Firstly, let me say  that my parents are dead against piercings and tattoos. They're a bit more relaxed about piercings, as at least you can take those out, tattoos however are with you for life pretty much. I have many piercings, but nothing really on my face, so whilest my parents aren't fond of them, at least they're hidden. But I figured, I've moved out, gone to a different city and living with my partner, why not get a piercing I've wanted for ages?

It took a few days, but eventually I worked up the courage to go and get it done. There are many places offering cheap lobe and nose piercings, but the only place I really trust is Access All Areas. I have had a couple done there now, and each time they have been really professional, made sure I fully understand what they are going to do and how to look after it.

I emailed the studio to book an appoinment, as the hours I work are unpredicatable, so any free time I have I need to use well if I want to get anything done. I made the appointment for 11am on a Tuesday just after Christmas. When I arrived the studio were running a bit late as a group of girls all wanting different ear piercings had arrived late for their appoinments.

After filling in the paperwork, I sat around and looked at the flash on the walls, until the lady on reception sent me and another girl up to the piercer, who was on the floor above reception. The girl went first, as she was the last one from the group booked in before me, and had an ear cartilage piercing done.

Then it was my turn. The lass doing the piercing put my jewelery into the autoclave to sterilise it, and went through the details of the piercing and the aftercare required. She also cleaned the area I was getting pierced, and placed some numbing agent on it. I had chosen a small flat stud to get my piercing done with, as it looked cute, and I figured it was small enough that my parents wouldn't completely flip out.

Finally it was time to get pierced. She had me lie down, and lined up the piercing. We had discussed placement already, so she knew where I wanted it. Within seconds it was done, jewellery in, and I was one happy customer. I paid, something like £17.50, and left.

For the first couple of days it was fine, and looked to be healing beautifully, no pain or anything. I was cleaning with salt water, and trying not to play with it too much. After a couple of days though, it started to swell, and due to the small nature of the stud, my skin swelled around it, and started to pull the stud through my flesh, which was stupidly painful. I dug the stud out, and soaked the wound in hot salt water, before then finding a long labret stud to push through, so that the flat back was on the outside of my piercing. This seemed to hold the piercing open but didn't help the swelling much. I kept the piercing like this for a good 3 weeks. It didn't help that every time I went back to my parents I took the piercing out, so it looked like a huge spot gone wrong, all scabbed over and disgusting.I carried on with the salt water soaks, and downsized the jewellery, as in the past when piercings have troubled me, I've gone down one size and it helps them to heal better.

It's now been 3 months, and it's healed very nicely. I wear an open segment ring through it, which is easy to put in or take out. Even now though there is a small bump on the inside of my nose, which means that some nose jewellery I can't wear as it just doesn't fit through. I wouldn't change my experience though, as it's made me more respectful of what I am putting my body through. I want to get my nose done in the same place on the other side now, but I will definately choose a stud more suited to my body this time!

It has certianly been one of my more difficult piercings, even if you include my troublesome snug which took almost 8 months to calm down enough to stop being painful, or my sternum, which I keep catching on certain bras!

I think my next piercings will be tongue web and a smiley. I'll try and get them done at the same time, as I'm not the best at aftercare, but if I have two in the same place, chances are I'll look after them a lot better, at least for the first couple of weeks, if nothing else.

I recommend Access All Areas; if you're ever in Nottingham looking to get that perfect piercing, they are by far the best studio I have been to for piercings. I have yet to get tattooed by them, so I don't know about that side of it, but all the art I have seen looks very well done.