Approximately a month ago (December of 2000), I was on vacation in an un-named state. I'd had my lip pierced in the past and was looking to re-pierce it. The piercing was actually between a lip and a labret piercing, which is the way I like it. It looks better to me, and allows me to wear either a ring or stud comfortably.
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon Artist anon Studio anon Location anon I visited a few shops and finally came upon one that appeared up to my standards, sanitary and whatnot. They had separate rooms for piercing, no smoking indoors, and all. I visited with the head piercer for a while and decided to have them pierce me. That day they were using their apprentice piercer; therefore the piercing process was free. An apprentice had never done me, but they all learn the same way, so I picked out a 14-gauge labret spike from the case.
My piercer took me into a back room, washed his hands, and prepared the equipment. I.e. setting the tools and needles into a tray and putting on gloves. He then had me wash my mouth out with a non-alcoholic mouthwash. I thought it odd that no one else was in the room to observe him, but for the moment it didn't bother me. I lay on the medical bed and he sat down behind me. He then wiped my mouth area with rubbing alcohol. He didn't explain process, tell me how to breathe, or anything a piercer ad done for me before. I guess he just assumed I knew since I had piercings already. Really I was okay with that because I knew what to do anyhow. He began to pierce my lip and I heard him mutter "fuck". He rolled back a foot or so and grabbed some cloth and paper towels. With his fingers in my mouth I tried to ask him what had happened; he told me he'd put the stud in the wrong direction. He then removed the piercing and I began to gush blood. It wasn't painful, but I wasn't happy to say the least. He placed the stud in again the correct way and screwed on the spike.
The spike felt fine afterwards, pain free, a little swollen, but pretty normal. When we went to the front of the studio I had a lot of complaining to do. They said from now on the piercer would be supervised every time and took half off the price of my $35 jewelry.
About an hour after I had left the studio my lip was beginning to hurt a lot. It was really swollen. Not to the extent it should be after a fresh piercing. I continued on to a new studio later on that night. A really kind piercer took the spike out for me and told me that it was too short. He said that the piercing looked fine and that I should be able to keep it in without a problem. I talked with him about the studio that did it for me and he said that their shop had fixed many of the other shop's tattoos and a few piercings; and that he would have never recommended them for anything. Luckily the two shops jewelry was compatible and I only had to buy a new bar for it. Which brings up another subject; the first piercer should have been able to remove the backing of the spike instead of removing the whole piercing. It is a three-piece spike. The second studio gave me a bottle of non-alcoholic mouthwash, which I had to use constantly since the swelling was so bad.
My lip healed fine in a period of about 3 weeks. I emailed the studio that fixed my piercing about two days ago and he said that someone came into his studio about a week after I did, and he over heard this guy say that one of the piercers at the other studio screwed up piercing him. Apparently the piercer was piercing his tongue and didn't use a cork. The needle stuck him in the finger and then the piercer pulled it back through the guy's tongue, contaminating the customer with his blood. The piercer who fixed me called the Health Department on the studio and he says their being shut down.
I look back on the whole situation and I am still embarrassed to tell people about what had happened because I feel dumb for not leaving when I noticed all the problems with the piercer. Plus I am embarrassed that someone who didn't even put the stud in the right direction pierced me! Now, I would never recommend that anyone get pierced by someone who is not experienced or at least supervised, nor would I recommend going to a studio without knowing their background and reputation; even if the studio looks clean and professional.