My decision to get my scrumper was not exactly an easy one to make. It would be my third piercing, besides my ears, which I regret to say were gunned at an early age. I'd gotten my labret done first, then my nose, but then my labret started to cause dental concerns. Because of this, I'd decided that I had to get something else in the mouth region pierced before my labret progressed too far and had to be removed. Because of the dental concerns, I decided not to get the typical tongue piercing. I was very interested in a vertical labret piercing, but decided to wait on that one, seeing as my normal labret was still in.
At A Glance Author Grey Contact Grey@bme.anon When A year ago Studio MTV Location Vancouver Eventually during my research of what piercing to get, I came across bmezine.com and fell in love with a picture of a beautifully done scrumper. I felt that a tiny 16ga or so ring would certainly grace my mouth beautifully. Luckily, a friend of mine that worked in downtown Vancouver at the time informed me that the nearby building was MTV Vancouver, which was hosting a canned food time in the next few days. However, it was a canned food drive with a lovely catch. That catch was, those that brought enough canned food items would be entered into a draw to win a free piercing to be done that very day inside the studio.
At the time I thought that this was a grand idea! I'd not much money, and more than enough canned food to meet the requirements. So, a friend and I toted around forty cans combined or so all the way from Guildford in Surrey on public transportation for two hours to Vancouver, then walked all the way to the MTV studio, where we met the friend that had told me about it after he got off work. We were very early, so decided to grab a bite to eat beforehand. We went and grabbed a bit of sushi, but I couldn't eat that much. I was far too nervous and excited. Eventually it was time to head back.
Once there, we gave them our canned goods and headed inside to fill out some forms. However, we discovered that we had to be 19 to be pierced without parental consent, whereas we thought that it would be the usual 18, which was how old we were. Eventually we were able to talk them into doing it for us by calling our mothers and letting them talk to them. However, my mother wasn't home. My friend's mother was kind enough to say that my friend was my cousin, and she my aunt. She gave me permission in my mother's place. Not exactly the best thing for me to have done, but I wasn't going to let a little thing like parental permission stop me. (I was young and silly. What can I say?)
Once inside we headed up in groups in the one tiny elevator to the upper floor, where the actual studio was located. We were all filmed from then on for MTV's Piercapalooza, or some such thing. It involved a lot of clapping on command and cheering as well. Finally, the drawing to get pierced started. About one hundred people were to be drawn, twenty at a time. Finally, my "cousin" and I were called. However, my other friend who was the one that told me about this was not. My friend and I filed into the other room to wait on bleachers, and watched others get pierced. We were the VERY last two to be pierced at all.
Finally, my friend went ahead of me. He was to get his tongue pierced. He sat down, picked a barbell and beads, and waited. His had to be an extra long barbell due to him having a very thick tongue. The piercer actually advised against him going through with it because of it, but he was determined as well. So eventually he convinced the piercer to go through with it. I got to sit next to him as it happened. The needle pierced him... and he began to giggle! Apparently he laughs when he's hurt.
Last, but not least, it was my turn to hop in. I think that the piercer was relieved to be doing something besides tongues, eyebrows, and labrets, which he was doing for the majority of the day. I was the only scrumper out of the one hundred to get pierced. Unfortunately, I found out that he had no more rings left. The only remotely suitable jewelry he had was a 14ga curved barbell. Also, he only had one size of acrylic balls, which as I'm sure you can imagine, aren't particularly suited to fit comfortably underneath your lip, seeing as they're the typical tongue barbell size. However, I'd come that far. I didn't want to say no now that I was so close!
I ended up picking out the shortest barbell along with purple acrylic balls. The piercer lifted my lip to make sure that I was suited for the piercing. He said that he'd never seen a more perfect scrumper suited to piercing before. (It's rather large.) He began to try to clamp the area, however, the clamps were far too large to fit inside my tiny mouth area. So, he decided to use a receiving tube, and line it up by eye. His assistant held up my lip, he tried... and the needle wouldn't go through.
Everyone around me were already pierced and fascinated by this piercing, so they were all watching while this took place. I could hear the gasps and groans, because it wouldn't go through, but my scrumper was stretched and contorted rather badly. FINALLY it broke through the skin to the other side, but with a horrendous crunching noise. Nowhere on bme had I ever read that there was a crunching noise! I was kind of grossed out, as were my friends by the looks on their faces. The piercer popped in the jewelry with a bit of fussing, then sent me on my way. The assistant gave me a bottle of what looked like bottled water, but he said that it had been opened, and special stuff had been added to aid in healing. I was told to swish with it three times daily, and that was it.
My friends and I all left, and headed back to Surrey. We had a youth group meeting to attend directly after, in all our swollen glory. Because the acrylic balls were so large, and my mouth area was somewhat swollen, my lip was pushed upwards and out. You could see the purple acrylic balls underneath. This earned me the nickname of "Purple People Eater" at the group. I decided that I needed to change the balls A.S.A.P.
I gave it a few days before I attempted it. I wouldn't normally have messed with it or touch it. However, the size of the balls impeded my ability to eat, and every time I tried to talk, it would pull on the entire piece of jewelry, causing trauma. I went down to a body jewelry stand in the nearby mall (which I actually now work at) and bought two tiny acrylic balls. Once home, and with a bit of effort, I was able to change the balls. I wasn't fond of the barbell, but decided it'd be best to leave it for a few weeks before attempting to change the entire thing. Considering that it was a mucus membrane or what have you, there could always be a chance that I'd be unable to find the hold again once the jewelry was out.
A week or so after that I went to the body jewelry stand and bought the tiniest CBR I've to this day ever seen. The 2mm ball is almost as big as the entire ring! It was perfect, and exactly what I'd always envisioned having in the first place. The ring went in with little problem, but the bead took me quite some time to master putting in. It is rather awkward, considering the size of the bead, ring, and the positioning! I'm unable to see what I'm doing, because my hands are in my mouth and cover my lips. Once in, it looked amazing.
At this point, it wasn't entirely healed. As far as healing went, I did as the assistant piercer said, and whatever was in that water worked magic. I wish I knew what it was. I also followed that up with daily sea salt water gargles. I had absolutely no problems whatsoever regarding healing. There were no crusties, no blood, nothing. It was just a little sore for a week or so.
Looking back now, I'm unsure whether or not I would repeat the experience. I'm unsure as to how clean the area was, or could be. Also, the jewelry was not appropriate for the piercing. However, the piercer was very nice, and the piercing itself has turned out amazing. It's centered, straight, and has yet to migrate. I realize that this isn't a permanent piercing, but it has been a year without any problems as of yet.
The only problems I encounter with this particular piercing are when I have a dry mouth, oddly enough. A dry lip can pull on the piercing, causing it to hurt and make me jump. It happens most often after waking up, as sometimes I sleep with my mouth open. Also, at the time I had my labret pierced, as I mentioned. Twice it hooked on the backing of the labret stud, and hurt something fierce, considering your first instinct when hurt is to yell, which I certainly could not do! I have since then retired my labret piercing, and haven't had any other problems.
Occasionally I will have to take out my ring and clean it, which I do by brushing it as I would brush my teeth. With soft bristles, of course. This is because of a little bit of plaque build up. I have no problem leaving it out for short periods of time. Most of the time people think I have on braces, oddly enough. Some people freak out once they realize what it is, while others think it's the neatest thing they've ever seen.
If you have any questions regarding this piercing, feel free to email me. I'd be more than willing to respond. Over all, I love it very much.