Three Weeks of Healing...
At A Glance Author melany54 Contact melany54@bme.anon When Three months ago Artist Chris Studio Electric Dragon Location Belleville, NJ Three weeks of healing for a lifetime (OK, maybe not a lifetime) of aesthetic satisfaction. Sound good? That's what I said too.
I was 16 and ready to go. I had my studio picked out, my jewelry, (standard curved barbell) and last but not least my money. The only thing I didn't have was my parent's permission. "Huh" I said to myself. How can I make putting a needle through my skin and permanently scaring it sound "cool" my parents? Go on the web of course!!
So that's exactly what I did. I went to BME, as you all know, it's the place for piercing. I printed out some stories and pictures. I went to my mother, who, at the time was oblivious of the trend. My heart was racing, my palms were sweaty, but I was cool and collective. Being the salesman I am, I went straight for the jugular. Stories, pictures, asking, pleading. It was like clockwork. After all of this, she said yes.
We went to the studio (mainly a tattoo-parlor). I was scared. I'm not going to lie like so many do. I was frightened. I sat on the chair (which was way to tall for my 5'0 body) and started to shake my leg. Chris (my piercer) took my eyebrow and clamped it hard. It did not hurt though. He explained that if he had put it higher it would be in my peripheral vision. I didn't complain. I closed my eyes and let him do his job. "1, 2, 3, 4," I counted in my head. I felt the needle, though it did not hurt. Being the person I was, I thought I was all done. But, of course, there was no barbell in my eyebrow. Now that part hurt. When he took the barbell and twisted it to put the balls on I thought I was going to faint. 30 seconds and my face had changed. Woo hoo!
I left the studio and bought an antiseptic. (Don't want to drop names) I cleaned it twice a day for a whole three weeks. It didn't crust or puss as much as I thought it would.
After the three weeks, I was in my house washing my face and I snagged the ring. I tore it pretty good. I developed an acute infection that didn't require me to remove my jewelry (It was my friend, after all that time). I cleaned it more and after a week and half I was fully healed.
I was scared at first to change my barbell. I was getting kind of sick of the "regular" silver balls. I went in stages. I took the ball off and started to slide the bar out of my eyebrow; slowly, I took it out little by little and put it back in. Eventually, I had the whole ring out. I took the replacement barbell (a cute little black one with rhinestones in it) and pushed it in. I was done, I was original, and I was addicted. Since then I have changed my ring at least a dozen times.
It doesn't hurt anymore, and it doesn't get crust on it. For a while though, I would get puss a lot. No crust really. I would press on my skin until the little white goo came out and I would wipe it off. It sounds gross, I know, but if you're going to get a piercing and you cringe when I say the word "puss" maybe piercing isn't for you. I've learned to deal with the occasional snag or redness. Unlike many of my friends, my first piercing didn't swell up. This I was thankful for.
That was about 4 months ago. On July 12, 2002, I got another eyebrow ring on the same side. For some reason, this one hurt worse and is swollen. (At the time I am writing this, I got it pierced yesterday). I love the double eyebrow look.
My advice to anyone who wants a piercing: Learn about it! Study it! Become it! If you're going to go into a studio with no idea of what's going to happen, then you have a very good chance of either getting hurt or ripped off. Shop around man! If the guy in your town isn't as experienced as the guy across the county, go to the latter one! Do not settle for a cheap price and bad service. I paid almost 60$ for my eyebrow ring including the tip. But, you know what, it was worth it! My eyebrow healed so nicely that piercers ask where I got it done!
One more thing, be creative! Body mods are supposed to be for originality, not conformity. If you want an anti-eyebrow and all of your friends have standards, go for the anti-eyebrow! My friends asked me why I have the double eyebrow, but all I can say is that I like it! It looks good, and it's me. You be you!
Have fun and happy piercing!