I've always been pretty fascinated in piercings, and when I was younger and standard belly button piercings were becoming really popular, I had to have one. Of course my mom is totally against any type of body modification, so it didn't happen (and I definately don't regret it now that everyone has one). But now that I'm older, I've discovered things that look even better, and when I came across surface piercings, I decided I should get it done. I was 17 at the time, and at this point my mom didn't have anything against it so I did it the same day that I came across photos of it on the internet.
At A Glance Author Victoria Contact vic_toria_b87@hotmail.com When Three months ago Artist Matt Studio To The Point Body Piercing Location Abbotsford, BC, Canada I went to To The Point Piercing Studio where I had gotten my industrial done a while back, so I was familiar with the piercer, Matt and thought he was really good. He told me there are two different methods of doing it and the punching-taper method was by far safer and less painful, even though it took longer.
I didn't care too much about how long it took, I was more worried about the pain, so obviously I was going to choose this method (it was also more expensive this way so I knew it was better). But I really had no idea what I was getting myself into!
So Matt told me to come to the back room and I would pay afterwards, which surprised me cause usually they make you pay there first. In the piercing room, he explained to me how it worked. He would take a taper and punch a hole on either side of my belly button right below it, (hence called punching-taper), then he would take the barbell and work it from one side to the other. He scared me a little because it was pretty extreme, but I kept thinking its safer so I agreed.
So he made the markings on me and I told him they were fine, and then I layed down... I breathed in and out and in and out and in and then he punched one hole when I breathed out. It wasn't bad at all! Then the same thing again the other side. So then I said "wow it really isn't bad at all" and he's like "oh good, that was the worst part." It really was NOT the worst part!! For the next 10 or 15 minutes he tried to work the barbell through from one side to the other while I layed there feeling it all, it was really bad. My friends who were with me even had a hard time watching. Working the barbell through from one side to the other was excruciating, I couldn't even control my muscles in my hands while laying there. I think the reason it took so long is cause it was a rectangular bar, therefore more difficult to get in.
The whole piercing experience from the markings to the finished product took 20 minutes. That is a hell of a long time, considering it took no longer than 2 minutes to do my industrial.
So I got up and looked at it and LOVED it. I will never believe Joel (his apprentice) again because he is the one that told me it hurt a lot less then the standard method. When I went to pay in the end, they told me that the reason I'm paying now is because they thought I might back out of it and would be too scared to go through with it, and they didn't want to just take my money.
I don't want to make it sound unbareable because it wasn't quite that bad. This method is as bad as it gets, so if you can do this, then all other piercings will come easier. But, you can always choose to get it done the other way (shoving the barbell through behind the needle, like other piercings). However I do recommend getting it done this way because it is a lot safer. Surface piercings can take up to a year to heal and they do have a good chance of rejecting too, so you want to do it the right way.
Matt told me to come in for a check up every week for about a month and a half, and after a month he told me mine looks as if I've had it for about 5 months. So the method really made a difference he said. I've had it for almost 4 months now and it is AWESOME! I would do it over again even though it hurt like hell.
If you live in the area, definately go to Matt at To The Point. He is really experienced and knows what he's doing. His studio is the only one in the Lower Mainland that does the punching-taper method (at least that's what he told me), and he's just an awesome guy.