First of all, to all you wimps (playfully =]) there isn't anything to be afraid of. Each of us accept pain according to our personal thresholds. When I started researching navel piercing, I bumped into BMEzine and it intrigued me. Though I kind of experienced an emotional roller coaster reaction to navel piercing as I read the submitted experiences. One story reassured me, yet while reading the next one I swore I felt my spleen jump. In comparison to my cartilage, that hurt more than getting my navel pierced!
At A Glance Author Kelsey Contact Kelsey@bme.anon When A week ago Artist Not sure Studio Adup Tattoos (Not sure of the spelling) Location Hillsboro, Ohio I had always had a thing for piercings, yet I never had any other than my cartilage && lobes. I am usually brave when it comes to pain, but Im still tender! Out of my three sisters, I've always volunteered to go first when the needles come out. Shots, piercings, etc. Anyway, I've been contemplating the navel piercing for awhile now. Usually it was pure envy that described my thought of navel piercing. I told people I wanted it done, but I never actually thought I would. (It was hidden in the back of my mind =]) Well lately I'd become wildly interested and even started saving money. A bunch of my friends contributed to my "belly button fund" =].
We are pretty broke at this time (putting away Xmas money, etc.) and couldn't afford it. Well, every time we went to the store my mom offered to buy me a treat. She preferred spending a lot of money a little at a time then spending big bucks on one thing, I guess you could say :P So, in determination to have my belly button pierced, I decided to take the money from each little trip and save it up. Many times it was tempting to spend it, being a teenage girl of many needs, but I hung in there. Finally, I had saved up enough and was thrilled.
My mom had agreed to take me on Tuesday (3 days away) to Adup Tattoo Parlor where I'd get pierced.
I had found out from my friend Lani, a girl of many extraordinary piercings, that this tattoo parlor, which had just opened, was clean and professional and some of her friends worked there. In a state of almost delirious desperation and desire (Dandy illiteration =]) to get pierced, I anxiously agreed. This was it. It was actually going to happen. I convinced myself for those long 3 days that I wasn't afraid. As I look back on it now, all I can say is this: As if.
It was the day of the piercing and I was excited. It was the last period of my school day when the fear started to sink in. It slowly seeped into my thoughts and I couldn't concentrate during school. We were to go directly from school to the tattoo parlor. The haunting image of that needle going through my skin just gnawed at me all period! Finally, the bell rang and time seemed to stop as I reluctantly walked to the car, as slowly as possible. I wanted it done so badly I could taste it.
Fortunately (very), my sister had bought me a pretty pink barbell in anticipation of my piercing just the night before. Later on, when I saw the plain steel barbell they were going to peirce me with, I was very grateful. (If you're going to be stuck with a bar in your belly for 6 months, why not like it, eh?) I didn't open it for sterilization purposes, but I think my eyes burned holes in the plastic package, as all I did that day was study it. Maybe then it would just appear in my navel painlessly.
Anyhow, as we were on the way to the piercing parlor, I searched for any reason to stall.
"Mom, I think Im getting car sick. Maybe you should slow down."
"I need to go to the bathroom! Can't we stop anywhere before we go?"
"Maybe we should drop Devin (my sister) off before we go. Don't you think?"
Luckily, my mom had picked up on my fear (You could cut through it with a knife) and carried on.
"Let's just get it over with" She kept telling me. In fear, I didn't realize then what a favor she was doing for me.
We parked a little up the street from the parlor and walked to the door. It was closed. The doors unlocked at 3:00 PM. It was now 2:40 PM. I silently cheered. We then decided to go the local Wal-Mart to look around while we waited.
It was past 3 PM and we were at the parlor, again. This time the door opened. At this time, Adup Tattoos is just a sign in a second floor window, so we climbed the hollow, narrow stairs to the looming doorway ahead. This was it.
We entered. For such a dinky little place, it sure was intimidating! It was like standing in an attic. There was a waiting room and a piercing room in the back with different compartments for the piercing sessions. A tall, scrawny guy went in the piercing door. I was later told he was there to get his nipple pierced. I was almost in a daze as we filled out the forms and I browsed the tattoo patterns on the wall. Finally, a guy called me back. He was intimidating at first, but once we started talking I opened up a lot more.
"Did you eat anything today?" He asked me.
"Breakfast and a little bit of lunch."
"Good. You see that guy over there?" He was referring to the tall one who came for a nipple piercing. "He didn't eat this morning and passed out when we pierced him."
My stomach dropped. Id heard about passing out but not on a personal basis, so I disregarded it almost completely. It was too late to turn back now.
He then asked me to tuck my shirt into my bra. He pulled out the infamous purple marker, and marked me. In a daze I just nodded violently in agreement with everything he said, though it went in one ear and out the other. Finally, I was told to lay down in a dentist-like chair.
He pulled out the needle and showed me how it was completely sealed and sterile. He sterilized everything and washed his hands like 50 times. I was very pleased with this, though I didn't realize it at the time. At last he was ready to pierce. He brought out the clamps and put them on. He tightened them with that professional casualty, I approved. All the horror stories I had heard about these metal claws proved to be completely wrong. I barely even felt them. The last thing I saw was him lube the needle. My mom, as if suddenly popping into existence, supported my head and I covered my eyes.
"Im gonna need you to take 2 deep breaths. Im going to pierce you on the exhale. I did as I was told.
It was a strange feeling at first. I was completely aware of the needle going through my skin, yet I didn't feel the pain. Yet, that is. He threaded the jewelry in and screwed on the ball, that was the only part that really hurt.
"That hurts. That hurts. That hurts" I said calmly, as I was later told. (Keep in mind I'm a complete wimp. This is a good example of the pain level.)
I stood up and looked in the mirror. It was love at first sight. We paid and I thanked him profusely as we left. During those moments, he was like God to me. He had provided me this LOVELY piercing and I was eternally grateful.
I had given birth to this little metal baby.
It was one of those things where you have to keep looking in the mirror to make sure its still there. Its just so beautiful that you can't stop looking at it! The only problem I had with the piercing process is that he didn't let me check if the marking was straight, or he didn't explain the aftercare instructions. Luckily, I had been searching it and was an expert by then. These are vital parts in the piercing process, so make sure your piercer includes them, otherwise you just might end up with a crooked piercing or an infection because you weren't properly explained the aftercare. It's the third day of my new navel now and its only sore when I bump it, but with the help of ibuprofen and the salt soaks, I can't feel it otherwise. It's given me a new confidence and feeling of femininity, and I highly recommend this piercing to anyone interested. I have no regrets and can't wait for the end result!