So, I get this question a lot: What the Hell is that in your neck? Then I squeeze the Tygon and most people freak out.
At A Glance Author Dayv Contact dragobloodlust@yahoo.com When A year ago Artist Michelle Studio Nick's Tattoos Location Pekin, IL About 2 years ago, Michelle, at Nick's Tattoos asked me about surface piercings. She was wanting to expand her procedures and get into these types of piercings. Being a regular customer, and one known to be into the more unusual, (In our area, my 0g septum tusk is very unusual.) Michelle asked me if I'd be interested in a surface piercing at the base of my throat. I definitely trust Michelle, as she has done several of my piercings, including my industrial, my tongue, and tapered several of my piercings that just wouldn't go with a dead stretch. I jumped at the chance at a free piercing, so I said what the hell. Long story sort: I was pierced with a surface barbell, that even with stringent aftercare, eventually began to migrate substantially and was removed. I only have a very tiny scar as a reminder of one of my favorite and short lived piercings.
Flash forward a year. I was at Nick's setting up a tattoo appointment, when Michelle approached me again. She asked me if I liked my previous surface piercing before we had to remove it. I told her I loved it intensely for as long as I could. Michelle then began to explain a technique she had picked up from another piercist she new using Tygon. She explained to me that it was a short length of hosing tapered through a piercing and the balls screwed into the ends. I was informed of a much lower migration and rejection rate. Michelle had already performed a successful Tygon surface piercing on another piercist, Angela, at the shop on the back of her wrist. Looking at the wrist piercing,and seeing how incredible it looked, I said "Why not? Let's go."
A couple of days later, I returned to Nick's. My wife was getting a new tattoo that day, so we decided to do my piercing at the same time, maybe save a little money on gas. After surrendering my ID for photocopying and filling out the proper release forms, Michelle called me back to her area. Michelle had all of her implements laid out: Autoclaved needle, clamps, taper with Tygon attached, and balls.
I was laid flat on my back and raised up her "dentist's" styled chair/lounge. Michelle proceeded to gently pinch and massage the skin of my throat. She said this would loosen the layer of skin in the area.
After the massaging, I was told to stand up straight and look straight ahead. My goatee was rubberbanded up as to allow a clear view of my throat. Michelle used a ruler to measure the entry/exit points for the piercing and marked them. Then, everyone in the shop took a look to make sure the marks were level.
I was then laid back down. Michelle, applied her clamps, and with help of Angela, (the other piercist) got all of her tools ready. I was guided through the breathe in, breathe out routine. The needle slid through my skin, no problem. Surface piercings, in my experience, aren't too bad as far as pain goes. The needle was then followed through by the taper; this was a little less comfortable. Then the Tygon started to go in. Michelle had decided not to lube the taper, as it could cause the Tygon to slip off. As the hosing was pulled through, it was trying to turn my new piercing inside out. As Michelle pulled the Tygon through, she massaged the entry point to reduce the "puckering" as the flesh tried to slide into the wound.
One the hose was in place with one ball already in, Michelle used an autoclaved scalpel to cut off the excess Tygon. Then came the tricky part. Trying to screw in the second ball was tough. It's a close area to work in, and the balls are small. After a few tries the ball was finally in. I was given a mirror to see my new piercing. I loved it!
>From the handling and pulling of the hose, I was bleeding a bit, so Nick (tattooist and owner of Nick's Tattoos, and who had been photographing the entire ordeal) applied a coagulant powder, and I was bandaged up.
When I got home I waited awhile to shower. In the shower, I washed the powder and scabs off the piercing, and it looked great. It's been about a year now, and I've had no migration at all, only a tiny bit of scarring.
Out of my 17 piercings, this is one of my absolute favorites. And it makes my wife jealous. She told Michelle she wanted one, but was told her neck was too thin and the skin too tight. When she asked Michelle if there was anything she could to fix the problems and get a throat surface piercing, Michelle replied, "Yeah, eat a sandwich."