I had been thinking about getting a new ear piercing for months. I finally worked up the courage…read moreand decided to visit CMB Tattoo and Piercing Shop in Huntsville, AL
"You want your ear done? No problem," Fred said.
There wasn't much explanation about the process, just a quick rundown of what to expect. Before I could ask any questions, the piercing was happening. The pain was sharp but bearable. Fred worked fast--maybe too fast. I barely had time to process before he was handing them a mirror to check it out.
By the next morning, I knew something was wrong. My ear was hot, swollen, and an angry shade of red. The piercing throbbed painfully, and no matter how much saline I applied, it seemed to get worse. By mid-afternoon, the swelling had nearly doubled. Panic started to set in.
The doubt was creeping in. Something about the way Fred had handled the piercing felt too rushed, too casual. Had he even cleaned the needle properly?
Had the jewelry been sterilized?
I decided to call the shop. Fred answered, sounding busy.
"Hey, uh... I got my ear pierced yesterday, and now my ear is really swollen and red. It kinda hurts a lot."
Fred snorted. "Yeah, that happens. Ears are tricky. Just keep cleaning it."
"But it's really swollen. Like... bad."
"You probably just slept on it wrong. Give it a few more days," he said dismissively. "It's normal."
I hung up feeling uneasy.
That night, the pain became unbearable. The area around the piercing was so swollen it looked like it was doubling in size, and a deep, aching pain was radiating through the side of my head. Sleep was impossible. I finally went to urgent care, where the nurse took one look and immediately frowned.
"This is infected," she said bluntly. "We need to start you on antibiotics. If this doesn't improve, you might need it drained."
I sat there, stunned. The nurse went on to explain that the infection could be serious and, if left untreated, could lead to permanent damage--or even surgery.
I returned to CMB Tattoo and Piercing Shop. I didn't even want a refund--I just wanted to warn Fred that something had gone wrong. But the moment I mentioned the word infection, Fred waved me off.
"Not my problem," he said. "You must've touched it too much or didn't clean it right."
I was floored. No apology, no concern--just complete denial.
As I walked out of the shop, a realization hit them: Just because someone owns a shop doesn't mean they care about their customers. The owner had done this piercing too quickly, too carelessly, and I paid the price.
I ignored the warning signs that something seemed off
The front door is kept locked
There were no tattoo artists
No customers
No website
The place looked like it was a storage unit - Junk everywhere
I never asked myself why was the owner was doing piercing
Unless this place hires someone else to turn it into a real tattoo and piercing shop - don't waste your time or money on this dump.