October 2003
My first... piercing |
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| Earrings |
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Rebecca had her ridge
pierced three weeks ago - we find out why - and if it hurt.
Loay El Hady talks to one student about her ridge
piercing. |
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Rebecca Sykes is a 20-year-old student at Nottingham
Trent University studying for a BA in Humanities who had her ridge
pierced three weeks ago for £30.
Firstly Becca, I have to ask… why?
Well, first off I think it looks awesome. When my best friend at school
had it done it looked like the coolest thing ever.
Most people who have piercings other than
on their ears tend to have them in their nostrils or belly button.
I wanted to be a little more different than the different.
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| Rebecca Sykes |
I always wanted one and eventually got the guts to
do it and here it is (Becca sticks out her chin in a uncanny resemblance
to Popeye, except of course for the stud being there).
OK, where did you get in done and why?
At Yum Yums in Nottingham city centre, cos the place was pink…
how could I say no?
Doubt most people would consider the colour of the place was a
determining factor as to where to get their piercing done… explain
Umm… it was full of Hello Kitty stuff which I found kinda cool,
and pink's a vibrant cheerful colour that helped to ease those last
minute nerves.
Also, I knew a lot of people who had theirs done their and though
its not the cheapest its easily one of the cleanest, so I couldn’t
go far wrong.
Talk us through the actual piercing.
I came in and the lady said there was an availability for a piercing
in 20 minutes, so I spent that time furiously chain smoking outside
wondering whether this was the right thing to do…
I went back in and the lady took me to a really
clean room at the back, sat me in a chair, wiped my chin with something
and then pulled my bottom lip forward and clamped it in position.
She showed me the needle, and if I hadn’t been clamped down I
may well have run out.
It was huge and scary (editors note: Becca seems like the hyper type
that may embellish a little). She poked it in under about a centimetre
under my lip, I couldn’t see what was going on but I was really
really tense waiting for the pain. She then slipped the stud through
the inside of my mouth as she pulled the needle out.
It felt a little itchy but it didn’t hurt. She screwed on the
tip and it was all over in a couple of minutes.
I’ve said it before and I’m sure ill be saying again
to other people we interview… rather you than me… any bad
things happen as a result?
To be honest, I had an allergic reaction to the metal at first,
but it’s calmed down. It never hurt or anything, but I looked
really sore and gammy. But that’s just cos I’ve got skatty
skin… so it’s my fault really!
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| Close-up of Rebecca's piercing |
Do you plan to keep it forever?
No… it's just like… my last teenage rebellion thing that
I wanted to do, when I’m all old and sensible… I'll take
it out, besides by then it’ll probably just look silly!
Anything else we should know?
The most important thing is to get it done at a reputable establishment,
too many people are trying home piercing which lead them straight
to casualty or at best, nasty pussy infections.
Also, wherever you get pierced and no matter how tempted you are,
don’t play with the piercing for the first few days, any bit
of dirt and it will get infected… let it heal first.
Would you recommend it to other people?
Yeah, its wicked. I get a lot of attention from people just coming
up to me asking if it hurt and why I did it etc, some who turn out
to be really cool.
So basically you did it to impress the guys…
Becca responded to my last question with a
quick dig into my ribs and flurry of assurances that she always gets
attention anyway and shot off without a word of warning.
My way with women had once again brought a familiar result and
I was content that it at least this method had proved consistent. |
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