Thursday June 25th, 2009 @ 12:47 PM
So i want to get two dermals where a normal sternum piercing would be. how painful (compare to other piercings?) can i expect this to be?
This is going to sound like a smart-ass answer, but that’s not (mostly) my intention.
They will hurt more than some piercings and less than others. Without knowing what you’ve had done, it’s hard to say. And, even if I did know what you had done, it wouldn’t be a lot of help, as obviously, pain is relative. Add to that variations in the skills of the piercer performing the procedure…there is no way to give a reliable comparison.
Most people I’ve done dermal anchors on say they hurt less than they expected. A few have thought they hurt more than they expected.
Best of luck.
+7 / 9 votes 
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Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | 1 Comment
Thursday June 25th, 2009 @ 12:40 PM
Filed under: Tongue
I got my piercing 26 hours ago. I attempted to do my research ahead of time as I was a huge chicken about pain, hygiene etc. Since having it pierced only 3000 more questions have crossed my mind. Even with swelling I am having no trouble speaking so my main concern of a “lisp” forming seems to be no concern. But not I keep reading everyone’s horror stories and I keep worrying “will that happen to me?”
So for the only that I have experienced is swelling the full length of the 14 mm bar used and my jaw is very tight. I slept on my back last night with but my head/shoulders elevated at a little over a 45 degree angle. I have been drinking protein drinks and upped my vitamin regimen before the piercing to accommodate the chance of not eating much. My piercer told me to avoid yeast/ dairy for at least a week. I was also told to use sea salt/water + Crest non-alcohol Mouthwash. To change my toothbrush to a new soft bristle one. To take lots of Tylenol (do to a stomach surgery I can’t take anything but Tylenol rapid release). I know I am probably over worrying, but I start thinking of everything that could go wrong and I wonder if I should just take it out now and let it go as a lesson learned.
Also I was slightly upset as it isn’t pierced in the center, and I wanted informed until after the piercing was done that it wasn’t pierced in the center. I evidently have a vein there, and my piercer wouldn’t take a chance going through it. I am worried that I will look “stupid” even though I have read this is common in some people. Honestly for a 26 year old adult female I feel like I am 12 years old again getting my ears pierced for the first time, panicking about everything that could happen.
So any advice besides go on Prozac as quick as possible would be of great help.
So, I”m not sure Prozac is really in order, but certainly a couple of deep breaths and a nice counting-to-10 might be helpful at this point. Okay, now count to 10 again. 
You definitely need to relax about the healing part of it. It sounds like you are dong all the right stuff to get your piercing to heal. Add to that, tongue piercings are typically very fast, very easy healing piercings…and yes, you’re worrying a bit more than is necessary. You probably don’t need to do the Tylenol thing regularly, unless you are in pain. Tylenol doesn’t typically help much with swelling (as opposed to ibuprofen/Advil), so it won’t do much for you.
As for the placement thing…I guess you will know how you feel about it once all the swelling goes away. My guess is that it isn’t going to look stupid and you will still be quite happy with it. If it turns out you don’t like the way it looks, you can take it out at that point.
It is unfortunate the piercer didn’t discuss it with you beforehand.’
Take a couple more deep breaths.
+11 / 11 votes 
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Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | 1 Comment
Thursday June 25th, 2009 @ 12:31 PM
Filed under: Navel
Hi.
This is my third time getting my navel pierced. The first time, the piercing grew out. The second time, the top ball kept going inside the hole so I just took the piercing out. Now, on the bottom ball, when I move the bar a little, it seems like spongey bloody tissue is coming out. Also, there’s like a raised bubble around the hole. I’m just wondering what I should do, because the bloody tissue is really scaring me. Any suggestions?
First of all, don’t be freaked out by the bloody tissue. The bump/tissue you are describing is not uncommon with navel piercings. They typically show up around the 2 months mark, but sometimes they show up later and sometimes earlier.
Without seeing your piercing, I can only talk in very general terms. Very often, those bumps are a result of jewelry that does not fit well/right. The mechanical irritation keeps the piercing irritated, hence the bump/blood tissue. To figure out if this is the issue, a piercer would need to take a look at it.
You didn’t mention what you were doing for aftercare, but cleaning too frequently and/or using something too harsh can also contribute to irritation. If you are doing anything other than sea salt/saline soaks a few times per day, it’s probably best to consider changing your aftercare routine.
Another thing that many people miss is being sure to dry out your navel really well after you shower or soak it. Extra moisture can inhibit healing.
Good luck!
+5 / 5 votes
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Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | Comments
Wednesday June 10th, 2009 @ 7:23 PM
i go to shows a lot and im wondering if its worth it to get hip microdermals, or if theyll reject right away if i bump them or if theyll rip out in a pit? i move around a lot and im wondering how long they usually last?
I’ve actually had pretty good success with hip-placed surface anchors.
If you’re bumping and snagging them - they will very likely get angry and reject.
I tell my clients to wear a water-proof bandage that seals the whole way around the jewelry if they think they’re going to put their anchors in a situation where they may be compromised.
+6 / 12 votes
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Posted by Lexci Million | Permalink | Comments
Wednesday June 10th, 2009 @ 7:15 PM
I recently got a frenum piercing done, and have been since told that such piercings need to be stretched or they tend to reject. Is this a known issue with these types of piercings?
You can reduce the risk of your piercing rejecting if you:
-Find a piercer with experience in the procedure, wear and aftercare.
-are using implant grade jewelry (I do frenum piercings 10g and up)
-taking it easy on the piercing site (Hands, mouths, etc off of it for the first several weeks)
-practising diligent personal hygeine and care.
Some people find that piercings become more stable if they’re worn at a larger gauge so if you’ve got a weeny little 14g barbell in there, I’d suggest stretching it up…
0 / 10 votes 
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Posted by Lexci Million | Permalink | 1 Comment
Wednesday June 10th, 2009 @ 7:13 PM
I’d like to buy my own dermal anchor jewelry before going to a piercer to get it done; I need to buy four. But I don’t know a reliable site or what I should be looking for as far as the specifics go. If you could help me out, that’d be great.
An even better idea would be to find a piercer who can get in appropriate jewelry for you to have it done. I don’t pierce people with jewelry other than what comes out of my own shop so I can ensure and guarantee it’s quality.
+6 / 12 votes
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Posted by Lexci Million | Permalink | Comments
Wednesday June 10th, 2009 @ 7:09 PM
Filed under: Tongue
the front half of my tongue feels sore with a sting to it … I would almost describe it as like i have eaten too many salt and vinegar chips. This only happened the day after my tongue was pierced … is it possible to get thrush from this?
I had my tongue pierced 5 days ago too.
Getting thrush after a tongue piercing can certainly happen. It’s common when mouthwashes are the suggested aftercare or from over rinsing.
The first week or so after a tongue piercing can be pretty brutal. People experience pain from the tip of the tongue to the back, the underside and even in the jaw and neck. This could be your problem also/instead.
-1 / 7 votes
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Posted by Lexci Million | Permalink | 2 Comments
Wednesday June 10th, 2009 @ 7:06 PM
I had my VCH piercing done about 4 days ago. I was expecting a little sore/tenderness in the area, and this hasn’t been troublesome - but I have noticed some bruising/discoloration 2 days ago, just on the area where the barbell sits underneath the skin- and haven’t read too many experiences regarding this. I’ve been following the aftercare diligently and don’t think it’s infected in any way.
So I was wondering if this is “normal” or is it a sign that I sould return to my piercer?
Also, generally how long will this (bruising) last?
Bruising is very common with new vertical hood piercings. Some people experience none, some a little bit of localized bruising, some can bruise really impressively.
Often with more extensive bruising there can be a bit more swelling and soreness around the area. Like any bruise, depending on the severity, it should go away in a week or so.
+5 / 7 votes
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Posted by Lexci Million | Permalink | Comments
Wednesday June 10th, 2009 @ 2:47 PM
hey guys,
i’m wanting to get my bridge pierced next but I cant seem to find any retainers for it that will hide it completely
because i work on checkouts in a shop so it will be easy to notice for other people.
i have these for my lips & monroe & you can barely see them at all;
http://www.bodyjewelleryshop.com/online_store/bioplast_push_fit_labret_retainer_clear_11290437.cfm
does anyone have any links or things of retainers to hide bridge piercings then?
I was thinking about a O-ring but i heard in light they look a bit dark and I cant even wear a clear ball on my lip its that noticeable lol.
thank you VERY much!
(oh and im from UK so USA links wouldn’t help much)
(UK)
I have never seen a retainer made specifically for bridge piercings. You could use a glass eyebrow retainer with a clear o-ring, but if that is not discrete enough for you, you may be better off hiding it. If you buy a pair of “fashion” (or prescription if you need them) glasses with thick frames and take them in when you get pierced your piercer can place the piercing so it is hidden by the glasses frames. This also means that when you are not working you can show off your fancy new bridge without having to constantly swap jewelry (and thereby irritate the new piercing).
+19 / 19 votes
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Posted by Sean Philips | Permalink | 1 Comment
Thursday June 4th, 2009 @ 3:13 PM
Is it possible to deral punch a foreskin say at a 2g or larger?
Possible? Yes. Good idea? Not so much.
As a general rule of thumb, punches aren’t recommended for soft tissue. Why remove tissue when it is not necessary, especially if that tissue if of the sensitive nature? A 4 ga needle followed by a 2 ga taper would be a far better idea. Whether your foreskin could support such a piercing is anatomically dependent though, so consult with a piercer experienced in male genital piercings, especially foreskin piercings which are fairly rare (in the US at least).
+14 / 16 votes
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Posted by Sean Philips | Permalink | 1 Comment
