Self Piercing Outer Conch

Saturday September 27th, 2008 @ 12:01 AM

Filed under: Ear

Hey

I have wanted my outer conch pierced for quite a while now, but i’ve always been scared of anyone coming anywhere near me with a needle

Anyway, I was wondering if there are any veins or nerves in that area of the ear, or anything else that i culd cause damage to

Thanks in advance

I’m afraid we are not a ‘how to’ guide on self piercing. What I can say, though, is that you will have a far easier ride if you do pluck up the courage to visit a professional. I’m sure I can speak on behalf of my colleagues when I say this, but we do get our fair share of needle-phobics through the door. A good piercer will be able to do a grand job of putting you at ease, giving you time to relax, talking you through the procedure, answering any questions and making your piercing experience a pleasant one. If you are that nervous then pop down to your local, reputable studio and have an informal chat with the piercer, then book in for a later date. If you go to a good piercer, the one thing I can guarantee is that it won’t be half as bad an experience as you fear.

Posted by Tiff Badhairdo | Permalink | 3 Comments

Lip piercing won’t go through

Friday September 26th, 2008 @ 11:50 PM

Filed under: Lip/Cheek

I just got my lip pierced today. When I put the stud holder (thing) in, it won’t go all the way through the other side. I think it’s because of the swelling, but if I don’t put it all the way through, won’t the outside close up?

I have no idea what a stud holder (thing) is. Would I be right in thinking you replaced the jewellery with a retainer or is this a sewing needle job whereby you can’t fit the jewellery in afterwards?

If this piercing was done in a studio then you should have no reason whatsoever for fiddling with the jewellery. If you decided to remove the jewellery the same day you had it pierced then of course you are going to have issues getting it back in and yes, if it is only half-way through then the outside will indeed close up. The initial oversized jewellery should be left in situ for the first two to three weeks (without removing it at all) until the swelling has subsided, then your piercer should downsize the jewellery and that should remain in the piercing without being removed for at least four months.

Posted by Tiff Badhairdo | Permalink | 3 Comments

VCH

Friday September 26th, 2008 @ 11:42 PM

Filed under: Female Genital

I just got my VCH pierced yesterday and the piercer used a 16g curved barbell….i wanted to know if this was a standard starting size for this type of piercing or if he used too small of a gauge? All my piercing are 14g+ so if it is an ok gauge to use how hard is it to gauge up to a 14g after the initial healing time?

16g is way too thin for genital piercings. Think ‘cheesewire’!
Give it a month and in that time be very careful with it and then pop a 14g piece of jewellery in there.

The term is to stretch up, not gauge up!

Posted by Tiff Badhairdo | Permalink | 2 Comments

Designing

Friday September 26th, 2008 @ 1:59 PM

Filed under: Tattoos

Hi BME

I have been to several tattoo shops around where i live and i am wanting to get this tattoo. I have a design in my head but i am no artist. What is the best way to get a design down on paper?

Also how do i choose which shops is the best suited for me?

thankyou.

Shops best suited for you:
The best way to decide this is to visit the shops around you or ask your friends for a recommendation. Walk in. Skim through portfolios. See anything that stylistically ‘vibes’ with what you have in your head? While most tattooists are versatile- it’s a great thing that the good ones have a recognizable “voice” when it comes to their work. If you’re thinking of something with a big ol’ bold outline with a basic colour pallet- the artist who’s book is FULL of amazing black and gray MAY not be the best choice for your piece. Does that mean they CAN’T do your piece? heck no.

But an artist’s portfolio is often a great starting place to see where their head is stylistically. They’re laying out this portfolio to represent THEM, so… read it like a Rorschach test. The person who’s work most speaks to you is the first one you should talk to about your design.

A word of warning though: Once you’ve started the process, that design will become a communal image that you two share. The likelihood of it 100% matching what you have in your head is almost impossible- unless you’re joined at the head with your tattooist. And that’s a GOOD thing! As my good friend BRHL says:

“Once I’m there, people tend to be a lot more open to imagery and approach, and I’m able to render something that may be a lot more appropriate to their objectives than what was in their head. I get it all the time, “It’s not at all what I was envisioning, but it’s exactly what I wanted.” I don’t take this as me being some astounding artist, I just listen to what’s behind a person’s words.”

Posted by Shawn Porter | Permalink | Comments

Tattoo on fingertip?

Monday September 22nd, 2008 @ 10:41 AM

Filed under: Tattoos

Some friends and I were talking about tattoos we want once we’re old enough to get them, and one friend said she wanted a peace sign tattooed on her finger, like, right in the center of where your finger print is. I thought it was an interesting idea, but it seemed like a difficult place to get a tattoo. Is it possible to do something like that? If it were, would it affect your sense of touch on that finger?

Is it possible to do something like that? Sure. Chances are however, the tattoo is not going to stay, or at least stay looking good, for very long due to the thicker, calloused nature of the skin on the pad of your finger.

Your friend will probably also have a harder time finding an artists willing to do a tattoo there because they know it isn’t going to hold well over time.

My advice would be for your friend to pick a different spot for the tattoo.

Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | Comments

VCH piercing disappearing

Monday September 22nd, 2008 @ 10:35 AM

Filed under: Female Genital

Hi, I got a VCH done a month ago today.

It has been fine (I think) up until yesterday when it started to feel a little uncomfortable.

When I got my mirror and viewed ‘down there’.. i noticed that the bottom end of the ball had disappeared inside

with clean hands i just pushed the top ball ever so slightly back down so you could see the top & bottom ball.

But I’m now very scared it’s gonna come out.

I’ve been cleaning it twice a day every day with sea salt & the special soap they give you at the piercing shops. Unfortunately I can’t go back to where I was pierced as I done it abroad in the only place I really trust to pierce me! - I’ve been there many times before, and I completely trust them.

So I don’t really know what to do? I really do not want to take it out & I’m hoping it will just heal somehow. But I’m concerned that the hole at the bottom of the piercing is just gonna get bigger & bigger which is why it disappears every now and then.

I won’t be going back to the shop until probably next year sometime.

I was pierced with a straight barbell I think if that helps atall?

Thank you in advance…

I’m afraid I’ll be somewhat limited as to what I can tell you since I can’t actually see the piercing, but here goes…

Is it possible that the jewelry is just moving up slightly, causing the ball to disappear under your hood, and not actually slide in to the piercing? If you are able to very easily slide the barbell back down, and there is no pressure or pulling or pain when you do that, it’s likely the ball isn’t going in to the actual piercing.

If you’re sure it is going in to the piercing itself, you likely need a slightly longer piece of jewelry…or perhaps a curved barbell instead of a straight barbell. If you aren’t comfortable changing the jewelry yourself then you will have to find a piercer in your area you are comfortable with.

It’s also possible that even if the ball is sliding in to your piercing, it won’t cause you any real issues. Although I definitely understand where you might not want to chance it.

Posted by Derek Lowe | Permalink | 3 Comments

Ear Infections

Saturday September 20th, 2008 @ 12:23 PM

Filed under: Ear

Is it possible that my body can not handle piercings?

All my piercings seem to get infected.

I clean with sea salt and warm water twice a day for the first couple of weeks and then once a day from then on.

I always make sure to rinse them out after washing my hair.

I’ve recently been on 500mg of Flucloxacillin to clear up a lobe infection, and it has helped, but the infection is still there. (I’ll be seeing my doctor again shortly.)

It would also seem that an infection is starting to develop in my other lobe too.

I really don’t know what to do. Should I keep trying to get them to heal, or just give up and take them out?

Thank You

If you are continually getting wound infections that are troublesome to clear up, even with antibiotics, it very much sounds like something else is going on here. It could well be that you have some form of systemic infection and unless that is adequately treated there’s every chance that you will continue getting the same problem every time you get pierced.

When you see your doctor it may well be worth bringing this up in conversation and discussing removing the jewellery at a certain point within your drug therapy and not bothering with any kind of piercing until you and your doctor have worked out what is going on and it has been adequately treated.

Posted by Tiff Badhairdo | Permalink | 7 Comments

eyebrow barbell

Saturday September 20th, 2008 @ 12:08 PM

Filed under: Eyebrow/Bridge

I had my eyebrow pieced a couple of months ago and it seems to be healing fairly well. However, the end of the barbell won’t come off… Probably because I failed to check the ball every day and some crust got into the screw and hardened or something.

Has anyone else had similar problems?

I’ve left it as it is because it wasn’t really a major problem, but I have a job interview in a few weeks and it would be really helpful if anyone could tell me a way to loosen the end and take it out. cheers.

I tend to really tighten balls on jewellery to prevent clients switching it out after only eight weeks!

If you have to remove it then try gripping the balls with a bit of tissue or buy a pair of latex or nitrile (although latex is grippier) gloves. I would advise you visit a piercer after your interview to have them reinsert the jewellery using an insertion pin so’s to avoid any additional trauma as I’m pretty certain that in this time the fistula will shrink some and you will damage it by forcing jewellery back in as it isn’t fully healed.

Ideally, you shouldn’t be removing and reinserting jewellery in an eyebrow piercing for a minimum of four months - preferably longer.

Posted by Tiff Badhairdo | Permalink | 2 Comments

Tragus piercing - need advice!!!

Saturday September 20th, 2008 @ 11:58 AM

Filed under: Ear

Hi there! Firstly, apologies for sounding like an idiot - I’m a relative newb to piercings!

I had my tragus pierced about 10 weeks ago. In theory it should be healed, although I understand it can take longer. I’ve cared for it with hot salty water. It’s not bleeding or leaky and the crusty bits are small and rare. It’s not painful but I am aware of it which is slightly uncomfortable. Plus, I’m getting the bulgy/flappy bits around it. I had this with my navel piercing too and occasionally get it with my tongue bar. With my navel, it was recommended I change to titanium - it healed right away! I don’t have titanium or surgical steel in my tragus - I can’t remember what it is. Does this sound normal?

I have tried going to my piercer but on asking when they close I was told “when the last person leaves” and they said “after two months, it will be healed”. Problem is, I don’t even know what jewellery I need if I do change it myself. What do I do re sizes? How do I know exactly which jewellery is made for traguses? (I know some will be specific but some say you can use the tragus bars in various body parts!)

It was pierced with a weird bar - it basically twirls up behind my tragus? I really cannot use a BCR, so I am only looking for other options. The piercing is the regular one, not the vertical.

I called EVERY piercer in the vague vicinity before I got this done - the ones I went to were the best, and came recommended. The two places who pierced me previously have shut down as has the shop who recommended titanium for healing purposes. So I have no clue who to go to for advice, hence posting here…

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated!

xxxxx

Hmm.. what you are saying is not giving me warm, fuzzy feelings about this studio.

Everything sounded normal with regards to the healing process until you described the ‘bulgy, flappy bits’.

Firstly, a tragus piercing will not heal within eight weeks. You are looking at between eight to twelve MONTHS. Secondly, I’m not too comfortable with the jewellery you describe. Without seeing it I can’t be sure but it sounds like you are describing a nostril screw. Thirdly, the raised tissue around the piercing sounds like irritation which is most likely caused by the jewellery.

I would suggest finding a reputable studio (it sounds like you might have to travel) and having them switch it out for a titanium flat-backed labret stud and then leaving it be for a minimum of eight months. Twice daily warm seasalt soaks are good.

Posted by Tiff Badhairdo | Permalink | 5 Comments

Transdermal/microdermal removal

Tuesday September 16th, 2008 @ 1:41 PM

Filed under: Extreme

I’m planning for a corset piercing down my back with microdermal anchors. I understand that microdermals are pretty much permanent and require surgical removal. While I don’t plan on having my microdermals removed, I was just wondering, when people do have them removed, is the procedure as ‘bloody’ as transdermal implant removal?

From my research, I understand that microdermals were created as the ‘less-permanent’ form of transdermals, and I know both have to be surgically removed. Just wondering if there’s any differences between the removal procedures?

The difference in procedures for removal of the two are huge and not even comparable, really. Surface Anchors do not need to be surgically removed. They don’t slide out like a regular piercing might, but they’re tiny and they come out with minimal difficulty.
For that reason, the removal of them isn’t going to be nearly as bloody or invasive as a transdermal removal.

Posted by Lexci Million | Permalink | 3 Comments