Ever wondered what it’s like to get a cartilage piercing? Well I’ll tell you.

I decided a while back that I wanted a helix piercing (that’s the one at the top side of your ear where people usually put a hoop earring through) and a few days ago Casey sent me some photos of girls with both a flat and a helix piercing. I really liked it. That exact day, Casey came over to my place and we headed off to Canal Walk shopping centre. I knew this was going to be impulsive – just like whenever I go shopping, get my hair dyed or cut or whatever else you are meant to sit and think about for a couple days.

We walked into wildfire and looked at all the earring they had on display. I needed a couple seconds before speaking to the ladies who had many more piercings and tattoos than me and I was feeling embarrassed that I was so nervous – ridiculous, I know. When I finally went up to the lady at the counter the first things she asked me after I told her what kind of piercing I wanted was for my ID or drivers license.

So typical Casey and I – we had to walk back to the car in the parking garage – very far if you know how big canal walk is – to get my drivers license.  Once I had signed some form – I didn’t read it – I waited for the piercer to call me in to discuss what and where my piercings would be. A friendly lady took me into her room and Casey wasn’t allowed to join. Probably because of all the needles that need to be kept sterile. I sat down in a really comfortable chair and she drew two little purple marks on my ear where I would be getting my piercings. I kept going in and out of the room to ask Casey her opinion on where the piercings should be – each time telling the piercing lady to move the purple dot a little this way or a little that way.

In the end I landed up choosing the spots the lady had originally drawn on. She was very nice and told me she was first going to do the flat piercing and then the helix.  She first cleaned my ear and then i could feel the needle gently pushing against one of the dots in my ear. She told me to breathe in and heavily out – and as I breathed out she pushed the needle through my ear. Then came putting the earring in. Once again, I breathed in and as I breathed out she replaced the needle with a gold stud I had chosen. She gave me a couple seconds to breathe and look at the earring now sitting in the middle of my ear in the mirror. At this point I honestly just wanted to run away. Whenever I’m in pain I always feel very faint. I forced my body back into that chair – not so comfy anymore and I went through the whole process of breathing in and out again.

After that it was done! It was only burning a bit but nothing unbearable. I was given saline solution to clean my piercings twice a day for the first month and once that is over only when need be.

It’s now a week later and every time someone nocks it I want to cry/punch them in the face. Casey warned me about not being able to sleep on that side and to beware of the dreaded hug. I guess I’ll have to wait and see how long it will take to not hurt anymore. It takes about 6 months to 2 years to heal so I still have a very long way to go.

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Get this look:

Clothing:
Top: HMD (Hand-me-down)
Jeans: Mr Price
Shoes: Woolworths – DIY with socks – Kanye West inspired.
Jacket: HMD (Truworths)
Glasses: HMD (Hand-me-down)

Makeup: Casey Rautenbach
Foundation: Mac
Concealer: Estée Lauder
Bronzer: Mac Bronze Shine
Eyeshadow: Victoria Jackson – Beauty to Go
Mascara: Max Factor – False Lash Effect
Eyeliner: Mechanical Eye Pencil – Black/Noir
NYX – Super Skinny Marker
Lipstick: Revlon Colourstay Overtime Rouge
Beauty Blender

Photographer: Casey Rautenbach
Makeup: Casey Rautenbach