I used headings for each part so that you can read over the part you are really interested in and you can just skim the rest. Enjoy...
At A Glance Author Alex D Contact tsalexd@adelphia.net Artist Mike Studio Love Shack Location Toms River, NJ, USA The decision.
Upon a Saturday night, not wanting to go to the local bars and switching through the channels with absolutely nothing on I starting thinking about a Labret. I had wanted one seriously for about 2 years, but the though originated from a video on MTV where a guy in the video had a hoop with something dangling through the bottom lip.
So I set out. I ran to the ATM and withdrew 70 dollars. And just crossed the street to the Love Shack. I spoke to Mike the piercing artist. I wanted to know how many he had done, what the procedure was like and healing times. I didn't ask about pain until I handed over my ID and filled out the consenting form.
Mike and I walked to the glass case housing the Labret jewelry choices. It was either a spike or a ball. I choose ball. He rang up the charge for the "operation" and the hardware. It came under $52.00 total.
The preparation.
He then told me that I had to shave the area I wanted pierced due to my goatee. I went into the bathroom; dry shaved the area cleaned, and went back the front desk.
Now it came to crunch time. As I sat in a chair that slight resembled a workout bench in the upright position, he explained the entire procedure from start to finish. I saw him preparing the clamp, 2 cups for the Listerine, and he showed me the needle in the new package, and started to mark the dot for location. I referenced to him that I wanted exactly where he had his, in the dimple between the lip and chin directly in the center. He got the mirror and I agreed to the location.
I then asked him who did his and his response was, "I did." Whoa, I thought, but hey to each his own. He took out the needle and I got a good look. The adrenaline was pumping this needle was big. So big in fact, that I was reconsidering the whole ordeal. He sterilized the outside then the inside. On the inside, he used some sort of super Ambesol. The lip went dead in about 2 minutes from the inside. On a side note, I was happy the inside went numb, as I was pleasantly surprised.
He said to talk a shot of Listerine from one cup and swizzle for 30 seconds and spit it in to the opposite cup.
The operation.
I held my hands together under the chair. They actually started trembling. I felt the clamp and the pressure has hard but completely bearable. I closed my eyes, and started breathing deep but calmly. He said I could move my head but the lip wasn't going anywhere. He pulled on the lip and...
The pain.
It felt as if I bit my lip. Nothing more, nothing less. I was amazed, I swear by the size of the needle and the location and everything else that I was going to be a huge baby about it. He said, "All done." I opened my (to amazement) dry eyes. He grabbed a paper towel, blotted very little blood out of the way and made sure the jewelry was tightly screwed together. He said to swizzle Listerine again, and I did. He grabbed the mirror and the narcissistic me said, "I love it, looks great." He said thank you, and started to go over highlights of a sheet he gave me on care.
The rundown.
It'll be swollen in the morning, 6 weeks for the outside to heal, 10 days for the inside. Put ice in there, but don't suck, could damage blood vessels. After any oral contact, kissing, eating, drinking, smoking, and the list went on; I was to swizzle. Clear out crust in the morning. That was easy enough for me. I tipped him 10 dollars and he seemed happy, so that made me happy.
Afterthoughts.
The first morning after is it a little swollen but not bad at all. I was impressed that for every step of the procedure he used new rubber gloves. He made me feel relaxed. He answered all of my questions. He was awesome. If you are thinking about it, just do it. It's no worse than biting your lip. You can take Advil or Tylenol for the swelling, but I am not finding I that bad. I just have to remember it's there to avoid any harmful contact and to rotate it to heal properly. I would recommend anyone in the area to go to the Love Shack and have Mike do it. It was really a great experience.