My Mom Didn’t Know

By Tiffani, Akron, Ohio

I’ve been asking my mom for a piercing since I was 13 but my mom said that I didn’t need one.

One day my sister and I were talking about piercings and tattoos of course i wanted a piercing and she wanted a tattoo. When I turned 17, I asked my mom if I could get my belly button pierced and she told me no.

The same night she told me no, I went and got it done anyways. It didn’t hurt at first, but right after he put the belly ring in, thats when it started to hurt! I went home and told my mom and I thought she was going to be mad but she said the pain was enough punishment!!

Waiting is Worth It!

By Khyrrah Shepard, Lauderdale Lakes, Florida

Well, I all started when I was about 10 years old. The moment I laid eyes on my first navel piercing I knew it was for me. My parents knew as well but they never said I couldn’t get it until they realized how serious I was!

The years passed by and I was 15 years old. It seem as if every girls around me was popping up with navel piercings. So, I finally ask my mom to take me to the piercing place.

She said not until my 16th birthday

I figured that was okay since it was only a couple of months away. I patiently waited until my 16th birthday on during my annual birthday dinner I brought it up. She said no….again. I. Was. Pissed. I mean seriously, she couldn’t just let me know from the get go that she wouldn’t allow it?

She spouted some crap about me not being responsible enough and talked about how my second hole got in infected (pierced with a gun…at Claire’s! Never again). So I turned to my second line of offense. Good ole’ daddy.

I mustered up the courage to ask him and he had a fit! I didn’t know what else to do, both parents were out of the question. I told them that I was just gonna pierce it myself, and I seriously thought about it for all of two seconds (that’s how long it to me to regain my common sense). Then I thought about my local flea market since I knew they wouldn’t care about age.

I had to once again regain my common sense, they were terribly unsanitary. Eventually, I gave up for a few weeks, which turned into months and before I knew it I was seventeen! I once again ask my parents and they once again told me no. I’m not the type to go behind my parents back, but this was serious!

So I called up my god sister and she said….no. Grrrrr! Well, at least she had a good reason. She didn’t want to get caught in the middle if I got caught. Eventually I persuaded her and and Friday at around 12:30 p.m. we set off to the “mall”. Once get got to the tattoo shop/piercing parlor we were told that the piercer was at another location doing a tattoo, but would be over in about 30 minutes.

Was so happy I was there that I didn’t mind the wait one bit! 45 minutes into our wait my sister decided she wanted to get a third tattoo. I had no problem since she was doing me a favor anyways. One tattoo later and the man was still not there! So my god sister and i just chilled with two of the tattoo artists.

Four hours later the man FINALLY arrived! We went straight to the back (I signed no papers), we chatted for a bit, I picked out a red surgical steel barbell with beautiful stones on the tips, and I was ready to get pierced. He put this iodine stuff on me with a Q-tip, took the barbell out of the sterilized package, and opened the package with the needle in it. Everything was a one-time usage thing.

Then he marked me with a purple pen and told me to lay down and put triple antibiotic ointment. I did so, and when he was about to shove the needle though I told him that I had to use the restroom. He laughed and asked me if I was serious or stalling. When I started telling him that I was really nervous and explained to him how long it has been since I wanted this piercing, he shoved the needle through! It only felt like a prolonged pinch.

Then he put the ring in and presto chango! I had a brand new piercing for the world to see (when I want them to). The next day I went to a party and showed off my piercing. So far no infections, bleeding, or complications (knock knock on wood).

I love it and my parents still down know anything. I’m going shopping for belly rings with my best friend this Friday!

Simply Pierced

By Mariah Lowery, Huntington, USA

Okay, so I’ve been wanting my belly button pierced since I was like 12. So I was in my room and since my mom wouldn’t take me to get it done, I decided to do it myself. ( I know, stupid, right? )

Well, I numbed it with ice, and slipped the needle half way through, and that was as far as I could go. So I poked a dangling belly ring in it and that was that. I “had my belly button pierced.”

Well a few days later me and my mom was playing a game, and she called me a wimp. I was like “Yeah right, look at my abs,” and I lifted my shirt up and it revealed my navel ring. She said she would have taken to get it done professionally if I just would of asked! She told me about all the infections I could have gotten by doing it by myself. So I took it out.

I was constantly asking my mom when she was going to take me to get it pierced, but she swore up and down that she never told me that I could. I was furious!

So, when I was 14 I decided to pierce my nose. I did it, without “numbing” it and this time I actually put it all the way through. I loved it! I’d take the nose ring out when I would get home form school and put it back in before I went to bed. Several weeks later my mom found out about it and once again, she made me take it out.

Finally, my 15th birthday was rolling around and I finally talked her into letting me get my nose and belly pierced. Well, together the price was $80.00 and my didn’t have the money, so I could only choose one. I chose my belly button.

As it came closer and closer to my birthday, money flew in from some of my friends and family. Soon I had $125.00! So, I paid for my nose piercing and mom paid for the belly piercing!

A day after my birthday, my cousin’s girlfriend (Kristen) took me, my mom, my younger sister (Marah) and I to “Epicenter Piercing and Tattoo Studio“ downtown. My mom came in signed the papers and was like “ Okay, can I go out to the car now?” and the guy at the counter laughed and said “Sure.” (By the way: my mom has a very weak stomach and can’t stand the thoughts of piercings.)

Well, it was my turn and Kristen, Marah and I walked back to a small room. The piercer wasn’t bad looking if I say so myself. Anyways he talked to me and made me feel so comfortable. He had me stand in front of him while he marked me and then told me to look in the mirror to see if I liked the markings.

I sat back down in the chair and he had me slide my butt all the way to the front of the seat. He put the clamps on my belly button. By this time my 7 year old sister was pacing the room saying “oh my, oh my, oh my.” Kristen and I were laughing our butts off. He got out the hollow needle and asked if I was ready. I turned my head and said yeah.

He counted to three and slide the needle right through. That was just a little sting. What hurt most is when he put the silver bar in it. I loved it. Then he did my nose! After I was all finished he gave me the cleaning solution called “H2Ocean,” and told me to clean both piercings twice a day. It was amazing and totally worth the wait.

I love my belly button piercing! The guy that pierced me was AWESOME , and the studio was very clean and professional!