I've always lived under a protective thumb of my parents. Having to get hidden mods and going the DIY route since a young age I've gotten used to it. So now just having turned eighteen it was weird to all of a sudden have this legal control over my body. Other piercings and mods include double nipple piercings, 10gauge fourchette, 1 1/8" lobes, double 4gauge tragus', double 4gauge flats and a split tongue. And some other various body piercings.
At A Glance Author Katy Prost Contact drop_a_heart37@hotmail.com When It just happened Artist NIkki Studio Metamorphosis Location Winnipeg, Canada When I made this decision to get a facial piercing it was between a bridge piercing and a philtrum or a.k.a. medusa. I loved the subtle look a philtrum can have and decided on getting that. Though I have gone through years of braces and was a little apprehension of gum erosion I just needed to have it! haha
So that morning my boyfriend made me a big pancake breakfast to ease my nerves, my stomach was full of butterflys after reading all the painful experiences on BME. I think its funny how nervous I get for a quick piercing after splitting my tongue.
When I arrived a week earlier at Metamorphosis to talk to them about what I wanted I originally wanted a 12 gauge internally threaded post with a flat disc on the front but due to the lack of a body mod scene in Winnipeg they didn't have anything that came close to my wishes. Just generic 14 and 16 gauge labret posts. They offered to order in the jewellery I wanted but they wanted to charge me $70 for the disc and post and another $50 for a post for swelling. Knowing how much jewellery is at cost I couldn't pay $120 for jewellery then another $20 for piercing (the piercing would be $20 because they subtracted the cost of jewellery). So I just decided to pierce it at a regular 14gauge with a labret flatback and then stretch in time.
Fast forward to today, the day I decided to go in to Metamorphosis. I didn't make an appointment but Nikki was able to see me half an hour later. She wasn't originally who I talked to so I had to explain myself again which was no problem. I asked if she had any jewellery that the other people working there didn't know about, but to know avail. So we were going to go with a fourteen gauge. After examining my top lip, and the huge meaty lip frenulum I have, I am apparently a really bad candidate for a philtrum piercing. But after discussing the options (and the pitiful look on my depressed face when I heard the news) we decided to continue with the piercing anyways. She said if I noticed constant gum rubbing and sensitivity to take it out asap. I would remove it like a good girl. I would never put a piercing over oral health so I really meant my agreement. But unfortunately we needed to go to a even smaller size which sucked because it meant more stretching in the future. Oh w ell. Least I'm getting it, even if it will be a 16 gauge! That's all I cared about.
So the usual set up. Swishing with mouthwash and cleaning the outside. Marking the spot both internally and externally. I loved the first dot she made. Which was right smack dab center in between the nose and the lip. She set up to do it free hand.
Now what your all waiting for: The actual piercing. She was doing it free hand and firmly pushed the needle against the inside of my mouth. It was a breath in, breath out, pierce sort of deal. I have my own breathing routine that relaxes me to my bones so begun that. So she lined it up, I breathed in, then I breathed out.. then she pierced. It was very intense it also felt very very slow. As she pushed the needle up it felt like it was going underneath my nose towards my forehead. My eyes watered and stung but it was very bearable. Don't ever let the fear of pain hold you back from getting this beautiful piercing. It will be sharp and intense, it's a very different sort of pain. It thought it was strange. This was my first lip type piercing so maybe it's a very common pain. I read you have more nerves in your philtrum then your finger tip. After getting this piercing I'd beleive it. After the post was inserted (which she did so quickly and painlessly! I didn't even know it wa s happening until she told me haha) I got to get up and look into the mirror.
It was gorgeous! Love at first site. I have a little 'dainty' face (so I've been told) and this piercing didn't take away from it. It wasn't attention grabbing or the first thing people see and I like that. It's very feminine and fits my face nicely. I would go through getting it pierced a hundred times for the great result I had.
Nikki was great and I felt very at ease in her hands. Plus she has to be the cutest piercer ever! So if your in need of holes in winnipeg. You know where to go :P
So far there has been no noticeable swelling and its been nine hours since it was pierced. There's barely any discomfort and sometimes I forget when it's there. But we'll see tomorrow morning about the swelling and pain I guess! As for after care I'm going to do nothing special as I rinse with mouthwash regularly anyways. Plus my body heals well with LITHA. (leave it the hell alone).
To wrap things up... Thinking of getting this great and uncommon piercing? Power to you! One of my favorites :)