I always thought the labret was the first thing I'd get done until a friend told me a vertical labret would look better because of my full lips and how it isn't very popular. I never even knew what it was until I checked out the BMEzine website and I INSTANTLY fell in love.
At A Glance Author Guineveire Contact whoisraya@hotmail.com When It just happened Artist Cori Studio Next! Location Vancouver, BC I wondered why not a lot of people had it because it was so beautiful you'd think a lot of people would.
So the day had finally come to get my vertical labret piercing.
A friend and I had been planning on getting pierced for months but certain things always prevented us from doing so.
So when my birthday rolled around a few days ago a friend surprised me and said I was going to get my piercing. I was so excited, I couldn't wait. She was getting her nipples pieced this day too.
We had originally decided to go to Sacred Heart, but when we called to see if they had any room for us we found out they would be booked until the next day at 1.
Then I remembered, someone on an online community told me how great Next! was and how she recommended it.
So off we went. I felt a bit sick. The mixture of me being nervous, with not sleeping that night, and cramps did not feel good all together but nothing was going to stop me from getting this done.
We walked inside Next! and a man named Jacob greeted us. He seemed pretty cool and very friendly. We really liked his humour. He gave us these forms to fill up that asked us a few questions like when the last time we ate was etc. He told us to wait for 10 minutes so we just looked at an artists portfolio that worked there while we waited.
And then it was time to go into the room.
Our piercer Cori talked to us for 10 minutes about daily cleaning, what we should avoid, aftercare and infections. She also told us about the whole sterilization process for their tools which I thought was really professional.
She was really young and it was really easy to talk to her which was good. She then asked who was going to go first and I said I was.
I sat on the bed and asked if I wanted to stand up because it would be easier. She first cleaned my lip with this soap and she began marking it. It took about 5 minutes. She asked if I liked the placement and I did. She then gave me some lavender aroma therapy stuff in a gauze and told me to smell it so I can practice breathing in and out. We breathed together for about a minute. She then clamped my lip and then it was time for the needle. I breathed in and out in and out. After the fourth exhale the needle went right through my lip like butter. It was so fast. I can honestly say it did not hurt a single bit. Yeah, a needle going through a lip feels rather uncomfortable but pain wise? I'd give it about a 1 on a pain scale.
The balls got screwed on and it was done. The whole process was quicker then I thought it would be. And I didn't lose a drop of blood to boot.
She gave me a booklet on aftercare instructions, and I bought some soap for about 4 dollars for my daily cleaning.
I clean it everyday and do salt soaks before I go to bed and when I wake up which by the way is the most akward thing to do. I tried the cotton ball way but it just feels akward and I don't think much is being done. Yeah, I am a paranoid person. So I thought of another way which might be kind of silly but it works for me. I just fill the salt water into a bowl and put my whole lip into the water for about 5 minutes. Yeah my chin is dripping wet after but it gets the job done. If I eat outside, and can't wash my mouth with salt water I just pop some anaesthetic/antibacterial sore throat suckers which tastes quite ungodly but gets the job done.
I've only knocked it a couple times when my nose was itchy and when I drank from a straw, which by the way is going to be your best friend for awhile. It's doing great so far and I am planning on getting a horizontal labret soon to go with it.
I am really glad I went to Next! for this piercing and this is where I am going to go for future body mods.
The forum they have on their website is real good too.