I've always been fascinated with body modifications, but found that I gravitated more towards tattooing and scarification as opposed to piercings. When I was younger the main reason I'd get piercings was because I wasn't old enough to get tattooed yet. Now that I am old enough to get tattooed I'm starting to want more piercings, likely because now its not my only choice.
At A Glance Author Bri Finch Contact silencekillsfinch@yahoo.com IAM Bri Bri When It just happened Artist Dan Ross Studio Amazing Grace Location Geneva, NY The most recent piercing that I've acquired is a smiley. The funny thing about it is that for the longest time I didn't even like the look of upper lip frenulum piercings! It wasn't until about three months ago that the idea started to grow on me. But for some reason as I'm getting older, the idea of getting pierced scares me more. I always end up counseling the people that come into the shop into getting their piercings once I notice they're thinking about chickening out. I tell them not to worry, it only hurts for a second, and it rarely ever even hurts as much as they think its going to. So they go through with it and are always so glad that they did. Why do I have such a hard time following my own advice? After a week of thinking about it I guess I kind of forgot about it for a while. But only for a while.
The other day I was moderating experiences for BME and came across a story about a girl who had gotten her smiley pierced. I experienced a "Eureka" type moment where I remembered that I had been wanting to get one as well. Once I finished reading, I sent a message to my boyfriend (who is a professional tattoo artist and piercer; isn't that convenient?) and told him that I wanted to get it done that day. He was ready to go when I got there, and I wasn't sure if I was relieved to be getting right to it or if I wanted more time to prepare myself.
Everyone who was hanging out in the shop wanted to watch, which I was okay with until Dan put the needle up to my lip! I kept saying "Okay just wait just a second......ok I'm ready..." So he'd put the needle back into place and I'd chicken out all over again! I took a few deep breaths to relax myself (or amp myself up- whichever one-either way it worked). The whole time I knew I was psyching myself up for absolutely nothing, but couldn't seem to help it. Sure enough when the needle went through it wasn't at all as painful as would be expected. It almost had that same stinging, sour sensation that you get when you scratch your gums on accident. Getting the jewelry in was a little nerve-wracking, even despite Dan being a professional. You just keep thinking "Man that's a tiny piece of flesh and IF he slips..." Yet sure enough he got the ring in without an issue.
It bled for a couple minutes, which is especially typical of me. When I looked in the mirror I thought it looked just like it should have always been there! Much to my surprise it wasn't nearly as sore as I had anticipated. For the rest of the night I kept moving it with my tongue (which I knew I really shouldn't have been doing!) By the time I went to bed it was only the tiniest bit sore, nothing that I wouldn't have taken notice to if it weren't for the fact that I was already thinking about it. I woke up the next morning and all signs of tenderness were completely gone. I've been able to eat and drink as normal. Brushing my teeth wasn't an issue either, which I hadn't thought about until I was about to do it!
I had thought that it was going to be uncomfortable for a while and distract me so that I'd always be playing with it, but I don't. The ball of the captive bead ring sits right in the crease where my lips meet when my mouth is closed. However if I don't keep my lips moisturized sometimes the ball sticks to my top lip! I've become acclimated to having it already, and am really pleased with what a simple piercing it is to have.
A word to the wise; This is a piercing that will garner a great deal more attention, even more so than my septum ring and 5/8 ear lobes. Be prepared to get more stares and questions. It's not a very common thing, and as with all new and unusual things people will suspect them being much worse than those in which they are used to. It is such a curious thing, that I have even had people into the body modification scene stare at my mouth when talking to me!