At A Glance Author Courtney Contact marsdweller@hotmail.com When Five years ago Studio Agitprop Location Ottawa, ontario Every since I got my ears pierced, at the age of 6 (with a gun, unfortunately), I've grown more and more curious about body modification. At 12, still not educated about proper piercing technique, I went and got my helix pierced on both ears with a gun. And that was the line. I had stepped into a world that I could not manage to step out of.
So, 12 through 16 years of age, I looked up piercing, first in books (cultural) and then over the net. I was captured. Then I saw the neatest thing ever. A tongue piercing! Considering this is about three years ago, tongue piercings were definitely not as mainstream as they are now. I researched it as much as I could (as much as a 15 year old can manage to understand) and decided that I was going to get it on my 16th birthday, three months away. I knew I had to be 16 anyways, as those are the laws that apply in this region.
To my dismay, my brother, then 17, got it done. I was eager to see how my parents were going to react. It was also a good opportunity for me to see the steps needed to take good care of a tongue piercing. I saw that he talked with a bit of a lisp for a while, and I figured I could take that. My parents threw him the "not mad, just disappointed" speech.
After that big ordeal (the speech), I decided to hint at them that I was planning on getting one. The answer was no. No, and definitely, no! Then I made the biggest mistake: "Well I'm going to be sixteen, so you can't stop me!". I had forgotten that I wasn't sixteen YET, and they promptly grounded me until my birthday, when they said they would let me do whatever I wanted, but hoping that being secluded to my room everyday after school without television, phone or music would help knock some sense into me. Rather than do that, I prepared for the piercing, mentally.
Along came December 1st, my 16th birthday, and my parents threw me a surprise part at a restaurant. The piercing was going to cost me 60$ and all of my friends knew this. I got three cards with 6 ten dollar bills. All of my friends pitched in for this, since they knew all about it and knew that nothing was going to stop me from getting it. My parents we're slightly suspicious at the lack of presents and only three cards.
December 2nd, I got on the bus with my best friend at the time, Alicia. I had decided to go to Agitprop, a local piercing/tattoo spot in downtown Ottawa that my brother had gotten his at. Now, it turns out the shop didn't last very long for various reasons, and had been spawned from a shop with the same fate.
The shop was located at the second floor, so I had to climb this steep stairwell up. That was probably the longest, hardest steps I had ever done. I felt like I was walking up to my death by torture. Scared, yes I was, but I was also rushing with adrenaline and excitement. What would it feel like? I had never had a piercing away from ears before. This was brand new to me. I walked into the shop and went straight to the front desk, which was in the middle of a wide open space.
The person there was nice, as were the rest of the staff. He gave me the necessary papers to sign. I was almost disappointed that I wasn't asked for I.D., since, well, to me being 16 and getting a piercing was a huge deal.
I gave him the cash, albeit reluctantly (60$ is a lot of money to a 16 year old that could be spent on other stuff). Then problem number 1 arose: piercing prices have taxes? I laugh at it now, but I was almost in tears when the price rose a bit. Luckily my friend was quick to cash out for me. I gave her a big hug and we were sent behind a little cubicle wall to a dentist-like chair.
Now the pressure was on, I could feel my head spinning a bit and I was beginning to feel light-headed. I was afraid I might faint, especially once the piercing done, but I stuck it up. The piercer, whose name I can't recall, came in, introduced himself and prepared his kit on a little table next to me. Alicia was hiding behind him, I knew she wasn't going to look.
Once he was set up, he asked me to stick out my tongue. Problem number 2: "you're tongue is really crooked". Thinking back on it now, this should have probably been a warning bell, but I just thought to myself, get it done and over with! Anxiety was slowly being replaced by fear and I could feel my heart rate get faster and faster. I was gripping the arms of the chair and I remember counting my heart beats through my fingertips.
He placed the clamps on my tongue, which I seriously cannot remember feeling. Either he didn't really squeeze them tight, or I was numb from hyperventilating. He counted to three and started pushing the needle in through the top. The first half of the piercing was just a dull sting which I thought was ok. Once he got through to the second half, though, the sting grew to a searing burn and I started to cry. Not very much, just a tear or two. He finally stopped pushing and got the barbell to put through. That was painless: good thing because I was sure I would have fainted if there was any more stimulation there.
He removed the clamps and gave me a mirror. I looked at it proudly, trying to ignore the sparkling dots swirling around my eyes. My legs muscles started twitching (small annoying twitches...like your lips quivering when you're cold). He explained to me that I had to rinse with Listerine whenever I put anything in my mouth, and do take Advil or Motrin if the inflammation got really bad.
I regret now not knowing that Listerine would to more bad then good. I finally got up from the chair and wobble down the stairs, every step thinking that I was going to be sick with the next. I made it down onto the crowded Rideau Street and then got sick. All over the sidewalk, with a big crowd of onlookers. How embarrassing. I only remember straightening up, running to the bus stop and crying. I was mad, because this experience was supposed to be a good one, which I would remember and cherish. It turned out to be harsh and painful; not one I would ever be likely to want to repeat again.
When I got home everything seemed better. I rinsed my mouth and showed my parents, who just shook their heads and said "why?", to which I responded with a shrug of my shoulders , since my tongue was especially swollen. Now I did stupid things that I am sure played a role in lengthening the healing time of my piercing.
That night, a few of my friends came over with wine. Four 16 year olds, 6 bottles of wine. Since I couldn't drink without a straw, I was handed a bottle with a bunch of straws. Yes, I got plastered, and yes, my tongue suffered. It got bitten, chewed on, twisted in every direction and it bled like a stuffed pig that night.
Eventually I noticed that Listerine was just making my mouth taste metallic and not helping the healing at all, so I switched to salt water gargles. If I recall correctly, I decided to switch to that out of pure common sense. I figured if it helped heal sore throats, it could help my tongue. Within one week it was healed and painless. I grew very fond of my piercing and I loved changing the barbells to different colors and shapes.
Unfortunately, I had to take it out a year ago for reconstructive jaw surgery. They were going to have to wire my mouth shut for 8 weeks and they refused to let me have anything in there, not even a retainer. It was the weirdest feeling removing it. I had difficulty swallowing for a few minutes after removing it because I felt like I had lost something, and it was awkward. It had become part of me. I still miss it. Perhaps one day I will get it re-pierced, however, I am reluctant: since I've put well over 10 000$ in having a straight jaw and teeth, I would be devastated if I ended up with chipped or broken teeth.
After that piercing, I found Planet Ink, and that is where I have gone ever since. I now look back and think that perhaps 16 IS too young for such a piercing and it does require a massive amount of responsibility: one which I hardly ever took. I am lucky my piercing even survived through the toughness I put it through. I also think that by being a little bit older for body piercings, an individual is able to research more on what they are getting themselves into and most importantly, able to find a competent shop.