Technically this is actually the story of not one, but two eyebrow piercing about a year apart. I realize now that I'll probably never have an eyebrow piercing that will last more then a year, which is why I've decided to stop trying to get them done. (Well, that and with my desired career involving horses, I'd prefer not to have them ripped out.) The main difference is the attitude of the pierces, and the vast differences of my experiences because of it.
At A Glance Author Ginavive Contact Sky_of_Gin@yahoo.com When Two years ago Artist Jesse Studio August Moon Location Delaware When I was 17 I was dying to get my eyebrow pierced. My Mother, a very conservative medical type was terrified about me getting my eyebrow done. I think she had visions of me waiting up in the middle of the night to find half of my eye laying next to me on the pillow. But, for my birthday she relented and let me get my eyebrow done.
I'm not sure how long I had wanted my eyebrow done, to be honest. Probably a good year. My desire to get it done was dug deeper by a friend of mine who had hers done. Every time I looked at the jewels on her brow it made me want mine done just a bit more. I'm sure most everyone can relate. That piercing bug bites you, and every person you see with your newly desired piercing done makes you want to get yours done a little more. I picked out August Moon because I had heard it recommended by a several friend. My friend had gotten her eyebrow done there, and raved about the place.
My birthday that year fell on a Sunday, and the piercing shop where I was getting it done insisted that you have a notarized letter of consent. This left me driving with my Mum all over hell's creation to get the paper from the piercing shop, get it notarized, and get back to the shop before they closed. You'd think having my birth certificate, driver's license, my Mom's license, and my Mom would be enough. I wouldn't be bitter about all of the driving if the rest of my experience was happy. Too bad it wasn't.
I get back to the shop and the guy who is supposed to pierce me, Jesse, is next door at his apartment getting lunch. They call him back to the shop. He takes me to the back and gets ready. I was watching him carefully, remembering all I'd read on BME. (Thank god for this site. It clears away all the bullshit and urban legends.) He marked my eyebrow and showed me the spot. He told me no to squint, clamped me, and with a pinch it was over. I was thrilled with my new adornment. I loved it. I showed it off to everyone. It made wiggling my brows so much more interesting. I loved seeing it out of the corner of my eye. My joy would quickly fade.
Within the first week I realized that this piercing probably wasn't all it was cracked up to be. It was more to the center then I had wanted, (he pierced it on the side of the mark he'd made, so it was more centered then on the side.) it was pretty shallow, and it was constantly irritated. I washed it twice, or three times a day with dial just as I was told. I still didn't care, I knew I loved it, it didn't matter.
About a month after I got it done I realized that my piercing seemed to be growing out/rejecting. This was not cool. I blamed myself and made absolutely sure that I washed it three, taking special care to wash my hands twice with antibacterial soap before I washed it.
After about two and a half months, it really became time to face the music. The piercing was not going to stay in. I went back to the shop with my friend Skylar, since she had gotten hers done there and wanted to look for new jewelry. I got a moment with the Jesse, and told him I thought my eyebrow was growing out, and what he thought I should do. At that point I was praying there was something I could do to salvage it. He looked at my piercing with this "What the hell?" expression on his face. Then he got rather cocky, and asked me:
"Yeah, it's growing out. Where'd you get that done?!"
"Actually, you did it."
"Uh....Oh."
First, he was rude to me when he pierced me. Then he was rude to me again when I came back to his store. He screwed up my piercing, something he obviously knew from the look on his face. All I wanted was for him to at least be polite. Which he was obviously capable, because after he was done giving me dirty looks and a hard time, he cuddled up next to my friend Skylar. I guess because I didn't turn him on I wasn't worthy of being treated well? I left that store and I've never gone back, not even with friends.
During the time I was in the shop the last time, I heard him telling a customer that he'd stopped ordering from his supply place because the grade of the jewelry was so poor. (As in, my friend had gotten a new curved barbell put on the week I got my brow done, and the jewelry had broken while the Jesse was tightening it.) Makes me wonder about the quality of the jewelry that was put into my face.
A few tip to piercers out there: Don't treat someone like shit because they don't have as many body mods as you. Don't be a jerk to a girl because she doesn't turn you on. If you can be nice to my slim, petite, blue eyed friend, you can be nice to me. My money is as good as hers. If you fuck up, at least admit it. Don't be rude to me because you screwed it up.
A few months after this experience, I went to another piercing shop that is no longer in business. This time it wasn't as planned out. I was 18, I had some money, I'd wanted to get it re-done again, and I had an excuse. The shop was kinda shabby looking, but the guy had a clean set up, and answered all of my questions, and ....imagine this..... he was NICE to me. Polite, respectful, and didn't act like I was wasting his time coming to his shop. Even though this piercing grew out 6 months later, the entire process was better. It wasn't constantly red, sore, painful, etc. It actually looked nice and clean. The piercing was more off to the side, not in the center of my eyebrow like the last one had. It was also nice and deep.
Maybe I didn't take perfect care of my eyebrow, maybe I just can't have an eyebrow piercing, maybe the first piercing I got was a great job and it just wasn't meant to be. But I'll never go back to that shop on the basis of the way their piercer acted towards me. I'll drive an hour into Philly to get it done at Infinite, and be treated very well (as I was when I got my tongue done there) rather then go to a place where I'll be treated poorly.