Painful, but worth it

At A Glance Author Me Artist I forget Studio The Corner Location Daytona Beach, FL

I had been wanting to get my eyebrow pierced for over a year, but it was never convenient. Job interviews were the main conflict. Piercings, as mainstream as they have become, are still not acceptable in the work force.

The main issues frightening me were the pain factor, chance for infection or rejection, and how I would come across to people. My personality is pretty laid back and sweet. I'm soft spoken as a rule. I have no stereotypes of people with piercings, but I know there are those that do.

Finally, settled into a job where piercings are allowed, I decided I should no longer make any excuses and just have it done. I had nothing to lose (at most, the $50, which isn't a huge amount), so I didn't see why not. As for how I would come across to people, over the last year I have learned not to care if other people's thoughts about you are negative. I wanted to do it for myself, mainly to see if I could actually go through with it. If I hated it, I could take it out. It would heal. You only live once!

I asked around and found several women who had had their belly buttons pierced at a particular parlor. Their experiences had been good. I went in on a Saturday expecting a huge crowd. The place was empty and the guy running the counter and the piercer were sitting on a couch watching TV.

They're smart in the way they operate their business. I had to pay before the procedure. When I used my credit card, I knew I was not going to be able to back out. The guy behind the counter asked for my I.D. and gave me some vague instructions on how to care for my piercing. I was so nervous that I barely listened.

The very beautiful and hot piercer took me into a back room that smelled of incense and had me sit in a chair. The room looked like an examining room in a doctor's office, which freaked me out a bit. The chair was even hospital blue. He put on gloves, wiped my eyebrow with alcohol, and told me to keep my eyes shut. As my friend watched, he apparently drove a large needle into my eyebrow.

Now, nearly every experience I have read said the procedure does not hurt. Believe me, this HURT. I was not expecting that much pain. I did not think there were any pain nerves up there, but he hit every one. He did it was quickly as he could, bless him, but it seemed to take forever. I was clenching the chair and tears might have formed in my eyes as I prayed for the experience to be over.

I got over the pain when I was turned to look at the mirror and see my beautiful metal hoop with a cat's eye ball. It was red, but it looked great! It throbbed for a few hours afterwards and oozed for a few days, but the actual pain was gone within a day.

The place did not give me any instructions on how to care for the piercing, just a bottle of stuff to wash the piercing with. I've had to look everything up online, such as how long I have to wait to change the hoop, how to avoid infection, etc. Kind of a bummer considering the place was not even busy. I was too nervous to ask beforehand, and too excited to ask afterwards. I've heard of places that print out directions on how to care for a piercing. I don't even know what gauge my hoop is!

I have found the hoop hard to adjust to. I've had it for two weeks, and I'm still unable to sleep on that side. It still hurts when I accidentally bump it, which is often, and it's still a little swollen. I'm anxious to ditch the hoop and put in a barbell. I'm hoping that's less intrusive. I'm assuming I'm supposed to wait at least 6 weeks before I can change jewelry but, again, the store did not inform me. My main concert right now is that it might scar. The area below the hoop is raised and pink. I wonder if the skin will be so stretched out that removing the piercing will leave a dent in my head? I certainly hope not.

Still, I love it! It is adorable and, I will admit it, I like the attention. When complete strangers ask about it (and believe me, they do) the first thing they ask is: "Did it hurt?"

Heck yeah, it hurt! But I would do it again!

Having gone through my eyebrow piercing experience, I'll admit it's easy to become addictive. I'm considering my tongue. Once again, I've been told it won't hurt, but I'm expecting it will. Maybe I'm sensitive to pain...but OUCH!