When I first began to get body-mods, I promised myself two things. First, that I would never get pierced below the belt, and second, that I would never get a surface piercing. Well, I broke the first promise on my 18th birthday, and I managed to break the other one about three weeks ago.
At A Glance Author Starlight Contact Starlight@bme.anon When A month ago Artist Matt Studio Mystic Location Crofton (Bowie), MD Around December, I had reached the point where I felt that there were not really any more piercings I was interested in acquiring, and I was upset, to say the least. I had planned on getting my scrumper done as soon the newest piercing in my mouth (bumper) were finished healing, yet found myself putting it off as I felt that it would be the last time I would be going through the piercing experience.
I was visiting a close friend from school and realized that she lived about 5minutes away from the studio that I have been getting all my work done at. When I mentioned this, she said that she was interested in piercing her navel so why not head on over there.
Once we arrived, I struck up a conversation with Matt (my piercer) about how I was feeling kind of blue about the whole 'not having much left to do' prospect, and he mentioned that I should think about a few of the piercings I have mentioned getting, but only talked about it passing. When he was done piercing Kirsten, we started talking about different options that I could do along with my scrumper (the shop was currently having a new-years promotion where you buy one piercing and get the next for $4, so if I was going to do one, I might as well capitalize on the deal).
I brought of the idea of a surface tragus, which has greatly appealed to me for awhile, but the prospect of getting a surface piercing had kind of scared me away from it. Matt and I had had a few discussions on surface piercings, why we both feel many of them are a dumb idea (personal opinion, not intended to offend anyone), and why some will work and others wont. He had looked at my ear about a month earlier the first time I brought up the idea, and had said that if I was interested, I would be able to get it done on my right side.
Well, somewhere in the discussion, I decided to damn the risks of a surface, and that I had to have it. Immediately. Matt checked out the skin by my tragus in greater detail, to make sure that the skin was loose enough so that the piercing would stand a reasonable chance of healing. He told me that if he felt it would definitely reject, he would strongly advise me against piercing it, but would go ahead and do it if I really wanted. Well, upon greater inspection of the side of my head, the piercing prospect became a thumbs up. As it was time for the shop to close, we decided to wait and do the piercing the next day
I returned to Mystic around 8pm the next evening, as it should be slowing down by that time. When I walked in Matt was finishing up a piercing, so I started talking to Jimi (the owner) about some of the new piercings they were offering. When I told him what I was going to pierce, he said 'Oh you're that one today', and proceeded to check my ear out also. Matt finished his piercing, came out to the main room, and told me we might have a problem with the tragus...my face dropped. He said Jimi needed to check it out, because they wouldn't do it if they felt there was a chance of rejection, as it's on the side of my face, and they wouldn't want me to scar there.
Well, we walked back over to where Jimi was working, and they began to examine my ear in great detail. Finally, it was pronounced that I was indeed, a good candidate for the piercing because of the way my tragus is situated, so the bar will lie right next to it, and have almost no chance of rejection. Matt and I walked back into his room, where he began to get all the instruments ready.
Once everything was ready, Matt cleaned my ear, marked it, and then proceeded to try and clamp it. The clamp wouldn't stay. So, he went and got a different sized clamp. This one didn't work either. After about 5minutes of attempting to get one of the clamps to work, Matt goes "well then, I guess we're just going to have to do it freehand". He told me to take a deep breath in...and EXHALE, as he slid the needle through the skin.
After he had changed the needle to jewelry, all I could hear him say was "that looks awesome. that looks so awesome". Wanting to see it myself, I grabbed the hand-held mirror by the sink, and as soon as I turned my head, all I could do was grin...who knew a surface piercing could make a person that happy?
We went out to show the piercing to Jimi, who approved, and made me promise that I would check in every few weeks so they could make sure everything was doing well. Matt also told me that this was the first surface tragus that they've ever pierced at Mystic, and for some reason, that knowledge just makes you feel so cool. I've gone back a few times, and everything is doing well, but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed.