I'm 16 years old, and before this experience I had 16 piercings. It had come to the end of my GCSE's and the end of my college time. I wanted to get something to show for it, so I talked to my mum and she seemed happy enough to lend me the money to get pierced. She, like other parents, is usually dead against piercings of any sort, but she has learnt that they are important to me, and I think she was happy enough because I talked to her about it.
At A Glance Author Amy Contact Amy@bme.anon IAM Altered When A week ago Artist Pete Studio Kazbah Location Leicester, UK A piercing seemed a good thing to get, as everyone says, I had the piercing bug biting me again. So two things in one wasn't a bad idea. I settled on the idea of getting a vertical labret and a centre lowbret after much looking on BME. It had taken me a while to decide what to get, for I wanted something that was big, important, unusual and that would fit on my face. After searching the BME engines, I came across pictures of lowbrets, the majority of these where at the side. They all look rather good, but I didn't fancy having one at the side. As I already had a centre labret, I thought it'd look good if I got a second one, one underneath, and lowbret. But then I thought about a vertical labret as well, for a while I tossed and turned between these two things, but eventually decided to get both, one for the end of GCSE's and one for the end of college.
On the day, my nerves were sky high, which was unusual, I don't usually feel as nervous as I did that day. I met up with my friend, Caz, as she was getting pierced to, at the bus stop and we headed into town after her exam and headed straight for Kazbah. We contemplated eating before hand, but neither of us seemed very hungry, so we headed in.
When it came to my turn, my breathing was getting slightly funny and I my nerves, as I said before, where high. Pete arranged his equipment, as usual. And then marked underneath my first labret piercing and asked me if that was correct. It was perfect, exactly where I wanted it to be.
Pete got out the jewellery and asked if I was ready. I nodded, and gripped the side of the bed. Truth be told, I don't think I was completely ready for this. He moved my lip around so he could get a good angel to pierce the correct place. He held the needle up to the purple spot, I closed my eyes, as I normal do, and I felt the needle go in. It was more painful than I had first thought. It had felt like I had left my body, it sounds weird I know, but this had become more than just a piercing, it was more spiritual than others. I opened my eyes, to be able to see the needle sticking out of my lip. I could taste blood, and everything looked weird, I felt faint and slightly breathless. It was the first one that had done this to me. And I thank it for it.
After feeling giddy and breathless, Pete made sure I was all right, I smiled as much as I could with a needle in my lip and nodded. He slid the labret stud through the back and then screwed the ball on the front. He held up the familiar mirror in front of me, and I loved the fresh new whole.
Pete, again, made sure I was all right and offered me a glass of water, I took him up on that offer and took the glass and gulped it down. And then it was time for my vertical labret so I sat back down on the bed. After I had that pierced, Caz and I decided to go for chips. Us thinking that it'd be the easiest food to eat with swollen lips. So we headed to the café near by. Bad idea, I kept knocking them, if anyone is getting either of these, I'd advise to eat before hand.
I am very happy that I decided to pluck up the nerve and get my lowbret pierced as it is, at the moment, my favourite piercing. It provided a new experience for me, and I have felt different since I have had it pierced.
By the end of the day, my bottom lip looked like it should belong on Pete Burns and it was throbbing.
Now, a week later, the swelling has gone down, and the pains not there much anymore. I do salt soaks every night and use tea tree in the mornings. It seems to be healing pretty well so far. The only problem I find is that the back of the stud for my lowbret occasionally irritates the bottom of my gums.