Randy Rose
Well-known member
Hey guys and girls!
First of all, I apologize if this is not appropriate posting . . . I've never posted on this section before, but I assume this is an anything goes open discussion place? And I figure that, at least from what I see in the FOTDs, a lot of you have piercings, in addition to being into makeup . . . anyway . . .
So I recently completed work on a play in which I was required to be shirtless most of the time. As the play took place in the 1950's, my three-month-old nipple piercings were not exactly period appropriate. So I went about two and a half weeks ago to my piercer to get clear acrylic retainers put in for the duration of the show.
Anybody who has had acrylic retainers for any length of time probably knows that the body isn't exactly wild about plastic inside it, particularly on piercings that are not yet totally healed. I had some minor discomfort the past couple of weeks, along with intermittent swelling and weeping/scabbing. Nothing major. But now that the show is over, I was very ready to get my barbells put back in.
Well, I didn't have five hours to spend driving back and forth to my home to get my regular piercer to put my jewelry back in, so I went to the local piercing/tattoo shop. I am currently working in a VERY small town, so this place was not nearly as nice as my regular shop, but whatever. The place was basically a room, bad lighting, a workout bench to lie on for piercings, untidy, etc. I'd never be comfortable getting pierced or inked here, but I figure for something as simple as swapping out jewelry (which I could do myself if I wasn't such a wuss), no big deal, right?
The girl who does the piercings was unkempt, had dirty green hair, and her gut was spilling out of her too-small top and short denim skirt. Whatever, in and out, in and out. She told me that there would be a $5 service charge, I said fine.
She takes out my retainers, and is putting in my left barbell, when she says "This isn't the right jewelry for this piercing." I asked her what she meant, and she informed me that the barbell was too small for the incision. "If I put this in, it will cut off the circulation to your nipple, and the skin will grow over or reject the jewelry." I informed her that this was the jewelry with which I had been pierced, and I had gone three months without incident. Her response was, "Well, I don't want to put this in." I asked her what course of action she suggested, and, conveniently, she had "longer barbells or hoops in stock" that I could buy and have put in, instead. Translation? She didn't feel like getting five dollars out of me, she felt like scaring me into buying more jewelry. I told her that I was confident that my jewelry was fine, that I have a good relationship with my regular piercer, and that if my nipple started turning purple or hurting, I would take out the jewelry. Grudgingly, she put in the barbell.
After she had put in both barbells, she said to me, "Where did you get pierced?" I have found that lots of piercers know each other, so I thought she was being friendly. I told her where, and almost before I finished talking, she said, "Well, you should know they did a really bad job. Your piercings are crooked. Like your left one is really, really crooked." I didn't feel like giving her a lecture on how nipples are erectile tissue and, as such, piercings can appear a little tilted depending on how the tissue is feeling at the time. I just told her I was satisfied with my piercings. She then said, "So you got my five dollars?" I handed her my Visa, but was informed that they don't take credit. I told her I would have to run home to get her some cash.
I almost didn't go back, so frustrated was I with the experience, but regardless of the rudeness of the piercer, she did provide me with the service promised and I had agreed to pay her. So I grabbed a five and headed back. As I pulled into the parking lot, she was taking out the trash, so I just got out and handed her the money. As I'm about to leave, she says, "You know, I can fix that crooked piercing for you if you want!" I was so pissed!
I'm sure that because I was wearing Prada sunglasses and designer jeans she thought I would be an easy mark. She must have just thought that I was a fool easily parted with my money. Trying to sell me more jewelry is annoying, but actually trying to get me on the bench for an unnecessary (and likely more harmful) additional piercing through my body is downright unethical.
Sorry to vent about this, but I had to tell someone! If you're ever in Coldwater, Michigan, do NOT get pierced or inked!
First of all, I apologize if this is not appropriate posting . . . I've never posted on this section before, but I assume this is an anything goes open discussion place? And I figure that, at least from what I see in the FOTDs, a lot of you have piercings, in addition to being into makeup . . . anyway . . .
So I recently completed work on a play in which I was required to be shirtless most of the time. As the play took place in the 1950's, my three-month-old nipple piercings were not exactly period appropriate. So I went about two and a half weeks ago to my piercer to get clear acrylic retainers put in for the duration of the show.
Anybody who has had acrylic retainers for any length of time probably knows that the body isn't exactly wild about plastic inside it, particularly on piercings that are not yet totally healed. I had some minor discomfort the past couple of weeks, along with intermittent swelling and weeping/scabbing. Nothing major. But now that the show is over, I was very ready to get my barbells put back in.
Well, I didn't have five hours to spend driving back and forth to my home to get my regular piercer to put my jewelry back in, so I went to the local piercing/tattoo shop. I am currently working in a VERY small town, so this place was not nearly as nice as my regular shop, but whatever. The place was basically a room, bad lighting, a workout bench to lie on for piercings, untidy, etc. I'd never be comfortable getting pierced or inked here, but I figure for something as simple as swapping out jewelry (which I could do myself if I wasn't such a wuss), no big deal, right?
The girl who does the piercings was unkempt, had dirty green hair, and her gut was spilling out of her too-small top and short denim skirt. Whatever, in and out, in and out. She told me that there would be a $5 service charge, I said fine.
She takes out my retainers, and is putting in my left barbell, when she says "This isn't the right jewelry for this piercing." I asked her what she meant, and she informed me that the barbell was too small for the incision. "If I put this in, it will cut off the circulation to your nipple, and the skin will grow over or reject the jewelry." I informed her that this was the jewelry with which I had been pierced, and I had gone three months without incident. Her response was, "Well, I don't want to put this in." I asked her what course of action she suggested, and, conveniently, she had "longer barbells or hoops in stock" that I could buy and have put in, instead. Translation? She didn't feel like getting five dollars out of me, she felt like scaring me into buying more jewelry. I told her that I was confident that my jewelry was fine, that I have a good relationship with my regular piercer, and that if my nipple started turning purple or hurting, I would take out the jewelry. Grudgingly, she put in the barbell.
After she had put in both barbells, she said to me, "Where did you get pierced?" I have found that lots of piercers know each other, so I thought she was being friendly. I told her where, and almost before I finished talking, she said, "Well, you should know they did a really bad job. Your piercings are crooked. Like your left one is really, really crooked." I didn't feel like giving her a lecture on how nipples are erectile tissue and, as such, piercings can appear a little tilted depending on how the tissue is feeling at the time. I just told her I was satisfied with my piercings. She then said, "So you got my five dollars?" I handed her my Visa, but was informed that they don't take credit. I told her I would have to run home to get her some cash.
I almost didn't go back, so frustrated was I with the experience, but regardless of the rudeness of the piercer, she did provide me with the service promised and I had agreed to pay her. So I grabbed a five and headed back. As I pulled into the parking lot, she was taking out the trash, so I just got out and handed her the money. As I'm about to leave, she says, "You know, I can fix that crooked piercing for you if you want!" I was so pissed!
I'm sure that because I was wearing Prada sunglasses and designer jeans she thought I would be an easy mark. She must have just thought that I was a fool easily parted with my money. Trying to sell me more jewelry is annoying, but actually trying to get me on the bench for an unnecessary (and likely more harmful) additional piercing through my body is downright unethical.
Sorry to vent about this, but I had to tell someone! If you're ever in Coldwater, Michigan, do NOT get pierced or inked!
