Title: DIY dammit!
Author: Tara
Complications: I didn't quite pierce them evenly on both sides but it's only noticeable if I point it out
End Result: Beautiful
Happy with the Result: Yes
Date Done: Mid July 2001
Story: The summer of eighth grade was one of great change for me. I slowly began switching out of conformist mode and started to search for the real me. The real me wasn't this scrubby girl in "preppy" clothes with brown hair and a measly single ear piercing. No, the real me (in my mind at least) had bright BLUE hair with various facial piercings and body mods. I asked my mom if I could at least streak my hair blue and the answer was a vehement NO.
Ok then. On to plan B. Obviously I couldn't get away with dying my hair and not having her notice. Nor could I do any of the facial piercings I wanted. I could, however, at least pierce a second hole in my ear (I'm sure my mother's refusal to let me dye my hair had NOTHING to do with this ;-) ). So that's what I set out to do.
I grabbed two earrings from my collection, a candle, and a bunch of alcohol pads and went to my room. I lit the candle and held the earring post over the flame for probably three minutes. I was freaking out about infection because if my ears got infected, I'd have to tell my mom and she'd kill me. So I held it over the flame, then wiped it with alcohol, then the flame, alcohol, flame.
I laid the post on an alcohol pad and cleaned my ear with a separate pad. then I took a deep breath, picked up the post, and shoved it through. It took all of a minute, if that, and didn't hurt at all. I was amazed. I was expecting some sort of pain. I repeated the procedure on the other side and admired my new piercings.
I didn't get caught for like a month, until I accidentally wore two pairs of earrings at once. Wow. My mom was ANGRY. But she let me keep them, and she also then let me dye my hair, so I suppose it all turned out well. It's been nearly two years and the piercings are fine.
Needle: None
Gauge:
Purchased:
Cost:
Jewelry: Regular post earrings
Gauge: Standard post size
Purchased: Probably Claire's
Cost: Not sure
Aftercare: Alcohol pads twice a day
Purchased:
Cost:
TOTAL COST: Couldn't have been over 5$