My parents brought me up relatively strictly in my early years, going to a private all boys' school wearing a gimpy posh uniform. However, as I got to around the age of 16, I started to get an urge to rebel in some way. It was also around this time that my parents split up, and although I wasn't that bothered about it, I think that with my father not living with me, I was more likely to get away with things.
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon IAM j5 When Two years ago Artist I don't know Studio Access All Areas Location Nottingham, England I made a few friends who had stuff like their ears pierced, which previously I don't think I'd have been allowed to do. I remember my parents not letting me make friends with someone when I was younger, simply because he had his ear pierced. I think it was partly to rebel, and partly to create the beginnings of my own image, that I first got my ear pierced. Getting my ear pierced increased my confidence in many ways, as it was one of the first times I had done anything independent, and also showed me that my mother had started to become less strict. She wasn't horrified when I came back with new piercing... she'd just ask if it hurt. Its possible she actually liked them. I can vividly remember having a grade one undercut underneath my hair, and having a far worse reaction from my parents. They kept me home from school, and said that I looked like a prisoner. I really hated that school, but at least I got some good grades.
Well, on to the subject of this 'experience.' After getting my left ear pierced twice (once in the middle and once at the too, using a needle), I was looking to have something else pierced. I'd had a good experience with my ear piercings, which I put down to paying a slightly higher price than usual at a professional piercing studio in town. Friends had been to hairdressers who had piercing guns on the side, and got infections and had bad experiences. The place I went to (Access All Areas in Nottingham), was very clean, informative and helpful and friendly. They also offered me a discount because I'd spent over a certain amount (I was a VIP :) ), which encouraged me to go back there even more.
It took me a few weeks to decide to finally get my eyebrow pierced. I always wanted to get it done since first being made aware of it when I saw 'Durassic' on the TV programme 'Heartbreak High.' Maybe I was just copying him, but I think that seeing him just made me aware that eyebrow piercings existed.
So after looking in the mirror endlessly thinking about what it would look like, and using my computer to make crude drawings on top of photographs to help visualize what it would look like on me, I went to the piercing studio and made an appointment. I'd finished school by then (I was 18), and didn't have to worry about that (not even ear piercings were allowed). I was working at Burger King however, who made me stick stupid blue tape over my ears, in case somehow the jewellery fell out into food and caused a nuclear disaster. But that wasn't enough to make me not get it.
The next day, I and a friend went to the piercing studio for my appointment. I walked in (nervous, I'm nervous even walking down a street), told them I'd arrived, and sat in the reception area for a few minutes, filling out various forms and reading some helpful information on what to expect and what to do for aftercare. Then one of the piercers came down and called my name, and I followed him upstairs to the studios. This guy was someone who'd 'done' me before, and was nice and relaxed and friendly. He was pierced to a point I'd never want to get to, but everyone's an individual and he obviously had a passion for what he does.
We went into one of the areas sectioned off by big black curtains, and he asked me to sit on the reclining chair. He chatted to us, and discussed what I wanted in my eyebrow. In the end I decided on having a bar made out of some kind of plastic (I think it was called something like PTFE), which he said would bend naturally to help stop it growing out, and also help prevent allergic reactions as it wasn't made from metal. I decided on two metal screw balls at the top and bottom. I wanted the smallest ones possible, and I think I got them. He then started cleaning everything, and used some machine that buzzed (I believe it was an autoclave). Every time I've been to that studio they've been very dedicated to cleaning, with new needles being opened in front of me, gloves etc.
After what seemed like ages, the main part began (well cleaning is extremely important). The piercer asked where I wanted it done on my eyebrow, and drew a mark with a pen where it would be. I decided on the right eyebrow, and he was very patient, repositioning the marks a few times until it was right. I'm glad he was patient, as I would really hated it if he noticeably became angry because I wanted it just right. He did appear to care that it turned out well. He then cleaned the area.
Then, he covered my eyes, and sprayed something on the area that made my eyebrow go numb. After a few minutes I felt like I was paralyzed. I leant back in the chair, and closed my eyes (I did that every time I had something pierced, except for my bridge, that I really wanted to see being done). I'm not sure exactly what was done to my eyebrow, but I believe that firstly a needle was driven through my eyebrow, with the aid of a clamp which pulled the skin outwards. This didn't hurt at all, although I could feel it a little bit. I'm not sure how, but he then pushed some of that plastic stuff through the hole, which I could feel slightly more. He then cut that down to size. The first ball was already pre-attached, so the next step was to screw the remaining ball on. This was very fiddly, and took some time, but was eventually done.
Overall I'd say it hardly hurt at all. It was definitely nothing to worry about, and was probably more of a fun sensation. It bled a little bit, but not substantially.
After the piercing was finished, I went back downstairs and paid, and also got given an envelope containing a certificate (its so cute, I got a certificate for everything I got done there), and some helpful aftercare information. I think I bought an aftercare kit from then, which contained stuff like salt and some other stuff.
Over the next few weeks, I followed the cleaning instructions. I can't remember exactly what they were, but it was something along the lines of soaking the piercing in an eggcup of pre-boiled water with a small amount of salt dissolved in it, and then drying it with something that wouldn't leave fibres behind. The piercing was slightly sore at first, but healed up quickly. I've had it for a couple of years, and its still fine, and hasn't noticeably grown out at all. In fact, I liked it so much, that a year later I got another eyebrow piercing right next to it, which incidentally gave me a bruised eye for some reason.
My advice to others would be to most of all go to a quality piercing studio, even if it means paying more. I know one person who got a really crappy wonky piercing at a cheap place, which really made him miserable. I'd recommend those plastic bars, because mine doesn't seem to have grown out much at all, whereas I've heard metal bars and rings are more likely to. If you think you'd like your eyebrow pierced, then I'd recommend it. Its like (is) an accessory to your image that is there when you wake up.