When I turned 18, I decided I wanted a bunch of unique piercings, however not TOO crazy. Against my parents will, I started with my navel on my birthday, and went back the next day for my tragus and cartilage. As of this moment I've had 14 piercings all together. As I said I have my cartilage and tragus, I've had the top navel done twice, rejected both times, the bottom navel, two lobes in each ear, an orbital (that's two if you're counting), my nose and my conch done twice due to infection. I had been to Vincent's for the first three piercings, and Angie was awesome. She has the best set up for piercing, and shes just an all out awesome person.
At A Glance Author Ashley Contact Ashley@bme.anon When Three months ago Artist Some really bad guy and Angie Studio First at Planet Ink, and second at Vincents Location Plattsburgh, NY A few friends of mine were going to Planet Ink to get their navel and nose done. I decided since Vincent's wasn't open, I would just get my conch done there. I don't know the name of the guy that did it, but going from Angie to this guy was indeed an awful experience.
While Angie was caring and asked every now and then if you were all right, felt okay, and were comfortable, this guy did nothing to make you feel okay about what was going on. In between piercing my two friends and I, he sterilized the room, like any other piercing place I've ever been to does. However, during this time, he went outside with his buddies, sat down and had a 20 minute cig break. Does this sound like a professional shop to you? I was NOT impressed with the service before he even touched me.
Now, I'm not a baby when it comes to piercing. I'll be up to 17 next week when I get my second orbital, and I have a tattoo... so you can't say that I'm just a pussy and not used to pain. This guy had no respect for the people he was working on. He pierced my conch with a 14g needle, and it hurt more than anything I've ever experienced in my entire life. I understand that when doing a conch, the forceps are going to be really uncomfortable on your ear. It's just a weird place to have to clamp something. The pain was already unbearable before he even came near me with the needle. Not ONCE with the piercings I've had have I come close to tears. This one had me clenching my teeth with water welling up in my eyes. This guy also had the courtesy to have me facing a mirror while he was doing this. I had to have a friend stand in front of it so I couldn't see him jabbing a needle through my ear.
Another thing about this guy... he had two buddies there at the shop, just hanging out. He invited them in the room when he pierced me, never asking me if I was okay with it. So now, not only do I have my three friends that were there getting themselves pierced, but I have two other people that I don't know watching. Thats 7 people in the room counting he and myself. At Vincent's, the ONLY people aloud in the room are you and Angie. The guys he invited in there were old enough to be my father. I was slightly uncomfortable.
After he had pierced me, the most he could say was "wow... glad to see SOMEONE doesn't bleed". He also told me to use neosporin on it, which I've heard is far from a good thing. Then again, in every shop I've ever been it, people seem to have different methods.
The piercing itself ended up getting really infected and wouldn't heal, so I took it out about two months later. It was to the point where I couldn't sleep on either ear, having fresh piercing in the other.
I decided I was going to have Angie do it for me a second time. She used a 16g needle, and after the piecing was done I was left only to believe this guy had no clue what he was doing. While a conch piercing is bound to hurt more than most other things you get done in an ear, it shouldn't have been as awful as it was when he did it. Angie was so much better, I expected pain and got close to nothing. I guess the lesson learned here is don't just go to any piercing place. If you find someone you like, stick with that one person. I know I won't be going back to Planet Ink! (oh wait, they went out of business, I wonder why?)
If you're from Plattsburgh, NY and are thinking about getting anything pierced, I strongly advise you to go to Vincent's. Angie is amazing with everything. Shes always up for a challenge if you've got something different in mind. Check them out, for real.