapeake, VA I tossed ideas around with my older sister (she has labret and tongue piercing) because I trusted her judgment. I asked her about how an eyebrow would look or maybe a cheek piercing. She suggested the Industrial piercing for an appetizer. I looked it up on the internet, and I really began to like the look of it. I was going into Student Teaching with elementary students soon, and I decided that I needed something I can hide easily if the teacher calls for it. My sister sort of scared me at first, too, saying cartilage piercings are probably the more painful of the piercings she has had.
So here comes my birthday and a few hours before my party began, my sister and I went to the mall to get some clothes. We pass Urban Exchange and she suggests that we get the industrial right now. I am all for impulse so I say let's go, and we make sure the piercer is there.
My adrenaline was pumping as my sister paid for it (it was a birthday present from her), and I signed the papers. The guy took me back into the chair, and I sat down. The guy was very calming.
After he marked the spots he would pierce, I took a look at them and decided that was the best place for the first industrial on that ear. He grabbed the needle and placed it on the threshold. He told me to take two breathes in and out. I did so, trying to calm myself and think of something different and out of place. After a few seconds of me breathing calmly, he said to take another deep breath in and let it out. As I let it out he pierced my ear once, then told me to take another deep breath and let it out, and he pierced the second hole.
The pain wasn't really much until he replaced the needle with the bar. I was twitching slightly at all the adrenaline surging through me. The real pain came about 10 minutes after the piercing. It was horribly red while we continued to shop. Eventually I gave up shopping and went home to take some advil.
Later that night, my party was almost a downer because I had to deal with my ear being in immense pain over the little bit of movement. We went bowling so every time I stepped up to bowl, I would get the anticipation of the pain.
Over the next couple of days, the pain really hit its high. I had to miss school because I had horrible headaches, ear aches, and nausea struck me for a few days.
Sleeping was a real challenge and so was any type of exercise. Sleeping was a problem because I have a necessity of changing sides I sleep on at night and cannot go back to sleep if I don't change. Sticking to the right side of my face was really hard, but eventually I learned how to sleep on the other side by pushing my pillow up past my ear so my ear hung below the pillow and therefore was painless.
Exercise became a problem, I believe because my body would heat up, and then it became inflamed. I couldn't jog or walk fast because the bouncing would send a shock of pain to it.
Also, surprisingly, smiling was very difficult. I smile a lot, and when I went back to school my friends purposefully made me smile so my ear would become stretched and in pain.
Hair got in the way a lot as well. I used H2ocean to help heal it, and it would sometimes get in my hair and dry out the skin. I also had to pin up my hair for weeks so it would not get under the top ball. Any hairspray or wax put in my hair also had to be kept clear of piercing which was a problem for me since I almost rely on both.
Overall, I am very happy with the experience at the shop and with the piercing. The people were very nice and informative and provided everything I needed (even though I went out of town to get some H2ocean since I heard it was better). Someone told me once that piercings can become addictive, and I truly believe it now. I got my second hole down for my lobe and now plan to get my cheeks pierced.