Pierced Through and Through
June 13, 2007
A couple weeks ago, Roger gave me a diamond nose pin to replace the one that I lost last year at BlogHer. I'm still not sure how that happened – it was on the bathroom counter when I fell asleep and was mysteriously displaced when I woke up – but that's another story for another day.
This past Friday night I decided to wear the diamond all weekend, and after work I spent an hour coaxing it into my nostril. I figured it would take a little extra effort because it has been a couple months since I last wore a nose ring, but I didn't realize that in that short period of time the flesh inside my nose would grow over the hole. I hadn't planned on re-piercing my own nose (read: ouch, hot tears streaming down my face, and what is it about pain that makes one's nose run?). I also wasn't prepared for the dull ache that would occur every time I flared my nostril (which I do surprisingly often, I've learned).
I'm not allowed to wear my nose ring to work, which has been a constant struggle for me because: Diamonds. How can you tell me I can't wear diamonds to work? And it is yet another reason, though a very small one, that I want to … well, you know. That, and the impending move. (Wait. Did I just slip that in there, all sly and unassuming?)
That's why I took the diamond out on Sunday night while preparing for the week ahead. Since I had to re-pierce my nose just two days before, I decided to wear my "placeholder" ring – it looks like a tiny brown mole on the side of my nose – to make sure the hole didn't grow closed again, and set to work inserting it. Here's the outcome of that, in numbers:
Two: the number of nights I spent tucked into the bathroom sink, trying to get my face as close to the mirror as possible
Two: the number of hours I spent each night before giving up, realizing I just can't do it, it's just not working, I might as well stop trying
Two: the number of hours I'll probably devote to it tonight, yet again, though I probably won't sob like I did that first night, wailing about it to Roger in a way that would make only Jane Austen proud (and Roger laugh – laugh! – at me), though admittedly (don't tell Roger), I was a bit obsurd (okay, very obsurd), what with the wailing and gnashing of teeth at 1 o'clock in the morning
Last night, when I tried to put in my placeholder ring, I got it about halfway in before I realized: Hey. This isn't coming out the other side of my nose, and it should have been there an eighth of an inch ago.
After a little more prodding and investigating, I realized that the screw (the type of nose piercing I wear – the back is curled so that it lays flat against the inside of the nose and holds the piercing in place) was actually curling through the cartilage of my nostril instead of poking through on the inside my nose and laying flat against the interior of my nostril. Does that make sense? To clarify:
So here's my conundrum: Should I suck it up and try to re-pierce it again, hoping the ring goes through this time instead of burying itself within my cartilage? Or do I wait a couple months, go to the Indian jeweler, and ask them to re-pierce it and insert the screw for me? (Assuming they'll do that. I don't actually know. Yet.)
Comments
Dude! You didn't tell me that, did you? It was so long ago, I don't remember you losing anything but ahem, your cookies....lol!
And I know absolutely nothing of nose rings, but I like your drawings!
Posted by: Karen | June 13, 2007 02:23 PM
OW!!!! I want one so bad.
Just go to the jeweler! Better to do that than risk infection from carving your cartilage.
Also, HI!
Posted by: Jurgen Nation | June 13, 2007 02:30 PM
1. Love the pic of you. Verrry artistic looking, and just cool with the nose ring in!
2. Thank you for my presents! Yay! What a surprise. Good thing I didn't send you a piece of hate email last week about not having my runner-up prize yet! :-)
3. Go to the jeweler. You don't want to mess up and end up having plastic surgery do you? I thought not. :-P
Posted by: Jayleigh | June 13, 2007 02:41 PM
Geez girl, no wonder it hurt!! I'd go back to the jeweller and get it redone professionally.
Posted by: Laura | June 13, 2007 02:42 PM
UGH Jes I want to hurl just thinking of you doing that for two hours over two nights. In fact I think I just dry heaved a bit. GO GET A PROFESSIONAL TO FIX IT (at least more professional than you in a bathroom, they have a chair and whatnot).
Posted by: Katie | June 13, 2007 03:24 PM
I'm crying in sympathetic pain over here. I pierced my nose last December, and I've changed the jewelry twice. I switched from the screw to a diamond with a small bulb at the end. It hurts a little going in and coming out, but no chance of screwing into the cartilage. Owowowowow....
Posted by: Jhianna | June 13, 2007 04:41 PM
My eyes are watering reading this post.
GET IT RE-PIERCED.
I'm not yelling, just emphatic.
All I can think of is infection.
That and pain. OUCH!
Posted by: OMSH | June 13, 2007 04:59 PM
Dear God! Get it professionally done! DO NOT PIERCE THINGS YOURSELF!!! Bad Bad Bad!
Posted by: Courtney | June 13, 2007 07:09 PM
AAAAAAAH!!!!
For the love of all that is holy, get it re-pierced. And make sure it stays clean in the meantime.
I mean. Gaaaah!
Squick!
Posted by: Manchuria | June 13, 2007 10:24 PM
Ha! I recently tried to do the same thing with my sort-of closed belly button ring hole, and it was...well, it was painful.
Get it repierced by a professional, Jes! And I should really take my own advice!
Posted by: metalia | June 13, 2007 10:51 PM
Choose the second option.
You are so cool wearing that diamond nose pin. I swear that really matches with your bright eyes.
Roger is sweet...
Posted by: PRETTY IN THE CITY | June 13, 2007 10:59 PM
Go it re-pierced. And take me with you. 8)
Posted by: Jules | June 13, 2007 11:47 PM
Whoa. Take it from someone who has had infections from ear piercing...get it re-pierced. Really.
And I'd always wanted to ask someone with a nose piecing - what happens when you get a cold?
Posted by: Ki | June 14, 2007 12:55 AM
Ki: Heee. This is probably the most frequent question that I get about my nose ring. The answer? Nothing! Having a cold is just the same as it is without a piercing. Since the wire is so thin, snot doesn't get caught up on it or anything (that would be gross).
Posted by: jes | June 14, 2007 08:46 AM
Yeah, get it repiereced. I had to take out my tragus piercing once due to circumstances that I'd die before blogging about, and it wouldn't go back in. So I drunkenly got it repierced this one night in NYC.
But now of course I'd like to change the earing that is in there, but I can't figure out how to get it out. But that's a whole different subject.
In closing, get it repierced. The end.
Posted by: Heather B. | June 14, 2007 11:44 AM
Wait a few weeks. Come work with me, and you can get it repierced and not worry about having to take it out.
Yay! Problem solved. :)
Posted by: my life is brilliant | June 14, 2007 01:18 PM
MLIB: Dude, if that happens, I'm so taking you out for a steak dinner. Or, wait. You're not vegetarian, are you? I don't remember. If you are, I'll take you...to Farmer's Market. And buy you lots of vegetables. Good ones. Plump, juicy ones. And fruit, too. Because I'm flashy like that.
Posted by: jes | June 14, 2007 01:26 PM
hmm. I say a professional so you don't waste anymore time.
On a side note, you look really really really beautiful in that picture. Gorgeous! The nose ring is SO flattering on your face. I've been wanting one for awhile now but I have a strange fear of having my nose pierced. So I will live vicariously through you, and Jordin Sparks, who is also gorgeous with her nose ring!
Posted by: girl from florida | June 15, 2007 07:15 AM
Just suck it up. Get something else pierced none of us can see.
The nose pierce fascinates me though. I look at them and wonder if it hurts to blow your nose.
My wife had her belly button pierced before she got pregnant with our 3rd. There's talk of re-piercing now that we are TOTALLY done with kids.
I do woner if anyone has something we all can't see pierced. Email me and let me know I'm curious.
Posted by: Edge | June 15, 2007 08:30 AM
i'm with everyone on this. get it re-pierced professionally because if it gets infected, your nose is NOT something you can easily hide when you get a hideous looking little bump right near your piercing. (i know this from experience).
also? hi! new reader here! =)
Posted by: mcgee | June 15, 2007 11:41 AM
Ouch. :)
Posted by: Zandria | June 20, 2007 11:37 AM
Oh hon, this is my first time reading...and I wish I had some good advice for you. I'm sure you've already made a decision since this post is not new, but I hope it wasn't too painful!
Posted by: Chas | June 23, 2007 11:27 PM