Thursday February 7th, 2008 @ 7:21 PM
maybe i am just increadably picky (actually, i KNOW i am) but i really love hanging organic earings for stretched ears-wood spirals, tribal swan shaped pieces and such, but my ears are currently at 5/8 and i cannot find anything that comes that big. Have you seen anyone that makes such earrings, or am i stuck with plugs?
If you have a shop in your area with a decent selection of jewelry, they should be able to order something for you if they don’t have anything in stock. What you are asking for certainly isn’t going to be the most common piece of jewelry a shop would stock, so having to order something wouldn’t be unreasonable.
You may want to find a shop that carries jewelry from a company called Tawapa. They make a large variety of hanging designs and I have seen some of the wood versions of their designs as big as 5/8″, and even larger. Their jewelry is also of excellent quality in addition to being beautiful.
Best of luck in your search.
0 / 0 votes 
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Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | 2 Comments
Thursday February 7th, 2008 @ 7:01 PM
About a week ago I got my sternum pierced with a dermal implant. Somehow I got a small tear on the bottom of my piercing. I wiped a scab off today with a Q-tip and noticed I can see a tiny part of the back of the flat plate that is inserted under the skin. Do you think it is migrating because of the tiny tear, or do you think it is migrating in general. The piercing otherwise than that is healing fine, no redness, drainage, or pain. If so is there anything I can do to help it besides sea salt soaks?
If the dermal anchor was put in even close to appropriately, it’s unlikely it is starting to reject after just a week. More likely, a small tear/cut was created at the edge of the tissue while installing the anchor. Depending upon the technique used, a bit of pressure/force can be needed to get the anchors in to place. This can sometimes result in tears/cuts in the tissue.
The fact that you can see part of the foot/plate isn’t great. While it’s not a guarantee that it’s going to reject, it definitely doesn’t bode well for the probably longevity of your dermal anchor. I would suggest you make a return visit to your piercer and consult with them. It’s likely your best option is going to be to remove and install it in a different location or wait until the area is well-healed if you want to put it in the exact same spot.
+1 / 1 votes 
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Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | Comments
Tuesday February 5th, 2008 @ 10:24 PM
How are Surface Bars inserted in the skin…and what are the usual risks and how big of a chance are they to occur with, Lower back, Nape, Hip Bones, and Under the belly button piercings.
Surface bars can be inserted by using various methods (ie. punch & taper, scalpelling, freehand piercing w/ needle, clamped piercing w/ needle, etc.). Different piercers will have different preferences in regards to which procedure they deem the best, but some of these methods are much more practical than others. If you would like a thorough explanation as to how one of these individual methods are done, please write back to inquire.
Municipal/provincial/state laws and/or insurance companies’ guidelines may be a factor which determines whether a piercing studio will use the punch & taper method or a needle method for surface piercings. It is arguable as to which procedure is the best and most practical, so educate yourself and exercise caution when choosing your piercer for this kind of work. Some piercing artists will stand behind angled (not rounded) internally-threaded barbells where some others will stand behind PTFE jewelry. It’s up to you to draw your own conclusions.
As for risks involved, your main concerns should be the same as with any other external piercings. Follow a proper piercing aftercare regime to minimize risks and shorten healing times. It is advisable to be weary of clothing contact and/or high-action areas of the body. If your hands are used all the time, a piercing there is not likely going to have a very good chance of healing in the long run. If your piercing is placed directly under where you wear your belt, this would also not be the most practical place to attempt to heal a surface piercing.
Another crucial factor in the healing of surface piercings is your piercing placement. If you are to place a surface piercing vertically on your lower back or under your navel, there will likely be issues with tension on your jewelry when your body bends and moves. This often increases scarring and lowers your possible success rate with that jewelry placement. If your jewelry is placed horizontally in those areas or on your nape you will find that there is much less tension on your jewelry when your body moves. This should increase the chances of healing that piercing drastically.
0 / 0 votes
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Posted by Russ Foxx | Permalink | 2 Comments
Tuesday February 5th, 2008 @ 9:05 PM
I really want the center of my bottom lip pierced. I have done LOTS of reasearch. & I have talked to lots of people about their lip piercings. Well, I asked my mom if I could get it pierced and she said “Abosolutely no. You’re too young.” I dont see how I’m too young when I’ll be 17 this year…
So, my question is, about how old are people when they get their lip pierced?
Thanks,
Sidra
Hi Sidra,
The age old question of: “How old do you have to be?”
This question is highly subjective and open to a lot of controversy. Certain States in the US prohibit any piercings done on anyone under the age of 18, yet others say its ok so long as they have parents permission. Meanwhile there ARE States where the age limits are a bit more lenient and your technically allowed to sign for yourself at 16 years of age. These rules are put in place for shops via either city/state laws or they are put in place because that’s the age the insurance companies advised the shop to work on,etc.
When I was working in Canada, and even still here in Australia (Here in the Northern Territory), there is no labeled age of consent laws for body piercing. Some people will establish their shops age laws based on the “Age Of Consent Laws” while some shops will make their own laws ie: don’t care about age, or they care a lot about age,etc. The fact is in these countries it is commonly viewed that at 16 you are legally of sound mind and body to say what you want and what you don’t want. Therefore you should be legally able to obtain a piercing so long as you can prove you’re 16 years of age or older.
However with that being said at the end of the day, you still have to go home to your parents. Personally not being a person who at the age of 16-17, wanted to incur the wraith of my parents, I simply waited until I was older to get my mods done. But I will say this dealing with parents on a constant basis, whom aren’t keen on their kids getting pierced. I can definitely say there is ALWAYS a way to get them to come around to allow you to be pierced.
1st: Documentation - Contact shops and find their age policies, as well as city/state laws involving age for body piercings. If it states people under the age of 18 can be pierced, that’s a fact you can point out to your parents.
2nd: School Work - Are you a straight A student or are there any subjects you’re slacking off in? If you aren’t doing well in certain classes why not work on bumping your grades up in those classes while maintaining the other classes. Most kids only have their school grades to fall back on, so that’s what the parents point out. If you have increased the grades in your classes, what can they possibly hold over your head?
3rd: House Work - Do you sit around all day everyday at the house and don’t contribute? A good way to get into their good graces is to start. Vacuum, Dust, Clean, Mop, Re-arrange furniture with them as it will get you into their good books that way.
4th: Maturity - When they shoot you down are you always causing a fuss and crying and screaming like an irrational person? Or do you come at them calmly and rationally and produce solid sound logical facts and questions? Often I find when parents act this way, they are the ones who are being the immature ones…I know I used to LOVE catching my parents acting less mature than I and I reveled in that fact by pointing out questions that make me look like the one acting more mature then my parents.
Also with these things will often come a verbal agreement between parent and child that if they work on all these things, that they can get pierced. “Mom I promise that I will do 1-2-3-4 if you allow me to get pierced.”
And also finally there is the 5th option, getting your own part-time job. That is usually the BIGGEST resolution to the matter because the fact is usually its the parents money going towards kids piercing funds. So if they aren’t pleased with you getting pierced, why should they be spending their hard earned dollar on you getting piercings? Whereas if you get a part-time job and earn your own money, who are they to tell you how to spend your own money?
That was my personal experience with the situation, my parents were really unhappy about me getting pierced at first. But as soon as I obtained a full time job and saved my money, rented my own apartment, paid for my own vacations,etc. My father simply said one day: “He is a man and he earns his own money, what he does with that money is his own business. I may not like it but its his choice on how he spends his money.”
So definitely look into these things I suggested and perhaps sit down and rationally talk to your mother about the situation. Make sure you think about everything she might say and make sure you have a rational and logical retort to her statements of: “You’re too young!” And hopefully that way you might manage to work together with your parent to obtain the piercing you desire.
+4 / 4 votes
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Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | 3 Comments
Friday February 1st, 2008 @ 12:39 PM
wow… I really do ask a lot of questions on here.
I’m browsing around on a few sites and I came by Etsy (Perishables entry in modblog sparked my interest)… Under a different sellers name, I came upon some plugs that looked like they were made from Fimo (clay that you can buy in craft stores, model and then bake in the oven so it hardens).
My question is, is this kind of clay safe to wear as jewelery in stretched ears?
It seems kind of questionable to me, because it’s craft clay… the dyes to get the colour, etc… but I wasn’t completely sure.
Thanks 
I’m very curious as to what the answer would be.
Many people have made plugs and other types of jewelry over the years out of FIMO and have reported no obvious problems. A number of years someone came to me who was making some very cool shapes out of it. I did some research into it and came to the conclusion that I wouldn’t be willing to wear it in my own body and therefore it wasn’t something I’d be willing to sell to my customers. I don’t remember the specifics of what I came across, but I recall that it had to do with potential hazardous chemicals being released from polymer clay.
I do recall most of the concern was from handling the clay in it’s “wet” form, and maybe wouldn’t translate to the stuff that has been baked. But, it’s not something I was/am willing to take the risk with.
I’m sure if you do a Google search for “dangers of fimo” or “dangers of polymer clay” or similar phrases, you’ll find lots of information with which to make your own decision.
Good luck!
+1 / 1 votes
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Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | 7 Comments
Saturday January 19th, 2008 @ 12:14 AM
I am working with someone else to open up a piercing studio in Philadelphia, PA. The piercing would take place in a beauty salon, but with a proper room and proper sterilization equipment for safe body piercing.
Do you know what kind of licensing we need to get in this area? And where can we go to get this licensing?
I don’t believe there are actually any regulations in PA (someone correct me if I am wrong). That being said, from a business perspective I WOULD HIGHLY DISCOURAGE putting any money into ANOTHER shop in Philly. Talk about an over saturated market, there’s one huge respected piercing shop, a few good ones and DOZENS of places offering half ass discount piercing. You probably can’t compete with the reputations of the good shops and unless your cutting serious corners you can’t compete with the prices of the total hack shops. It’s your time and money, but I had to throw in my two cents.
+1 / 1 votes
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Posted by Sean Philips | Permalink | 11 Comments
Sunday January 13th, 2008 @ 3:12 PM
What can I use to treat and clean lower-grade metal jewelry, such as that found in fashion jewelry? I don’t want to corrode the metal with salt water or harsh chemicals. Also. I like wearing antique earrings usually found in antique shops, but unsuprisingly my ears aren’t to happy with that. I was wondering if there is anything I can do to treat them so they will be clean enough to wear? Or should I just give it up and stick with high-grade jewelry?
Reaction to inexpensive and antique jewelry has nothing to do with the jewelry not being clean enough. Your body doesn’t react well to it because it doesn’t like something (or several things) the jewelry is made of. No amount of cleaning is going to change that.
If you don’t want your jewelry to irritate your ears, you need to wear good-quality jewelry.
+1 / 1 votes
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Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | 9 Comments
Friday January 11th, 2008 @ 7:10 PM
I am getting a cautery branding done soon. While at the studio, I was hoping to ask the artist some questions about another mod I have planned for the near future - dermal punching my outer conch.
Is it appropriate to discuss other mods while receiving one? I’d wait until after the branding procedure is done so he can concentrate, but would discussing the dermal punch afterwards be inappropriate, or should I make a separate consultation appointment?
I have to admit, it’s kind of refreshing to see a lot of AskBME questions being about etiquette. It’s nice to know that some people do give some consideration to being considerate.
Asking the person who is doing your brand about your dermal punching your conch is more-than-okay…assuming they are also the person who will be doing the punch. If not, it might be a little tacky, but even then, it shouldn’t be that big of a deal. You might even want to consider asking them before the brand, so you don’t forget in the excitement of having just gotten branded.
0 / 0 votes
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Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | 2 Comments
Tuesday January 8th, 2008 @ 2:17 PM
So this is probably the worst timing I’ve ever had with anything. I unexpectedly got my first microdermal today placed in front of my tragus. When I got home, I found out I’m tentatively scheduled for surgery in two weeks! I knew there was the possibility of surgery in my near future but it was more like a year off so of course not in my constant thought. From what I’ve read I can either take out my piercings or replace them with acrylic, but what about the microdermal? It’s breast reduction surgery so it seems that electrocautery is used extensively. Should I get it removed before it starts to take hold and save myself the trouble? Or should I wait to see what the surgeon has to say?
I think it’s unlikely that your surgeon will be willing to do surgery on you with the microdermal in place. You could always call the surgeon and ask him/her.
The advantage to removing it sooner-than-later is, obviously, ease of removal.
0 / 0 votes
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Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | 2 Comments
Wednesday December 19th, 2007 @ 7:38 PM
Warren-
I was reading over a few old questions today, and I noticed that in a response you had to a girl who was having trouble with recurring scar tissue you said it might be affected by where she was geographically (in terms of heat and humidity.) I’ve never heard of that before, and I recently moved from a very hot and humid place to a colder, drier one. I would be extremely interested if you cared to share how that works! Thanks!
Our skin is affected daily by climate. If we’re cold our pores/skin tighten and when we are in very hot environments our bodies expand and open up a bit so we can sweat the heat out to keep our internal body temps regulated.
These things play a role in the human body and effectively how a piercing is doing. For example being in Darwin Australia which is tropical weather we get a lot of people from down south (Sydney,etc) where the weather is a tad bit cooler. They come up here for a holiday, especially during our wet season, and suddenly have flare ups with their piercings. Due to the extreme climate change going from a cooler environment to somewhere very hot and very humid.
If you compare Las Vegas Nevada, Phoenix Arizona, Miami Florida, Toronto Ontario, Niagara Falls Ontario, Vancouver British Columbia, Tokyo Japan, Hong Kong,. If you compare all these places as well as others and their weather climate patterns you’ll notice subtle differences in climate. And because of these climate differences our bodies have to react to deal with these conditions. Which could mean a potential flare up of a piercing, or even a reduction in piercing related problems, when we go from one environment to another environment with a different climate type.
A personal experience of mine is having Transdermal Implants in my arm and living in Toronto/Niagara Falls Ontario region. Due the moisture in the air as well as other weather conditions my implants were ALWAYS in a stay of irritation and constant problems. Then by doing research I found many people who live in a more humid/moist environment tend to have more flare ups with their transdermals, then people who live in places like Las Vegas, Phoenix,etc. Which are located in very dry environments.
Not saying someone will always have these problems but a good percentage might experience anywhere from small flare ups to serious irritation and potentially even infection if they are not careful.
Hopefully that helps understand the situation a bit better.
0 / 0 votes
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Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | 2 Comments
