Sunday January 13th, 2008 @ 3:10 PM
Okay so dumb story but I pierced my lip.. i was clean about it and all that but then the next morning I realized it was stupid and needed to come out… so I took it out.
no pain or anything when I was piercing it, putting it in, or taking it out.
the swelling of the actual lip only lasted a day but it feels like its swollen between my lips (I think its just forming scar tissue)… like the outside isn’t swollen and on the inside of my lip is just a little white circle where the hole was.
Is that normal? Everyone I’ve talked to has says yes and it will go down in due time, I mean its only been 3 nights since I did it but I’m a worrier and I just wanna double check with people who might know a little more.
and every night I wash the outside and i rinse with mouthwash or warm salt water any chance I get….
but I just wanna make sure that kind of swelling is normal and will go down?
and if its scar tissue what is the quickest way to make it go down because i plan on re piercing it when I don’t have to worry about my job and my sports coaches and parents breathing down my neck, and its really kinda annoying
Putting a hole in your face = swelling.
If it’s only been 3 days, I wouldn’t worry about it. Give it some time and everything should return to normal.
0 / 0 votes 
Loading ...
Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | Comments
Sunday January 13th, 2008 @ 3:05 PM
Filed under: Ear
I’m interested in getting an inner conch piercing. I was wondering if it could be pierced with a bioplast labret stud, or if there’s anything else you could recommend. I’ve had problems with cheap materials for my two helixes, and I don’t want a big oldeal with my conch.
I’ve had a problem healing my helixes too, one’s a year old and the other I got in August. The older one’s got the dreaded bump and the other’s been a bit pussy (it might be lymph, I’m not sure) but otherwise it’s not red or painful. H2Ocean doesn’t seem to do much for them. What can I do to help them?
I personally have not worked with Bioplast much, but I don’t see any reason you couldn’t have your conch pierced with it. Regardless of material, I would suggest a barbell/labret stud, as opposed to a ring. A ring will experience much more pressure and irritation, increasing the chances of healing problems.
As for the helixes…without being able to see them, it’s a bit hard to say. If you are wearing captive bead rings or circular barbells, I would strongly suggest changing over to straight barbells. Just as with the conch, the barbell will have much less movement and irritation, which is a common problem when healing cartilage piercings. You may also want to try actually soaking your piercings (about 5 minutes, twice per day) in a solutions of warm water and sea salt. H2Ocean works well for some people, and not as well for others. Also, some people’s bodies simply need a little more TLC than a quick squirt of anything can provide.
0 / 0 votes
Loading ...
Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | 3 Comments
Sunday January 13th, 2008 @ 3:01 PM
I got my sternum pierced around 4 months ago with a 1 inch implant grade bar. It seems to be healing relatively nice, except for one thing. Unless I’m bending backwards the bottom pops out of the hole. I can see the skin has thinned out a bit on the bottom hole. Is there anything I can do to prevent it from fully healing with the bottom sticking out?
Based upon what you’ve described, it’s quite possible the piercing is start to migrate or reject. I’m assuming you had the piercing done with a surface bar. For that type of jewelry to work appropriately, it has to fit in the piercing perfectly. If one side of the surface bar is constantly “out”, it starts to become no different than putting a straight barbell in a surface piercing…which is not good.
You could try downsizing the overall length of the surface bar. In some cases this will help stop the rejection. However, it’s not uncommon for surface piercings to continue rejecting once they start, even with a change of jewelry.
Without being able to see the piercing, this is the best advice I can provide. Best of luck.
0 / 0 votes
Loading ...
Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | Comments
Friday January 11th, 2008 @ 9:57 PM
Would it be possible to perform a piercing right at the bottom of the lip where it meets the gum, and if so, would there be any likely issues? Would a standard labret post be suitable?
Thanks [=
I go as low as I need to go thank you very much, but only with the right person ;P
In seriousness to answer your question yes you can pierce where you are essentially looking to get them. If you search for Lowbrets on BMEZine, you’ll see a plethora of various different options.
Yes a labret stud would be ideal and I’d personally advise using a 3-piece internally threaded labret. As depending on how your lips and gums are you might require a smaller disc on the inside so not to rub against where the lip and gums meet,etc.
+1 / 1 votes 
Loading ...
Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | Comments
Friday January 11th, 2008 @ 9:50 PM
I’ve just recently heard of cartilage shattering and I’m wondering what it is. I get that it does mean the cartilage shatters, but like how does that happen?
The way shattering occurs is much like how anything else shatters (ie: glass,etc). Pressure applies to the specific semi-hard to hard surface and to release the pressure it breaks/shatters.
This has been known to occur when a piercing gun has been used on ear cartilage. As well as I know of it occurring via a piercing studio when a forcep was applied tightly to ear cartilage and then a dull needle was passed through the cartilage.
That is essentially HOW it occurs, but why it occurred to you, I sadly cannot explain. Not unless I was able to witness the procedure you got done, that caused the shattering.
0 / 0 votes
Loading ...
Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | Comments
Friday January 11th, 2008 @ 9:45 PM
Alrighty. I have a healed labret piercing(14ga) and a healed Monroe piercing(16ga). I recently moved out of the province so I had to find a new place to buy jewelery. When I did I bought two studs, one supposed to be a 14ga and the other supposed to be a 16ga. I came home, cleaned them and went to put them in when I discovered that both of them were the wrong size! The stud that was supposed to be a 16ga was slightly larger than the one I had in. That wasn’t a huge problem so I put it in and the piercing was a little sore and red for about a day. But the other one that was supposed to be a 14ga was the same size! Way smaller than the one I had in my labret before! So, both of them were bigger than a 16ga, but smaller than a 14ga. What’s up with that? Is there such thing as a 15ga?
In essence, yes there IS a 15ga, but most jewelry suppliers never make the in between gauge size. This is often a result of inconsistent polishing techniques, either they mass tumble polish or even if it’s polished by hand, they can either over polish or under polish the jewelry. Thus giving the jewelry a inconsistent size, which ethically the jewelry suppliers should be checking to ensure its the proper gauge and length before sending them out to the wholesale buyers.
This is why I personally prefer dealing with only the best (highest quality) jewelry manufacturers nowadays, as they guarantee the correct gauge, length, diameter,etc that is ordered.
0 / 0 votes
Loading ...
Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | Comments
Friday January 11th, 2008 @ 9:34 PM
i had gotten my cheeks pierced almost 3 weeks ago and had some trouble with them they had to put 5/8 inch barbells in from the swelling then they had to change the left one to 3/4 inch and it doesnt really hurt but it keeps getting like this really nasty stuff in it that leaks out like not just the lymph secretions but like thick stuff and where the ball had went inside my cheek it had made the skin rather loose ive been brushing every time i eat as well as doing sea salt soaks and H2Ocean spray on the outside of the cheeks and the skin inside is turning white and the ball is still wanting to go inside my cheek but not from the swelling just from where it had went in before like the hole wont close is it infected and what would u say the best thing to do is?
thanks
To be honest 5/8″ and quite often even 3/4″ is just a bit too short for initial cheek piercings. Most piercers I know will use jewelry that is close to 1″ or longer in length initially, to accomodate for the cheeks swelling allowance, which is a lot.
Also depending on where the placement was done, complications could definitely be occuring. If they pierced through the parotid glands or some of its ducts, problems can become quite serious.
Also brushing teeth should be kept to 2-3 times a day. As for the sea salt soaks, how are you mixing the sea salt and water together? Also how are you doing them (ie: washing your mouth out with it, soaking the outside of the piercing,etc) and how long are you doing this for?
Also depending on the bead size, you might require a little bit larger bead size, to prevent it from being sucked into your cheek. However a lot of this is just speculation, a proper in person assessment would be ideal, to troubleshoot the situation effectively.
0 / 0 votes
Loading ...
Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | 7 Comments
Friday January 11th, 2008 @ 9:23 PM
My wife is thinking about getting her lips pierced. She’s wanted it for a long time already.
She is breastfeedng (6th moth now) and wants to continue to do so.
Are there anny extra risks, eccept for a possible longer heelingtime, that she might have to take into acount?
Cheers Bas
Yes the piercings will have a longer heal time as the body is working very hard to generate milk so it can be passed onto the child. Because of this it is ideal to wait until your wife is no longer breast-feeding, before obtaining any piercings.
Also due to the longer heal time if any potential infections were to occur or other problems, it can be passed into the child through the breast milk.
So as I stated it would be ideal to wait until your wife is completely done breast-feeding, before obtaining and piercings or tattoos,etc.
0 / 0 votes
Loading ...
Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | 1 Comment
Friday January 11th, 2008 @ 8:40 PM
So, I am getting my first big tattoo on Monday. (Cue spaz out right now.) But, I am really nervous for the healing process. I work in a hospital, all over actually. And, I am exposed to a lot of icky (for lack of any medical terminology) stuff. I have a lot of contact with stuff like MRSA and c. Diff. Both, of which I would rather not get. Are there any steps that I can take at work that will make infection not possible? Obviously, I won’t be rubbing my leg all over festering boils, or anything… But, is doing that plastic wrap thing an okay procedure to take up while the tattoo is healing? Mucho thankos.
Is there any chance of taking sick leave or a holiday on short notice?
Personally with all the potential problems by putting yourself in contact with MRSA and various others in a Hospital environment, I’d say better to just stay away for a little while,
As working in a hospital you have to factor into the fact that the environment is not completely sterile or clean. People brush against various objects in the hospital, much like they do outside. So I would be VERY concerned/worried about entering into a location such as a hospital which has been the breeding ground for the issues you are bringing up.
As for the plastic wrap concept, there’s two different views on this. Some tattoo artists believe you SHOULD wear plastic wrap and change it often to maintain the tattoo. While others believe leaving the tattoo open to allow it to receive oxygen, and just keeping it clean is best.
My concern with the plastic wrap and being inside the hospital is that essentially you’ll be wandering around the hospital with sweaty lymphing bio-soup leg. And no matter how you swing it a bit of pressure in the right area can cause that liquidy mixture to expel out from the plastic wrap.
Personally if I was in your shoes I would have organized some time off from work, at least a week, to allow for the initial healing process to begin. As it’s just better to be safe then to be sorry. Why risk the potential concept of catching MRSA?
0 / 0 votes
Loading ...
Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | 7 Comments
Friday January 11th, 2008 @ 7:16 PM
Filed under: Nipple
I’ve had my nipples pierced for several years now and have had no problems with the first one that I got pierced, but the second one was pierced very poorly. It was pierced too deep and is lined up perfectly on one side, while the other side comes out of my areola. Initially, they had a post in it (I have always had barbells in them) that was too short as well, and the bead even went into the piercing on the wonky side once. I inserted a longer post and big beads and have been dealing with this piercing for far too long (almost 3 years now). I have scarring on the one side now, and it’s very irritable.
I know I should take it out, I know it’s not happy and won’t be, so I’m going to not be stubborn and actually take it out (finally!). I’m wondering how long I should wait to get it re-pierced after I take it out. I’ve heard 2 weeks I’ve also heard 8.
Thanks!
Taking it out is definitely the best option. If it’s still unhappy after 3 years, chances are good there is simply no hope for it. Nipple piercings done too deep can be virtually impossible to heal for many people.
If you were my client, I would suggest you wait a minimum of 3 months. Given the amount of trauma and irritation that has been going on for the past 3 years, giving the area plenty of time to settle down is going to be best. You want the area to not be inflamed or irritated at atll, and it’s best if you can give your body a chance to re-absorb some of the scar tissue. You may find that massaging the scar tissue regularly will help break it up a bit, making it easier for your body to re-absorb.
Having said all that, I will also say that being able to see and feel the piercing goes a long way in determining how long to wait. My suggestion of 3 months is based solely on what you’ve said. I might have a different opinion if were were nipple-to-face.
0 / 0 votes
Loading ...
Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | 2 Comments
