Tuesday February 17th, 2009 @ 3:51 PM
Filed under: Ear
Ive been stretching for about 3 years now and I got a blow out back at only half inch and im at 1-5/8 now but I always managed to keep the blowouts somewhat under control untill recently. The one on my right ear got so bad that its pretty much all blowout and inside out and the skin is weird and always out-stretches by itself. Maybe a month or two ago my lobe started thinning out at one point while the rest of it was still extremely thick, I didnt think too much of it because it wasnt THAT bad but maybe two weeks ago I had gotten sick which gave me a skin rash which affected my lobes and they both got pretty badly infected. There still healing from the infection BUT now my lobe is thinner then ever, almost like a string and really badly scabbed and the more it scabbes the thinner it gets. Im guessing its pretty much inevidable that its going to snap any day now but my question is when it does would I need complete earlobe reconstruction or can I get the thick parts sewn back together, which would make the lobe a couple sizes smaller? And what can I do to prevent this with my other lobe? Also curious about the thick part of my lobe near the bottom, since its like a complete blowout the feel of my lobe is weird, almost like puddy, you can squeeze it and it will hold the indent and blood just pours out of the thinned area when I squeeze it. I dont know if theres ANY hope for my lobes but please help. Thanks. - Andrea
Aww Yikes. Don’t squeeze your poor irritated earlobes.
The constant scabbing and continual thinning could very well be from the tissue dying as a result of lack of circulation in the thinning area.
With stretched earlobes, it’s always a good idea to sleep with your jewelry out. When you’re outside in the cold, your jewelry should be out and your lobes wrapped up with a scarf or a touque to keep the blood flow to that area (Which will keep your lobes plump and healthy).
I tell all my clients to remove their jewelry completely for a few weeks after any type of injury to their earlobes (be it a blowout, frost bite, sunburn, jewelry irritation, etc)
It’s better to risk losing a couple sizes than losing your lobe entirely.
As far as reconstruction goes, you may be able to find a reputable artist (or doctor) who could either reverse your stretched lobes completely OR, depending on the current state of your lobes, remove the dead/severely damaged tissue and rejoin the two healthy ends back together and have you start stretching back up again.
+9 / 11 votes 
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Posted by Lexci Million | Permalink | 2 Comments
Tuesday February 10th, 2009 @ 1:45 PM
Filed under: Ear
Hi, I am looking at getting a new piercing. When I went on BME I couldn’t find any pictures of it so I am wondering if it is rare or if I am looking in the wrong place or what. I think it is part of the helix. It is the curled part of the ear just above the tragus, right next to the temple. So, my question is, what is it called and where in the BME pictures would I find it? Thanks so much. 
Jen
I always called it a “forward helix”, but in the bme encyclopedia if you look up helix it mentions it as an “ear head” piercing. No disrespect to whomever came up with that name but I am sticking with calling it a forward helix.
+11 / 11 votes 
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Posted by Sean Philips | Permalink | 7 Comments
Tuesday February 10th, 2009 @ 1:34 PM
Hey,
I really want to get my hips pierced for my 18th birthday, and i love the look of a surface piercing - where the balls stick out just above the skin. However, it seems that they are almost definetely going to reject and i was wondering if it is possible to get the same effect using dermal anchors.
Also, what would be the approximate difference in price between the two options?
Thankyou.
IMHO, the ONLY advantages surfaces bars have over anchors are:
-Easier to put in and easier to remove.
-One piercing give your two points, which makes it more cost effective.
Aside from those 2 reasons, I have never seen a situation where I felt a surface bar was a better bet than anchors.
Hips are notoriously difficult to heal, to have the best chance possible I’d advise anchors with flat disc ends to heal them.
+8 / 8 votes
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Posted by Sean Philips | Permalink | 2 Comments
Tuesday February 10th, 2009 @ 1:25 PM
Dear Sean Philips:
I hear that your Modblogged “Lemmy is God” tattoo is in a contest.
Where can I vote for it?
You are awesome.
Love, Me.
Why Robin, it’s funny you ask that.
Yes, my ModBlogged “Lemmy is God” tattoo is in a online contest for the Philly station 104.5.
If any of our loyal reader want to help out a poor volunteer, soon to be father, askbmezine.com staffer, and possibly win $104.50 for themselves. Just follow this link and vote for me, Sean P.
+6 / 6 votes
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Posted by Sean Philips | Permalink | 3 Comments
Friday February 6th, 2009 @ 10:15 AM
Let’s start off with one thing: I adore BMEzine. Wonderful stuff! You guys are an inspiration to many.
I’ve been thinking for more than 2 years now, and I know I want to get some cutting/peeling work done. I intend it to be a gear design over my heart, about 3″ in diameter. The design I’ve presented to my local shop is what I’d like to use (http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1557798/ - the file upload failed) and I’d like that design to be cut away completely, with all the black area peeled away and left skinless, down to the tissue underneath.
My goal is to create a deep, recessed ‘cookie cutter’ scar with as little keloiding as possible. However, the shops I have gone to in the area either won’t do scarification or refuse to cut so deeply. I’ve prepared for infection and have quite a bit of medical antibiotics (Dicloxacillin) stockpiled. I can understand a liability on their part, but I find it difficult to believe that this is really such a dangerous job.
Further, the only person I’ve found who was willing to do the job for me is asking to do it in stages, first cutting the outline and then taking the skin away in two visits. I suspect this is because he’s asking me for $200 a visit. Am I being scalped? (Pun intended)
Thanks much.
It’s not a case of how deep you go but what aftercare you choose to undertake. As for a deep, recessed end product - there is little chance of that happening with removal, particularly in the area you have suggested. The chest is a high motion area and is by nature prone to raising. The nature of scarification is somewhat organic and very unique to the individual, which for most is its appeal. As practitioners, we can take into account what the client wants with regards to the end product and tailor the aftercare in such a way as to encourage this but ultimately you have to be aware that it may not turn out as you expect. Going deep in the chest area will most likely produce raised and possible keloid scarring and with that you may lose some of the sharp edges. The risk with keloid formation is that it can be painful and in some cases debilitating (as the scar contracts and pulls taught surrounding tissue).
As for technique, I personally see no reason why the outline should be done first and the removal later - this, for me, would make the job more difficult.
With regards to what you are ultimately aiming for, think long and hard and maybe do a little more research before commiting yourself to this.
+13 / 13 votes
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Posted by Tiff Badhairdo | Permalink | 3 Comments
Friday February 6th, 2009 @ 10:06 AM
I have two surface piercings on my wrist done with ptfe and I’m wondering if they are starting to reject… Both piercings seem to be settling quite well, and I’ve had them for around 6/7 months.
I recently had a dermal anchor put in between the two piercings and I’m thinking of having the surface piercings redone with dermal anchors to acheive the same effect, but due to the cost I don’t want to retire the surfaces if they are looking fine.
Anyway here are a couple of photos, any help and your opinion would be awesome!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3328/3242322333_88cdff16cc.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/3242322849_8765699209.jpg
Bobbin.
The inflammation is on the inner portion of the piercing and you will notice that this redness will start to follow the length of the bar. I would retire them sooner rather than later. In my opinion, PTFE is not the best material for surface work and you would have had a better chance of success with surface bars fitted with flat discs, particularly in that area where balls are likely to catch on clothing.
The problem with PTFE is that although flexible it is still a straight piece of jewellery. This causes pressure at the piercing points and it is this pressure that will encourage your body to reject the bar. having a bar that has 90 degree bends where it exits helps alleviate some of the pressure thus lessening (but not wholly removing) the likelihood of rejection. PTFE may very well be flexible, but it isn’t as flexible as skin.
+13 / 13 votes
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Posted by Tiff Badhairdo | Permalink | 2 Comments
Thursday February 5th, 2009 @ 1:02 PM
Filed under: Ear
Whats the best place for scalpeling in NYC? And any idea on the going rate? Money is tight but I would love to have this done soon, just need to know how to budget!
Thanks!
Check out Brian Decker , he’s definitely your best bet. I don’t know what he charges now, but I am sure it is too low. Every time I see him I tell him he doesn’t charge enough, but lucky for you no one really listens to me.
+9 / 11 votes
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Posted by Sean Philips | Permalink | 2 Comments
Thursday February 5th, 2009 @ 12:51 PM
I’m contemplating getting a set of transdermals, but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to put the jewellery in that I want to.
What I want to do , is get two transdermals on my forehead, and put in (likely custom-made), alien antenna. I’m not sure, but I figure any kind of metal would be too heavy as I’d like them to be a couple of inches, but I’m hoping there is someone out there who can do custom jewellery that could make me a set of antenna that I could wear, which would also be flexible enough to allow some wiggle as I walk.
Is this possible, or would it stress the piercing too much?
thanks!
Once the transdermal heals fully (assuming it does, which is FAR from always the case), a flexible end that is not too heavy, should be fine. As far as having it made, damn near anything is possible. For example find the antenna that you like that were made for something else and have the threading tapped into the bottom of this antenna or have it held on by a prong setting. Finding someone to make these ends may be difficult. I have dealt with Greg@ Infinite Body and Barry@ Anatometal, for custom transdermal pieces in the past. I don’t know if either would want to take on something like this, but they would be a good place to start.
PS:You may also want to consider trying large gauge micros, Anatometal makes them up to an 8 ga now, instead of the trandsermals.
+9 / 9 votes
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Posted by Sean Philips | Permalink | 2 Comments
Thursday February 5th, 2009 @ 12:33 PM
Filed under: Tongue
I recently visited my local piercer to get my tongue pierced in the middle. I knew I have a fairly short tongue, but I didnt think it would be a problem. However, while the piercer checked my tongue for veins and so on, he said its far too short to comfortably pierce.
I have my tongue web pierced but I’d happily retire that if I have to. I wouldn’t go as far as a frenectomy but I really want to get my tongue pierced.
Should I visit another piercer and get a second opinion it? Or should I just forget about it and find something else to pierce?
Thanks =]
It’s very likely your tongue is too short to have a tongue piercing and have it not affect your tooth and gum tissue.
You can always seek out a second opinion, though I commend your regular piercer for putting the client’s best interest first over making a sale. Often, just because you can pass a needle and barbell through it, doesn’t mean that it’s suited to be a good, comfortable piercing.
+11 / 11 votes
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Posted by Lexci Million | Permalink | 3 Comments
Thursday February 5th, 2009 @ 12:24 PM
I’ve wanted my nape pierced for a while now but I’m worried about it rejecting. My piercer told me that 7 out of 10 nape peircings will reject. Is there any way of knowing whether or not it will reject before I get it done? I don’t really want to pay 60 euro for somnething that will reject straight away 
7 out of 10! (I love baseless statistics) No, there’s no saying that your piercing will or will not reject.
While there’s always a risk, there are many things you can factor in to greatly reduce the risk of your piercing rejecting over time.
-Find a reputable piercer who has a portfolio to show you of fresh and healed surface piercings they’ve done.
-Ensure the placement of your piercing sits in an area that doesn’t run the risk of rubbing or catching on clothing or hair nor sits in an area of high movement.
-Opt for a “shorter” surface bar. I personally find greater success with surface piercings where the barbell isn’t longer than about 3/4″. The shorter the barbell, the less work the piercing has to do to drain
-be pierced with an actual surface bar. NOT a bendy piece of plastic or teflon tubing. I offer implant grade titanium, flat-based surface barbells to my clients.
-Wear flat discs on the barbell to reduce the risk of trauma to the piercing in day-to-day wear.
-Practise gentle but diligent aftercare. Hot compresses and minimal fussing help to promote healing without irritating these initially delicate piercings. Most importantly, be a clean, healthy person~!
With all of these factors in your favor, the likelihood of your piercing rejecting or you experiencing problems with it are greatly reduced.
+5 / 7 votes
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Posted by Lexci Million | Permalink | 1 Comment
