I had been debating this piercing for a while, a few months actually. After checking out bme's section on horizontal lip piercings (which is probably the smallest gallery on the website) I decided that it needed to happen for me. Even with very little information I was totally into it. My last lip piercing had started to wear upon my teeth, so it had to go. Unfortunately, I had gotten hit in the mouth while moshing at a show a few days earlier and lost the jewelry, so I decided the time had come for the Horizontal Bar.
At A Glance Author Paulycore Contact paul@trustkill.net IAM paulycore When A month ago Artist Doug Studio Modern Tribalism Location Syracuse, NY I headed down to Modern and tried to explain exactly what I wanted to Doug; he carefully measured me up and said he would have the jewelry in by Monday hopefully. So, I went home anticipating.
Monday came, I was stoked, however when I called I discovered my jewelry was not in. Several days passed with the same results each afternoon. Then that Friday, my time finally came.
Walking in I was honestly less nervous than before most of my other body mods. I checked out the jewelry, a bent (at right angles) 5/8" 14 gauge barbell. After examining the jewelry and my lip, Doug asked and explained if I really wanted this to happen. He explained that He'd be forcing through a lot of nerves and it would most likely hurt more than anything else I've done, by far. Also, he explained he had never done this before and it may take a very long time to heal. I thought for a second, a bit more nervous than at my confident entrance, checked for the council of both my girlfriend and best friend, who we're each shaking their heads (as a no), but I did it anyways. I really wanted this, and I wasn't going to let pain get in the way.
So he threw me up on the table did the measurements, sketching, and prep lines. We prepared for the insertion. With no use of forceps he lined the needle to one black dot sketched onto my lip. He moved my lip around studying for his next move. " f*** it dude, let's do this." were his only words, after a short laugh he forced the needle into my lip. The feeling I honestly can not put into words. I guess you could use "overwhelming", but it was so much more than that. The procedure felt almost like 4 separate piercings as he would pierce a section, pause and re-adjust my lip to make the needle keep going straight, pierce a bit further, and so on. After the jewelry came through I sat up, semi-lightheaded as my endorphins kicked in. I looked over at my friends who where for the most part disgusted. Looking in the mirror acrossed from the bench, blood covered the entire bottom half of my face, I loved it. However, Doug explained that he did not like the jewelry as the beads were huge. I examined it and agreed. We both decided to switch the jewelry, as my lip had shown absolutely no sign of swelling after several minutes, which was completely unexpected.
The second insertion, The new needle came through and felt nearly twice as excruciating as the first time through. I could hear myself moaning as he forced the needle through again. It was an uncontrollable thing as I was 100% concentrated on my lip. The new jewelry was put in... however, my lip had now swollen to the point that it completely engulfed the beads of the jewelry. It had to be switched back.
I groaned, but I was so excited that this was being done, I honestly didn't care. 3rd time, same as the last, by now I can only describe it as incredible, I had gotten so pumped with natural endorphins that, my entire body had become a fuzzy blur. Best describe as the pins and needles when your foot falls asleep, my whole body was trembling. With the jewelry once again in place, I was done for now. Doug scrubbed the blood from my face, and sent me home.
I was actually having trouble walking, so I was partially walking, supported by my girlfriend. Needless to say, I did not drive home. For the rest of the day, and the entire following day, blood constantly welled from the piercing. By the 3rd day bleeding had stopped but I had monstrous bruising on most of my lip. This was actually Easter weekend, and I was pulled to a family dinner where I was attacked with a barrage of "what the hell were you thinkings".
By the end of 2 weeks, it looked almost normal, now after approximately a month of twice daily washing with sea salt solution, it looks awesome. I couldn't be happier. It is by no means completely healed however. I got the beads changed last week and it made the jewelry much lighter and more comfortable. I love it.