I have been into piercings since I was around 8 years old. I did not get anything drastic, just my left lobe. But that is what got me started on a piercing adventure. Many years passed before I got my second piercing, then soon after I got my third, fourth, fifth...tenth. It's an addiction and I was just starting to embrace it to a whole new level.
At A Glance Author Pablo Contact Pablo@bme.anon When Three months ago Artist Myself (Pablo) Studio My home I had gotten many piercings done at parlors by professionals. But after seeing how it was done many times, and reading about many experiences here on BME and other web sites, I started to get interested in trying out this whole piercing thing on myself, instead of having a licensed piercer do it. I figured this would be a good step in exploring piercing in a whole new way.
I was not quite sure what I wanted to pierce. My ear lobe? My cartilage maybe? Those seemed like good ideas, but I was not feeling too good about having to look in the mirror at my reflection, and trusting that to pierce it straight. And also, I had started getting into more drastic body mods, so a simple ear lobe would not quite cut it for me. So instead, I figured I'd pierce my Lorum! It's in an easy to reach location, the skin is thin, I don't have to rely on a reflection for accuracy, and it would definitely compliment my Prince Albert!
The next step though was tools. I was not about to take a safety pin or a thumb tack, burn it with a lighter and dip it in alcohol, and stab it anywhere near my nuts. That and the idea of a non-hollow needle being pushed into my skin did not appeal to me very much. So I went out and bought some clamps, 14gauge piercing needles, and some hoops. I got them all autoclaved by my piercer friend at her parlor to make sure they were sterile. And so it started.
I went home and set everything up in the bathroom the same way things would be set up in a parlor (minus the toilet). I have my Vaseline, alcohol and all that other good stuff ready to go. I pull down my pants and boxers and assume my position in my chair (the toilet).
It took me about 10 minutes to get the placement exactly where I wanted it to be. I marked the dots with a marker, opened the package containing the clamps, clamped my skin making sure the dots were right in the middle, opened up the packages with the needles and the hoops, and brought out a cork as well. I dipped the needle in the Vaseline and also greased up the skin that I was about to pierce. I placed the cork on the other side of the clamp, took a breath in, and slowly pushed the needle through the skin. Why did I go slowly? I'm not sure! But I could hear each layer of skin rip as the sharp metal pushed its way through to the other side and into the cork. I placed the 14 gauge CBR inside the hoop and slid it through. And voilą, I have my very first self-done Lorum (out of two now)!
You know how after you get a piercing done, the adrenaline and endorphine rush cause make you so excited you start to shake? Well, the same thing happened to me, except for it started happening before I actually pierced the skin. The hardest thing is to control the shaking when your body is doing otherwise.
So again, I chose this piercing because I could look down at what I was doing; it was thin skin so I knew I would not have to push too hard. It was all within reach, and it complimented my Prince Albert very well. I guess if any of you want to try out some crazy, I would recommend this one.
As far as the post-piercing went, there was a little bit of bleeding and it stung a little bit, especially when we guys do our routine adjustments. I absentmindedly stuck my hands down there for a quick fix, and wow did I get a wild surprise! Careful! I would wash it with soap and water in the shower, and maybe run some water on it later on in the night before bed. Healing was over within 2 weeks, but it was still a little tender when moved too much. Now it looks great. It does keep getting a little crusty, but which piercing does not get some goo here and there once in a while? Aesthetically speaking, it's an amazing piercing; a nice subtle touch to a not-so-subtle object.
That's my story, and I definitely recommend getting the Lorum pierced. The end!
Pablo