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I am a fainter.
It is not dainty or feminine, like Victorian literature would have you believe. In fact, it is super unpleasant and embarrassing. Thank God YouTube didn’t exist at the time I did a spectacular face-plant in the lobby of my pediatrician’s office—at the age of twenty, no less—after receiving a bunch of shots in preparation for my college semester studying abroad. Every time I’ve fainted, it’s been immediately following something involving blood, needles, or weird body stuff.
What does this have to do with our wedding?
Well, it involves extremely beautiful earrings like these….
(Sources: first two from here, last pair from here.)
… and my current inability to wear them. I have unpierced ears. Well, actually, I had pierced ears—when I was six. My mom took me to a piercing place in the mall and we had them done. I got sick of cleaning them and taking care of them very quickly, though, and took them out. I don’t think I’ve had a pair of earrings in since I was maybe seven years old, and all that’s left is the scar tissue from where they closed up.
I’ve wished occasionally that I never took them out, especially whenever I’d notice how pretty my friends’ earrings looked. But now that I’m browsing the Internet looking at wedding porn every day, I keep noticing images like this:
… and how beautiful and “finished” a great pair of earrings can make your whole bridal get-up look. It’s caused me to give more serious thought to re-doing my piercings. I would love to wear earrings on my wedding day (and any other day), but to be honest, I’m really scared about it! Since every time I’ve fainted has been triggered by my squeamishness about needles, I’ve since developed a major phobia of being in any situation involving them. Mr. Octopus accompanied me to a doctor’s appointment involving a blood draw a few months ago; he’d never seen me in a situation like that before, and was shocked by how white and clammy I got. (I believe the exact quote was, “oh my God, I can’t believe how sweaty you are! The back of your shirt is almost soaked through!” Thanks, honey, that’s helpful.)
I feel like nearly everyone I know has pierced ears, and I really would love to have them myself, both for the wedding and just for my everyday life. I love to wear jewelry, and I’d love to start wearing earrings on a daily basis. On the other hand, I am certain that a trip to get my ears pierced would be accompanied by heart pounding, trembling, copious sweating, and would possibly be topped off with a grand finale of blacking out in the piercing shop. Oh, and an encore of some dry heaves and retching (which always happens when I come to after fainting).
What to do? If you were in my situation, would you pierce your ears, or just leave them be? Any other fainters out there have some tips on making it through and coming out conscious?
i’m a fainter too when it comes to needles and blood. i had my ears pierced for quite a while, but was allergic to too many earrings, so i stopped wearing them. whenever i get my chance to walk down the aisle, i think i’m gonna look into clip-ons - something vintage maybe… i know, cheesy and old fashioned, but i’m not going to have red earlobes for my pictures, and that’s what would happen if i pierced them again… either that or i’ll let my lobes be nekkid for the event.
could you get them pierced at your doctor’s office? Some doctors do that. Then they would be able to prescribe you some sort of sedative or relaxation medicine during the piercing. Or maybe they can prescribe you that and you can get your ears pierced elsewhere.
nothing so drastic should ever be done just for the wedding. Don’t put yourself through that unless you want to wear earrings like every day!
There are some nice earrings out there for those with non-pierced ears - a huge step-up from the plastic clip-ons of days yore! Just another alternative if you decide not to pierce your ears 
I don’t have pierced ears either. My fiance has asked if I’d get them pierced so that he can buy me earrings for our wedding day, but I am not really interested. You are not alone!
Doctors can pierce ears! I agree that you shouldn’t do something that bothers you that much, but if you really want them, I bet the doctor can give you a little feel-good pill and pierce them for you!
There are plenty classic earrings, like the above, for non-pierced ears on etsy and ebay. So you can have the look you want and not be tramatized in the process.
I’m a fainter too! I make sure to tell anyone who has to draw blood, etc. in advance. They usually have me lay down instead of sit in a chair like most people. I still sweat and freak out a little, but it’s very difficult to faint when you’re already horizontal! If you have them pierced somewhere that also does body piercing, laying down should be an option!
I like not having pierced ears actually! Besides, there really are pretty clip-ons out there now!
I agree with the commenters above me–go with clip ons! You can find lovely new ones, and TONS of gorgeous vintage ones.
If it’s something you really want, not just for the wedding, then I say do it. I agree with LisaBee though, if it’s just for the wedding, its not worth it there are plenty of gorgeous non pierced earring options (try etsy?)
I’m not a fainter, but I very nearly did the first couple times I had blood drawn. The third time (for a job) I did it I explained to the nurse that I almost passed out, and I just kept concentrating on breathing (not too deeply). Ear piercing is so much faster than blood draw, so if you have to ask them to do both ears at once. It’s the anticipation that’s worst, but it’s helped me to concentrate on my breathing, maybe that will help you too.
…Just a thought, but have you tried putting an earring though your old piercing??? I only ask because I hadn’t worn earrings in over 5 years, and I recently tried to see if I still could put a post through the piercing, and I could…so now, I’ve been happily wearing earrings for a few months!
This probably won’t help of you are not ok with pain… but if you had pierced ears before, the holes are NOT closed. They are just so small that you can’t get anything in them. You can go to a professional piercing shop and they will use a needle (tapered) and open it back up. Yea, this may hurt. No, there is no blood.
The only way it would have really closed is if when it closed up it was all bloody and open woundy. If it healed properly when you did it, no matter how long ago, it is still there.
love, the pierced freak.
Wow, we’re so similar! I don’t quite get to the point of fainting, but shots do make me dizzy. The main similarity though, is that I also had my ears pierced once (at 13), but they were uneven (my dad made me do it at the doctor’s office) so I stopped wearing earrings. I got them pierced again back in August, mainly inspired by the wedding, but I’m so glad I did! I really love having my ears pierced and wearing earrings. Anyway, that’s just my story - do whatever you want!
Yep, it might bleed a little bit (like a really little bit), but there is a good chance you could still put an earring through your old holes. Because it is just scar tissue, it doesn’t really even hurt.
But, if this is something you decide to do, you should do it like today, to give your ears a chance to not be red from the “shock” of having something in them again. I do it regularly, and its not a problem.
I got my ears re-pierced a few weeks ago I’m not afraid of needles though, so there wasn’t a lot of anxiety. Do it at your doctor’s office if it makes you more comfortable, ask them not to show you the piercing device, look away, and it seriously feels like nothing more than a pinch.
My brother used to faint a lot…some people just have a very low pain tolerance! Maybe have a few sips of wine before you go?
Totally went through this a few years ago. Had my ears pierced when I was 8, had metal allergies so I gave up and let them heal. Then two years ago I took a friend with me, went to claire’s at the mall and as a 22 year old woman, got her ears pierced, then fainted! Having had them done once does make it hurt less the second time though and if you really want them, I say get them done! But don’t forget, you have to wait around 6 months to wear dangling ones.
I feel your pain! I JUST got my ears pierced not to long ago for my 21st birthday and because my FSIL is getting married and I wanted to be able to wear earring in her wedding and then 3 months later in ours. I popped a happy pill beforehand and had them done at my salon by the lady who has done my hair my entire life and another gal who is the owners wife. They did them both at the same time because there was no way the second ear would have been pierced after doing just one.
Tips: use contact solution to clean your earrings and dip them in neosporne before putting them back in each time for the first couple of times. They’ll slide right in.
No need to get them if you don’t want to, but I’m with Miss Snow if you do: get a really good pill that makes you chill and get them done at the doctor’s office. They really do make pills for that! 
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Mrs. Octopus, Boston, MA/Pittsburgh, PA Age and Occupation: 25, Grad Student Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Graphics Operator for TV News Engagement Date: May 6th, 2009 Wedding Date: September 2010 Venue: Heinz Chapel Ceremony, Museum Reception About Me: When my best friend dragged me to a toga party in our freshmen year of college, I was not expecting to meet my future husband; but seven years later, here we are. I'm a crazy-organized planner at heart, and I am a great lover of random trivia, books, chocolate, blogs, new and exciting adventures, mockumentary-style television, and anything heavily flavored with bright orange fake cheese powder. We're planning a festive and fun mini-destination wedding in the place where we met: fabulous Pittsburgh, PA! I can't wait to marry the man I love!
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