Body Mod Hypocrisy feedback

Back from the near-dead! I’ve gotten my technical issues resolved so there should be no more future problems!

Now, this post has been a long time coming, but a while back I asked some friends to answer some questions for me regarding hypocrisy in the body modification community. And these are their responses.

Cheryl answers:

1) List what you think of when you hear “body modification”. Anything and everything.

Anything that alters your appearance, hair colour, tattoos, piercings, scarification, makeup, nail polish, fake nails, plastic surgery and contact lenses (especially circle lenses).

2) Of those you listed, which ones do you deem “acceptable” for society? Why?

All. They all are acceptable in their own ways.

3) What hypocrisies in body modification bother you most? Like which ones hit closest to home?

Have blue hair, get told you shouldn’t do that by people who have blonde highlights and other “natural” colours.

Get insulted for having tattoos? The person insulting you has permanent makeup on.

Get insulted for having piercings, destroying your body, the whole shebang, they have ear piercings! Heck maybe even a nose piercing!

Wear dark makeup or bright makeup, you shouldn’t hide behind that mask says that woman with a face full of too dark foundation.

Black nails are so depressing, says the woman with dark blue nails.

So you got a boob job because you really didn’t like the size of your breasts! That’s alright! But of course as soon as someone finds out you get an ear full about how you should have been satisfied with what god gave you. Woman gets into a car accident and her face is brutally mutilated, she gets plastic surgery to reverse the damage she is praised for getting though it.. even though some would say that the car accident and what happened to her face was an act of god so she should have kept it. ;]

I’ve only had to deal with the hair, piercings, makeup, and nails. Really funny seeing people try to insult what you are doing when they are doing the same things. Annoying though.

4) Anything you’d care to contribute on the subject.

People are always going to be hypocritical. Doesn’t matter if it’s about body mods or anything else.

Perfect example, a person who shows up stoned to work on a daily basis.. isn’t really seen to have a problem at all even though they are under the influence at work, they are just “a big stoner”. A person shows up to work drunk on a daily basis.. it’s a big deal since they can make more of a scene.. they are under the influence at work and they shouldn’t be. Even though the stoner won’t be as belligerent, why isn’t it a big deal for someone to show up stoned to work but when one is drunk it’s a big deal? Shouldn’t both be treated equally as bad?

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LAUREN:

1) List what you think of when you hear “body modification”. Anything and everything.

Piercings, stretched lobes, tattoos, implants (trans,sub, dermal) scarification, branding or whatever getting an image burnt into your skin, tongue splitting, plastic surgery

2) Of those you listed, which ones do you deem “acceptable” for society? Why?

Piercings to an extent, tattoos (as long as they aren’t offensive like pussy licker or fuck you across the face) to any extent, dermal implants as long as they aren’t facial.

3) What hypocrisies in body modification bother you most? Like which ones hit closest to home?

People saying that tattoos and unnatural hair colour is unnatural but they are sporting an ear piercing or a smallish tattoo. Or on a personal note my mother got her first tattoo when she was 43 but I still got tattoos before her. She than proceeded to get 2 more, however it’s like a HUGE sin for me to want to get tattooed but it’s okay for her even though I am of legal age and I pay for it myself. Or it’s okay for my cousin to get a piercing/tattoo but OMG if I get a piercing or tattoo than that’s just nuts! I hate modded people bashing other modded people for their mods.

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HANNAH:

1) List what you think of when you hear “body modification”. Anything and everything.

Tattoos, piercings, branding, scarification, any form of cosmetic surgery (I don’t count medical surgery, as modification is a choice, and most, if not all, medical surgeries are not), hair styles, hair colour, makeup, nail polish, nail clippings, contact lenses, etc. Essentially, anything that alters your appearance, regardless of how permanent.

2) Of those you listed, which ones do you deem “acceptable” for society? Why?

I deem every form acceptable. It’s visual self expression, and I believe every person on the planet has that right from the day they are born to the day they die. Whether I personally find one aesthetically pleasing or not is entirely irrelevant.

3) What hypocrisies in body modification bother you most? Like which ones hit closest to home?

It bothers me when people are accepting of piercings and tattoos, but not stretched lobes or anything else. To me, it’s all or nothing. Or when people say you’re going to hell for being pierced and/or tattooed and “ruining the body God gave you,” when they themselves have lobe piercings, or have clearly gotten cosmetic surgery.

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CHARLOTTE: 

1) List what you think of when you hear “body modification”. Anything and everything.

Mainly I think of piercings, tattoos, branding, scarification, implants (of any type) and plastic surgery. But really little things, like dying your hair, shaving, even clipping your nails is body modification. I think it’s cool because even the people most against “body modification” do it too without even thinking.

2) Of those you listed, which ones do you deem “acceptable” for society? Why?

Every single one as long as they are appropriate. For example, getting “FUCK YOU” tattooed on your forehead with bleeding and flaming skulls to the side is not appropriate. If you feel the need to get something inappropriate, at least get it somewhere where yo can hide it, for the sake of others and perhaps future employers. As long as your modifications are tasteful and done well, I’m cool with it. Anything is acceptable, but there are limits to when and where they are deemed acceptable.

3) What hypocrisies in body modification bother you most? Like which ones hit closest to home?

When people just bash body modification in general, especially when they have no knowledge in the subject. You can’t put a a good argument when you have no knowledge. Another one is if you have any piercing besides what others have. If they have on helix and you have a triple helix all of the sudden you are mutilating yourself just be wise you don’t have exactly what they believe is acceptable. This one isn’t really a hypocrisy but it bothers me when people ask why I got a said piercing done. I understand they are curious, but use a little common sense! I get pierced because I want to, not because John Doe has that piercing and he is just so cool. (although that is a reason some people get pierced) Or because Jane Doe told me to get said piercing.

4) Anything you’d care to contribute on the subject.

Just because someone chooses to modify themselves, it does not make them any less of a person than someone who does. And if someone chooses NOT to modify themselves, they are not any less of a person who does.

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 ANONYMOUS: 

1) List what you think of when you hear “body modification”. Anything and everything.

– Exciting

– Beautiful

– Knowledge/Education

– Open mind

– Significance/Memories

Piercings, tattoos, scarification, hair dying, manicures/pedicures, dental/breast/skin implants… can’t think of anymore at the moment.

2) Of those you listed, which ones do you deem “acceptable” for society? Why?

Personally, I think all of them are acceptable, because they are done to alter our appearances in personal preference. It’s not hurting or endangering anyone else, other than the body modifier, when a modification is performed. Though if I was a “reputable business person”, I might not hire someone who went “overboard” (as in, cannot function on a day to day basis or the modifications interfere with physical work) and/or is immature/ignorant/uneducated about modification.

3) What hypocrisies in body modification bother you most? Like which ones hit closest to home?

I am disturbed greatly when people say things like “it’s just for attention”, “it’s just a fad” and/or “if you get tattoos, you will regret them later or you will hate them when they are wrinkly when you are old”. Well maybe I want to be noticed… it’s not a fad when humans have been doing some of the modifications for centuries now… if I get tattoos and they became wrinkly like me when I’m older, they will still hold the same significance and memories like they always did.

Not sure if this matches the question, but I get bothered when people say things like, “I could have done the same piercing for you, but cheaper,” or “They aren’t professional, anyone can go do what they do.” No, you can’t do the exact same thing, you have no knowledge and experience. Yes, they are professionals. There’s reasons why they are working in shops and not in homes or anywhere else. There’s reasons why they are always willing to keep learning about modifications, why they always have concerns about their clients and make sure to give them the best service they can provide.

4) Anything you’d care to contribute on the subject.

Yeah, DON’T be an IDIOT, go get everything PROFESSIONALLY done. NEVER stop learning and ALWAYS be accepting of others personal preferences.  

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NAME WITHHELD BY REQUEST:

 1) List what you think of when you hear “body modification”. Anything and everything.

First of all, modifications themselves. Piercings, tattoos, scarification, cosmetic surgery, ear-pointing, tongue-splitting, hair-dying etc, etc. First thing that popped into my head today was a girl with purple hair and snakebites.

Then all the things associated with them: beauty, self-expression, art, etc.

2) Of those you listed, which ones do you deem “acceptable” for society? Why?

For me personally, any healthy mod that isn’t deliberately worn to offend (someone else mentioned a “fuck off” tattoo on the forehead… another one I consider inappropriate is one I’ve had described of a sleeve with two lesbian devil chicks getting it on…). What I see society accepting, though, is piercings in the ears, cheeky small hidden tattoos, boob jobs, nose jobs, and not-too-far-off-natural hair dye.

3) What hypocrisies in body modification bother you most? Like which ones hit closest to home?

The ones I hear most are people with shitty gun-pierced lobes complaining about how any other piercings are “barbaric” “disgusting” “unhealthy” and “disrespectful to your body”, and people with no clue how to care for piercings ignoring advice from less modified people, as they couldn’t possibly know their stuff.

That latter one hits me closest to home. I am not heavily modified, I’m light on the piercings, I’m tattoo-free… but the reason for that is I pay the extra to get top-notch jewellery and to get pierced by a fantastic piercer, and I know my body and my health, so I’m cautious. I have done (and am still doing) my research, firstly for my own safety and then purely out of curiosity… so it does upset me when some idiot with a nasty, red, oozing piercing with jewellery a good half-inch too long and a pocket full of alco-wipes tells me I don’t know what I’m talking about.

4) Anything you’d care to contribute on the subject.

There is a remarkable amount of hypocrisy both within and outside of the “modified community”, from people covered in tatts expressing disgust at people with breast enhancements, to people drawing arbitrary lines between what is “okay” and what is “wrong” and “inhuman” and fiercely defending those standpoints. I just wish that people would stop and think about what they’re saying sometimes.

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BIANCA:

1) List what you think of when you hear “body modification”. Anything and everything.

Well back a few years ago, I just thought it was just plastic surgery, but I realized that it’s also tattoos, piercings, scarification, etc.

2) Of those you listed, which ones do you deem “acceptable” for society? Why?

All body mods should be accepted. The person choose to modified themselves, and if they’re happy about it, nobody should be trying to bash it.

3) What hypocrisies in body modification bother you most? Like which ones hit closest to home?

Oh god, I hate when people bash it, but the worst are religious bashers. I know this personally since my mom goes all bible when my brother mentioned he wanted a tattoo.Another is saying “Oh, you’re destroying your face” or “Modded people are destroying themselves.”

4) Anything you’d care to contribute on the subject.

Don’t get gunned ever. And don’t DIY your mods unless you are a trained professional. Also, be accepting of other people’s likes for mods.
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LOTUS:

1) List what you think of when you hear “body modification”. Anything and everything.

Piercings, tattoos and scarrification of course. Cosmetic surgery, hair removal. An argument can be made for less lasting things like nail polish and haircuts/shaving, but they don’t tend to jump out to the front of my mind. And corset training, because it can have a dramatic and lasting effect on your torso’s overall shape. It sure has mine.

2) Of those you listed, which ones do you deem “acceptable” for society? Why?

I don’t think I get to decide what society at large is accepting of, but I know I always enjoy seeing well-done tattoos and piercings, and have a tendency to want to talk shop with other corset training people when I meet them. I think every sort of mod has its place and should be an option, but I think that the more permanent mods should be approached like any other major life decision: with research and thought.

3) What hypocrisies in body modification bother you most? Like which ones hit closest to home?

I don’t have any tattoos myself, but it bugs the heck out of me when people with pierced ears or cosmetic work are rude to friends with ink, and I also find it really infuriating when people with any sort of mod(or wearing high heels. The pain one is especially rich from someone in steep heels.) imply that my corset must be painful, or that it’s going to damage my organs. I’ve been corset training for several years now, thanks. If it were painful or affecting my health, I’d have stopped. I am very careful with my corsets and have done my research. Just because you don’t enjoy it doesn’t mean I’m not doing it safely and having a blast.

4) Anything you’d care to contribute on the subject.

I get sort of weird unhappy feelings when I see a pre-toddler with pierced ears, and I can’t really explain why, but I got mine pierced as a something-teenth birthday gift from my folks and I feel like that’s alright. I would probably not have a very young child wear a real, body-shaping corset either, but my sixteen year old sister recently got her first corset and now we’re training buddies, finding outfits to wear with our modified silhouettes. I guess what I’m trying to say is, please wait to start modding your children until they express an interest in it and are old enough to understand some of the implications of permanence. It’s a personal thing, and it should be a personal decision. Even little things like ear piercings can last a long time, and if someone doesn’t like them they should be free to not have them, same as people who want them should have the freedom to go get them.

Body Jewelry Types, and How They Work

There are so many different types of jewelry out there, how do you know which ones or which kinds you need? How do they work? Why are there so many different kinds?

I’m really only going to focus on the basic types of jewelry, seeing as there are many, MANY variations on these same styles, and it would be a really long post if I were to try to include all of them. A lot of the same types of jewelry can be used for different piercings, so I’m not necessarily going to say “This type of jewelry only works for this individual piercing”. Some are that restrictive, but I’ll list them as we get there.

So, let’s get going.

Before we get started, there is going to be some terminology thrown around. However, it’s very simple. We’re going to talk about the difference between internally threaded pieces, and externally threaded. Each term refers to the barbell of the jewelry itself, not the bead that is screwed onto it.

Internally threaded means the “female” end of the threading is inside the barbell, and there is a threaded rod on the bead that is the “male” end. With these pieces, when the barbell is inserted into the piercing, there is no sharp threading exposed that can tear up the inside of the fistula. These also create a tighter seal once screwed on properly, helping to prevent germs and lymph building up and potentially causing irritation. You thread the bead into the barbell.

Externally threaded means the barbell has the threaded “male” end on it, and the beads have a recessed “female” end. With these, you thread the barbell into the bead, the opposite of the internally threaded kind. These are usually frowned upon because they tend to be of poor quality, and the threading on the barbell tends to be sharp, tearing up and causing irritation to the inside of the fistula when inserted. They also don’t created as good of a seal as the internally threaded kinds, allowing germs and lymph to build up.

Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s start with the types of ring jewelry.

This is a Captive Bead Ring, or CBR for short. Certain areas of the world call them BCR or Bead Capture Ring, Bead Closure Ring, among other names. But they’re all the same thing.

These very simple pieces of jewelry have a rounded barbell with a bead suspended in the middle. This piece has no threading on it at all, the bead is held in by pressure from the barbell itself. There are small dimples in the bead that the rounded ends of the barbell sits in, securing it in place.

These can sometimes be frustrating to work with. The barbell can be clamped very tightly against the bead, not allowing you to loosen it and insert the ring. One thing you don’t want to do when opening those rings is to pull them apart in opposite directions. This can distort the shape of the ring, not making it perfectly round anymore. You want to twist the sides away from each other, one up and one down, and twist them back once the bead is in place. These rings take some practice to get working right, but once you’ve got it, you’ve got it.

My technique is to make sure the bead sits comfortably against the ends of the ring, but can still be pulled out with reasonable pressure. You shouldn’t strain and shouldn’t have to fight against it. Once you have the ring in place, put one dimple of the bead in place against the end of the ring, line up the other dimple with the other end of the ring, and push it into place. If the ring spins easily but doesn’t pop out on its own, that should be just right.

These can be worn in various ear piercings, in lips, in noses, in nipples and in genital piercings.
Common variations of this piece are the seamless ring, and the hinge ring. The seamless ring is a full circle of metal, with a segment that is removable, so there is no bead that sticks out and it gives a very smooth, seamless look to the entire ring. Just pop out the segment, insert the ring, and pop it back in, very similar to the traditional CBR. The hinge ring is similar to the seamless, though one end is on a hinge, allowing it to swing open and closed, no piece comes out completely. Simply open up the non-hinge side, insert, then close the hinge back up.

The next type of ring is the horseshoe ring, or the circular barbell.

While the shape of the barbell is similar to the CRB, the ends are very different. The ends of the circular can be removed and changed, allowing you to screw on different ends, like round beads or spikes. These can be internally or externally threaded, so be very careful when inserting and removing these pieces of jewelry.

The best way to insert them is to unscrew one end only, leaving the other end on as a sort of “stopper”. Once the barbell is in place, simply screw on the other side and it’s done. Remember “righty tighty, lefty loosey”, but in the mirror this is reversed. Use the mirror to line up the piece properly, then close your eyes and screw the piece toward the right. Closing your eyes makes it so you’re not distracted by the mirror and don’t end up screwing the piece on backwards, making it not work and getting frustrated. I’ve done this a million times before, and the frustration is immense, so closing my eyes really helps this sort of thing.

These can be worn in various ear piercings, in noses, in lips, in nipples and various genital piercings.

Now on to the various barbell shapes. These are sometimes more restrictive than rings, so I’ll elaborate as we go.

This is the basic straight, dual ended barbell.

These are pretty much a straight version of the horseshoe ring. The ends are interchangeable due to their threading. These can also be internal or external, so be aware of what you’re buying. These are probably the standard piece of jewelry for the majority of piercings in general.

These are inserted very similarly to the horseshoe ring as well. Unscrew one side only, so the attached one acts as a sort of stopper. Slide the barbell through, and screw the removed end back on, always remembering “righty tighty, lefty loosey”.

These are suitable for some ear piercings, nipples, tongues, and some genital piercings. These are not usually recommended for lip piercings because the bead on the inside of the mouth can cause damage to the teeth and gums.

Here we have the curved barbell.

This is just a curved version of the straight barbell. Nothing special, the ends still screw on and off, and it should be inserted the same way.

These are appropriate for some ear piercings, they are the standard for navels, and some genital piercings. These are also not suitable for lip piercings for the same reason the straight barbell isn’t.

This here is the flatback labret barbell.

These are the standard piece for lip piercings. They work the same way as the straight barbell, though the flat back end does not come off. Only the decorative end is removable.

These are safe for lip piercings, some ear piercings, and nostril piercings. Their flat back end is very comfortable for some ear piercings because it makes them easier to sleep on that side, the same with wearing them in the nostril, the flat inside is much more comfortable than a bead on the inside.

So there you have it, the five basic, standard types of jewelry for body piercings. Again, there are many variations on these basic styles, so shop around, shop wisely, and be patient. If you don’t get the bead into your CBR right away, take a break for a few minutes, then come back and try again. If you can’t seem to screw the end onto your labret barbell right away, take a break and come back later. Being frustrated won’t help you at all, they take practice and patience.

Keloids versus HT scarring

This will be my last post before the official Christmas holiday, and I’ll have more up shortly after the New Year. Merry Holidays, everyone!

There has been some debate recently over what is a keloid and what is hypertrophic scarring on piercings. So, let’s find out the difference, shall we? It’s very important that you recognize the difference between the two and know how to treat them because, unfortunately, many piercers don’t even know.

First, the definition of each. In the sense of body piercings:

Keliod: an abnormal scar that grows beyond the boundaries of the original site of skin injury.
Hypertrophic scarring: a widened or unsightly scar that does not extend beyond the original boundaries of the wound.

Contrary to popular belief, not every lump or bump on a piercing is a keloid, it is not a general term for piercing growth abnormalities of any kind. Keloid scars are actually very rare, while hypertrophic scarring, or HT scarring for short, is much more common. Keloids extend far beyond the initial injury site, becoming a raised amorphous growth, and are usually painful. These will be huge growths taking over the area well beyond the area that was pierced to begin with. They are also much more common in dark skinned people than they are in light skinned people.

These are keloid scars:

Keloid scars can form the same way other scars can, but what exactly causes a keloid isn’t really known. Trauma to the area, infections, foreign bodies in the wound, or excessive tension and movement can all contribute to the formation of keloid scars. Certain areas of the body such as the sternum and chest, the upper arm, the ears, and upper back have an increased chance to develop keloid scars. These areas also go through a lot of muscle and skin tension and movement, which can encourage the growth of keliod scars.

The best way to treat an actual keloid is to have it cut off and removed by a doctor or dermatologist, since they can be recurring without proper treatment, removal and aftercare. Some may also recommend steroid injection treatments, which can only be prescribed and performed by a doctor or dermatologist. There are no home remedies to cure a full blown keloid.

Hypertrophic scarring, or HT scarring for short, is actually much more common. It is also called the “piercing bump, piercing pimple, or piercing lump”. Unlike keloids, HT scarring doesn’t continue to grow beyond the initial wound site, and once it reaches a certain level or height it will usually stop and just remain there. They can sometimes be painful, but are more sore than actually painful. Hypertropic scars are usually raised a bit, usually reddish in color, but don’t go beyond the original wound.

This is Hypertrophic, or HT, scarring:

These scars, at least on piercings, are caused by trauma to the piercing, sleeping on it, pulling on it, constant movement of jewelry, etc. They can also be caused by metal allergies. The first step in treating HT scarring is to figure out what’s causing it, and rectify that. If you’re wearing rings in your piercing, switch them out for barbells instead since barbells do not allow for movement the way rings do. Do not sleep on the side that your piercing is on, be very aware that you are not catching the jewelry on a hairbrush, earphones, you’re not playing with it, etc. If you think you may be having metal allergy reactions, switch the jewelry for something non-metallic, or opt for titanium or niobium, if you must wear metal, since both contain no nickel.

There are two most effective treatments for HT scarring, and both are very easy to do. The first one is Tea Tree oil. This amazing oil does everything; it’s antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic. It can even help treat acne. However, some find that direct undiluted applications of Tea Tree oil can cause allergic reactions on their skin. So, before treating HT scarring on piercings, do a test patch on your skin. Dab straight oil onto the underside of your wrist or elbow, and leave for 24-48 hours. If no reaction occurs, you should be just fine to use it.

For the purposes of treating HT scarring, dab Tea Tree oil onto the scar after every sea salt soak you perform each day. If you would like to dilute the oil, you may do so with another carrier oil, do not mix with water (remember 3rd grade science, everyone, you can’t mix oil and water!). A great oil to mix with Tea Tree is Jojoba or Vitamin E, both of which will also help keep your skin from drying out from the Tea Tree oil. Continue to apply the oil until the scarring disappates, this can take weeks or even months depending on the severity of the scarring, how long it’s been there, and what you’re doing to stop it from recurring. As the oil starts to take effect, it will dry out the scarring cause it to peel away. Do not pick at the peeling skin. Continue salt soaks and Tea Tree oil treatments until the scarring is completely gone. Mixing the Tea Tree with a carrier oil, like Jojoba or Vitamin E, can help prevent the drying out of the skin, but can also make treatment take longer. Once the oil is on, do not wipe it off, do not wash it off, just leave it alone to air dry.

A few words of warning about Tea Tree oil, however. It is considered toxic if consumed, so do not use this method for inside of the mouth treatments. It is also deadly to cats, so keep it locked away from your furry friends. Do not purchase Tea Tree oil if it is not in a black or dark brown glass bottle, since sunlight can degrade the oil. The best way to get it is in its organic, pure, essential oil formula, and it is available nearly everywhere. You can get it from grocery stores, drug stores, health food and supply stores; I have never not found it when I’ve been looking.

The second method is the aspirin paste method. Crush one plain, uncoated aspirin tablet as finely as you can. You can also sometimes find aspirin powder in small packets, this works just as well, just use one packet as you would for one pill. Add a single drop of water at a time to the powder or crushed pill until it forms a paste. Apply this paste to the scarring, allow it to air dry for about 5 to 7 minutes, and then rinse off. This method is safe for inside of the mouth treatments, it just doesn’t taste very good. This is also known as an effective spot treatment for pimples and acne.

And so with that out of the way, I wish everyone safe and sane Holidays to come. Eat lots, drink lots (if you’re of age), and be very merry, indeed. I wish everyone a safe and happy New Year, and hope everyone gets everything they want this gift-giving season.

Microdermal Anchors

Microdermals are very popular piercings right now, but I think there is a lot of misconception about them. So, let’s clear it up a bit.

WHAT ARE THEY?
A microdermal anchor, known by many names such as microdermal, micro, anchor, dermal, surface anchor, among others, is a piece of metal jewelry implanted under the skin with a decorative piece of jewelry visible above the skin. They’re the latest incarnation of the transdermal implantation techniques and jewelry, in the same general category as other anchoring techniques and pocketing. They are designed to replicate the aesthetic look of other, more dangerous, risky, or difficult surface piercings without the invasive procedure and painful healing process.

There are several varying styles of microdermal jewelry, but they all work in essentially the same way. They are flat plates of metal with holes in the bottom, called the foot or anchor. A stem extends up from the foot, the end of which sits flush against the skin, and where decorative jewelry is screwed in. They get their name because once the jewelry is inserted, the flesh grows through the holes in the foot, anchoring it into the skin.

They are usually very small pieces, many I’ve seen being about 4mm long, and about 2mm high, not including decorative jewelry. The gauge of jewelry that can be inserted is 14ga, on average. They are also primarily made of titanium rather than any form of steel.

These piercings are designed to be what’s called a single point piercing, meaning there is only one visible end that looks as though the jewelry was screwed directly into the skin. They also have only one insertion hole, which is also the exit hole, while other piercings are more “through and through”, having a separate entry and exit hole.

HOW ARE THEY IMPLATNED?
There are no special tools required to implant microdermals. There are two ways they can be implanted, either via the needle or the dermal punch.

With the needle process, the skin is lifted and the needle is inserted at an angle to create a pocket. The needle is then retracted and removed the same way it went in. The long end of the foot is then inserted into the newly created fistula, it’s maneuvered to make sure it’s deep enough and sits level and flush to the skin, and you’re done!

The dermal punch method works in a similar way. The dermal punch is around cutter that cores out a bit of flesh. So, for microdermal purposes, the dermal punch is inserted straight down into the area. The bit of flesh is removed as the dermal punch is removed as well. The jewelry is then inserted, maneuvered to make sure it’s deep enough and sits level, and you’re done!

No matter the insertion method, it’s very typical that a bandage will be placed over the new piercings. This helps absorb any residual bleeding, mostly, and protects the new piercing from outside elements, jewelry, coats and shirts, etc. It also helps to make sure the dermal stays sitting as deeply as it should, allowing it to heal as deeply as possible. You may also get a little bit of folded gauze under medical tape, same thing as an adhesive bandage. It’s important that you leave this on for as long as you can.

Look! A handy dandy diagram!

AFTERCARE
Aftercare is pretty simple. Sea Salt Soaks are standard, but depending on location of the microdermal, direct soaking can be difficult. If this is the case, just take a bit of folded paper towel and soak it with the sea salt solution, then compress instead. Do this 2-3 times a day, for about 5-10 minutes each time. Beyond that, not much more needs to be done. Remember that a proper sea salt soak is 1/4 teaspoon of pure organic sea salt (not iodized salt or table salt), dissolved in 8oz of pure water, made as hot as you’d make your bath water.

Some people have noticed that microdermals will raise up a bit on their own as the skin beneath moves and shifts. This is fairly common, and a few days compressed under gauze and tape, or an adhesive bandage, can help quite a bit to reverse this.

Healing times can vary greatly, based on location of the microdermal, the style of jewelry used, how you take care of it, and your body’s own healing rate. But on average, you can expect to have a healed microdermal in about one to three months.

Do not try to change the jewelry on the end of the microdermal yourself. It’s best if you go to your piercer and have them change it for you. Try to find jewelry you like and stick with it, rather than changing it all the time.

Since microdermals only have one exit hole, and it’s stopped up with jewelry all the time, they tend to not drain as well during the healing process as normal through and through piercings do. This can cause a buildup of lymph and other healing fluids underneath the jewelry, which can cause pain, swelling, redness and irritation. This is why warm salt water soaking is SO incredibly important, because it loosens up these fluids and allows them to come out, relieving the pressure underneath. In my experience with microdermals, as well as several others’, the first sign you’re getting sick or getting a cold is your microdermals will get swollen and sore and angry for seemingly no reason.

REMOVAL
Sometimes, no matter how well you take care of yourself or your piercings, microdermals do have to be removed. Just as there is with insertion, there are a few different ways of removing microdermals as well.

The most painful way is probably the twist and yank method. Basically the piercer will grab the jewelry and twist it, to dislodge and break any flesh holding onto the anchor. It is then pulled out of the skin.

A similar method is the massage method. The piercer will massage the area to try to loosen any flesh attached to the foot, then it can be gently pulled out of the skin. This can also be painful and time consuming.

A better way is the needle removal method. The tip of a regular piercing needle is used to slice open the skin above the anchor. It is then used to cut away any flesh that still may be attached through the holes. The needle then scoops out the anchor like a spoon, or it can just be lifted away.

Sometimes no professional removal is required, the anchor removes itself. This is called rejection. Rejection means your body doesn’t want this foreign object you’ve put into it, and it forces it out completely. This is pretty common with microdermals, and any other form of surface piercing. Trauma to the piercing can also cause rejection to start, like pulling on it, sleeping on it, hitting it, anything like that. And once rejection starts, you cannot stop it no matter what you do.

The most obvious sign of rejection is more of the jewelry being visible than there was originally. With microermals, this may be hard to notice since the stem that comes up is already very short, but it’s also something to keep an eye on. You can also pay attention to where the foot end is, if you can see the foot end beneath the skin, almost a shadow of it, then it’s too shallow and either is rejecting and should be removed, or it wasn’t implanted deeply enough in the beginning and should be removed and re-implanted once you’ve healed up completely.

WHY MICRODERMALS OVER OTHER SURFACE PIERCINGS?
What makes microdermals a better option than other surface piercing options is that these are actually designed to give you the best possible outcome for healing. Other methods, like surface bars or regular barbells, aren’t designed for this. Microdermals are small and their implantation process is as minimally invasive as possible, while the barbells and surface bars are much more traumatic processes and are larger pieces of jewelry. Microdermals heal faster and easier, with holes in the foot designed for the skin and flesh to latch onto quickly, easily, and securely. Surface bars and barbells have to create a tunnel of flesh around a foreign body, which is hard for your body to do, and doesn’t give the skin anything to latch on to. And even if they do need to be removed or reject on their own, the scars microdermals leave behind are MUCH smaller and easier treated.

WARNINGS AND DO’S AND DON’T’S
Not to rain on anyone’s parade, but my personal word of warning is that these piercings are very much not for someone new to the piercing world. Meaning, do not make this your first piercing. They are very different than more traditional piercings, requiring special care, special treatment, and even special training by the piercing professional in order to implant. My recommendation is to get some other piercing first, develop good piercing care habits, learn to recognize irritation from infection, learn how to treat irritation and infection, and further educate yourself on piercings, both through reading and experience, before getting one of these done.

Microdermals are very delicate little piercings. A common misconception is that they are very stable and have a very low rejection rate; some have even called them the “cure-all” piercing, when in reality this isn’t true at all. The slightest trauma can set them on the path to rejection, and there is no stopping it once it’s started. These things are very small, with very little surface area for the flesh to grab on to, making them very easy to rip out. They don’t sit very deeply below the skin, the tallest ones being around 2-3mm tall (not including decorative jewelry screwed in).

Depending on the location of the microdermal, how you take care of it, and your body’s acceptance to the jewelry, certain areas are more willing to take the jewelry than others. Before you get one of these, consider the location you want. Place a finger on the area you’d want the jewelry. Now, move the muscles around, flex them, bend and twist and move. If the skin and flesh under your finger moves a lot, it’s probably a bad area to get a microdermal there. Any area with thin skin, close to bone, or that undergoes a lot of movement, shifting, bending or pressure probably isn’t a good idea.

Consider your clothing and accessory choices. If you wear a lot of necklaces, scarves or other neck accessories, or wear a lot of crew-neck shirts, getting microdermals around the collarbone isn’t a good idea since those items will catch on them easily and the neck seam of shirts can catch on them as well. Seatbelts, purse or bag straps as well can get caught on them. If you wear glasses, getting a microdermal around the eye or temple might get in the way. If you wear a lot of makeup facial microdermals might not be a good idea because the makeup can get inside and cause irritation. Certain areas in general are just terrible ideas, like the hands, butt, back, and hips being near the top of the list.

Microdermals are beautiful piercings, and they are becoming more and more common as demand for them increases. This means more piercers are getting the necessary training to implant them. But remember, just because you can pierce something, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea or that you should pierce it. But all in all, if you want a microdermal, get one. Just do your research first.

Jewelry Materials

On the subject of shopping for jewelry, what kinds of options for materials are out there? Which ones are safe for new piercings and new stretched piercings? What do the names mean? How do you take care of and clean these materials?

First off, let’s break down jewelry into two main categories: organics, and non-organics. Organic materials are porous and are usually natural materials and cannot be autoclaved, while non-organics are man-made, non-porous and can be autoclaved.

Non-organic materials include metals, plastics and glass. We’ll go over each.

STEEL: Steel is usually the most common metal available for body jewelry. It typically comes in two forms, 316 and 316L, or sometimes 316LVM. The letters just denote the type of steel, L stands for “low carbon”. And LVM is ” low carbon, vacuum melting”, which means the vacuum melting process reduces the chances of contamination on the surface of the batch of molten steel from the air, usually meaning it makes it a more pure form of steel, with less contaminants and mixed metals. All forms of 316 steel are good, but 316L is better than just 316, and 316LVM is better than the former two, that kinda thing. This is also a good metal choice if you have metal allergies, since its nickel content is near zero. This material can also be autoclaved to be fully sterile, and can also be washed with anti-bacterial soap and warm water. Do not use any sort of alcohols or cleansers, just soap and water at most. It is not porous, is safe for new piercings as initial jewelry, and is safe to wear in newly stretched piercings.

TITANIUM: Titanium is even better than the steel forms. It contains nearly no nickel whatsoever. It can be autoclaved, is non-porous, is very safe for new piercings and new stretched piercings, and is very safe for those with metal allergies. If it gets dirty, just use soap and warm water, no chemicals or alcohol. It tends to be expensive, but is worth the money. Titanium can also be colored through as process called anodization. Basically it creates a layer of colored metal over the natural silver color of titanium. This coating is very safe for metal allergy sufferers. This coating has been known to dull or fade overtime, but I personally haven’t had any problems with that at all. And even if it does wear away, it only exposes more titanium, so it’s okay if it does.

NIOBIUM: Niobium is another great metal. Again, fully able to be autoclaved, is non-porous, and is very safe for anyone with metal allergies. As with the last two metals, just use soap and water to clean, no chemicals or alcohol. It’s one of the more expensive metals available, even more than titanium, usually, but it’s nearly pure, meaning it’s not mixed with other metals that can aggravate metal allergies. It is also pure in the sense that it’s not a man-made material, like steel is and titanium can be. Niobium can also be colored through anodization. It is the heaviest of the three main metals, which can be annoying to some people. Titanium is the lightest.

Other common metals include silver and gold. These metals aren’t as good as the others listed, since they are commonly mixed with other, potentially irritating metals like nickel.

GOLD: Only 14K and 18K gold are appropriate for body jewelry, anything more is too soft. It cannot be autoclaved, so to clean it, simply wash with anti-bacterial soap and warm water. It’s not recommended for wear in new piercings or new stretched piercings, even though some have had no problems, best to not risk it. Get gold colored titanium instead. Avoid gold plating or coating since it can wear off or flake off and irritate piercings. Gold can get dull overtime, so just buff it with a soft buffing cloth to make it shiny again. Do not use chemicals or other products to shine it.

SILVER: Silver, most commonly listed as sterling silver, is another metal that’s safe for body jewelry, but is one to look out for. Silver can contain nickel, which is the reacting metal in metal allergies, meaning when you say you’re allergic to metal you’re actually allergic to the nickel content in the metal. Silver should never be worn in new piercings or new stretched piercings. You can wear it in healed piercings, but it’s not recommended for everyday, long term wear. Save it for special days out or special events. Silver can tarnish and when worn in a new piercing, and that tarnish can be deposited into the skin causing it to stain or darken. If you’ve ever had a gun piercing, you’ve probably suffered from this dark staining. Silver is soft and is easily scratched, so again, if you want silver jewelry, save it for special occasions. If you have a nickel allergy, do not wear sterling silver since it is very commonly mixed with nickel.

PLASTICS: Plastics, usually most commonly called acrylic, are also very commonly used in body jewelry. Plastics come under many names, including acrylic, Bioflex and Bioplast, PTFE, dental acrylic, Lucite, and a new one I’d never heard of until recently, Delrin. Plastics, almost all of them, are not safe to be worn in new piercings or newly stretched piercings, though it is safe for short periods in fully healed piercings. When worn for a long time, over a long period of time, it can release toxins into the body. Dental acrylic is safe for longer term wear, especially in tongue and other oral piercings, but that’s about it. They are porous, and cannot be autoclaved, except for dental acrylic. If they get dirty, soap and water is all you need, no alcohol or chemicals. Any threading on plastic beads can be stripped if threaded too far, so be careful there. If left in heat or sunlight, the plastics can warp out of shape. Do not boil it, as many people do to clean new jewelry, because that will ruin it. Acrylic is also fragile and can break under pressure.

BIOFLEX, AND BIOPLAST: The only exception to the plastics is Bioflex or Bioplast, which is technically a brand name. It is special among the plastics, so it has special rules. It can be cut to fit most any length and threaded with any compatible metal bead. You can be pierced with it, it is safe for new piercings and new stretched piercings. It can be sterilized in an autoclave. It has also been said that those pierced with Bioplast have faster and easier healing experiences. This is not a standard, though, so be aware if you’d like to get pierced with it. I still very much recommend metals or glass to pierced with initially, but Bioplast or Bioflex are probably the best plastics out there.

PTFE: Another exception to the plastics rule is PTFE, or Polytetrafluoroethylene. It is also listed as Teflon and Monofilament nylon. It is a very safe, flexible plastic that is commonly used in surface piercings or for piercings that need extra flexibility, like pregnancy jewelry or as retainers when metal cannot be worn, like for surgeries or X-rays. It can be used for initial piercings, can be autoclaved, and only needs to be washed with soap and water.

SILICONE: Another great alternative to metal is implant grade silicone. It is safe to wear in new piercings, but NOT to stretch it. It has been done successfully, but is not worth the risk, your body could react very badly to it, as some people have been known to be allergic to silicone. It should be washed with soap and water before wearing. It can be autoclaved as well. Using a lubricant of some kind during insertion of silicone plugs or tunnels is recommend, mostly to reduce the risk of tearing the silicone. I’ve torn silicone before, it makes me very sad indeed.

GLASS: One of my favorite non-organic materials is glass. Other names for glass include Pyrex, tempered glass, and quartz glass. It is a great alternative for those who’d like to not wear metal at all. It contains no nickel at all, so it is 100% safe for those with metal allergies. It is a very sturdy material, though not as much as metals. Smaller gauges and sizes will be more fragile than larger ones, and tunnels are more fragile than solid plugs. It is tough, but is still glass, so be careful! Pyrex is also a brand name, the same brand used to make common kitchen glassware. It’s very strong, and if it does break, it tends to break in chunks rather than explode and shatter into tiny pieces. It is not porous, can be autoclaved, can be worn in new piercings or new stretched piercings, and only needs to be cleaned with, you guessed it, soap and water. The great thing about glass is it can be formed into many beautiful and intricate shapes, and comes in many beautiful colors. It’s light, smooth, and very comfortable to wear. I swear by it!

Now, on to my favorite type of jewelry, ORGANICS! There are many types of organic materials.

HORN AND BONE: These are some of my favorites among the organic family. Bone and horn are usually considered similar, if not the same material, meaning they are to be treated the same way. Most of the time it comes from water buffalos, but sometimes other animals. The website itself, or the specific jewelry listing, should say what it’s made of.

Many animal welfare organizations and followers are against animal products being used for body jewelry. I, personally, am not, so long as the entire animal has been used as best as possible. Body Art Forms, for example, only uses horn and bone from buffalo that have already been harvested, meaning they are not killed solely for their horns and bones to be turned into jewelry. If you are ever concerned about where or how a seller is acquiring their animal products, read through their website to find information, or send them a message asking directly. If they don’t answer you, to your satisfaction or at all, or you don’t like where they acquire their horn and bone, shop elsewhere.

Horn and bone are very fragile materials. They CANNOT be autoclaved or fully sterilized in any way. To clean them, I personally recommend a soft damp cloth, with maybe the smallest bit of a mild soap, and then dry the piece immediately and thoroughly. You can also just use damp or wet fingers to wash them. Do not hold under running water. After washing, rub down with a light coat of coconut or jojoba oil, do not use any wood treatment oils or protectors. They are very porous as well, so they cannot be worn in new piercings or newly stretched piercings. Do not shower, swim or participate in any water activities in horn and bone, because it can ruin them very quickly. Do not ever soak horn or bone in any liquid ever, even water. Horn and bone should be rubbed lightly with coconut or jojoba oil about once a week to keep them from cracking, as well as before insertion into a piercing. Do not sore horn and bone in direct sunlight, near extreme heat or cold, or anywhere that’s wet, like the bathroom. I use a small wooden box lined with velvet to store all of my organic jewelry. They tend to get dull overtime, so take a clean, soft polishing cloth and a drop or two of oil and that will help shine them up.

WOOD: Wood is another organic material that takes some special care. Many woods are used for jewelry, including coconut, blood wood, ebony, sabo, Arang, olivewood, verawood, among many many more. The care of wood is very similar to that of horn and bone. Wood cannot be autoclaved or fully sterilized. It is porous and cannot be worn in new piercings or newly stretched piercings. It needs to be oiled before each wear, and at least once a week as regular maintenance. Do not get wood jewelry wet, do not go swimming or showering in them. If they get dirty, use the same cleaning method for horn and bone, just a damp cloth and dry immediately, do not leave under running water, do not soak, do not use any chemicals or polishes, no alcohol, and only the smallest amount of a mild soap. Dry very thoroughly and rub down with a light coat of oil immediately afterward. Do not leave wood jewelry in direct sunlight, near extreme heat or cold, or in wet places like the bathroom. Wood can sometimes “raise up” or almost sort of warp out of shape, so if this happens you should VERY carefully sand any burs down with 800 grit sandpaper, then buff with 1200 grit sandpaper.

STONE: Another very common organic material is stone. Stone comes in many forms, including quartz, amethyst, jade, opalite, agate, obsidian, malachite, turquoise, hematite, and countless others. Stone isn’t as fragile as horn and bone or wood, but isn’t as strong as metals. I would compare them to the strength of glass jewelry, on average. Strength also depends on size, gauge and style of the jewelry, as well as the type of stone, some are just stronger or denser than others. Because there are so many types of stone, some are heavier than others as well. Most stone cannot be autoclaved or fully sterilized. Some can, but to be on the safe side, don’t have any stone jewelry autoclaved. Though not really considered porous in the way horn or bone or wood is, stone should still not be worn in new piercings or newly stretched piercings. Use soap and water to clean, and dry right away. No oil needed.

An interesting “stone” available for body jewelry is amber. Though an incredibly beautiful material, it is very rare and very expensive. Most body jewelry labeled as amber is actually synthetic, not true amber stone. Most synthetic amber is actually a type of plastic or polymer. If it looks too perfect or unblemished, it’s probably fake. Real amber is fossilized tree resin and is, in actuality, very rare and can run into the thousands of dollars depending on quality and size. Ultimately, real amber is no better or worse than fake amber, it’s more a choice based on personal preference and your budget.

Care of amber, real or fake, is pretty straight forward: no chemicals or alcohol, just soap and water to clean. It cannot be autoclaved or fully sterilized. Do not expose to extreme temperatures, do not apply excessive pressure as this can warp the material. Because of its stone-like material, do not drop amber jewelry because it can chip, crack or break altogether. Treat it as you would treat other stone jewelry.

Because this has been brought up to me several times, I’ve decided to add this part as well:

UNSAFE MATERIALS

Hate to break it to you, but polymer clay, or any other type of clay is NOT safe to be worn in the ears. It’s porous, which I’ve already explained why that’s bad. They’re also nearly impossible to form into the right sizes, so all those polymer clay spirals and shapes and such you see on Etsy and Deviant Art are actually very harmful. There are chemicals in the clay, air dry and bake alike, that are toxic when worn inside the body, and wearing them in your ears IS considered inside the body. One of it’s main ingredients is PVC, also known as the most toxic form of plastic out there. A chemical called phthalates is added to polymer clay to make it pliable and soft, and this chemical has been linked to birth defects, liver and thyroid damage, and can even cause cancer. Many professionals recommend working with polymer clay only while wearing gloves, in a ventilated room, on a surface that’s cleaned frequently and properly. With something THAT potentially toxic and harmful, do you really want it leaking those awful chemicals into your body through your ears? There is never EVER a safe way to wear polymer clay in the ears. EVER.

There are also many rare, exotic or special materials. Those include petrified wood, fossilized mammoth tusk or bone, shell, rare or expensive metals, bamboo, ivory, all sorts of lovely things. If you’re unsure how to take care of these materials, either read any information the website may provide or message the website directly and ask for any specific care instructions.

Shop ’till you drop.

Now, here’s a post everyone will love. Where to go SHOPPING!

There are dozens of jewelry websites on the internet, so it will be impossible for me to list them all. I will, however list sites that I’ve ordered from, and people I know have ordered from, so you can get some reviews on them.

http://www.bodyartforms.com: My favorite jewelry website of all. I cannot tell you how much I absolutely ADORE this website! Most of my current earring collection has come from this website. Their selection is incredible, their quality is impeccable, their shipping is wicked fast, their prices are reasonable and sometimes slightly cheaper than most other places. I have only ever heard of one person ever having problems with BAF, and that was with a product, not their customer service. I’m not entirely sure how good their international shipping may be, but I’ve heard from others that it’s pretty awesome. They’re based out of Texas, and when I was in Seattle, it took four days from order to delivery, even with the basic, cheapest, slowest shipping method.

http://www.piercedfish.com: Another great website. I’ve only ordered a few things from them, but what I have ordered has been great. The only unfortunate thing is that everything I’ve ordered has been externally threaded, which is bad for new or healing piercings. Otherwise, they’re great. Shipping was quick, prices are cheap, and selection is pretty awesome.

http://www.painfulpleasures.com: A website I personally haven’t ordered from, but I know many people who have, and they’ve loved it. They also have lots of other things besides body jewelry, like belt buckles, cell phone charms, lots of neat stuff.

http://www.heartonsleevejewelry.com: I have not ordered anything from this site, but I would love to. They specialize in wood products, mostly plugs and tunnels in various types of woods and even shapes. They also do custom orders. Their prices seem reasonable, and their products are certainly beautiful. As a lover of organic material jewelry, I would love for someone to order from this site and let me know what their experience was like and what the products were like.

http://www.relicstoneworks.com: Another specialty website, this time in types of stone. They mostly cater to larger sizes of stretched piercings, the smallest I found ready-made was about 1/2 inch. Their prices are pretty up there, but they’re hand carved and many are one of a kind or limited numbers, and you VERY much get what you pay for with this sort of jewelry.

http://www.Etsy.com: Surprisingly enough, this website carries MANY great options for body jewelry, mostly stretched piercing jewelry that I’ve found so far. It will be impossible to list them all, but here are some Etsy stores in particular that I found lovely:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/glassheartstudio
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Frozenfire
http://www.etsy.com/shop/somaticglass
http://www.etsy.com/shop/emblemglass

http://www.bodyjewelleryshop.com: This one is a UK based website, but I have heard good reviews for it. Fairly cheap, good selection, good shipping rates and speed, the standard. They also have some neat, not body jewelry products as well.

http://www.bodycircle.com: Again, haven’t ordered from here, but heard good things. Have a lot of basics for fairly reasonable prices, as well as some other cool stuff. I really want one of their CBR finger rings, way cool.

http://www.steelnavel.com: Steel Navel has also gotten good reviews. Good selection, competitive prices, they even sell aftercare products like H2Ocean and Tattoo Goo.

http://www.tawapa.com: Tawapa makes some of the most beautiful organic jewelry I have ever seen. They are by far my favorite organic brand. I own several pairs of earrings from this brand, and hope to own many many more.

http://www.isbodyjewelry.com and http://www.anatometal.com: Industrial Strength, and Anatometal, respectfully, are probably the best brands of metal body jewelry on the market today. They’re expensive, but you get what you pay for and as always, good jewelry isn’t cheap and cheap jewelry isn’t good. Unfortunately, according to their websites, you cannot directly purchase from Industrial Strength or Anatometal, but they do tell you what stores in your state or country sell their products. And many other websites, including Body Art Forms, carry their products as well.

Of course, professional body piercing shops usually have some kind of body jewelry selection. What they have depends on location, costs, how much space they have to sell, etc. Many can and will order in special requests you may have as well, mostly for just basics like simple barbells and rings. If you want super pretty things, shopping online or in another shop with a better selection is your best bet.

One website that many, many people suggest is http://www.kingsbodyjewelry.com. I, personally, don’t like this website for several reasons. They sell inappropriate jewelry materials and styles as stretching tools, namely claw, crescent and talon shapes as tapers, and these are not safe to stretch with. They encourage the use of tapers way beyond the safe sizes (beyond 2ga-0ga is unsafe to use tapers with) by selling stretching kits up to one inch, sometimes even beyond, and in acrylic. Some stretching kits even include horseshoe barbells which, again, are not appropriate jewelry to be worn in newly stretched piercings. Most of their barbells are externally threaded which is bad for newly pierced or still healing piercings. They sell good brands, like KAOS softwear and Gorilla glass, but beyond that, I’m not a huge fan. I also hear their shipping times are really slow, and their customer service isn’t very helpful. Their prices seem about right, on average as well.

WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR WHEN ORDERING JEWELRY ONLINE?
Be aware of what currency the jewelry is being sold in. Most UK websites, for example, sell either in British pounds or Euros. If you use Paypal to order, the conversion is done automatically on the confirmation page, as far as I’m aware, so you know exactly how much is being deducted from your account. If you use your debit or credit card directly, if you don’t do the conversion rates properly, you could end up being charged more than you’d like. So pay very close attention to what currency the website is using. I’ve also seen some that have a currency converter on the website, so use that if there is one.

Pay attention to pricing. If the prices are too good to be true, they probably are. If you find a site that’s selling titanium plugs and tunnels, which can average anywhere between $75 to over $200 a pair depending on size, for a measly $20, beware. That’s not a reasonable price for that large of a size and that quality of material, so where are they cutting corners? Have they stolen another websites image and are actually selling a much lower quality item? Is it not actually titanium, but a much crappier metal that they’re trying to pass off as titanium? These are things you need to be aware of. Shop around, try to find an average price, and be willing to spend good money on good jewelry. Cheap is never good, and good is never cheap. You get what you pay for.

One thing that really gets to me, as a grammar Nazi, is when jewelry websites use bad grammar, spelling, sentence structure, etc. throughout their website. Remember that this place is a business, and a website business depends on its visual appeal. If you shop a website and things are spelled wrong, you can tell that English is obviously not their first language, their sentences or answers to questions are lazy and not very thorough, beware of that, too. If they’re going to slack on something as easy as typing out information, or they can’t express a simple thought or bit of information through words, what else are they going to be lazy with?

Read everything the website offers for information. Read their About Us sections, their shipping information, their FAQ section, everything. The more you can figure out about a website, the better. And by reading their shipping information, you know when to expect your item and when to contact them if you don’t receive it.

Know what different materials are. You’ll find many different names for the same basic material so it’s important to know what each one is. The best example of this is plastic. Plastic comes under many names, including acrylic, dental acrylic, PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene), Bipolast, Lucite, and a new one I just learned of is Delrin. It’s a type of plastic. Most websites should list what the material is, so make sure you pay attention to that as well. If you don’t recognize a material, look it up!

Don’t trust Ebay or Amazon to sell you good body jewelry. Sure, it’s cheap and easy, but remember what they say about things that are cheap and easy? Try to order only from places that specialize in body jewelry, you’re more likely to get better quality, which is the important part. Also, with Ebay, how do you know the person selling the jewelry hasn’t already worn it? Gross.

Also avoid mall stores that sell body jewelry, like Hot Topic, Spencer’s, Claire’s, Arene’s, Piercing Pagoda, various kiosks, basically anything in the mall. Most of these things are going to be low grade materials, externally threaded, with gems that are glued in instead of bezel or prong set; this means that the gems are more likely to fall out, to discolor, or oxidize.

But everyone’s doing it! I just wanna fit in!

There are many, many reasons why piercing yourself is a terrible idea. It’s an equally bad idea to let your friends pierce you, your family pierce you, or someone who is untrained pierce you. We’ll go over some of the main reasons why people feel the need to self pierce, and why it’s a bad idea.

People use all sorts of reasons to justify self piercing. Here are some of the most common.

~”My parents won’t sign or pay for me, or I’m too young to do it professionally.”
This is one reason that really bothers me. When you’re under 18, you are legally the property of your parents, according to U.S. law. That’s the way it is, and there is no getting around it. Your parents essentially own you until you are 18, so if they won’t sign for you, or won’t pay for you, then don’t do it. It’s not hard to wait until you are 18, trust me, it’s really not, and honestly, if you really want something, you’ll be willing to wait for it. Use the time you’re waiting to research more, do more studying, and really know your stuff so when you go and finally get pierced, there will be no surprises.

~”I’m old enough to do it, I just don’t have the money/don’t want to spend the money.”
Again, if you want something bad enough, you should be willing to wait for it. And think about it, would you rather pay $60 for a piercing, or pay several hundred, even thousands, dollars for hospital treatments and antibiotics to treat resulting infections and complications? Remember, a good piercing isn’t cheap, and a cheap piercing isn’t good.

~”Professionals don’t do anything that I don’t when I pierce./I know what I’m doing./I read or watched online how to do it.”
No, actually, none of that is true. Professionals, true professionals, have several years of training under a mentor, they take blood borne pathogen courses, sterilization courses, human anatomy classes, and train for years to know how to pierce properly. You have NO idea what you’re doing when you pierce yourself. You don’t know where the nerves are, and everyone is different. You don’t know where the major veins and arteries are, you don’t know proper placement, you don’t know proper technique, you don’t know anything. And how do you know that the people you saw online, or read about online, did it the right way? You don’t know. And we all know how incredibly unreliable most internet information is, so why trust it at all?

Besides, if alcohol or flame or boiling water was a sufficient sterilization method, and safety pins were good enough to pierce with, why do professionals spend several dozen times more on special needles, potentially thousands of dollars on autoclave machines and the necessary tools for it, to use? Why would they “waste” money on the good stuff if they can get the “same” things for cheaper? Think about that.

~”I want control over my own body. It’s spiritual.”
I know I’m going to get a lot of backlash for this, but I almost equate this reasoning to self-harm reasoning. ALMOST. Many self-harmers say they do it to feel control over something, even just their own bodies, they say they do it to feel alive, to make sure they’re alive, or so they can feel anything at all. This reasoning for self-piercing sounds very similar, to me. Admittedly, self-harm is done with negative thoughts, negative intentions, and under negative emotions, while “spiritual self-piercers” will do it with positive thoughts, intentions and emotions in mind. So that’s the main difference there. But this also goes back to you don’t know what you’re doing. Even if you feel good doing it, or right after, you could still seriously screw your piercing and your body up if you do this wrong.

Many people do feel a sort of spiritual satisfaction from piercing themselves. But these people have done YEARS of research, many will research and take the same classes and courses that piercing apprentices and professionals take. They have had close contact with professionals before they started their self piercing adventures. These people are different than the average, run of the mill self-piercer. They are VERY few and far between, but they do exist. These dedicated individuals are NOT to be confused with the uneducated masses. They are NOT self harmers, and shouldn’t be lumped in with them. Again, self piercing is with positive intention, self harm is with negative intention. I just wanted to make that very clear.

~”I just felt like it. I like it, so I did it. I was bored.”
This is a terrible reason to do anything. If you’re bored, do something constructive. Clean out the garage and sell stuff, make a profit from the sale and make room for new stuff. Clean your room, organize your bookshelf or movie shelf, help your folks out with chores, read a book, go for a walk with the dog, play with the cat, learn to knit. Boredom leads to stupidity, we’ve all seen dumb stunts performed on youtube and elsewhere on the internet, and where do you think those ideas came from? Boredom, or wanting to be famous. Either way, terrible idea.

~”Too far to travel.”
Then make a full day of it. Go to the shop, get pierced, then go to lunch, see a show or a movie, walk around the city or town, do something fun while you’re there. I travel across 4 states to get pierced and tattooed, driving two hours to a good shop is nothing.

~”It’s cooler to self pierce./ Others will think I’m cool./I’ll fit in better with my chosen subculture./I’ll be a rebel, I’ll be hard ex core./I’ll get back at my parents.”
This mentality is so not true, and honestly unhealthy. If you’re only getting pierced to impress others then you’re going to regret it. You won’t take care of it as well, you won’t appreciate it as much, and you won’t love it. Body mods are 100% personal and selfish things, you should only get modded for yourself, not for anyone else.

And when you do it to impress other people, those same people are only liking you because you look like you fit in with them, you fit the mold. They don’t like you for who you are, for what you stand for or what you believe in, they only like you because you look the part. That’s just fitting the template, that’s not truly belonging to a group. Because the minute you don’t look like them, you’ll be ostracized again. And really, do you want to be friends with people who are that shallow and superficial to like people based only on what they wear?

What’s the point of “getting back at” your parents anyway? They probably told you no because they thought it was in your best interest. Maybe you’ve proven you’re not responsible enough to handle this very invasive, potentially deadly procedure. Maybe you haven’t educated them enough that piercing studios are as clean as doctors offices anymore, sometimes cleaner. Maybe they’re just flat out against them, no matter what you do. And really, is it worth it to make your living environment miserable over something so superficial and unimportant as a piercing? I personally don’t think so.

~”It’s how professional piercing got started./ My friend wants to be a piercer, so I’ll let him/her practice on me.”
That is true, the piecing procedures used now were once practiced on friends and selves. But it’s been proven that self-piercing is incredibly unsafe, how do you know all these early piercers didn’t reap terrible consequences, even died, from these early practices? Professionals have perfected those early techniques and built on them, dedicated their lives and careers to it, turning the industry into what it is today. And it’s still improving. It’s like using 100 year old medical technologies, just because it worked at the time. There’s a reason using leeches to treat diseases isn’t used anymore. There’s a reason mentally disturbed people aren’t nearly drowned in ice cold water. Because these techniques DIDN’T WORK, and more often than not, made the patients worse or killed them. Would you use antiquated and dangerous medical procedures and tools just because it’s cheaper than going to a modern doctor? No? Same thing with self-piercing.

The second part of this only has one instance where it’s okay. The only way you should let some “unprofessional” person pierce you is if they are an apprentice to a mentor, and they are piercing you under the supervision of their mentor, in a professional shop, in a professionally clean and sterile piercing room, using professionally approved and sterile tools. Yes, apprentices do need people to practice on, sometimes that includes themselves or willing friends or clients. But they only do it under their mentor’s supervision, to make sure everything is done properly. If you would like to let an apprentice practice on you, that’s fine, and you really are doing them a favor. But again, ONLY DO THIS if the mentor is in the room, carefully directing and watching the apprentice work.

~”I “sterilized” my needle and cleaned my bathroom/whatever room you’re doing it in, and piercing studios are dirty./Piercing kits are readily available and say they’re sterile.”
This is also very untrue. It is IMPOSSIBLE to fully sterilize a tool in your home. The ONLY way to do this is to use an autoclave, the same machine doctors and dentists use to sterilize their reusable tools. No common household has one of these expensive machines lying around. The best you can do is sanitize a tool, and that’s not nearly good enough.

No needle you use at home is good enough for a piercing. Safety pins, sewing needles, thumb tacks, nails, blowgun darts, NOTHING is piercing worthy. They are dull, ragged, shit metals. Many safety pins and sewing needles actually have a barb on the end of them if you see them under a microscope, and this is terrible for piercing. They are all the wrong size for jewelry to follow, and cause so much more damage to the tissue than a professional needle will.

Home bathrooms are FILTHY. If you were to hold up one of those special lights that reflect human biohazard fluids, your bathroom would look like a sweet rave party. Every time you flush the toilet with the lid up, a hurricane of fecal matter molecules and urine particles fly into the air and land on EVERYTHING. It’s a literal huricane of human filth. Any cloth or porous surfaces will harbor bacteria and allow them to grow. No over the counter, readily available cleaning products will fully sterilize a surface either. So there is NO WAY to fully sterilize any room in a home enough to perform a safe piercing. There just isn’t.

Professional piercing studios are FAR from dirty. Many are as clean, or even cleaner, than doctor’s offices. They use the same sterilization machines and techniques, the same cleaning chemicals, the same tools to work with, sometimes even the same furniture, like tables and rolling steel station tables to set tools on that dentists commonly use. If you say piercing studios are dirty places, you’ve obviously just never been to a good professional shop. They smell like doctor’s offices, they smell of clean.

How do you know these piercing kits are sterile? Just because it says so on the package? How do you know there aren’t holes in the package where germs could get in? How do you know the factory that produced the needle was sterile as well? How do you know the needle is new and sharp? You don’t know, there is no way to know. The blue-backed bags that professional needles come in are called autoclave bags, the tools were put in this package while they were sterilized, and seal the tool inside it, keeping out germs 100%. Piercing kit packages don’t do this.

~”I’m afraid of needles./I don’t want or trust strangers to do it, even if they are professionals.”
This is like saying you don’t trust a licensed, experienced surgeon in a well-respected hospital to operate on you, and you’d rather have your buddy take out your diseased appendix in his living room. Get to know the piercer first, talk to them, ask questions, become familiar with their practices and their techniques. Maybe even ask the piercer and another client if you could watch them get pierced so you can see firsthand how everything is done. Then there’s no mystery, and they’re no longer strangers.

I do fully understand the fear of needles, I think we all have it to some degree or another. But people don’t realize that doctors needles, which is most people’s only experience with needles, hurt more than piercing needles. They really do. Most are used to inject something into the body, and that usually stings or leaves a lingering pain, sometimes even burns. And most nurses, at least in my experience, have a TERRIBLE table-side manner when it comes to injections. Just stab and slam the plunger down. And most associate doctor needles with being sick, or already hurting or feeling bad, and that carries over into the shot. I equate most piercing pain to biting your tongue or inside of your cheek. A quick, momentary pain, maybe a lingering soreness or taste of blood for a minute or two (for oral piercings), then it’s over. Most of the time I forget I’ve been pierced at all within 10-30 minutes after the piercing. And of course, there’s always a satisfying end result to getting pierced. You waited forever to get it, saved up all the money, and have a beautiful piercing as a result. With doctor injections, there’s never anything positive afterward. Many have reactions or side effects, and you don’t ever see any results, except maybe you stop being sick later down the line, sometimes days or weeks afterward. But with piercings, there are immediate results.

~”I already did it once and was fine./My friends did it and they were fine, so why wouldn’t I be?/Everyone is doing it, if it was so bad they wouldn’t be.”
Just because you go skydiving once and live, doesn’t mean you’ll live the second time. Just because your friends can jump off a bridge and live doesn’t mean you won’t splatter to your death on the rocks below. Millions of people listen to Justin Bieber, doesn’t mean he can actually sing or his music is good. Unnecessary risks aren’t worth it. Following the trend just to follow it and fit in isn’t worth it when the risks or consequences outweigh the possible positive outcomes. Why not be different from the crowd and NOT do something stupid, when you know it’s stupid.

Most of the people who use this excuse are school kids. You’d be shocked how much people DON’T CARE about you, your appearance, or fitting in once you’re out of school. It’s like a switch goes off and people suddenly aren’t out to impress others, only themselves. They do what they do for their own sake, not for anyone else’s. What’s the point of being popular if it doesn’t get you anywhere in life? So you were homecoming queen, big deal. That won’t get you a job, that won’t get you through college, that won’t earn you a six figure a year job. It’s just a title, a superficial, temporary, meaningless title. Don’t waste your time trying to fit in and be cool when it’s not worth it in the long run.

~”It’s just a piercing, not a big deal./If you don’t like it, don’t do it.”
Piercing IS a big deal. These are potentially deadly and very invasive procedures; they can, have and still DO kill people. They are not something to take flippantly or lightly. This art form has been and is still being perfected, and is heavily regulated, for a reason. Because deadly viruses can be spread easily through this practice, so it has to be regulated. If you don’t understand how incredibly dangerous these procedures are, then you should be doing more research. Look into the hundreds of people who have suffered infections, had their ears and lips and tongues rot off, been paralyzed and even died from improper piercing. You need to respect your body and the professionals in this industry by performing it properly.

I have never felt the need to pierce myself, and so I don’t. It was never SO important to me that I would risk my life for it. I wanted it done, sure, but I always waited. I waited 6 years to get my traditional labret pierced. 6 YEARS. I don’t like self-piercers because when people walk around with infected, badly done or ugly piercings it gives the entire culture a bad image and a bad name. People will then assume that ALL piercings, and the people who get pierced, are like this and that’s very much not true. It gives a bad image to the entire culture, as a whole, and we should be fighting hard to improve our image. Being immature and impatient and uneducated isn’t going to improve the image at all.

Piercing Aftercare

Your piercer will go over the specific healing regimen for your piercing with you, but you can use this as a refresher or reminder course.

AFTERCARE
Now that you’ve gotten your piercing, how do you take care of it properly and keep it healthy? Certain piercings can vary slightly by their location, so I’ll break it down a little bit. But first, the pretty much only method you need to clean your piercings is:

The Sea Salt Soak, or SSS for short.

This is a very simple recipe of 1/4 teaspoon of pure organic sea salt (not iodized table salt) dissolved in 8oz (1 cup) of previously boiled, or filtered, hot water. Make the water as hot as you’d make your bath water. Soak the piercing for 5-10 minutes at a time, 2-3 times a day. This is all you’ll ever need in most cases. This same solution is used in hospitals for wound irrigation and flushing.

DO NOT ever use alcohol, Bactine, contact solution, table salt or salt with iodine in it, hydrogen peroxide, pierced ear care solutions or other products containing Benzalkonium Chloride (BZK). Alcohol and hydrogen peroxide and bactine even say on their bottles “Do not use on puncture wounds”, and what do you think a piercing is? These chemicals are way too harsh on healing piercings, and kill off bad bacteria as well as the good that are trying to heal your piercing, making healing longer and more difficult. And because they make healing take longer, you maintain a risk of infection because the wound isn’t closing. Hydrogen peroxide is a kind of bleach. It damages cells as well as delaying healing time. BZK is harmful and irritating to new piercings and is not intended for long-term wound care. Do not use Neosproin or polysporin or any other ointment, these trap bacteria against the skin and don’t allow air to circulate properly.

There is a product out there called H2Ocean, which is just basically a pressurized SSS solution that you can spray onto your piercing. It’s great stuff, and also includes other beneficial healing ingredients. The only drawback to this stuff is it’s incredibly expensive for the small volume you get. I’ve seen it for as much as $16 for a 4oz bottle. 4oz is half a cup. If you want to use this, you are more than welcome to, but homemade sea salt solutions are usually just fractions of cents to make. H2Ocean is GREAT for times when you can’t soak properly, like if you’re camping, out at the beach, after the gym, that sort of thing. Otherwise, save your money and just make soaks at home.

It’s also the hot water soaking that makes the SSS so effective. It loosens up any built up lymph and pulls it from the piercing. It loosens itchy and unsightly crusty buildup and washes it away. The hot water encourages blood flow and faster healing. Just spraying with H2Ocean doesn’t do this, making healing longer and more difficult.

Some piercers say you can use anti-bacterial soap, but I usually stay away from it, personally. Soap can leave a film on your skin and your piercing and jewelry, which can cause irritation. It can also dry out your skin, and lead to unnecessary scar tissue. If you do want to use soap, however, use foaming anti-bacterial soap no more than about once daily. Usually in the shower is best. Just lather with a single pump or dime-size dollop of soap, then rinse off very well. Do not let the soap sit for more than about 30 seconds.

You can also wash your piercing with anti-bacterial soap if you think you may have gotten something dirty in there, like after swimming, after sweating, the dog licks your facial piercing, etc.

As your piercing heals, crusty stuff may accumulate around it. DO NOT pick the crusties off. That’s just introducing your dirty hands to a healing piercing and can increase your risk of infection. If you notice crusties have formed, you can flush it with water or wipe them away with a cotton swab soaked in clean water. I’ve also been known to carry around a small bottle of prepared SSS solution and some cotton swabs in a clean plastic bag so I can swab away crusties as they appear throughout the day.

Also, do not move the jewelry around. Do not slide it, do not spin it, do not mess with it at all. All this does is irritate the piercing, drag germs and crusties into it, and introduces your dirty hands to it. There is no need to move the jewelry during the healing process. If it moves on it’s own, then that’s fine, but you shouldn’t be intentionally moving, spinning, rotating, or pushing the jewelry in and out.

Do not change your jewelry during the healing process, unless there is a problem with it, then have your piercer do it for you. Initially, depending on the piercing you received, you will get longer jewelry than you actually need to accommodate any swelling. After the swelling has gone down, after about 2-3 weeks, it is very important that you go back to your piercer and be switched to proper fitting jewelry to avoid problems. Jewelry that’s too long can cause damage to teeth and gums, is easier caught on clothing and other things which is VERY painful when you yank on it, etc. Beyond this circumstance or if you are having serious problems with jewelry length, style, or material, do not change the jewelry. This will just anger the inside of the fistula and make healing longer and more difficult, as well as potentially introduce bacteria to the piercing, increasing your risk of infection.

So, because care varies a bit depending on area, here’s the breakdown. And remember, always ALWAYS wash your hands with antibacterial soap and hot water before you touch and clean your piercings. Also, very thoroughly clean and disinfect as best you can any area that you may be setting your jewelry on, if you’re changing it. Laying down paper towels to set the jewelry on works well, too.

Oral Piercings – lips, tongue, cheeks, etc.: Rinse with non-alcoholic mouthwash, or a saline solution after EVERYTHING you eat and drink (other than water) for the first 3 months. Carry a small bottle of it with you if you go out and have something to eat. If you smoke, either stop or cut WAY back while your piercing is healing, and rinse after each smoke. SSS the outside and rinse off with plain water to remove any residue.

Earlobes and Ear Cartilage: SSS as described above. If direct soaking is difficult, which is common with some cartilage piercings, you can use the compress method. Take a clean cotton pad or about a quarter of a paper towel, soak it in the hot water, then compress. Redip as necessary to keep the heat on it.

Nipples and Navels: Fill a shot glass with the hot SSS solution. Hold the glass over your piercing, and then recline on a bed or on the couch. The glass will form a suction ring around the piercing so the water won’t spill everywhere if you keep a tight seal. No need to press the glass into your body, just hold steady. SSS as described above then rinse off with plain water to remove any residue.

Genital: SSS either with the compress or the shot glass method as described above. Urinate after you use any soap to clean away any leftover soap near the urethra. Avoid sexual contact for as long as possible, and engage in gentle contact when you do for the first few months. After any sexual encounter, you should soak or at least rinse with clean water.

AVERAGE HEALING TIMES:
Every body heals at a different rate, and how you take care of your piercing can either speed up or delay your healing time. How you take care of your body in general can affect your healing time as well. For optimum healing, clean your piercing as directed above, avoid smoking and alcohol and caffeine consumption as much as possible, keep stress and rigorous activity to a minimum, you can also take an over the counter multi-vitamin if you want to, especially one containing Zinc and Vitamin C to help your body rebuild. But average MINIMUM healing times are as follows:

HEAD LOCATIONS
Ear lobes, eyebrow, septum, oral, nostril – 6-8 Weeks
Ear Cartilage – 6-12 Months
Bridge – 8-10 Weeks
Tongue – 4 Weeks
Cheek – 4-6 Months

NIPPLES AND NAVEL
Male Nipples – 4-6 Months
Female Nipples – 6-12 months
Navel – 6-12 Months

GENITALS:
Female:
Inner Labia, Princess Albertina and Clitoris – 2-4 Weeks
Outer Labia, Clitoral Hood – 2-6 Months
Fourchette – 4-6 Weeks
Triangle – 8-10 Weeks

Male:
Prince Albert, Frenum – 6-8 Weeks
Reverse PA – 4-6 Months
Scrotum – 6-10 Weeks
Guiche – 8-10 Weeks
Dydoe – 8-12 Weeks
Ampallang, Apadravya – 4-8 Months

SURFACE PIERCINGS
Any Surface Piercing – 1+ Years

MICRODERMALS
It depends a lot on the location, but the general time frame is 1-3 months.

It is very much recommended that you do not change the jewelry of your piercing until the minimum healing time is over. Only change it if there is a problem with it, like length, style, or material. In this case, go back to your piercer and have them do it for you.

JEWELRY TYPE CHOICE:
With so many piercings and types of jewelry out there, how do you know which one is right for you? Usually a good piercer knows best, but you can sometimes request special or certain styles and materials if you ask. So, what’s appropriate for each piercing? We’ll start with jewelry type, then move on to materials next. We’ll break it down again:

LIPS (labrets, monroe, cheeks, etc.): For most oral piercings like any lip piercings and cheek piercings, the best jewelry choice is a flatback labret stud. One of these:

These are the easiest pieces to heal with because they minimize movement, are most accommodating to swelling, and make sure your fistula heals straight. Rings can slide in and out and move around, causing irritation to the piercing and dragging crusties and germs into it. Longer straight barbells are more accommodating to swelling than rings are as well. You can heal with a ring if you like, but it’s not recommended. When you heal with a ring, the fistula (the tunnel of flesh that a piercing is) heals on a curve, making insertion of straight pieces later on more difficult.

NOSTRIL: The best choice here is an L-shape or nose screw.

L-shape:

Nose screw:

Both of these will be custom bent to your nose when you get it pierced. Nose bones or straight pieces tend to fall out or are easily torn out, so they’re usually not the best choice.

Nose bone:

EARS: There are so many types of piercings for the ear that it’s sort of hard to say if there really is any “right” type of jewelry for each one. But as a general rule, chose barbells or labret posts instead of rings. Mostly because rings move and slide around, drag crusties in and are easier to knock around and more likely to catch on things.

For some people, they’d rather heal their industrial piercing with two rings or two short labret barbells rather than one long barbell. Honestly, this is more of a personal choice for you and your piercer to discuss. I personally healed an industrial just fine with one long barbell the whole time, but others have not. So that’s more of a choice and a preference rather than a hard and fast rule. Everything else, try to choose barbells as initial healing starter jewelry. You can always change to a ring or something else later on. Healing properly is more important than cute jewelry.

NIPPLES: Again, barbells instead of rings, because rings move around and drag crusties in. You can switch to rings later once you’ve healed up properly.

WHY CERTAIN PIERCINGS ARE A BAD IDEA
Just because you CAN pierce something, doesn’t mean you SHOULD. Many piercings are purely for play and for show. The idea is you get something incredible done, get some wicked cool photos taken or go to some super fancy show or event, then you have them removed. You don’t really keep them anymore than 24 hours. These are typically called play piercings.

Corset piercings are not intended to be kept any longer than what’s needed for a photoshoot. Most piercers use rings or slave rings attached to barbells for the piercings, then the lace or ribbon is threaded through. These pieces of jewelry aren’t meant for long-term wear in surface piercings.

It has been reported that very few, VERY lucky people have been able to heal corset piercings and keep them for some extended amount of time, but these people are SO rare, and incredibly lucky, so it’s better to say that these cannot be healed, because your chances of being that lucky are extremely rare. They also don’t lace the piercings AT ALL, because that will very easily make them reject and make it much easier for the jewelry to be torn out.

Another bad piercing idea is hip piercings. These are incredibly popular right now, and they’re a terrible idea. There are two ways to have this done: with microdermals or with surface barbells. Neither is a good choice. Microdermals are EXTREMELY delicate little piercings, and they are easily torn out and easily reject. Surface bars carry the same risks, and when they are torn out or reject, the scars they leave are much worse. The hip area isn’t really designed to support body piercing anyway. The skin is thin and stretches and contracts a lot, it’s usually close to bone, and it’s too easy for jeans waistbands and seatbelts to catch on the jewelry and yank it out.

This also applies to the butt-dimple piercings that seem to be becoming just as popular as the hip piercings.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INFECTION AND IRRITATION
One VERY important thing to know when getting pierced is how to recognize true infection from normal healing and irritation. The common misconception is that ANY redness, soreness and oozing of fluid is automatically infection. This is VERY much not true. And it’s incredibly important that you know the difference so you can properly treat each one.

Infection, TRUE infection, is actually pretty rare, or not nearly as common as people think. Infection is almost always 99% wearer error, not piercer error. Any infection you get is most likely your own fault, meaning you didn’t clean it properly, you didn’t treat it properly, you touched it with dirty hands, you let someone ELSE touch it with dirty hands, you let it come into contact with dirty environments (like pools, hot tubs, oceans, etc), that kinda thing. It’s actually nearly impossible to get an infection if you go to a fully licensed, professional shop.

Signs of piercing infection are:
~Fever in the individual
~Excessive redness or purple bruising-like coloring in the area
~Excessive oozing
~The ooze is bloody, green, or “spicy mustard” colored pus
~The ooze will smell incredibly foul
~Excessive soreness or tenderness
~Excessive heat from the area

If you do suspect that you have an infection, for the love of all that is holy do NOT take the jewelry out! This will trap the infection in the body, not allowing it to drain, making treatment longer and more difficult and possibly allowing it to spread to other areas of the body. Go to a doctor and get prescription antibiotics. If the doctor does positively identify it as an infection, and tells you to take the piercing out, still do not do it, again, for the reasons above. Most doctors actually have no idea how to properly care of body piercings, or even how to recognize the difference between infection and irritation. Many will just assume that any reaction is an infection, so it’s important that YOU know the difference so you can get antibiotics only when you actually need them. If you catch and treat an infected piercing early, it’s very likely that you can still keep it.

IRRITATION, on the other hand, is fairly normal, especially on new, healing piercings. You can minimize your irritation by taking care of your piercing and your body properly.

Signs of irritation are:
~Slight redness around the piercing entry and exit holes (this will lessen as the piercing heals)
~Discharge in clear or white coloration, which can dry to a white or light yellow color
~This discharge should have no smell, or a very slight “fleshy” smell, it should just smell of skin
~Some slight soreness and swelling, again, this will lessen as the initial shock of the piercing subsides and as it heals

The stuff that oozes from irritated or new piercings is called lymph, it is very much NOT pus. It’s hard to describe exactly what this fluid is, but I’ve heard it described as the same stuff you ooze when you get a rug burn, that clear fluid that happens. I’ve also heard it described as an overproduction of white blood cells accumulating in the area as they try to heal the wound. Either way, know that lymph and dried lymph crusties are normal and not harmful, so long as you clean them up properly.

METAL ALLERGIES
Metal allergies are more common than many people think they are, but they seem to be more prevalent in women for some reason. Normally when someone is allergic to metal, they’re actually allergic to the NICKLE content in the metal. The best way to avoid metal allergies is to wear organic materials and glass, but this usually isn’t possible with new piercings, so what happens after that? It’s important to get high grade metals, ones made with little to no nickel. 316 and 316L surgical implant grade steel has very close to no nickel, and titanium has almost none at all. So if you are allergic to metal, try to opt for titanium or glass as initial jewelry.

How do you know if you have a metal allergy? Most commonly, you already know you have one, since many people cannot wear rings, necklaces or bracelets made of metal, and some are so sensitive that even the metal backings on jeans buttons will give them a reaction. But allergies can turn up at any time, so you need to know how to recognize it. Most of the time, if you are allergic to the metal, the area around the piercing will become red, itchy, sore, irritated, or the skin will sometimes peel. Some develop a rash in the immediate area along with other symptoms. The easiest way to fix it is to change the jewelry to some other material, or a better quality material.

If you are ever in doubt or are unsure of something regarding your piercings, do not ever be afraid to call or visit your piercer for their inspection. They know how to recognize all of these conditions and will be able to direct you on the best course of action to rectify it.

Stabby, Stabby

This post is going to have a lot of the same information that the “How to find a good tattoo artist” post has, so if some information is repeated verbatim, don’t worry about it. Many of the same important points to look for in a tattoo artist are the same when looking for a good piercer.

A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF BODY PIERCING
Body piercing has a lot of the same colorful history that tattooing does. It’s been done for tens of thousands of years, for many different reasons. Body piercing is even recorded in the Bible, in Genesis 24:22 Abraham requested his oldest servant to find a wife for his son Isaac. The servant found Rebekah, and one of the gifts he gave her was a “golden earring”. The original Hebrew word used was Shanf, which also translates as “nose-ring”. Even today in many Middle Eastern countries a husband gives his wife a golden nose ring, the larger the ring, the wealthier the family is. In India, the left side of the nose is pierced because it is the spot associated with female fertility in Indian medicine.

Ear piercing has been done for even longer, the oldest mummy ever found, dated to over 5,000 years ago, had his ears pierced, and actually stretched to about 11 millimeters. Primitive tribes would pierce the ears to keep demons and evil spirits away from the body, believing that metal repelled them. Sailors would wear gold earrings so if their bodies were lost at sea, they would be able to pay for a proper Christian burial when they washed up on shore. Only the Western culture seems to deem ear piercings effeminate, when no other cultures have such affiliations.

Lip piercings have been performed all over the world, for various purposes. The large lip plates that parts of Africa are so famous for are symbols of beauty, status, and age in the tribe. It’s also been said that one of the reasons these large lip plates were implemented was to discourage the slave trade; slavers wouldn’t take people with these large plates because they were seen as “deformed”, or unfit for transport.

Nipple piercings have been documented as far back as the Roman age. They wore leather breastplates shaped to fit the body with rings placed where the nipples would be, to secure capes to. This led some people to believe that the men would also pierce their actual nipples to secure capes with, but I could never imagine something like that being even remotely comfortable.

In the 1890’s what was known as the “Bosom Ring” came into high fashion for a short time. Some women even wore a small delicate chain connecting the rings. The women enjoyed the constantly excited nipples they received after the piercing, and believed that the piercings made the breast at least appear fuller and rounder. Some doctors in the Victorian age even suggested piercing the nipples because it enlarged them, making breastfeeding easier.

WHAT IS A PIERCING? ARE THERE DIFFERENT KINDS? HOW ARE THEY DONE?
A piercing, in the context of body modification, is the process of puncturing or creating a hole in the body for jewelry to be worn in. The tunnel of scar tissue that a piercing really is is called a fistula.

There are several ways to have a piercing performed. The best way to have a piercing performed is with a hollow piercing needle, in the hands of a professional, in a clean piercing studio. This is the most common type of needle used in the US. Some of these needles are straight, while others are curved to perform piercings where a straight needle would not work. They come in various gauge sizes and lengths, and the piercer will help you decide what size needle would be best for your piercing. On average, 16 gauge, or ga, through about 12ga is standard for most body piercings. That’s 1.2 millimeters through about 2mm for my non-American readers.

This is a close up, enlarged picture of what the hollow piercing needle looks like:

How the needle works is by creating a crescent shaped cut in the flesh and then it pushes that flesh aside as the needle moves through. It doesn’t actually punch through the skin or cut out a bit of flesh. It slices through it cleanly and sharply.

The piercer will push the needle through the area to be pierced, either by hand or sometimes with the aid of a needle pusher or holder. Sometimes a cork will be placed on the exit side to catch the end of the needle and keep it from pricking the piercer or another part of your body. Clamps may sometimes be held in the piercers other hand to secure the area to be pierced. Not using clamps is called free-hand piercing. Some piercers choose to not use clamps at all, while some use them occasionally, depending on what piercing they’re performing. Choosing to use or not use them is usually no reflection on the piercer’s skill or technique. Sometimes it’s just a comfort thing for them.

Once the needle is in, the jewelry will be inserted into the hollow, non-pointed end of the needle, so that when the needle is pushed out and removed completely, the jewelry follows and is left behind with no break in the transfer.

In the UK, you’re more likely to see a needle containing a cannula (or catheter), which is a hollow plastic tube placed at the end of the needle. This is because some countries consider the US’s straight hollow needle to be a medical device and is illegal for body piercers to use them.

The cannula piercing needle:

The piercing will be performed in the same way as described above, but once the piercing is done, the needle will be slid out the back of the cannula, leaving the plastic tube behind in the new piercing. The jewelry will then be inserted into the end of this plastic tubing, and as the tube is removed, the jewelry will be left behind. Again, it’s very similar to the US’s piercing technique.

The next tool is the dermal punch, sometimes also called a biopsy punch. This is used to core out a cylinder of flesh for jewelry to be placed into. It’s most commonly done for implantation piercings, like microdermals, transdermals, subdermal silicone implants, etc. Though it has also been used to create large gauge cartilage piercings, in conches, helixes, lips, earlobes, etc. Dermal punches can also be used as a “head start” on the stretching process, by getting pierced at a larger size, you don’t have to bother stretching up from smaller sizes. They come in various sizes and diameters, and sometimes even shapes like hearts and stars.

The dermal punch:

Piercing guns should NEVER EVER be used to pierce human flesh. These machines were originally designed to tag livestock, not put earrings in the human body. I’ve already covered the dangers and horrors of the piercing gun in a previous post, so I won’t repeat myself here. You are more than welcome to check that post out later if you’d like to know more.

https://steelbonehornstone.wordpress.com/2011/06/11/something-very-close-to-my-heart/

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE GETTING A PIERCING
While many modifications are to be considered permanent, piercings fall in the very small gray area in between permanent and temporary. While a piercing can be removed at any time, sometimes the fistula doesn’t fully close, or doesn’t close at all, and a scar could be left behind if it does close. So while the piercing may be gone, there is a scar that can remain and will probably fade over the years. Over the counter treatments such as Bio Oil can help reduce the look of these scars, but most are permanent.

One very important thing to remember about piercings is that they are considered a very invasive surgical procedure. You are putting a very deep, very intense puncture wound into your body, frequently completely through parts of the body. Puncture wounds are very dangerous even under the best of circumstances, so it’s VERY important that you know what to expect while getting pierced, and afterward.

Many, many people have suffered infections, and even died, from being improperly pierced, piercing themselves, or not taking proper care of their piercings after the procedure. I’m going to say this loud and clear:

Piercings can, and have, killed people.

They are not accessories to be taken lightly. They’re not a necklace you can pull on and off as you please, I cannot stress enough how dangerous piercings can be. Basic infections are very common if you don’t take care of your piercing or choose a bad or irresponsible piercer, the terrible infection MRSA is a big risk, rejection, migration, among other complications.

Here’s one story of a poor boy who suffered from the very serious MRSA infection from getting pierced: http://www.wjactv.com/health/16189269/detail.html

Another boy, this time from the UK, died of blood poisoning after piercing his lip: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/nov/09/health.healthandwellbeing

The first story in this article is about a girl from the UK who ended up totally 100% paralyzed from a piercing. http://news.bmezine.com/2010/11/12/modblog-news-of-the-week-november-12th-2010/

Here’s a more graphic story, so be warned before viewing. This poor girl had the cartilage in her ear liquefy after suffering an infection from a piercing. http://news.bmezine.com/2006/07/24/gun-piercing/

These are not all that uncommon stories; these are not one in a million, just unlucky folks. These are very real risks you take while getting pierced. You can be permanently disfigured, suffer lasting health problems, even die from these piercing procedures. Think of that before you head down to the local mall to get your nose pierced with the same piercing gun that’s been used on a few hundred people before you and they can’t be cleaned. Think of that before you hit up the local piercing shop that smells bad, that has dirty surfaces, and is willing to pierce anyone who will lay down the money, underage or not. Remember that before you decide to ignore a professional’s advice and cleaning instruction and just do whatever you want.

HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD PIERCING ARTIST
Here’s where a lot of the repeated information will come in. Many of the same important points addressed in finding a good tattoo artist are the same for finding a good piercing artist.

One of the best places to start searching is by using the APP website, the Association of Professional Piercers. They are the leading authority on body piercing in the US. Their regulations and guidelines are law in many states. Unfortunately, their website search function only works for piercers in the US. You can use this page to start your search. If you can’t find a piercer in your specific city, try searching neighboring cities as well and expanding the search radius.

The APP’s website:

Home

The “Locate a member” search function:
http://www.safepiercing.org/locate-a-member/searchable-member-database/

First and foremost, a good professional piercer will NEVER EVER use a piercing gun. Period, end of story, no arguments. NO self respecting professional piercer will ever use a piercing gun on any part of the body, or will even advocate the use of one. If you walk in somewhere and the piercer reaches for a gun or comes at you with one, get up and walk out and never go back.

Now that we’ve cleared that up, what SHOULD you look for in a good piercer? One of the best credentials a piercer can have is an APP membership. This means they’re up to date on laws, regulations, the newest innovations in the field, health and safety laws, etc. But it can be expensive to maintain, so if a piercer isn’t a member that does not make them a hack in any way. As with the tattooist, ask for any other licenses, certificates, memberships, or awards the piercer may have. Demand to see autoclave records. Ask for the piercer’s portfolio. Ask them where they took their apprenticeship, for how long, and who their mentor was.

Professional piercers will never pierce out of their or someone else’s home, their car, a basement, or anywhere other than the designated clean room in their piercing shop. They will fully and completely answer any questions you may have. Don’t ever be afraid that your question is dumb or silly, because a professional will answer any question you have.

And again, trust your gut. If you don’t like anything about the shop, the employees, or anything else, just leave and find a new shop. Remember, was with the tattoo artist, this person is performing a service for you, and could potentially put your life at risk if they perform that service improperly, so it is very important that you are perfectly happy with what they have to say and how they present themselves and their shop.

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU GO GET PIERCED
So, you have decided to get pierced at this beautiful shop with the friendliest and most knowledgeable piercers you can find. Now what? How do you know what to get?

Starting off, the basics. Yes, it WILL hurt. There is no way around this, at all. How MUCH it hurts depends on several factors: the skill of your piercer, the particular piercing you want, the method of piercing the artist will use, your own personal pain threshold, and how you take care of your piercing and your body in the days to follow.

I cannot tell you what you SHOULD get, what would look good on you, or anything like that. DO NOT leave comments asking me those questions. Piercings are one hundred percent relative, based entirely on personal aesthetics. I will never tell someone what they SHOULD get, because that is not my decision to make, it is YOURS and yours alone. If you want to ask your friends and family what they think would look good on you, those are the opinions and thoughts that matter. NOT strangers on the internet who don’t care about you, who don’t know you, and will never see you. Ultimately, get what YOU want, what YOU think you’ll look good with. Get what you’re willing to take care of and what you’re willing to see in the mirror every day.

No, you will not be given any sort of numbing agent at all. It is illegal for piercers to use injectable numbing agents like lidocaine or anything else, since these can only be administered by licensed medical professionals. Most piercers are not licensed MEDICAL professionals; therefore, they cannot use those anesthetics. I have heard that some piercers will actually take the necessary education, classes, and schooling to become medical professionals enough to use these anesthetics, but those are incredibly rare individuals. And besides, most piercings aren’t nearly painful enough, or last long enough, to warrant the use of these anesthetics.

Once you understand that, think long and hard about what piercing you want to get. Stand in front of the mirror and imagine what you would look like with the piercing. Fake it for a while by wearing a fake ring or gluing or sticking on a gem to replicate the look of a stud. Think about potential complications you might have. Like say, if you wear glasses, then a bridge piercing might not be a good idea. If you wear metal and wire braces, a lip ring probably isn’t a good idea right now. Know the risks associated with specific piercings and piercing locations. Think about what you’re going to be doing in the near future that might affect the healing of your piercing. If you’re going camping in two days, getting pierced today isn’t a good idea. If you’re planning on swimming a lot now that summer’s hit, then getting a new piercing now isn’t a good idea, wait until summer is over. These are ALL things you really need to consider before going back to the shop to get pierced.

But say you have decided to get pierced, you know what you want and know all the inherent risks involved. What can you expect to happen when you go in for it? Ideally, you should have made an appointment and you’re coming back on that day. Some shops allow walk-ins, or they may be slow enough in the shop to get you in right away. Either way, when you walk in, someone should greet you at the counter. Explain why you’re there and the piercer should be called over. From there, discuss with the piercer what you’d like to do. The piercer then should allow you to choose what jewelry you’d like to start with. Not all options will be available to you right away, but they should allow you to pick what you’d like from the available starter jewelry.

Once that’s been decided, the piercer will lead you into the designated piercing room. This is usually at the back of the shop, in a completely separate room. It should have a real door, no windows and NOTHING should be made of cloth. Every surface should be non-porous so it can be fully sterilized and cleaned properly.

The piercer will then sit you down, or sometimes even lay you down, and will clean the area to be pierced. The area will then be marked and you will be asked for your approval. Once the placement has been decided, then the piercing will begin.

Watch the piercer’s every move. They should be washing their hands CONSTANTLY with soap and water. They should be changing their gloves CONSTANTLY. Everything should be opened in front of you from fully sealed sterile packages. Most will have a small rolling metal table that doctors and dentists sometimes use, and it will have everything needed on it. Once everything is ready the piercer will lay you down or have you recline, you shouldn’t be sitting fully up under your own power since many people have been known to pass out or faint while getting pierced and reclining or lying down can greatly reduce this.

As was stated above, how the actual piercing will be performed depends a lot on what it is you’re getting, who is performing it, and your location in the world. But either way, the piercer will line up the needle and clamps, if clamps are needed, get all set and ready to go, then they will have you take a large deep breath in, hold it for just a second, then have you release the breath. As you release, that is when the needle will be inserted and the piercing performed. Make sure you breathe slowly and deeply the entire time just before and following the piercing, don’t hold your breath or forget to breathe, make a conscious effort to keep breathing slowly and deeply. The pain should only be momentary and then a dull soreness may follow. Once the piercing is performed, the jewelry will be inserted and you’re done!

You are now officially pierced.

In the next entry, we’ll discuss the aftercare of your particular piercing, what you should and shouldn’t do to it and with it, what happens if you notice something wrong it or if you have any concerns or complications. We’ll discuss the difference between infection and irritation, which is VERY important that you learn to recognize. So stay tuned!

Been there, done that.

This goes back a bit to the piercing gun post. This story is from someone who has actually worked with a piercing gun, at a very common store called Piercing Pagoda. Not sure how wide-spread this store is, but it seems fairly common from the people I’ve spoken to.

My experience at Piercing Pagoda wasn’t the best. Aside the fact I was the only worker there besides my manager who was never there so I had to work 12 hour shifts 7 days a week..

Working there made me realize how horrible piercing guns were. Our training was next to nothing basically and looking back on it, was horrible. I first had to take a test over the phone about various types of metals, irons and such. A test that I was given all the answers to by my manager so I could “get through it” faster.

Then came the hands on training. They taught us that all the guns were sterile, and in order to “sterilize” them we had to wipe them down with an alcohol swab. THEN we’d put on gloves and put the earrings in. Of course (sarcasm), wipe down the persons ear with a cotton swab, take a marker (that was used on other people as well) and mark their ear. Put the gun up to the persons ear and fire away. Don’t panic if it gets caught, that happens a lot, just wiggle it and yank it to make it free again.
The actual piercing training consisted of us taking a piercing gun and practicing on a FOAM ear. We had to dot the ear where we thought the piercing should be and pierce it. The way the manager knows if we did well was the cheat sheet on the back of the foam ear. If we got it through the x, we were done training.

Before we could pierce a paying customer we had to bring a family member or friend in as a guinea pig to pierce them. After we were done with just one ear, we were fully trained.

All of these are horribly wrong. The “sterilization” method used isn’t really sterilizing at all. In order for a piercing gun to be truly sterilized it needs to be put through an autoclave system. But they can’t be because the guns are plastic and will melt. Just wiping it down with an alcohol swab won’t do either because there are so many areas that you can not reach on the gun that it remains forever dirty. If it isn’t properly sterilized the person getting pierced runs the risk of getting HEP, HIV and MRSA, which is a flesh eating bacteria.

The lack of training, and what training I DID get was a dumbfuck to me looking back on it. At the time in my life I wanted to become a professional body piercer and thought that working at Piercing Pagoda would help me. Well it actually did, it helped me learn on what NOT to do while piercing someone.

Now I am heading to the medical field and really know how to keep things sterilized and safe for all people, including the handler. Piercing Pagoda and other mall kiosk/store piercing shops should be shut down due to their lack of knowledge and risking their customers lives.

Now if that doesn’t convince you to run screaming from piercing guns, I don’t know what will.