Ok, I guess I should start with a bit of background first. My name is Zack and I grew up in a family where piercings were something only the 'freaks' of the world did, well at least that's why my grandparents led me to believe. Well, about three years ago I got my left ear pierced with intentions on stretching it (I saw someone I knew with gauged ear lobes and I had to have some) so after months of persuading, and many promises, I got my ear pierced. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world and all that fun stuff. I started stretching it and it went well and for 6 months I had no desire for another piercing. Well needless to say one day I got up and said "I want my right ear pierced". So this time instead of the mall gun job, I went to Mile-Hi Tattoo and Body Piercing. Got my right ear done with a 10 ga. needle and went home. Nearly two years passed and no real urges to get any other piercings. Not to say I didn't want any, just none that caught my eye. Well I was looking on BME (where else would I be at 3 AM.?) and came across Bridge piercings, I had seen one on someone I knew but hadn't known that I could get one and it would be relatively painless... Well, for 6 months or so I kicked around the idea of getting it pierced, but my mother would not sign for it and I knew it.
At A Glance Author Zack Lujan Contact juggalo4202002@msn.com When It just happened Artist Me Studio My Bathroom Location Arvada, Co. Well, this brings me to my story. After 6 months of debating I said "Fuck it" and got my grandmothers credit card number for an ear plug I wanted well I was at the site, I saw they had sterile piercing needles for sale in virtually every gauge made (I think they had 6ga as their highest). Read above for my reaction at that point. I ordered two and decided to have them shipped UPS ground. This was dumb on my part because waiting for the two needles and two pieces of jewelry were the most uncomfortable days of my life.
Well, anyway, Wednesday came and low and behold they finally arrived (8 days after I ordered... DAMN UPS!). My first reaction was to rip one needle open and pierce my bridge and rip the other open and pierce my frenum (again, piercing I've wanted but that's another story). The only reason I didn't do what I wanted to was that my mother was home and would be waking up any minute to go to work. So I postponed the piercing party 'til that night so that my brother could watch too. This worked out wonderfully, as soon as my mother was gone for work (about 6 hours after they arrived); I began prepping everything I needed (gloves, Neosporin for lube, alcohol, sterile alcohol swabs, etc). My plan at this point was to just do it, shove in the CBB, go to sleep and deal with everyone in the morning.
Now, if you have any experience with this kind of thing you'll know that NOTHING goes as you planned. There were interruptions, glove changes gone badly, and a few unintentional pokes (first timer, gimme a break). Anyway, at this point I was fed up and just wanted it done. I took the needle, uncapped it, lined up my marks and pushed it through. I wasn't expecting much pain, but I honestly expected more than what I got. There was no pain, other than the two little pricks on either side from the needle. I gave a great sigh of relief, not for lack of pain, but for finally having it through.
I then proceeded out to the living-room to show my brother, he didn't watch because he can't stand self inflicted pain or self done piercings. When I walked out he didn't even notice that I had a needle through my nose, which I guess is a kind of relief. When I pointed it out to him his only reaction was "cool, now what?" Well, I decided to show him 'now what' I took him to the bathroom and began putting in the jewelry. I followed the needle almost all the way through when *slip* the needle landed in my free hand and blood began to flow from my nose. At this point my brother had a look of sheer terror on his face and the only words he could utter were "I'm dizzy". I told him to relax and just breathe and he did to some extent. When I noticed he was going pale and my nose was still bleeding I told him to go lie down and come back when I was cleaned up he did and I again started to put the jewelry in.
Finally after about three minutes of trying to get it in, it was... now all I had to do was screw the ball on CBB and take some pictures... easier said than done. I tried, and failed; I tried again and almost failed completely by letting it fall down the sink. Finally, I tried a third time and it went on. Okay, so now time for clean up, this wasn't an easy task as by now the needle was glued (via dried blood) to the medicine cabinet, the sink was literally coated with clotting blood and my nose was still slightly dripping. Now before you panic, the sink was coated but only with a think layer. Okay, well I decided I wanted a SUPER fresh picture of it and I wanted it now while I was still half bloodied up. I called my brother in again and he started taking a couple of picture and voila, I had a real body piercing and I did it all on my own. After I got cleaned up I began admiring it and then I noticed it was crooked, I let out and audible "shit" and my brother came rushing in thinking I was still bleeding. After calming him down and reassuring him I didn't hit a major vein or artery I began to look at it more closely.
My conclusion to my bridge being crooked was simply due to the fact I had gone too deep on the exit side so it was kind of diagonally positioned through my nose. It's not noticeably off-set unless, of course, you're looking for it. This was one mistake my other was using ten gauge jewelry, looking back I think I would have used 14 or maybe 12, but, I'm here, it's in, it's looking good with just minor bruising. It feels and looks great and I couldn't be much happier with my self pierced bridge.
Showing my family, I must say took some courage, but I think they're all starting to accept it, my mother only dislikes it because I didn't have it professionally done (who'da thunk), my Grandmother (as well as my grandfather), well she's just anti-piercing all together. My grandpa hates it, mainly, because he thinks it will prevent me from getting a job, maybe he's right but hopefully we can all come together and make cases against employers who don't hire because of piercings, because, like many of you I suppose, I do personally find it discriminatory and would love to see it stop. But, I think I'll work on getting my family to accept piercing as a part of me first; there's always a first step on the way to a world change, right?
Thank you all for taking the time to read this and just so you know I do NOT advocate adolescents self-piercing, I did it and while yes, I'm happy with it, I don't know if it will reject, get infected or something else go wrong yet. Please if you have no other previous experience piercing GO TO YOUR PIERCER! And if you're too young, and your parent/guardian won't sign, wait! Seriously, it's not that long until you're 18 and you can do it legally.
Thanks again,
Zack.