The labret has always been one of my favorite piercings. I've always said that no matter who a person is, (girl, boy, eunuch, other, prep, cowboy, goth, punk, whatever) a simple, shiny labret stud will undoubtedly add beauty and interest to their face. Therefore I have been awaiting my turn to own this beauty mark for years. And finally my turn came...
At A Glance Author anti-emily Contact kickleblossom@yahoo.com When Three months ago Artist me Studio my kitchen Location oklahoma My only problem for a long time was getting the needle. I had the jewelry just not the needle to do the actual poking. Then just about in perfect time a store opened in Tulsa who advertised carrying piercing needles. And while I was wary at first, the excuse I use for most things popped up and I decided that whatever quality needle they have is "better" than what millions of tribal people have been using for thousands of years. And hey! Theirs seemed to turn out fine! So one day my best friend and I decided to take a little trip to Tulsa and we stopped by said store and I bought my needle. I about wet my pants because I was one step closer to realizing this multi-faceted dream of mine.
We continued our day in Tulsa and didn't get home till around 3:30 A.M. While I probably should have been tired and ready for bed, the needle burned in my pocket and I was about to explode. I couldn't take it anymore...
I proceeded to gather my materials:
1) Labret stud
2) Clean towels
3) Listerine
4) Needle
5) Cotton balls
6) Alcohol
I washed my face while soaking jewelry in Listerine (it wasn't autoclaved...you may point and laugh at me.) I proceeded to clean lip area with alcohol. Then I moved the whole operation to the kitchen so I could use the lighted mirror I use when putting on make-up.
I took a pen and marked the bull's eye. I had expected to have to mark, then mark, then mark again in order to get satisfactory placement. But as fate would ordain I got it the first time and saw this as a very good omen.
The moment of truth approached and I got a little nervous, a little shaky, but I didn't back down. Not that nerves are a bad thing. I'd expect anyone would get a little nervous when they are about to do something that is so intensely spiritual. One more step in molding the outer shell to reflect the inner soul.
Finally I took the needle in my right hand, placed it over the ink dot, and started to push. Before I knew it the needle was half way through...but I took it out anyways. (I have a terrible habit of doing that.) I started to bleed profusely which caused nervousness to turn to fear. I wasn't sure if I should be bleeding that much. I knew blood would be part of it, but didn't know if that MUCH was part of it!
Still I wiped it away and found the hole I had started and pushed it through again. This time determination mixed with fear and exhaustion causing me to put it through my lip with one fell swoop. I took away my hands and admired my work. Seeing a steel bar passing through my flesh like that filled me with an overwhelming sense of peace and accomplishment. Even if jewelry never went in, I accomplished something. I owned my body! I wanted to scream, "this is MY lip, this is MY body, this is MY art!" The jewelry is now there for aesthetics and for an outward expression of this ownership.
Ah yes, the jewelry... Getting the jewelry in was the most difficult and painful part of this experience. For some reason it refused to go in. I'm sure clamps would have greatly aided this, and looking back now wish I would have invested in some (which I believe I will still do for later piercings) But I had to make do with what I had at the time. I feared abusing it too much so I was rather gentle with my first attempts at getting the jewelry in. At one point I contemplated not putting the jewelry in at all because it was so difficult.
But alas, I got the bright (not so bright) idea of putting the needle back through. I was careful to follow the same path I had made the first time, but obviously I didn't. *bangs head against computer desk* "DOH!" This new hole was crooked and I was pissed. But this was the hole the jewelry decided to go into, so I accepted it and went on. Anyways, you can't tell just by looking at me.
So the jewelry went in and I was ecstatically happy. It's been two weeks and a few problems have come up which I take care of myself. I will let no germ demon take away my beauty.
Now for an explanation of the title of this little story of mine:
As I proudly wear my new mod, I get the usual reactions and questions from people. "Didn't it hurt?" "Why on earth would you do that?" etc... But for the people I tell the story of HOW I got this piercing, I get a question and comment that I didn't expect. So many people want to know why I didn't just save my money and get in done professionally. Why take the "risk" and do it myself. After all, can't I fuck myself up by doing it myself? Obviously going to a cold, sterile, stranger in a piercing studio is better.
When I take the time and try to explain it, even some of my closest friends cannot understand. This saddens me a little. In part because I personally know only one other person who truly understands and agrees with my motives, which makes me feel very alone. But mainly because this tells me that people see my labret as second class and "cheap" because it wasn't done professionally. Yet in my mind, doing my labret myself makes it so much more priceless than it could ever be having someone else do it.
While I will hand myself over to more capable hands for certain piercings (and rituals), doing it myself is a great expression of spiritual ownership and trial by fire. There is no one there to help the butterfly break away from its cocoon. So I will accept no help in breaking away from mine.