I had my first body modification experience a little over five years ago so naturally it has an addiction ever since. I've been a traveling collector I guess you could say up until the last two years. I pretty much got them when I was on vacation and got the whim to do something. I had the pleasure of getting to know John two years ago and from that point on he was the only person I would ever let stick me. I find that it is that way for a lot of people. Once you find someone you trust why let them go right?
At A Glance Author Ellie Contact Ellie@bme.anon When A month ago Artist Soren "John" LaRue Studio Highland Tattoo and Piercing Company Location Louisville Ky Well after two nostril piercings, a horizontal surface navel, two orbitals and the beginnings of a very promising ear project I decided that it was time for me to embark on my never ending quest for the new "perfect" piercing. I am a firm believer that you should get piercings that flatter your body and face. So if you have nice eyes get an eyebrow ring, a cute nose get a nose ring, nice firm stomach get a navel ring etc. etc. You get the point im sure. So I sat down with John and we discussed the labret. I have really full lips and what better to accentuate them a lip piercing. After a few weeks of contemplation I wandered up into the piercing room at Highland Tattoos and told him I wanted to get it done. The boys up there are top notch artists and they just remodeled the top floor so it looks really nice. But back to the story at hand.
I proceeded to sit down and gargle for one min while John set up all the tools and jewelry necessary for me to get this deed done. He handed me a mirror and a tooth pick and asked me to show him the general area I wanted the piercing. I showed him and he marked it. Then he took a paper towel and dried off the inside of my lip and marked it on the inside. As soon as he was done with that he changed gloves. It is standard procedure to change your gloves about four to five times during a piercing to prevent contamination. After he changed gloves he dried my mouth off again on the inside and checked to make sure the mark kept its integrity with all my saliva. Then he clamped my lip, put the cork on the outside of my lip, grabbed the needle and told me to take a deep breath in and focus my energy somewhere else. I closed my eyes and tried to take myself to that "happy place" took another deep breath in and he slid the needle in on the exhale. It in all honesty didn't hurt that mu ch at all. It hurt more to get my ear lobes pierced than my labret. The jewelry slid in and the needle was placed on the tray next to him. John then screwed the ball on, took the clamps off and there it was. I had a beautiful little ball below the center of my lips. He cleaned off the remaining ink that was left from him marking me and gave me a free trial size bottle of aftercare. He went through what was going to happen the next few weeks step by step. It felt a little funny to talk so I was pretty quiet but it didn't stop him from making sure that I understood what I needed to do.
It is by far the most flattering piercing I have ever had and the least painful. So for all the people out there who are holding back due to a pain issue go for it. You of course have to avoid dairy products for two weeks and alcohol and smoking, kissing, oral or anything of a bacterial spreading nature is a no no. It is basically the same rules that apply to a tongue piercing. I know a lot of people use Listerine to rinse out their mouth, but even if it is diluted it is still too harsh for an open wound (which is what your new piercing is essentially)So go down to your friendly Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Kroger, whatever and get you some Biotene, or ask your piercer for some Tech 2000. They are non alcohol based mouth washes.
IF you are in Louisville and need some work done, stop by Highland Tattoo. John is not only a great piercer but hes a wonderful guy. Hes been doing body mods for over ten years and he can hook you up with something as tiny as a navel piercing all the way up to intricate back corsets, branding and beading. If you want something new and different or just something you've always wanted but never had the guts to do it there is no better time than now. Never put off tomorrow what you can do today.