I had always loved the look of a scaffold, a long shiny piece of titanium across the top of my left ear had never seemed so appealing. Every time I saw a person with it I used to stare at it. Ever since the first day I saw it, I knew I'd have it some day, but I didn't think it would be for another few years yet.
At A Glance Author Rory Contact Rory@bme.anon IAM adrenaline When A year ago Artist Laura Studio Tattoo Zoo Location Cork, Ireland. It was the summer of '07 and my piercing addiction had really boomed. I wanted everything done right now. I had enough money for a piercing one day so I went into town with my friend. I strolled into Tattoo Zoo and looked at the price list.
"Hmm, something cartilage!" I said to myself. I saw the scaffold written there and I decided I wanted it right there and then. I pondered weather to get a vertical or horizontal one but I went for the horizontal traditional helix to helix scaffold as that was the one that captured my heart first many, many moons ago when I first discovered BME on the internet.
I nervously went to the counter and told the piercer there; Laura that I would like my scaffold pierced please. She examined both of my ears and said that my left ear would be more suitable to one, which was absolutely perfect as that was my plan anyway.
I waited for about ten minutes while other people ahead of me went in and out of the piercing room. I was so nervous but at the same time I was in a rush to get it!
Finally, I was called through and I walked into the little piercing room and sat down on the leather bench/seat like thing. Laura marked the placement and I approved straight away. There was not really an option of placement with my scaffold though as my helix rims are not the most prominent, my scaffold is almost perfectly horizontal.
I lay down on my back and I held my two hands together over my chest. Laura told me to just relax and to put my hands down by my side.
During all of this she was chatting away to me about various things and it was quite easing, it also stopped me from thinking to much about the pain.
She gave me the option of either having one single barbell or two seperate barbells inserted initialy. She recommended the two barbells but I was determined to get the single one as initial jewellery. She giggled and said that most people went for the single one regardless.
She got the two cannula needles out along with a receiving tube.
She wiped my ear with the anti-septic wipe, opened a needle and smeared it in KY jelly and she pierced the first hole. I honestly cannot remember which one she did first but I think it was the forward helix.
She then did the other hole and inserted the barbell. Simple as that really.
It really was not that painful at all, I was so delighted that I had actually gone through with a scaffold piercing. I had a scaffold!
By this time I was bleeding quite a lot, something that rarely happens to me when getting pierced. It did not phase me though.
All in all I must have spent half an hour in the piercing room. My friend was rather annoyed as she was in the waiting room by herself the whole time, heh.
I paid the 60 euro and was given the aftercare instructions and I could not have been any happier.
That night when I was watching the television it randomly started to pump blood, there was so much of it; All over my neck and down my hoodie. I think I applied some emu oil to the holes to try and clot it, it seemed to work a treat!
I woke up the next morning with a very swollen and crusty left ear but it still looked beautiful.
Not much really happened between then and the three month period, when I had to change it to retainers for school. It acted up a little but it has settled down once again.
It has been an up and down journey but after the 7th month it seemed completely healed. This is month 9 and it still feels 100% healed, I'm not sure though.
Sorry I can not give more details, I just can not remember!
The only real complaint I have is that since the top hole is so forward I can not really wear sunglasses comfortably and getting a haircut is absolute hell, although I do get the sides of my head shaved.
Overall I highly recommend the scaffold piercing(s). It is not as bad as it is made out to be at all. You definitely will not regret it. I have not worn anything it but retainers since it was 3 months old so I really can't wait to finish with my current school this June and I will never ever have to retainer a piercing again. By the way it is really easy to retainer. I use quartz labrets and my very strict school says nothing.
When the barbell was in, it got quite a lot of priceless reactions too!
Good luck :)