It’s been almost 5 months since I got the conchs done. It’s been an interesting experience and not entirely pleasant. I’ve spent most of the 5 months fighting pressure blisters. Until about two weeks ago they were on the back side of my ear. Then they just went away and things were pretty cool. I was sleeping on it some and it looked like they were going to heal. Then a few days ago I noticed that it was kind of red around the lower piercing in front. Now it’s blistered up some. Fuck.

I still have the barbells in and I’m going to keep it that way until I’m sure they’ve healed pretty well. I still think they’ll look bitchin’ when I get the CBRs in but I really don’t recommend a cartilege piercing for the faint of heart or those who aren’t up to constant maintenance for six months or so. I’m really glad I got both done at once because I honestly don’t think I’d have gotten the second one after the PITA of taking care of one.

I went by Warlock’s yesterday to see when Autumn thought I could change out the barbells for rings and she told me I have to wait at least another month and maybe 2. I have to be able to sleep on it before I can even think about swapping them. *pouts and looks dejected*

Last night I finally got around to getting my inner conches done. I got 2 done in my right ear with 14ga barbells for now. Johnson & Tasha came with me to take pictures and we rolled into Warlock’s about 9. There were 2 girls there getting navel rings (at least one was, I guess I’m not sure about the other one) and another girl getting a lobe piercing in front of me. I filled out the forms, ID, yada yada legal stuff. Autumn brought me in and we test fitted some rings then she put all the stuff in [the thing she still doesn't call an autoclave but I can never remember the name of]. I’m starting with barbells and will switch out to CBRs once the piercings are fully healed.

As usual, the actual piercings were pretty anti-climactic. Breath in, breath out,  needle through, jewelry in. She did the bottom first then the top. I will say that cartiledge is clearly tougher than  whatever earlobes are made out of. Autumn had to push pretty hard and where mine are is probably the thickest part of the conch.  As far as I know there wasn’t any blood. There definitely wasn’t any popping sound. There was pain but it was bearable — for the first I’d give it a 2/10 and the 2nd was probably a 2.5/10. As a comparison, I’d say the lobes piercings were 0.5/10 for the first 2 and maybe a 1/10 for the third one. There was a dull ache out of the top one for a while but nothing an ibuprofen didn’t take care of.

I went to bed a couple hours later and did sleep on my right side some during the night by putting the pillow above my ear. I did bang them a couple times during the night and that’ll wake you up. This morning there’s still a little ache from the top one but I can touch them (lightly) without it hurting. I cleaned them this morning and it didn’t make me cry like a little girl or anything.

Here are pictures. I’ll like them better once I get the rings in.

This is after she’d done the first one

And this is from this morning. Looking good so far…