I have been Apprenticing for a year and half. I have been piercing for just under a year, however I have done close to 85 Piercings. Never before have I had someone pass out on me while I was working alone, a few times with my mentor here, but they were in result from him.
At A Glance Author Robyn with a Y Contact [email protected] When It just happened Artist Robyn with a Y Studio B.D.T. Pipe and Tobacco Location Roseville, Mi These two girls walk in, one just fresh 18 and the other 19 or 20. Both wanting standard nostril piercings done with a nose bone rather than a captive ring. Paper work is done and Girl A steps into my chair. After piercing her successfully and getting the jewelry in we change up the clients to Girl B. This is also one of my first back to back piercings alone, (mind you I am only alone 3 hours a day), but it still isn't a big deal. Customers came in, so I helped them and went on to pierce the long awaiting Girl B.
All went well with the insertion of the needle, and onward with the bone. Just as I was about to start to clean the second girl up and send them on their way, Girl A falls on top of girl B and falls to the floor.
To my surprise seeing how it has been a good 20 minutes apart from her piercing, she went into shock. Knowing that we were out of smelling salt, I had to go to more basic tactics. I sat her up and had her friend hold her upright so she didn't choke on her spit or tongue or anything, and I proceeded to get a cold paper towel, and held it on to her head. I got her to come too and got her conscious enough to verbally help her start to breath again... with some deep breaths in and deep breaths out her color started to come back to the norm in her upper lip. Which this is my sign that she is going to be ok. I got her some m&m's to try to help replace the sugar from the the obvious lack of, and got her something cold to drink.
Girl A is fine and walked away happy and a little high per say. This was my first experience dealing with someone passing out when im here by myself... it was a little nerve wrecking, but it did help that she came to almost instantly.
never and i mean Never assume that your "piercie" is ok until they leave from your care. Don't ever turn your back and make sure that the room you are in is as ventilated, and chilled as you can have it, the heat effects them as well as the stale air. It was most definitely an experience i will never forget, and if it wasn't for my boss telling me these procedures to do in case of a pass out... I would have just stood there and the situation would have majorly been blown out of proportion.
I have taken advantage per say of all the easy piercings i have had in the past, and to tell you the truth, your not experienced or prepared for the piercing world until someone has fallen from a piercing you have done to them, it is almost like the first time you put a needle into someone, a whole new feeling, you turn from the sadistic, dominating nature to almost a caring comfort zone, being calm is the only way to get through this. Can you Imagen what would have happened if I would have flipped out?!?!?! When someone is in the chair they become your responsibility until they walk out your door, there is no other way to explain it. doing back to back piercings can be tricky trying to watch them both but i got lucky that they stayed in the same room and I had enough knowledge to know what to do. You can be book smart all you want but the real experience comes from the heart of the piercing room. Hands on action, and first hand experience.
Make sure you know what your doing before you even consider putting a new hole in somebody... ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT... but thats half the fun of it. Pain is Pleasure and Pleasure is Pain one with out the other means your just not doing it right..
I have come to realize if you go into a piercing with full confidence, the apocalypse could happen inside your room and as long as you don't doubt yourself on bit in that entire time, everything turns out ok and you can handle anything their body decides to throw at you. Whether it be a pass out, or a Niagra falls bleeder, or just plain someone so scared that they want you to pierce on their go not yours. Every one is different and everybody's body reacts to things in different ways, A big guy can come in a get his ear pierced at a 16g and you can watch him fall to the ground where as a little 100lb chica comes in and you can pierce her 5, 6 times and watch her walk out with a smile, Be prepared for anything... Piercing isn't your everyday tea party.