At 55, I finally got my ears pierced

When was the first time I wore earrings... I think it was when I was in college.
I was excited to put them on, but my ears started to hurt (and if I loosened them, they would fall off), and eventually, I even got a headache, so I gave up.

Around the same time, I tried wearing pumps, but those were also a painful hell. I have thin insteps, narrow feet, and small heels. In pumps that couldn't secure my ankles, my feet would slide forward, and in the worst cases, I would get internal bleeding.

Fashion is patience, and I don't have that kind of patienceI thought.

When the depression I had been suffering from since my mid-30s started to improve, for some reason, I found myself in an accessory shop. 'Earrings are nice... I'm scared to get them pierced, but there are so many and it looks fun to choose, and I want something that doesn't hurt to wear. Once I'm in remission, I'll get my ears pierced,' I thought, looking forward to it. I was almost 40.

I went into remission shortly after that, but that wish was buried by the busyness of daily life. I didn't have the courage to pierce them myself. And yet, I didn't feel like scraping together the money to get it done at a clinic.I kept putting it off, thinking I wanted to get it done at some milestone when something was achieved.

That was 16 years ago (what?). In 2023, at 55 years old, my passion for piercings has flared up again!

Since I bought my first dress at 53, I hadn't worn the jeans I was so used to for a while, but I've been able to wear them again since around last year.Perhaps because I felt more at ease after starting to wear the clothes I wanted to wear, my clothing options have expanded.

Expensive clothes often have good designs and tailoring, but instead of longing for them and giving up, I was happy to learn thatI can enjoy wearing things even within my own reachas well.

I liked clothes with beautiful colors, but I hated being thought of as flashy, so I only wore safe things. I don't wear accessories because I don't like the feeling of them jangling against my skin. But I thought that with earrings, I could wear my favorite colors without any discomfort.

Furthermore, I was egged on by young people I met at a workshop who said, 'Let's get piercings!', and I was further spurred on by people I met at a daytime snack bar. The story about a participant's mother getting her ears pierced on her 60th birthday was wonderful. Emboldened, I was at a clinic the day after I went to the snack bar in mid-November. Momentum is important.

The workshop that egged me on is here ↓

The snack bar that spurred me on is this 'Manami Mama's Care Snack (held once a month)' ↓

My first time at a cosmetic surgery/plastic surgery clinic. It's the one closest to my house, a privately owned one.

When I was asked my age during the phone reservation, I answered with a self-deprecating laugh, 'Um, I'm 55.' It's embarrassing, even though I should have just said it normally.

I was guided from the reception to a small private room.
(It's a private room... It's a relief not to have to face other people.) I filled out the medical questionnaire and waited for the doctor.

Flyers for the latest beauty equipment were posted on the walls. On the table were explanations of the procedures and a price list.
(There are so many menus... I'd like to try facial cleansing at least once... It's less than 10,000 yen... Oh, only for the first timeI see...) As I was looking at it, the doctor appeared.

He was a plain-looking doctor in his 40s, and his way of speaking was also plain, which was a relief. Sorry for calling him plain! If a cool-looking young person had given me a rapid-fire explanation, I would have either been overwhelmed or turned off, so it was really good.

'It won't stabilize for about a year, so please wear earrings during the day as much as possible. Also, it's good to wear the first earrings sometimes. The post is thick, so the hole will stabilize.' I see. I was glad I asked because I thought you didn't wear the first earrings after the procedure. At this point, the doctor left the room.

Next, I chose my first earrings. At this age, I never know when a funeral might come up, so I was thinking of going with pearls, but...They're so small! They're about 20% smaller than I thought.The diameter is the same, but they look smaller because they are spheres.

Instead, what caught my eye was blue zircon. It was a beautiful mix of light blue, almost blue, with a touch of green. If I'm not going to use disposable ones, I want to choose a color I love.It was a moment where preference won over practicality. I was so excited.Please, no funerals! (If a funeral does come up, a fellow noter taught me how to hide them. So grateful.)

I signed the papers and chose my earrings. There's no turning back now (my heart is racing).

The doctor appeared again. Along with the earrings, he had a tool that looked like a toy gun. We decided on the placement of the holes. There was a 0.3mm tug-of-war (lol) between me, who said, 'I want them in the middle because I'm afraid they'll get caught and tear,' and the doctor, who said, 'They look cooler lower down,' and we settled on slightly below the middle.

He placed the tool, and with a 'click' sound, the holes were made and the earrings were inserted. He repeated this on the other ear, and it was over. The pain was like a momentary pinch from an injection. I received some antibiotic ointment and headed home.

There was no bleeding, and while a throbbing pain remained, it subsided after about an hour. My earlobes were predictably red and slightly swollen. My appointment was in the evening, and that day I thought, 'There's no way I can rotate or move these earrings!', but by the next morning, the swelling had gone down. Once the swelling subsided, I could push the earring from behind the ear to make the front pop out, which made it possible to rotate the earrings and apply the ointment with a cotton swab.

When I look in the mirror, my favorite color is shining there. I am very satisfied that something I had put off for so long has finally been realized. It's truly comfortable, and I don't even notice I'm wearing them.

This year has been full of various, and truly important, encounters, and it has become a year where I've taken a step into a new stage of life. Getting my ears pierced here and opening the door to enjoying accessories has become a wonderful memento.

At 55, this autumn, I've learned that just because I lack patience doesn't mean I have to give up on fashion. I'm excited to continue wearing beautiful colors and enjoying my own style even more.