I'm a student at Oklahoma City University, and right down the road from me is a fantastic piercing studio - 23rd Street Body Piercing, which is APP certified. I had given rides to several other girls from my dorm to get various things pierced, but had never personally had work done at a studio.
At A Glance Author kisstheviolets Contact perfectlywindysky@hotmail.com IAM kisstheviolets When Six months ago Artist Jason King Studio 23rd Street Body Piercing Location OKC, OK My only experience with piercings was, well, not so great. I had been pierced with a gun so many times that my ear lobes were effectually ruined, and I once had a very short-lived home-done nostril piercing. While I had always liked the look of a lip ring, I never had the guts to do it myself, and never had the money to do it professionally until I was at school.
I had spent a lot of time researching lip piercings here on BME, and the experiences I read and the photos I looked at were so valuable. So, one fateful day in mid-January I had taken a friend to get more Tech 2000 for her new tongue piercing when she turned to me in the shop and said "Hey, why don't you get your lip pierced?" To this, one of the girls at the counter (Dawn) said "You should! It would look really good."
What the heck. I gave her the go ahead and she helped me select a ring - a 3/8 CBR with a stainless steel bead - and then she went over aftercare with me, which took a good 5 minutes. I was to salt soak twice daily and wash with Provon right before I left the shower. When she was done, I paid for my piercing, jewelry, and after care stuff and took a seat while my piercer finished up with someone else.
When I was called back, I followed the piercer to a room and sat on what was obviously a kind of medical bench/table. He introduced himself as Jason, and he was smiling and chatting with me as he prepared. I watched him very carefully, amazed at the level of cleanliness. He changed his gloves a lot! This place was really much cleaner than my doctor's office! Jason got everything ready, and marked my lip.
I was really getting nervous now - he told me to lay down and relax, and that if I was scared to hold my friend's hand so that I wouldn't jump or anything and mess the piercing up. He changed gloves again and clamped my lip. Most people say this is the most painful part of the procedure, which I don't understand. It didn't hurt at all, but the metal was cold on the inside of my mouth. He spent a minute or two positioning the clamps, and when they were right he told me to breathe in.
I knew when I breathed out that he would pierce - so I did, and I felt the needle slide through my lip. "The worst is over, now I'm just going to put your jewelry in." The worst was over? What 'worst?' I didn't feel a thing! At most it was like a light pinch. There was no blood, ever, and the jewelry insertion didn't hurt either. Once it was in I got up to look in the mirror. It was so awesome! Then Jason told me that the ring was a little big to compensate for any swelling I might have, and that to keep this in check I should keep my mouth cold for the next few days.
When he said I was done, I thanked and tipped him. He also told me that if I had any problem at all, even if I had a problem and thought it was a stupid question to come by or call because it was better to be safe than sorry since it is my body. I went back out front and Dawn said it looked great. I left with my lip feeling very strange - I wasn't used to having metal on my face!!
I hadn't told anyone about this - not even my fiancé. He was surprised, but my roommate was more so! They all thought it looked great, but my mom wasn't so thrilled. She eventually got over it though, and even she likes it now.
Caring for my new piercing was the most time consuming thing of my day. It took about an hour or so each day, but it payed off. I followed their aftercare religiously, and now it has been nearly 6 months and I have had no problems at all!
If you are contemplating this piercing - just remember that a good studio and good aftercare make all the difference. I wouldn't advise doing this at home – it is better to have a professional pierce you because it is safer and you will probably be able to keep the piercing for a long time if the placement is right. So, go get pierced, and Good Luck!!