I got my first piercing, besides my ear lobes (which were simply just the norm, what little girls would do to emulate their mothers or older women, for fashion and jewellery), was my eyebrow. I had been wanting it done since I was about in grade four or five when I was first captivated by body mods, seen second handedly through movies where the people were portrayed as these punky rebels sorts. I was intrigued about how they worked, felt, and I loved how they looked, so I started researching.
At A Glance Author abstract_virtue Contact abstract_virtue@bme.anon IAM abstract_virtue When Five years ago Artist Craig Cutler Studio Tectonics Location St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada I nagged my parents for years, and when I was in grade eight at the age of thirteen, they finally gave in-- with restrictions of course. First of all, I had to pay for it myself (which I innocently did with the winnings of some lame poster contest I entered purely for the profit). Secondly, they weren't going with me (since that would be too much support), so I got my older sister to accompany me, and also to sign the consent form (things have changed since then). Lastly if it hurt or got infected I couldn't complain to them about it and if I didn't take care of it I had to take it out. They knew that I was ready and prepared for it. I wanted it done so badly that I knew absolutely everything I could have learned-- from after care, the jewellery gage and quality, the piercer's credentials, what an autoclave was, how to check for the sharps container, etc. Seemed fair enough, so after they talked to the piercers and checked the place out I was good to go.
I drove almost four hours to get to St. John's, where I had most of my piercings done to. The piercing studio choice was actually limited at that time to only one place, which was luckily very highly reputable– Tectonics. They were located downtown and were very expensive, chic and could offer me my chance of expression and experience in body mods. I was so excited. I actually stood in front of mirrors countless times deciding what was my "best side" so that I'd get the other side pierced to enhance it (hey, I was 13 after all! For your Information- I picked to get the left side done!). The day of the piercing my two best friends at the time and my sister all crammed into a taxi and headed to the piercing studio. Tectonics did tattoos, piercings, and hair (which I would become very acquainted with after wards for their manic panic dyes), and Craig Cutler was my piercers. He was very nice to me, being super sweet to the cute little kid who was getting her first piercing done! The youngest he had ever pierced was 13, a guy one week before me and now it was my turn.
Craig explained to me every thing that was going to be done, showed me all of the instruments he'd be using, what it'd feel like, how I'd have to care for it, what the jewellery was like, everything. He taught me how to check to see if everything was sterilized, clean and new, since you can only use any of those materials once and on one person only. He was awesome to me, and as I sat in an old-fashioned barber chair in the dimly orange lit modern-stylish room (like all of the magazines), I took a deep breath and prepared for my piercing. I was so anxious and excited, but for some reason as soon as he told be was about to begin I became totally at ease and relaxed and enjoyed the process immensely! The pain was non existent, possibly because I had wanted it for so long that nothing could have dampened my experience! There was only a slight tug and some pressure as he withdrew the needle, but besides that it went perfectly. The clamp was even comfortable! I paid my $68 for the piercing and proudly left, my face glowing with this huge goofy grin as I met my waiting friends in the lobby/front entrance. I was so pleased.
That night it was strange since I used to sleep on my left side, but I got used to sleeping on the other for a bit while it healed, which it did quite nicely. I didn't have it swell once, nor did it bleed a drop of blood, not even when he pierced it. When I returned to school in my little rural town I was quite the spectacle, and was looked down upon any and every older folk or authority figure, as many kids wanting to express themselves unfortunately are. I was very out of sorts, since it was about three years until anyone else in that entire school got a piercing besides their ears, which was some girl who did her nose with an ear gun (BAD CHOICE by the way, never do that!).
I cleaned my eyebrow with antibacterial soap (Softsoap brand) twice a day, and it in no time it was perfect. It was a bit crusty for the first week and a bit, but that cleared up. The jewellery he used was a 14 gage surgical steel CBR, and at the time I bought another to eventually change it in a few months and it cost me $50 for the CBR alone (they are specially made by Steelworks). My eyebrow piercing was a great experience, was done in a great environment and most importantly I was comfortable, took good care of it and consequently it healed and is now tough as nails! It has gotten so many yanks, tugs and pulls since then but it's still fine, and didn't reject or migrate at all. Currently I'm wearing a black steel spiked barbell in it, and I'd recommend this piercing to anyone. Be sure you know what you're getting into before you get a piercing done, that you're willing to check out the studio/piercers first and that you're willing to take care of it, because these things will ensure that your experience is as positive as mine!