Hi!
At A Glance Author Amy Lynn Artist ...don't know. Studio Addictions Location Fargo, ND My name's Amy, and I got my belly button pierced two weeks ago! =)
I'm not sure what prompted me to get it done...I had never seen anybody's pierced belly up close, nor had I thought about it previously. I was sitting here one day, and I thought, "It would be cool to get something on my body pierced!" Of course, I was 17...and I knew there was no way in hell my parents would let me get anything on my body -- aside from my ears -- poked or prodded.
I asked them anyhow.
My dad about slapped me, and my mom said I could get it done when I was 18, and no sooner because she would not sign for me [[[dang]]].
I talked to one of my friends about it (she's only 16) and she was all up on the idea of having her belly button pierced too (and her mom is cool, and would sign for her)!
So, she and I drove the hour and a half to Addictions in Fargo, ND. I know a girl from school that has gotten several piercings at Addictions, and she says it's a nice place. So, we decided to go there.
We get there, and the place is totally packed!
I was afraid we weren't going to get in for hours upon hours, because the place doesn't take appointments. So, we shoved our way up to the desk and said "WE want our belly buttons PIERCED!" The lady gave us forms...she copied our licenses...my friend's mom signed for her, and we waited. We only waited for about 40 minutes....
Then it was my turn. :^O
The piercer guy took me in back, and I made me lay down in a comfy table-thing. He put on his gloves, and washed my belly with yellowish iodine stuff, and then marked the holes. It was cool, because he was talking away the whole time (made me feel really comfortable!)....then the manager of the store came back and started talking to me too (she has been doing piercings and tattoos for over 24 years -- that made me even more comfortable!)...so they were talking to me, complimenting me on my wonderful tan. Little did I know, my "wonderful tan" would prove to be not-so-wonderful in the long run...
(We own a tanning bed -- we have for over a year and a half now -- and previous to owning one, I had tanned for a bout 2 years before...so in total, I have been tanning for well over three years. I usually tan about 4 times per week...and I didn't know my skin was tough!! ~~~but I guess it is!!!)
So the guy whips out the clamp and puts that bad boy on (didn't hurt)...then he gets out the needle and says "Little pinch for about 5 seconds." I count to five (yes, little pinch is all it was), and then it hurt....and ohhhhhhhhh dear lord, did it hurt! He couldn't get the needle through my tough aligator skin! He was like "Don't grab me...I can't finish if you grab me" (I wasn't grabbing him, but I had tensed up and clamped my hands on my thighs)....
So then he gets it through, and my gosh, it hurt like a b*tch!!!
DO NOT TAN!!!
TANNING IS THE DEVIL!
My friend went in right after me and she was like, "Oh, it barely hurt!" *wimper-wimper*....poor Amy was suffering.
I am not a baby about pain either (I can tolerate it very well), and trust me when I say this hurt! :•(
My belly is doing really good now!
It looks kind of dry and stuff...and in the mornings the ring is crusted on to the hole still (and a littly puss-ish)...but it doesn't hurt at all anymore, which is awesome, cuz now I can lay on my belly when I sleep!
Oh, and I have totally cut back on the tanning! I tan once a week now, and that is only because Prom is coming up a week from today. After that, I plan on cutting it out completely. I don't want to look like a wrinkly prune in 30 years (my boyfriend wouldn't like that much)!...and I really don't want to get skin cancer...that is nasty!
So here are some tips!
1) Do not tan...ever...tanning is very bad, and it makes getting a belly ring hurt even more!
2) Get a ring first, not a bananabell/barbell (the lady that has been doing piercings and tattoos for 24+ years told me this): 9 people out of 10 that get barbells first get infections!
3) Clean your new piercing at least 4 times a day with either Dial antibacterial soap, or a salt/saline solution.
4) Don't let your boyfriend "play" with it..... *grrrrr*
I can't wait to change this little turquoise ring to a jeweled barbell! :^)
Happy piercing!
~Amy Lynn~