A difficult but rewarding experience

At A Glance Author Kelly Contact Kelly@bme.anon Artist Pierre Black Studio Black Sun Studio Location Montreal

A difficult but eventually rewarding experience.

When I was 16, navel piercing (and body piercing in general) became really mainstream in Montreal. All of my friends were getting their belly-buttons pierced and I wanted mine done as well. I went with a few of my friends to watch them get their navels done. Most of them went to Iris (also known as Iris the Virus.) Luckily, they all healed really well. But I do not recommend this place to anyone because they have had a lot of problems, i.e. giving diseases to their clients. This is the only piercing studio (that I know of) that has been in the paper because of their deplorable conditions.

I asked my parents in December to get my navel done. They told me that I would have to wait until the spring and if I still wanted it then, I would be allowed because it would prove to them that this was an educated decision and not a passing craze. Well, my March break came and I still wanted it done, so they said just go and do it. I was really psyched. I never jump into something without being really informed so I had done a lot of research to find a good studio. I read an article in the Gazette about Black Sun Studio and their comfortable and educated manner on the phone decided me. These people knew what they were talking about. The fact that they were only a piercing studio, not a piercing/tattoo place made me more at ease too.

So my friends Tara and Jonas came with me. I was really nervous and scared of the pain (I'm really squeamish.) When we got there Pierre took us into the piercing room. At first he is a bit intimidating to look at. He has long black hair and huge wooden plugs in his ears and his arms are almost covered in tattoos. But he has a great bedside/needle side manner. The whole place was really, really clean. We even had to take our shoes off at the door. Everything was properly sterilized. I sat in a dentist chair and chose my bead. I also happen to be very indecisive. Finally, I picked an amber colored bead. Pierre put the clamps on my navel. They were pretty uncomfortable. Then he slipped the needle through. Yes it did hurt, I mean KILL, but only for 2 seconds. I swear, it was only 2 seconds where I thought I was going to pass out and then it was over. He was very quick. He slipped the needle through and put the ring in all in one motion. He pierced me at 14 gauge. We then stayed for almost an hour discussing aftercare (he gave me an aftercare sheet with all the info I needed.)

Okay, now the healing. For the first month I used table salt and water (stupid, bad me, I didn't read the instructions right. You're supposed to use SEA SALT.) After a month, it seemed fine, so I stopped taking care of it. BAD IDEA. It became really infected. For the next year and a half, I used everything but nothing worked. I developed a big lump around the top of the piercing. The ring was coming out of this lump. There was always green puss coming out of it and if I pulled on the ring, bloody tissue came out of the piercing. We're talking really gross here. It was not good. I called Pierre every couple of weeks for new remedies. He said sometimes piercings could take 6 years to heal. After a year and a half, I was really sick of it. So as much as I hated to do it, because in spite of everything I had become really attached to my ring, which was now a barbell with a clear jewel in the bottom ball, I took it out. I told myself I would let it heal and then get it repierced later on. So it healed, forming an ugly scar over my navel, which made me want to pierce it all the more so I could hide the scar. So a few months later, I made another appointment at Black Sun. My boyfriend came with me. This time they had moved the studio to another location. It was bigger, really well decorated. There is a sitting area with funky turquoise couches and jewelry is displayed in glass cases. The atmosphere is calm and inviting. I signed the consent form again, and went through the procedure. It was the same, it killed when the needle went through, but only for 2 seconds. I chose a beautiful barbell with a light pink jewel in the bottom ball so it was more expensive this time ($137, including $5 for a bottle of Cleaning stuff to use for cleaning.) Black Sun only uses the finest quality jewelry. But it's worth it. I really took care of it this time. The cleaning stuff they gave me doesn't work for me, so I used sea salt which is great. It has been six months or so now I think and it looks pretty good. It's not 100% healed, I use sea salt now and then when it acts up. But I love it and see it as part of myself. I know it sounds cheesy, but only someone who has been pierced can relate. They become a part of you, a part of how you see yourself. So if you want to get pierced, go ahead, but make sure you are well informed and choose a reputable studio with a friendly staff. Do not be embarrassed to walk out of studio that makes you feel the slightest bit uncomfortable. It is YOUR body, it is the only thing you will always have and you do not want someone incompetent sticking a piece of metal through it.

My next piercing is going to be a tongue piercing and I thank the people who submitted their experiences to THIS SITE. Your stories have really helped me in my decision. I recommend Black Sun Studio to anyone living or visiting Montreal. They are truly the best. So happy piercing everyone. Be safe.