PURA D'OR REVIEW

So I was contacted by a company called Pura D'or and asked to try out some of their products for a review! They sent me a bottle of shampoo, conditioner, and Argan Oil. I will post pictures of the products below and give my review and description of each! :)

THIS IS A CRUELTY FREE PRODUCT!!!

This is the shampoo that Pura D'or sent me, and let me tell you something about how enchanting this smells. It doesn't have your typical Bath and Body Works scent, or the average fruity essence of other store bought brands. This shampoo actually has a fragrance reminiscent (to me at least) of hotel swimming pools. While the chlorine scent may not be for everyone, I think it's absolutely amazing. I've always liked the freshness of the smell, so this shampoo was a 10/10 in my book as far as that goes. It also doesn't take too incredibly much to coat my entire hair either, and it leaves it feeling very thick and very clean as well. I have relatively thick hair, not too heavy but not too thin either, and working any shampoo through my mane is a task in itself. The bottles are also the kind you pump instead of the kind you squeeze, just if you didn't already know. I don't know why, but I feel like that is important to state.

This is the conditioner that Pura D'or sent me along with the shampoo and Argan Oil. This is definitely my favorite of the trio because it smells like Lavender, and if you didn't know now you do; Lavender helps relieve stress, anxiety, and is calming. The scent on the bottle is Lavender Vanilla, but in all honestly it smells more like what Heaven would smell like if you packed it into a little bottle and sold it off as conditioner. The conditioner required me to use a bit more than the shampoo did because my thick hair took a lot of working through to saturate. So if your hair is thick, definitely be generous in your usage of this product. It did however leave, not only a majestic scent that wafted from my head all day long, but a luster in my hair that I haven't seen in quite some time. I rate this overall a 9/10, only because it requires so much to envelope my entire head...sigh, such is life.

Last is the Argan Oil, and I have a few pointers when using this product. I'm very forgetful when it comes to moisturizing my exceedingly dry skin; which is only exceedingly dry because the weather in good ole Texas is confused and goes through four seasons in one week. The Argan Oil really only takes a pump or two to cover your entire face and neck and about the same amount per arm and leg. With this product, if you wear makeup, I suggest putting it on at night to ensure soft skin throughout the next day. HOWEVER; I don't advise that you put this on right before doing your makeup. I tried it out to see if it would help the makeup glide on smoother, but it actually made the base and foundation blotchy. It's great for making your skin soft and ready for makeup the next morning if you put it on overnight though. I rate this a 9/10 simply because it's awesome but I wish desperately that it didn't make my makeup blotchy and hard to wipe off.

Watch my unscripted live action review right here.

Also you should check out my twitter and my instagram because I NEVER tweet but I do occasionally post my face on the instaweb!

Twitter/Instagram; @msmichellevegas

Also check out the company's website here: Pura D'or Website

 Thanks for reading this post and I will make sure to share some more of my fun adventures, reviews, and advice with you guys soon!

-Michelle

Anxiety and Panic Attacks and Depression; My 4 Year Journey

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER: msmichellevegas


So aside from blogging about piercings and tattoos like I normally do I decided a good blog to do this time around would be over my anxiety, my panic attacks, what has caused me to have them...and well...the unwanted depression they can cause! So I'll start out by saying it before this whole blog begins; I HAVE EMETOPHOBIA!!!

Even the word is so terrible I hate it. BUT! You may or may not know what that means so let me help you better understand. As you can clearly see at the end of the word, it is a PHOBIA. This means that it is an extreme and even irrational fear of something. What you may ask? "EMET" also known as...THROWING UP. VOMIT. EW EW EW.

Okay so while that is a tad unprofessional on the blogger's end, if you haven't put the two together I have an extreme, and yes irrational fear, of throwing up. I don't like doing it, I don't like seeing it, and I don't like being around, hearing, or even thinking about it. It is the worst thing I could ever imagine or the most sinful act I could ever be a part of. Or so I feel anyway. That is not necessarily true but it sure does feel like it. The problem with this phobia, like many, is that it is a part of every day life. Not MY everyday life, not YOUR everyday life, but the world's every day life. You don't throw up every day from being sick or having a severe or serious stomach bug, but the act itself happens every around the world every single day in some way.

So why does it bother me so much? I can't really tell you. That is the huge problem with having a phobia of something so rational. It's like the fear of death, or spiders. Can't you prevent it, or...them? No you can't. Every one dies, spiders are everywhere, life is hard. Boo.

My huge problem with having emetophobia, which by the way I didn't develop until after I finished high school, is that it caused me to have anxiety and panic attacks. I started to be so afraid of throwing up that I became anxious EVERY WAKING MOMENT that I would somehow get sick and throw up. That caused me to have panic attacks anytime my stomach made a funny noise, or my tummy got upset, or that my throat was dry and scratchy. This new development caused me to have AGORAPHOBIA.

This means I started panicking about going out into society and being trapped. I was worried if I was in the car and got sick I wouldn't have any way out. Or if I was in the store and got sick I would freak out and die after violently throwing up. AND NO ONE WOULD HELP ME!!!

I literally spent weeks in the house, lounging around or sitting outside on the grass when the weather was nice. I hated going anywhere besides my house. I would hardly eat and I even dropped a few pounds (by the time I started getting a little better I think my weight dropped a solid 8 or 9 pounds) because literally all I would eat was little spoonfuls here and there and a piece of bread every night that way if my stomach got upset the bread would help absorb it. Yeah, emetophobic logic right?

Eventually though, I got over this little phase and began to go out more and eventually started getting a little better a little at a time. I remember when my father passed I had cried so hard and so much because my mother was so distraught, and that was intensely upsetting to me, that I actually had been clenching my teeth for hours on end. I had developed a serious headache which became a migraine by the next day and it freaked me out. I tend to get severe headaches when I actually get nauseous so headaches can be pretty intimidating to me sometimes.

I then ended up in a terrible relationship about 3 months after with this abusive guy who would push me around and torment me for stupid stuff. Somehow though, I managed to go to California with him (prior to the beatings I would start receiving while there) and stayed there for a month. It was a crazy experience, and while California was nice, my anxiety was still something I dealt with daily. It wasn't as bad, but when I look back on it, I don't know if I could do it again.

Once I returned home from California, and ended up leaving that horrible waste of my time, I started talking to my doctor about my panic attacks, which were less frequent, and my anxiety and what caused them. She summed it up to low blood sugar and did some test that revealed that I was in fact hypoglycemic. Yay right? Weird thing is, I already felt like I had some minor medical issue with my blood sugar and already could tell the DISTINCT difference between low blood sugar and an anxiety attack.

Eventually though she prescribed me some medication and a therapist. The medication was not in the least bit helpful. It actually made me feel worse. I get that for the first two weeks you have a few side effects until your body becomes adjusted to them but they made me feel so TERRIBLE. I literally felt sick at my stomach the entire time and the whole point of being on these meds was to help my anxiety and panic attacks, not cause them. Safe to say they didn't long. So I got off of those preeeetttyyy quick.

Not too mention they made me incredibly depressed and I regret EVER taking them (twice! I took them twice, once in 2012 and once in 2014 <<< bad idea).

Anyways, the therapist she had recommended wasn't something I could really afford at the time either, so I went through a small phase of searching and calling around for other therapist in the area who could possibly take my insurance but I still would have had to pay a co-pay and I just didn't have the money at the time to be doing that.

So I ended up getting a job at the end of 2012 and it took my mind off of things for the most part, but everyday was still a struggle because if I even felt a little off or queasy then I would freak out and start having anxiety. Anyway, I started saving up to return to school and shortly after quitting in mid 2013 I did return to school. It was all fine and dandy and by this time I learned to deal pretty well with my anxiety, my panic attacks and my emetophobia...and the occasional depression it caused of not being able to participate in fun activities with my friends.

The end of 2013 rolls around and I find out someone was 'Catfishing' all these people with my photos and basically was pretending to be me. I met my boyfriend (officially one year on the 5th of February!!) and my baby daddy (Our little girl will be here in late March-she was what happened in Vegas :P) and ended up going on a crazy year in 2014.

My significant other, I found out, also suffers from anxiety, panic attacks, and sometimes goes through phases of depression. Just like me! What's even cooler....or...not really cool cause it sucks to have it but kind of cool because it's like we are soul mates almost...he also has EMETOPHOBIA AND AGORAPHOBIA. We both have the same fears, except his is still in its earlier stages and mine is something I have learned to tolerate and manage.

He has barely had it for 2 years but like mine it started AFTER high school. His is still in the stages of where he can't travel TOO FAR from home, or outside of Las Vegas or even to the busier parts like the strip and fremont street just for the simple fact that he is terrified he may get stuck in traffic and be sick.

So...I'm sure you're wondering about the whole pregnant thing...yeah, I am 8 months along currently and everyday is horrifying. I have the very real fear that I could eat something and throw up later on, or that my daughter could kick me and cause me to be nauseated. While I have dealt with the minor nausea and fear or throwing up, I was prescribed some Zofran (which is now my new favorite, sorry Phenergan/Promethazane) and it helps instantly settle my stomach. HOWEVER, in all my eight months I have not thrown up and am hoping not too while in labor...which yes...for someone with immense anxiety like mine and the overwhelming fear of vomit...is EXTREMELY UNSETTLING.

Sadly since I live in Texas and dad lives in Vegas (which I have traveled to see him both times, the first time <<when the bun was made>> was with a friend and the second time <<about 23 weeks pregnant>> was alone...which yes, I did panic the whole time there and back) I have been doing this all alone. It is scary, and my life in 2014 was an intense roller coaster of emotion and depression.

I have dealt with severe depression since being pregnant, as I cannot participate in ANYTHING. So none of my friends hit me up for anything other than asking to borrow my ID for the clubs or to buy them alcohol, which I say no too or just flat out don't respond. I may just be emotional from being Preggy Hill, but I feel like it's been a real eye opener to the fact that my friends haven't really ever needed me other than for rides to social events.

So I have one true friends, my family, my daughter, and my significant other. While I still battle intense emetophobia, and while I still wonder if I will ever get over it like some of the inspirational stories I have read elsewhere of people doing so, I take it day by day and hope for the best.

I can't really talk to my mom about it, because she doesn't understand it...no one in my family does. It's almost taboo...like..."it's all in your head, you're making it up, just get over it"...

Sad thing is...is that it is all in my head. It's my worst fear. It's not rational, it's not a NOTICEABLE illness. It's almost like it's hidden...like it's silent, but the worst part of it is...is it's very real. I have become my own worst enemy and for anyone with anxiety or depression or a phobia, you know what I mean.

Fighting with yourself everyday is so hard.

But that is why I wrote this blog. I know that I've dealt with it and come a long way in dealing with it by myself and without medications and while I may not be a therapist, if I can even help one person who has it that would be awesome. I know there are people out there who are paid to do this but...I really wish I could talk to someone who actually HAS a disorder similar to mine, or who HAS what I have...

because I'm tired of being asked, "What's the worse that could happen?"

That's just it...nothing.

Nothing is the worse that could happen.

I know that NOTHING serious could happen from throwing up...but that's not the point...
The point is...I'm very afraid of it happening.

I will continue to update this blog as time progress and I hope anyone out there who is struggling with this or needs help with anxiety and depression or anything reads this...even if you're older than me, even if you're younger than me...

feel free to email me for questions or anything @

catacatlysmic@live.com

xoxo-Michelle

HOW TO: Convince Your Parents to let you have a Piercing

 How To; Convince Your Parents

I will start off by saying first and foremost "Just Doing It" or "Doing it Anyway" is not something I recommend, but I would be calling the kettle black if I said I didn't do this once in my lifetime.

So you want your parents to let you have a piercing, but you have no idea how to convince them or everything you have already tried has done you dirty? Don't fret ghouls and girls I have a few pointers that may (or may not) help you out a little in pushing your parents towards letting you have one.
I will link my YouTube video discussing these pointers as well to this blog so you can watch it and whatnot, (do that here >>>> RIGHT HERE! but in this blog I will give a few examples of what I mean as opposed to just "My 5 Key Pointers".
That, however, is where we will start off;

Michelle's 5 Key Pointers to Convince Your Parents to let You get Pierced.

• #1. Have an Educated Speech:
• #2. Best Time for the Piercing (Especially if still in school)
• #3. Stipulate a Contract or Agreement
• #4. Show Pictures and Discuss how it can be Hidden or Covered
• #5. Explain Process and Maybe even go to Parlors

Lets just start off at number and 1 and go down the list. I will break down everything stated above so hold on to your socks!

Have and Educated Speech

If you just go to your parents and say... "I really want one", "They're not even that bad", "So and so has one", "I can always just take it out if it becomes a big problem", and hoopblah like that, there is no reason your parents should be swayed on letting you get your body stabbed. That's whiny and sounds very bratty (for one) and a little irresponsible even. So the best thing you can do is go with a list of educated facts and sit them down, explaining why you should be able to get the piercing and why it really isn't "That big of a deal".
If you are trying to sway your parents on letting you get snakebites, then make sure you can dish out just about every fact you know (or researched on a legitimate body mod website) about the piercing. Set up a table that weighs out the pros and cons.

Pros; Its a set of oral piercings located on the lower lip. Oral piercings tend to heal easily and aren't a huge hassle to take care of. (Continue list here)

Cons; The lip can sometimes swell up a lot and make the bars uncomfortable (BUT luckily sipping on a cold Icee or Slurpee helps reduce a lot of that swelling.) -(Continue list here)

You get the picture. Basically just make sure you let them know everything you can possibly let them know about it and so on.

Best Time to Get Pierced

 If you are trying to convince your parents to let you get a piercing my next most immediate thought (after you being under the age of legal consent to sign the papers yourself) is that you're still in school. Whether it is fast approaching high school or high school itself (as usually you have to be at LEAST 15 with parental consent to get a piercing) you must still be studying at the institution. So with that being said, there is usually a good time to get pierced, instead of getting pierced in the middle of the school year and having to hide it or take it out. Some schools don't mind piercings but others have strict dress code rules against (I know my high school did). If you are in school, tell your parents the average healing time of a piercing you are trying or wanting to get, and tell them what you think is the best time to get it.
Unless it is a tongue ring or a septum, or something easily hidden by clothes, I would recommend that you suggest getting it during a break of at least 2 weeks. So usually around December holidays or during the summer.

Stipulate a Contract or Agreement

 Sometimes it takes a fair trade to convince parents to let you have something. This method of earning it not only gets you a piercing (or whatever else you may want) but also guarantees your parents that you will do something in return. Now don't get me wrong parents may lie sometimes and agree to let you get a piercing in exchange for one favor or another (usually to your benefit whether its grades or other) but that would be teaching bad morals like lying! ):< So hopefully the agreement you both reach is valid and you can work something out to satisfy your piercing wants.

Show A Picture and Explain How to Cover/Hide It

Sometimes a really effective way to convince them its not that bad is to show them what it actually looks like. It can be really beneficial to just show a picture of the piercing in place on a person (don't show them someone heavily pierced, just maybe that one piercing) and explain how it can easily be hidden. I know my parents were very anti nose ring and also very anti microdermal but upon actually seeing how little and cute the piercing was they didn't mind it all that much. So sometimes the best thing to do is rub it in their face. In the nicest way of course!

Explain Process and Introduce to Parlors

Let them know the process of the piercing. This includes the actual piercing process, explain how it is sterilize, done, and taken care of. It's always good to have information on how the piercing is done and the healing time of it. If you need any help explaining, try to convince your parents to go to a parlor with you and talk to a piercer. The professionals are trained to handle situations like this. If you get stabbed they get paid, and who doesn't like getting paid to stab someone else. (LOL totally serial killer)

These are the best pointers I can offer to help you swoon your parental units. I did not including convincing them on ear stretching, as I find it to be a totally different ballpark and I find that many people don't know the best ways to go about it so that may end up being an entirely other post all its own.

If you have any questions or need any advice however, feel free to email me at;

catacatlysmic@live.com

Or you can follow my social media links! :)

Insta; catacatlysmic
Twitter;  MsMichelleVegas
YouTube; Michelle Vegas

Again thanks for reading and stay spooky!! :)

So You Want a DIY Piercing?

So you're thinking about a getting a new piercing? You're thinking a lip ring would look good, or maybe a cute nose ring because that one girl you saw at wal mart had one. You really, really, REALLY want one, but don't want to the pay price to get it done at a shop.
I would first and foremost like to say I do NOT recommend piercing yourself if you have no experience or training and are just doing it at home without taking necessary steps in precaution. That is why people take their time in learning and getting licensed to do piercings. I do know however (as I myself have gone through the periods/phases of REALLY wanting a piercing at a much cheaper price than shop prices) that no matter what a licensed professional, myself, or anyone else says there are people out there who are so dead set and determined to be pierced and will do it at home by themselves or a friend or someone else who pierces everyone and so on...So I am writing this blog to help those who will be receiving a do it yourself piercing practice safer methods and hopefully promote why getting a professional to do the piercing is so much easier in the long run. Like I said though, no matter what, there will always be people who choose doing it themselves. Which brings us to the blog...

SO YOU WANT A DIY PIERCING?

Do it yourself piercings make me hold my head and go errrgh!!! But I have done them myself on multiple occasions. Usually whenever my parents didn't want to give me consent to get them professionally done. So lets start there. If your parents are NOT willing to give their consent and you are under the age of 18 (unless your local shop has a different age of consent) I do no recommend or condone piercing yourself. If anything, before you just do it, I suggest trying to convince them why the piercing is okay, or why you think you should be allowed to have the piercing etc. etc. I will discuss how to convince your parents to let you have a piercing in another blog later on.
I did all of my facial piercings other than my microdermal which was done at a shop. My venoms were also done at a shop. I've had my canines pierced time and time again, and there is plenty of scare tissue that had built up, so when I finally repierced them this last time, I used a 13.5g needle to accommodate my 14g studs on my angel bites, and the snakebites are 16g. My septum is a 16g, and my nostril are pierced at a 22g. ((I did study at a tattoo parlor where I learned how to perform piercings/about cross contamination/sterilization of tools)).

So what I recommend doing first if you're going to pierce yourself is to make a check list of the appropriate tools required, an effective method of sterilization, and proper instructions for aftercare of the piercing. I cannot stress enough how unsafe it is to use a "safety" pin for piercing yourself, or using a needle that is not appropriately packaged. There are several places online to buy sterilized packaged needles, and even at a local tattoo/piercing store or kiosk. Buy the disposable, inexpensive clamps if you are not willing to put forth a little more money for the metal ones.
NEVER RE-USE NEEDLES ((OR CLAMPS THAT ARE NOT PROPERLY AND I MEAN PROPERLY STERILIZED))

Since it's an at home piercing, I cannot stress enough how important it is that everything is sterile. Do not use needles that are not packaged upon purchase as they are likely not sterile. Piercings are different, and sometimes piercings sold at kiosks or shopping malls etc. are not pre-packaged. It is essential that you soak these in rubbing alcohol to rid them of germs and bacteria that may be on the metal. Make sure your clamps are clean also.

PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING UNHOLY WEAR GLOVES!!!

Even cosmetic gloves sold at little beauty shops will do. Wash your hands before anything and properly dry them but I do suggest wearing gloves. You can even order boxes of "piercing/medical" gloves online for super cheap.

All the jewelry ((Excluding microdermal)) seen here was purchased at a small shop in my town for 10$. Yep, ten whole dollars, WHAT?! The needles for all jewelry...5$. The box of 100 extra small gloves that I use anytime I pierce myself...8$. The clamps I use for myself...12$. So it's really all within a reasonable budget. All about 35$, which in my town is about the base charge of a single piercing at a parlor in my town. While I understand it is cheaper to do it yourself, the risk can be far greater. If you don't believe me, just look up infected piercings.

Before anyone brings it up, I would just like to say, sometimes a shop does a piercing that gets infected and whether it is the shops piercer's fault or the after care of the piercee it is not a beautiful thing. Not all DIY piercings end in infections. Just to be clear.

Aftercare of piercings varies depending where it is located obviously. So I won't go over that in this blog. Prior care to piercings, meaning the proper sterilization of the area about to be stabbed is important however. If you are a female...CLEAN OFF ALL MAKEUP FROM THE AREA. Shower first, or use a good makeup remover and clean clean clean the area. Afterwards, run over it with an alcohol swab. Make sure it is clean of any makeup, dirt, or whatever else like sweat.
Boys...pretty much the same goes for you. Clean the area thoroughly and rid yourself of any dirt or sweat or makeup or whatever you wear.

If it is an oral piercing then please rinse your mouth with an alcohol based mouth wash for 30 seconds. Don't be nasty.

I do recommend using clamps instead of just stabbing yourself in the face or wherever and using your fingers to hold the skin. I know clamps are poopy and uncomfortable but please bite the bullet and use them.
I don't suggest piercing friends especially without prior experience, knowledge, or know-how. People are trained and get paid to do this. Infections can occur and they suck.

I don't really have Q&A for this one. I tend to let people ask me on their own about this subject. With that being said, if you have any questions about DIY piercings, feel free to email me at catacatlysmic@live.com and follow my new YoutTube channel where I will post videos about my blog/life/tattoos,piercings and the like!!


YOUTUBE CHANNEL

HOW TO PIERCE YOURSELF VIDEO

Its not fancy or nothing yet so don't laugh >:|

Like I said though, if you are about to pierce yourself or someone else and have any questions about any part of the process ((healing, aftercare, prior care, clamps, needles, hoopblah)) please email and don't be afraid to ask!!! Thanks to all the people who read my blog! I appreciate it! I will be making a video going over this blog soon! :)

-michelle

My Microdermal(s) and Accidental Hiatus

Sorry for being gone for so long. Don't be mad, instead enjoy a picture of my hairy, curled up pussweh.

Okay, so sorry for the long accidental hiatus. What I mean by accidental is I totally forgot to check my email related to this blog, as well as I forgot having the blog all together. Until recently, I was quite busy with work and school, a little bit of life on the side, I just completely forgot that I was chronicling my piercing journey. Just a couple of days ago I got asked about all my piercings while walking around the mall and it reminded me hey! I totally was blogging over that very subject like a year ago. So here I am, reading through the several emails that I received and completely forgot to answer ((SORRY SORRY SORRY)), and noticing that my blog got a pretty decent amount of views in the year I was away. 

With that being said (or typed), I also decided I would start VLOGGING to go along with my blog and hopefully it will help me keep track of my actual blog better. So once I start my Youtube Channel and all that good stuff I will link my videos in my blog and link my blog in my videos. :D

Anyway, it's time to get back to the point of this post.

MY MICRODERMAL(S)

So if you're thinking about getting a microdermal (sorry for the crappy close up I had to crop), here is the best advice I can give you about the actual piercing, the healing time, the two different ways I've had it pierced (and the first ones removal), and the cleaning/after care.

I unfortunately don't have pictures of when I first got my microdermal, but I will put what few pictures I do have where you can actually see the piercing and my hair isn't in the way. 

So microdermals, also referred to as dermal anchors, are piercings that do not have an entrance and an exit. What I mean by that is that it hooks into place (thus being an anchor) and only requires one puncture wound. The nifty part about dermal anchors is you can get them practically anywhere on your body. Near the eye, on the clavicle (collar bones), nape of the neck, hips, back or wherever else your little heart desires. 

I think these are fabulous piercings, not high maintenance and pretty subtle. The piercing process is relatively fast if your piercer decides to biopsy punch  rather than use the bevel of the needle to create the space in which the piercing will sit. I have had two microdermals, each done by a different piercer, and have experienced both of these methods. 

(If you have experienced a dermal anchor another way that is also effective I would love to hear about it! [:)

In short, I prefer biopsy punch and will explain why as soon as I go over the other method and why I didn't feel it was quite as efficient nor would I recommend it. The bevel of a needle, for those of you who are wanting an anchor as a first piercing and have no prior piercings or experience with them, is the sharp point of the hollow needle. When getting a microdermal done this way, the piercer uses the bevel of the needle (not the whole needle) to create a pocket, basically, in your skin. Roughly half of the bevel is used to create this pocket, not the whole bevel in my experience. The piercer will create a T-shape, as that is how dermal anchors look.

(On a side note before I continue; There are a few places I have come across that are starting to use jewelry for the dermal anchors that are more T-shaped with both sides of the anchor being equivalent in length instead of one short side. It has come to my attention that these are to try and help the piercings from migrating and rejecting from some people's skin.)

Once the pocket is created the piercer will work the anchor into place and kind of give it a little twist until it POPS! into the correct position! The only reason I highly recommend biopsy punching as opposed to this method is because with biopsy punching its not as much trauma (in my opinion), less likely to bruise if you have sensitive skin, and I feel the healing time is faster and the soreness afterwards is substantially less.

I took out my first dermal due to professional reasons and I removed it myself. I do not recommend removing your own dermal if you have no experience with piercings and the care they require to not receive infection. If you have a microdermal you want removed I highly suggest going to your original piercer (or another trained professional) and having them remove it for you with proper instructions on aftercare.

With my second one, as I will show you below in a selfie, I got the amazing biopsy punch!

This is many months after receiving it and it being perfectly healed. I did not receive it on the same side as my last. Moving on, the initial piercing time, healing time, and soreness of the piercing was a thousand times faster, better, and easier than the first. A biopsy punch, for those of you who don't know, is basically a hole punch for your skin. For dermals, since they are really tiny piercings, the biopsy punch is not large. If you question what they look like I will post a picture below as soon as I am done describing them for those who are curious. It is, like I said, a hole punch for skin instead of paper. Your piercer will inform you about them if you have any other questions, but to get the big question of how does it work out of the way...

the circular bottom of the tool is very, razor, sharp. It only takes a little bit of effort on the professional's side, a few little twists and BOOM! A little chunk of your skin is removed in no time, allowing for your piercer to have easy access when placing your dermal anchor. 

This was the fastest part of the piercing for me, while setting it only took a hair longer. The piercer does have to set it properly, usually feeling a little click (you'll probably feel it too). 

The first piercer that did my dermal said biopsy punches created too much open space, causing the piercing to be more susceptible to infection, but I feel as long as you clean them properly you should be just fine and your piercer will give you specific instructions on care. Just follow them properly like I said. 

The healing time on this piercing, I would say was roughly two weeks for me. I estimate that by the piercings soreness, the time it took for the crusties to go away, and just the overall feeling of me not having to clean the piercing twice a day. When you first get a dermal done, you will be careful to not wash or dry your face roughly when cleaning your makeup (if you're a girl) and showering, and to not lay on the side where it is pierced for a little while. Cleaning with sea salt spray on a Q-tip, or getting a little cup of water with sea salt and running it over the piercing is a gentle and effective way to clean the piercing and get rid of the crusties that form. Like I said your piercer will really recommend the proper way for you to clean it. I do HIGHLY recommend after it is healed to clean it thoroughly at least once a week. The dead skin, dirt, and whatever else is on your face will buildup around the stud and stinks like ear cheese if you don't clean it. :x

Overall, this has been my experience with both of my dermal anchors, how I would recommend caring for them and how I cared for mine, and the best advice I can give about wanting one and how the whole process of pierce time to heal time goes!!

Now for Q&A

Q; Does a biopsy punch hurt more than a bevel?

A; In my opinion not one bit. I think all piercings pain level depends on the pain tolerance the person receiving it has. I'd rather be biopsy punched and the pain be quick and simple than have a needle consistently dug into my face.

Q; How do they set the anchor?

A; Your piercer will twist and wiggle the piercing until they feel what seems like a little "click" letting them know the piercing is place. It does tug on the skin a little and for me has been the longest part of the piercing, and it usually doesn't take more than a minute.

 Q; What does migrating or rejecting mean?

A; Sometimes, even when a piercing is done correctly, the body/skin does not accept the piercing and will cause it to migrate or move closer to the surface of the skin. This is your body rejecting the piercing. If this starts happening I highly suggest a visit to your piercer.

Q; Can you change the top of the jewelry?

A; Yes! The tops typically screw off the anchor and can be replaced with new studs!

Q; Do you recommend any part of the body over another part for this piercing?

A; Absolutely not. Your body, your rules. I think dermals anywhere are cute.

Q; Mine wiggles a little bit, is that normal or safe?

A; I have had no problems with mine wiggling around. Unless it is to the point where the anchor inside your skin is wiggling like a loose tooth, I wouldn't feel to worried. But if you are greatly concerned a call to the tattoo parlor can't be bad!

If you have anymore questions or if I haven't helped you decide if you want one or not, please feel free to email me at catacatlysmic@live.com, or follow me on instagram @catacatlysmics! I will start linking my youtube channel to this blog and will start linking my blog to my channel, where I will go over all three of my post again in a video and hopefully be more descriptive and answer anymore questions you guys have!! Again, I greatly apologize for slacking and not responding to the emails I had received. SO SORRY :,[ 

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!! :D

-Michelle.

Angelbites? Monroes?

Angel bites, double monroes, monroe piercings, whatever you call them! Lets discuss how they work and what their healing time and process is like! Whilst I sit here and smoke my life away, and at the same time realize how detrimental holding a cigarette in between my fingers is to my typing abilities, I figured I'd share my story about my angel bites, a.k.a. double monroes, healing process and how I like them. I don't quite have pictures or anything of the actual healing process itself, but I have several pictures of the bites!

As you can see I have relatively long bars in my angels, the kind that are typically used for healing, but that just leaves me room to make quite a few faces without the piercings suffocating my non existent lips. They get called antennas by my friends and boyfriend but what the hell ever. I'll just stab them in their stupid pupils next time I head butt the crap outta them for calling them antennas. Not all bars are this long though, so if you don't want to join my antenna group don't fret, there are shorter bars out there! Now lets talk about how I got these piercings and why I adore them so much!

As you can somewhat see, once upon a time like...2 years ago, I had only tiny blue ball on my face. Along with one tongue ring and two snakebites. Then after much hard thought, I decided to take out the snakebites and just keep the monroe. I personally think they are some of the cutest piercings you can have. They're simple little upper lip piercings that add just a dash of pizazz to your everyday wardrobe but.....

I didn't like the placement of my monroe at all. Granted I did it myself and at one time had all four, meaning angel bites and snakebites, it just sat too low on the lip area. So after having it out for about a full 10 1/2 minutes before getting my angel bites I decided I wanted to raise them up just a bit higher. The bites I have now still aren't quite as high as people get them but they're high enough to fit my liking.
Now I will say on the pain scale they're about a solid 5 or 6. Reason being, there is quite a few nerves on the upper lip and yes they weren't all that comfortable to get. They did make my eyes water and it was about 10 deep breaths later that I was ready to get the second side of my upper lip pierced. But to this day I love them quite a bit! I can't find any reason to complain! Not even the occasional getting the right end of the bar stuck under a tooth! It actually gives quite a cute expression and makes my lips seem pouty :c

This is their new placement and about I'd say....almost a full year later. They are fully healed, and don't cause any problems! They don't scratch against my gums, nor do they clink against my teeth! And I just cannot get over how much I love them as a team! ;p So now lets get into some of the healing process and then questions and answers!
They do swell just in case you're wondering! Not too incredibly bad, but enough to make you look like you got some lip injections! The bars given at the time of the piercing will be rather long and unpleasant looking, but its all in good favor! If they didn't give you long bars your new piercings would cut into your lip! Eating isn't a challenge at all with lip rings most of the time but there might be a thing or two that makes you rather unhappy! Drinking through straws shouldn't be a total pain in the ass but on a few occasions may make you cringe.
The first day shouldn't be all that bad as the swelling has only begun and the piercings haven't had to endure to much of your ravenous tossing and turning and rubbing your face into the pillow at nighttime! The second day, yes they will be swollen and no they might not be that pleasant but hey....its pretty, right?
The next couple of days are fairly the same as the second day with minimal interference in your everyday life! Like licking your lips on a hot day because they are chapped. Ouch!
After about a week the swelling reduces and the bars become more antenna like and protrude further out of your lip as it calms down from the trauma of the needle before forcefully asserted. (:
There is really no problem you should have dealing with this piercing or getting this piercing. The only thing is it might leave a small mark for some people. Whether you've had it for 2 days or had it for a lifetime, when you take them out the scar tissue will be there just like any piercing!
I'd say the healing process is about 2 weeks but I'd leave them in until the swelling is completely gone and they aren't sore to the touch or tender!

Question and Answer time!

Q; Did they hurt to get?
A; Yes, but not terribly!

Q; How do you care for them?
A; Like my own. But in all seriousness, rinsing with salt water and diluted mouthwash about twice a day is a good way to take care of them. I would also recommend using a q-tip with salt water or H20cean sea salt spray to clean around the top of the lip ring just in case you get crusties!

Q; How long do they take to heal?
A; Roughly two weeks!

Q; Why two at the same time? Is just getting one going to be about the same as getting two?
A; Because I love my symmetry! And while they are similar, I wouldn't say getting one is the same as getting two. Just simply for the fact that your lip is suffering more trauma while getting two of them!

Q; What if the bar is cutting into my lip on the bottom?
A; I would suggest trying to wear longer bars. If its cutting into the bottom of lip while still swollen because its a new piercing, I would talk to your piercer about the next step. If its cutting into your lip because the bar is to short after it is healed, try searching for longer bars. You don't want the skin to start trying to grow over it!

If you have any questions or feel like I should add something to this blog or this post email me at catacatlysmic@live.com! Follow my instagram @catacatlysmic or add my facebook;
https://www.facebook.com/catacatlysmic.


Thanks for reading, and let me know what I should blog about next? More piercings? Tattoos? Gauges and such?!

Stayed Inked and Pierced,
Michelle Michaelis <3

The Venom Bites

Watch my video where I talk about them and my other tongue ring here!

ALL ABOUT MY TONGUE PIERCINGS
 

 Okay, I figured since I get frequently asked to make a Youtube, or a blog, and occasionally a tumblr to discuss my piercings and their healing process and my hair and such that I would actually do it! So the first piercing I will discuss in this blog will be my venom bites and center tongue ring! Since everyone is asking about did they hurt, how long did it take for them to heal and are they safe to get, I decided to answer any questions and give the best advice about them that I could.So to start, here is a picture of the triplets.

Sorry for the lack of makeup and all, but this is the venoms after about 17 days. Like any tongue ring they will leave an indention on your tongue wherever they are setting. After about the first 8-10 days they were pretty much healed and eating became tons easier. The days before, however, are quite a different story. So, I will take you through the entire healing process day by day as much as I possibly can. Hopefully it will help you decide on whether you want (if you're looking into getting some) or if it might not be the right piercing for you. (Even if you're not looking into getting some and are just curious about having needles shoved into your tongue).
And if I leave out anything that you may be curious about then just shoot me an email to the address catacatlysmic@live.com and I will personally respond there, or if I feel it needs to be on the blog I shall update it! So lets begin!


Zero Day; Getting the Venoms.

This was about 30 minutes after getting the bites done. As you can see my middle tongue ring was taken out to do the piercing, just because I had a long bar in the center (because I was rocking a Bob Marley tongue ring that day) and it had quite a bit of space to wiggle around. We didn't want it to interfere with the piercings so we removed it before the initial marking of the tongue began. I will say that venoms hurt quite a bit more than a center tongue ring though; and this is why. ANATOMY MOMENT for all those considering getting venoms, just in case you didn't know...
The tongue is made up of two different muscles, which is why people who have their tongue split can move the sides separately, and unlike a center tongue ring, venoms actually go through the muscles instead of more or less in between them. A pain rating...I'd say about a 8 or 9, but I also have a decently high pain tolerance. The first needle wasn't all that bad, and the bleeding was minimal. The second was quite a bit worse, and the bleeding was more substantial but still nothing to crazy. Like with any oral piercing, I got a cold slurpee right after and when I finished that I went to munching on crushed ice. There was no swelling that night, and the pain didn't hit till the next day.

Day 1; Eating

This is the venoms the first night that I officially had them. Still not quite that swollen, but very painful! Eating that day was a challenge and I know they say not to eat anything to solid or harsh or whatever, but I tackled some chicken and fries that day. The rings didn't stop me from eating, but they definitely deterred me from the simple joy of chewing my food. Moving the food from one side of my mouth to the other was probably the hardest part of the ordeal. And like I said, its not because it was swollen in any way at that point, but it was incredibly sore to even attempt to use my tongue that much. Talking isn't as bad as everyone thinks its going to be having a three bars in your tongue, but speech wasn't something I really felt the need for that day either. If you can avoid talking for the first few days with venom bites, I would definitely do so! You will sound like a drunk person slurring and all, and the buildup they produce on the tongue makes it all the worse!

Day 2; Super SWOLEN!

Sorry for the grossness of my tongue in this pic, I had been drinking Fanta Red! But as you can see the swelling of my tongue by day 2 was quite horrendous! My tongue had swelled so much that my teeth actually caused divots on the edge! And yes, the buildup stays for a couple of days and eating became heaps harder! It wasn't anything I couldn't tolerate, but as stated earlier, since venom bites actually go through the muscles in your tongue, the swelling is pretty intense and the trauma to the tongue makes it a very unpleasant experience! My center tongue ring was fine and dandy but the bites were quite a nuisance for the next couple of days and the swelling didn't reduce for a few days either!

Day 6; Getting Better

This is the triplets at 6 days. As you can tell the swelling has reduced greatly and the movement and flexibility of my tongue was pretty much back to normal. Still not completely pain free, but we're going for the home stretch! The secret for most of the pain is anything cold, but not something you really have to work to melt if its frozen. Crushed ice and cold ice water, cold coffee or slurpees, even bahama bucks is pretty good for a swollen tongue! Popsicles, pushups, or any cream you have to chew and or lick is kind of stressful on the muscles of the tongue after the trauma venoms cause, so I would wait a full week before you dive into those frozen delights!

Day 10; Swelling Is Gone and Pain Free!

As you can see the piercings are even and doing wonderfully! :D The swelling is gone and the babies aren't in pain anymore. Granted they aren't 100 percent healed and shouldn't be at only 10 days, but they are about 80 percent healed and almost ready to be exchanged for shorter bars! While yes they get annoying after the swelling is down because the bars are big and such, they aren't going to get in your way of talking or eating (and by eating I mean you wont bite on them as much as you might knick your tooth every so often!)  The buildup on the tongue is gone and its loads easier to eat and move the food from one side of your mouth to the other. The muscles are still a little bit tender but not enough to cause any discomfort, which also makes it easier for you to brush off the residue and buildup your tongue does collect throughout you adventure in eating and drinking during the day. So as stated earlier, now that I have taken you through my venoms journey, I will answer a few questions that I get about them quite frequently!


Q; Did they hurt/How much did they hurt?
A; Yes they hurt quite a bit, I'd say about an 8 or 9 on the pain scale, but everyone's pain tolerance is different so if you can't handle discomfort or immense soreness it might not be the piercing for you.

Q; What's the healing time?
A; Approximately two weeks! They're pretty much good after the first 7-10 days, but leave the long bars in for about two weeks to ensure that they have healed fully and properly!

Q; Did you center tongue ring affect them at all?
A; Not in the least!

Q; What is eating like with venom bites?
A; The first week is a total annoyance, but then after that it becomes a lot easier to deal with! All in all, it sucks for a while, but in the end its like it never happened!

Q; Do you talk any differently having tongue rings?
A; Some people say its given them a lisp or made some words sound funny, but I've never had a problem!

Q; Is it a safe piercing to get?
A; Absolutely, but not every piercer may be comfortable doing them. Venoms go through the muscles in the tongue and on the sides instead of the center, so make sure you talk to your piercer before getting them about your veins, where they would be placed, and what angle may be best to insure sufficiency and avoidance of hitting anything important!

Q; How do I take care of them?
A; Your piercer should give you instructions as to how to, but the best way to take care of venoms is by washing with diluted mouthwash. You never want to wash with an alcohol based mouthwash right after getting a piercing done. For about the first 2 weeks wash with about 1/3 of mouthwash and 2/3 of water twice a day. Your mouth makes its own bacteria which is naturally going to help your piercings heal up efficiently and quickly.

Q; I've heard that your tongue can swell up so bad that you have to sleep propped up. Is that true?
A; No it is not. Yes with venoms the tongue can swell immensely, as you can even see in my picture from the second day, but in no way will your tongue swell so big you can't breathe properly and will have to sleep propped up. Happy sleeping.

Q; How long after they are pierced until I can play with them?
 A; I waited the full two weeks before I began the time consuming clicking of the rings against my teeth. I would say after about a week to ten days you should feel fine enough to move them, but I really wouldn't suggest doing too much until after they are fully healed. Messing with them too much, just like with any piercing, can slow the healing process.

Q; Did you ever have stinging on one side more than the other?
A; Yes I did! I had plenty of pain and stinging on the right side, as it was the side pierced second. Typically the side of the tongue pierced last will hurt more. It undergoes slightly more trauma than the first piercing simply because the blood is already rushing to the tongue, trying to heal and clot the first wound. It also really jolts the nerves, so yes, stinging isn't uncommon in one side more than another.

So that's my story about the infamous/famous at the same time...venoms bites! If you have any other questions like I said, email me at catacatlysmic@live.com where I can answer there or if I feel the question should be on the blog, I will post it and answer it here! What other piercings are you curious about? Or tattoos even? Or stretching ears? (: That's what this blog is dedicated too!

Thanks for reading!
Stay Inked and Pierced,

Michelle Michaelis. <3