At A Glance Author Echo Contact Echo@bme.anon IAM super_ringo When A month ago Artist Rick Gilmore Studio Adorned Location Calgary, Alberta, Canada Okay, I am married, mother of two, guardian of my younger brother,I have a few piercings and such, and I plan on getting a few more before I am finished. So the following is the story of my new baby, my nape.
It was April 12 '05, and I was sitting in the truck waiting for my husband, Daniel and son to come out of the elementary school. My baby girl was fussing in her car seat, I calmed her down, and she started to fall asleep.
I decided to call Rick Gilmore, the owner and operator of Adorned. He had pierced my husband not too long before. My husband had gotten his ears done there in ten gauge captive bead rings, his studio was very clean, and he had a really comforting manner when we were there. So I decided to chat with him about nape piercing. He told me to first research a lot of shops, look at many portfolios, and be sure that I was getting a good piercer. Him telling me this made me that more sure of his piercing abilities. I told him that he had pierced my husband before, and that I trusted his piercing, and how clean his shop was. I really like how often he changed his gloves. So he said that this piercing needed more then half an hour apt. booking. So after careful time planning I made it for 5pm (remember, I have three kids and a husband). I was pumped, and ohhhhh, ever so nervous! It had been two years since my last piercing. And in piercing years, that seems like an eternity!
Daniel drove to pick up my teen-age brother from badminton practice, and we headed to 17th avenue. We arrived at Adorned, and while we waited for them to finish up with another; I filled out all of the proper paper work, shared my ID, and went over all of the after care instructions. They were to wash with a lavender soap, rinse with saline, and do three to four hot sea salt water soaks a day. Afterwards my husband and I went into the piercing room, and Rick tried to talk me into comfort, but I was so nervous; I felt parched. He explained all of the steps that were involved in the piercing procedure, even though I have been pierced many times before, I felt a little more at ease afterwards. Rick washed his hands, put on a pair of gloves, and got all of the piercing supplies he needed. He changed his gloves, and expertly lined up my nape, making sure not to pierce in the crease of my neck (he said this was necessary for if I ever needed to look up and watch Superman fly by). Then he measured the jewellery, a three cm long, twelve gauge staple shape barbell, with dome ends (so as not to catch as much). Rick then adjusted the length of the barbell so it would fit my nape PERFECTLY (can a piercer get any more perfect? - I think not). He then told me that he was going to massage the skin to better prepare it for piercing (separate the tissues and stuff). He does tribal piercing, and DID NOT use a clamp (thank goodness, I read that the clamping is the most painful part). He then proceeded with the piercing. He advised me of the breathing routine, and let me know when he was putting the needle in. Told me to exhale, and that he was working the needle thru my skin. Rick then prepared me for the exit of the pierce, and I felt some pressure as he pushed the needle out. He then put the jewellery in, which was incredibly quick, and painless. And I was so totally surprised at how quickly it was done. The longest part was the prep. I didn't feel any pain, or bleed at all. Not even after he was done. He gav "\Ãw€ë e me a mirror, and I was in love. It's the greatest piercing EVER!
I am so happy that I waited to find Rick. I wanted it a few years ago, but didn't have that kind of confidence in any of the piercers along the way. I so plan on getting more piercings done at Adorned. Cleanliness, cleanliness, cleanliness. I can't praise them enough for how clean they are; Rick changed his gloves like six times! Two thumbs way up!
If you are ever in the Calgary area, and looking to get pierced, I would totally recommend that you go to Rick. He is a friendly person, with gentle hands, quality jewellery, and 15+ years piercing! YAY ADORNED!
NOTE: I am not a professional piercer, and the aftercare that I have written about is aftercare provided for me, and I do not advise anyone to use any of the mentioned aftercare, unless it is recommended by your piercer.