After about 3-4 years of trying to convince my mom to let me get a lip piercing, I finally managed a few weeks ago. The result of this was a constant; "Maybe", "We'll see, Sarah", until my dear friend got her tongue pierced. My mom finally caved. She wanted me to get it pierced around my birthday, but I couldn't wait that long. Making up excuses like, "It'll be better for school, it'll be almost healed, people won't be around to touch it, (etc etc)," my mom finally agreed to let me get it done before school.
At A Glance Author Sarah When It just happened Artist Russ Foxx Studio The Tunnel Location Alliston, Ont On Monday, she called Russ Foxx - the piercer - and made the appointment. I was thrown into a fit of tremendous happiness. Oh, one would not believe. My appointment was for 12:30 pm, on Tuesday. I will admit, I was a little frightened, but I was more excited. I was scared of the pain, but I've wanted a vertical labret for a while now, so I was going to go through with it no matter how scared I got. During the day, I couldn't stop thinking about what it would feel like, and I was thrown into a fit of happiness for the whole day, scared and excited about my upcoming piercing. I was scared I would end up crying from pain, because of the stories I had heard; but I was willing to cry if it came down to that.
Tuesday came, and time went so slow. Jennifer arrived at my house, which I was not expecting. We waited in my room for a bit, but the more we waited, the more I just wanted to go and get it done. we left to go for my appointment. I was ready to chicken out when we were walking into 'The Tunnel', because of what I'd heard from other people but hey - I figured I'm a tough girl, I can handle this. I got more comfortable when I was looking at tunnels and such for my ears. Russ asked for ID, my mom gave it to him. He wrote down what I was getting, I filled out the rest, my mom gave her signature. We were set. I was ready to get my first body piercing.
Jennifer led the way up to the room at the top of the stairs, I was excited. Everything was extremely clean, and smelt very sterile. I swear, there was not a single speck of dirt anywhere. I sat down, I couldn't stop giggling. The moment had come - a vertical labret. All fear was gone now, and I knew I was not turning back now; definitely not after this long. Russ came in, gave my mom the ID back, and then went off to wash his hands. He came back in and got everything ready. He had to use a smaller bar in length because I have rather small lips. He cleaned my lip, and then put the placements on, and I was satisfied. Mouth wash came next, fun. I then lied down, and he put the clamps on my lip. It wasn't really uncomfortable. To me it felt like little teeth biting at my lip, it felt rather nice. He then told me to close my eyes and take long breaths. So I did. And suddenly, I felt the needle press on my lip. I started to wonder how it was going to go through my lip and how fast it would happen, and I felt it tug a little, and then break through. It didn't hurt, it was more the shock of, "Oh my god, there's a needle through my lip. Wow. I finally got it done. After all this time, and all this waiting." And of course, there was Jennifer to follow it up with "It's just a needle but it looks so pretty!" After the needle came the jewellery, a 16g bar, and I was set. I was amazed at how little pain there was, it felt really good. I got up, and checked it out in the mirror. I thought it was just lovely. I fell in love with my lip automatically. How could you not? Vertical labret's are gorgeous. He asked if I felt faint, but I felt so amazing. I was ready to get another piercing immediately. My lip hurt a bit, but it was expected!
I checked it out in the mirror, no swelling, no bleeding, it was perfect. So he told me about aftercare, which I remember all of and gave me a business card, and the papers about aftercare and what-not. So we left, and went to show off my vertical labret. And it still hasn't swollen, which I'm very thankful for! I think I'm going to become rather addicted to the piercing process - next, my septum.