I've had my ears pierced since I was a kid, thanks to my mom. When I was a teenager, I wanted a row of piercings in the middle and cartilage of my ears. I remember seeing girls on TLC wearing cartilage earrings and I wanted to have one. So I had my ears pierced a lot over the years. I added a tragus piercing and a cool non-earlobe piercing. But since I always wore my hair down as a security blanket, no one saw the piercings, and when the hoops and posts came off—as they often do from brushing, blow-drying, tossing, and other activities—I somehow couldn’t be bothered Replace them.
Over the past year I've realized that most of my ear piercings have closed, and in late summer I suddenly wanted to rock more studs in my cartilage and earlobes. I don't have or want any facial piercings - I don't have eyebrow or nose/septum piercings, thank you! - But I always like the look of decorative ears. I decided to go to Claire's at the mall to get my piercing re-pierced. Since these are simple piercings, I don't need to go to a specialty store and spend cash. Claire and the gun are enough and I totally agree with this cheap option.
I'm an adult and stay away from teen demos in boutiques, but I have to warn myself in advance not to waste my money on any of the One Direction crap in the store, like a blanket or a bracelet. I'm obsessed with these things - seriously, my dog's bedding is all 1D, as are Biebs' blankets.
First, let me mention that I did experience a heartbreaking horror story when I was a teenager. I got some piercings done on the boardwalk in New Jersey. What a mistake because while I was sleeping on it a thick little post soaked into my ear sending me to the ER with a frozen ear that was just unpleasant The earrings were also pulled out. But that's what I got when I went to the boardwalk stand. Obviously, I should go to Claire's house.
To my surprise, Nicole, the piercer at Claire's outside of Philadelphia, told me that the four piercings in my left ear were still open, so we decided to get two new piercings in each ear, as well as Wear stud earrings. Still open but tight.
The previous holes in my right ear had closed down to just one, so we opted for a new top hole and a middle ear hole.
What was the worst part of the whole experience? Hair must be slicked back half up, half down, like Ariana Grande. Other than that, it was easy. I haven't pierced my ears with this gun in at least 10 years, and I always remember the vibration from the tool. I'm happy to report that the process has been modernized and the gun seems to have less thrust as I didn't feel anything. Plus, the earrings you wear are no longer thicker than regular studs, so you can keep them in place while they heal.
Nicole tested my previous holes to see which ones still worked and then placed the points accordingly to keep them symmetrical and uncrowded. It was a small intimate gathering as we talked about different locations for new piercings and our piercing history.
We chose dark blue titanium ear posts for those new to the left ear.
This is my right ear again. The bright lights of Claire's made me realize that I needed to use a pore reducer when I was going to be bathed in artificial light.
Suffice to say, this is what my left ear looks like now, with the new piercing and the old one working again. It looked exactly like I imagined. Even though my friend Renee texted me that I was a stronger woman than her because I trusted the mall piercer, it was all good. Nicole is a professional and very informative - she walked me through choosing which jewelry to use where based on thickness and the importance of aftercare.
While it does suck to have shoppers stop and stare while I'm getting pierced because Claire's piercing station is right at the front of the store like a fish tank, I try to be laid back and wave and smile to the little kids walking around especially Girls, so they won’t be afraid of getting their ears pierced.
Claire's home is a wonderland filled with cute things. With a soft hot pink iPhone case, Katy Perry's chunky "Roar" bracelet, Austin Mahone's front-facing journal and a furry pen, it's easy to get sucked into the cuteness spiral. I also relaxed looking at the pierced pink explosion.
I would go to Claire's house again to relive it. Even if you have graduated from junior high school, there is no shame in getting your ears pierced at the mall.
Image: Giphy; Amy Sharretto (5)
