At A Glance Author Dani_atthedisco Contact daniireland@hotmail.com When It just happened Artist Eva Studio The Celestial Ring Location St Stephen's Green Centre, Dublin I'm sixteen years old and decided a few months ago that I'd like my navel pierced. My friend, Anna and I decided that during the school holidays we'd both get it done together.
Today we finally decided it should be done. We met up in town and both feeling a little anxious, eventually made it to the piercing place without vomitting and/or fainting.
We asked at the desk and the guy there gave us forms to fill out. I was so nervous that as I flicked through the form, I even had to think about whether I'm breastfeeding or not. I signed it with trembling hands and handed it back.
A blonde woman with a foreign accent and an array of piercings brought us into the small room. I later found out her name is Eva. She told us both to sit down as she got out the piercing supplies. All the time she explained the procedure and aftercare.
She then asked us who would go first. I have my eyebrow and nose pierced but it was Anna's first so I volunteered to go first. Just then another woman came into the room. It was then I realised that Eva was only training and the other woman was supervising. That made me even more nervous.
I didn't get a choice of jewellery. They both examined my navel and decided the best jewellery to use. I left it to the professionals. They decided on a plain silver bananabell with a small ball on top and a larger one on the bottom. I happily agreed.
Eva thoroughly cleaned my navel and spent a while marking and remarking it. The other woman gave her advice and eventually they were happy it was straight. They asked me to lie down and I made a face to Anna to signify I was terrified. She smiled which relaxed me a bit more.
Eva told me that the more relaxed I was the less it would hurt and to take deep breaths. It's very hard to do when you're so nervous. She put the clamps on and fiddled with them for a while until they were right. This hurt a tad but nothing serious. She then picked up the needle. I stared at the ceiling, trying to focus on deep breaths. Eva told me to take a deep breath. I did and she pushed the needle through a little. She told me again and she pushed it through a little more. She asked me to take one more and it was through. I won't lie. It HURT like hell. I relaxed a little. It was done. It wasn't so bad.
Eva then began to put in the jewellery and stuff. I wasn't really paying attention. Plus I couldn't see what she was doing. Then she went "Oh" and the other woman rushed over. They both started doing things to my bellybutton and I didn't know what was going on. Eva asked the woman for something to wipe the blood away. BLOOD? I though. Alarm bells started ringing in my head.
"It's okay," the other woman assured me. "The jewellery fell off so we're going to thread this through to keep it open". She held up what looked like a piece of thick bent wire. I think I died a little on the inside. I could feel them both pushing and pulling and was trying to focus on other things. Block out the pain.
"It's done," they announced and I silently rejoiced. I was shown it in the mirror and it was immediately covered with a clean bandage. I was told to shower in three hours to remove the bandage and then to clean my piercing. Three hours without seeing the thing that had caused such drama and pain?
Anna was now completely petrified after watching what happened to me. She told me later that she wished the other woman had pierced hers rather than letting Eva do it. But Eva stepped up again and pierced Anna's. I watched them put the clamp on and cringed internally as I knew this was when the pain started. She pushed the needle in twice and on the third push [the painful one], Anna gasped loudly. I cringed but Anna was fine after that. I guess it was just a shock.
We were both given aftercare instruction leaflets, an antiseptic cleansing solution and an antiseptic wash. We shimmied off home.
I showered as I was told and cleaned my piercing. It looks healthy and only a little pink. The top ball has a tiny piece of dried blood around it but Eva told us only to wash it once tonight so I have to wait until morning to clean it.
Despite the pain and drama, I'm completely in love with my new piercing. A few seconds pain is definitely worth it.
I'd also recommend The Celestial Ring to anybody wanting a piercing in Dublin. Eva pierced Anna's perfectly so I guess I was just unlucky. I'd still recommend her though. Everyone's got to learn somewhere