The Piercing Bible

A friend of mine who lives in Toronto just ordered a copy of The Piercing Bible and told me that Amazon.com is giving FREE SHIPPING when you pre-order my book from this link to Amazon.com.

Also they are giving a 32% discount off the cover price, which is amazing. If you own a body art studio or other retail business and wish to sell my book, you’d need to order 10  or more copies from my publisher to receive this a better discount, once the book is released in mid-March!

The changing of the calendar year is an opportunity for reflecting on the past year, and experiencing gratitude for the good things. It is also a wonderful chance to make a fresh start going forward into the new one. For me, 2008 was fantastic in part because it was the year I finally got my book deal to publish The Piercing Bible. That was a biggie (especially since I’d been working on the book for literally years already).

Keep your focus positive. Dreams do come true–I’m living proof!

Wishing everyone out there a joyful and peaceful 2009.

I just received some email from a woman who watched some videos of me performing piercings from here:

Hi Elayne,

I found a few videos that I needed to watch! I purchased the nipple piercing and the triangle piercing and enjoyed them very much. They are very honest and informative. I think that if a person with no piercings wanted to learn, they would see a correct representation of the process. For a person who already has piercings, there is plenty of great advice!

So, my videos are worth seeing, and they have something for you, whether you’re new to piercings or already have some.

The Piercing Bible is on pre-sale The Piercing Bible is on pre-sale on Amazon.com at a 32% discount!

Regular cover price is $20.00, but you can get your copy for only $13.60 by placing your order early.

Order yours today!

I received this question in the comments section of one of my posts:

I have a question. For surface piercings, which kind of barbells are suitable?

My reply:
On some types of tissue and on certain areas of the body, it won’t matter WHAT style of jewelry you use–the body simply won’t accept jewelry in all locations.

Here is an excerpt from The Piercing Bible about surface piercings:

The following factors affect the success of surface piercings even more than they do in the traditional spots:
•     Pliability    of    the    skin
•     Placing    sufficient    tissue    between    the    entry    and    exit of the piercing
•     Jewelry    style,    material,    and    size
•     The    consistency    and    appropriateness    of    aftercare
•     Minimizing    trauma    during    healing

Technical aspects aside, some people are predisposed to healing surface piercings. If you are not among the lucky few, then migration, rejection, and significant scarring are all probable consequences. If you can’t live without attempting a surface piercing, be prepared for a lengthy healing period (usually six to nine months or longer) and the possibility you will be wearing a scar instead of jewelry by the end of it all.

Different piercers have different methods. I have favored using Tygon, which is a flexible, inert plastic. Some piercers like it and others do not. Some piercers use special “surface bars.” Here is an excerpt from The Piercing Bible about them:

Surface Bars
This modified barbell is designed for piercings on flat areas of the body. It is shaped like an open staple, with a straight bar post between two short legs or uprights. Often the legs  are at right angles to the bar, but for some areas, one or both may have a different angle. The bar post should rest at a uniform depth under the surface with the uprights at 90-degree angles to the tissue. This should reduce pressure, distortion, and irritation during healing. Bars used for Christina piercings have only one upright leg. Discs, gems, or other threaded pieces screw onto the ends of the bar. An accurate fit is crucial; the jewelry must be the perfect length to encompass the tissue between the entry and exit of the piercing, and the barbell ends must not sink into the skin, nor should the legs protrude more than a millimeter beyond the surface.

I just wanted to take a moment to wish anyone who is out there lookin’ in on this blog a very wonderful 2009. The changing year is a great opportunity to pause, take stock of ourselves, our actions, contributions, successes, and mistakes of the previous year, to experience gratitude for all the good stuff, and to make plans for the coming one. It is a great time for a fresh start and to establish resolutions that can lead to positive change. Don’t just pop the cork on the champagne and chug it back; make the most of this time of transition by putting a little thought and effort into becoming the best YOU that you can be in 2009!

I found out that the offices of my publisher, Ten Speed Press, will be closed until January 5, and that makes me a little nervous. I still haven’t seen the final draft, and since the manuscript is supposed to head to the printer on January 20, that means there will only be 15 days for me to review the book and have changes made. Oh well, I’m sure it will work out–it always does.

I also noticed that the The Piercing Bible is up in their online catalog. Here is a link to that. And I’m also under their listing of authors, too.

I’ve been making a lot of advance sales through Amazon.com because they have my book on pre-sale at a discount: see (or order) it here. They list March 17 as the date the book becomes available. YAYY!!!

I received this question today:

Hi,
I have a few questions about the Vertical Hood Piercing. How long is it recommended before having sex or exercising? I have heard that some people aren’t able to run or walk upstairs without nearly having an orgasm. How common is this? Also I have heard from someone who had one that when they took it out, there were bumps that formed. Is this something that often happens upon removing the piercing? Thank you very much.
Akilah

Hi Akilah,
Thanks for your email.
Whether you think of it as fortunate or unfortunate, most women do not have any problems climbing stairs or exercising as a result of enjoying their piercings “too much.” There is often a period of heightened sensitivity or hypersensitivity for a short time after piercing, but this tends to normalize over a short period of time. There is more information about sensation, sensitivity, and related subjects in my book.
There is no required period for abstaining from sexual activity or exercise, but there are some very important rules to which you must adhere. This passage is from The Piercing Bible:

Safer Sex
There is no set period for abstinence from sexual activities while genital piercings are
healing. There are, however, two non-negotiable rules:

1. Be gentle . Pay attention to your body. If your piercing feels sore, you must stop what you’re doing, or at least ease up. As you begin to heal and the piercing feels less tender, you must still be vigilant to avoid injuring the fragile new cells.

2. Be clean and hygienic. Protective barriers must be used to prevent the sharing of bodily fluids. For oral sexual contact, use a dental dam (sheet of latex) to shield female genitalia, and a flavored or unlubricated condom during fellatio. Thoroughly wash hands and sex toys before contact near a healing piercing, and use condoms for all intercourse and on insertables like dildos and bullet-type
vibrators. If other barriers aren’t suitable, apply a waterproof dressing such as a Nexcare or Tegaderm before sexual activities to keep your partner’s body fluids from getting on your piercing. All of these precautions are mandatory to prevent infection during the entire initial healing period, even if you and your partner are monogamous and healthy. Appropriate body jewelry is smooth, so high-quality
condoms that fit properly should perform well. Water-based lubricant helps reduce excess friction to protect the integrity of the latex. The sensitivity of your healing piercing can make up for the addition of an unfamiliar barrier. Pleasure Plus condoms are made with extra room that is suited to frenum and Prince Albert jewelry. Avoid condoms and lubricants with the spermicide nonoxynol-9 (N-9), as this harsh chemical may burn or sting and can harm the delicate cells of a fresh piercing (as well as vaginal or rectal tissue).

The bumps you mentioned probably weren’t caused by abandoning the piercing–they just became more evident when the jewelry was no longer in place. This passage addresses the tissue changes you asked about. Some amount of scarring or mark is to be expected from a piercing.

Scarring and Permanent Physical Changes
A piercing has the potential to be a temporary adornment (especially when compared to a tattoo), because the jewelry can easily be removed. There is a risk, however, of irreversible changes to the body, including discoloration, a mark such as a scar, bump, or dimple, or a permanent hole.
Many piercings shrink or close quickly, but some piercings will remain open indefinitely without jewelry in them. The placement of the hole, the length of time you have worn the piercing, the thickness of the jewelry that was in it, and your individual tissue all impact whether or not your piercing stays viable after removing the jewelry. Piercings that are stretched to large dimensions commonly leave significant voids that may be considered disfiguring; to correct them, plastic surgery is required. Stretching a piercing too quickly or attempting to expand unsuitably thin tissue leads
to problems.
There are piercings that have a tendency to effect changes such as the hardening or thickening of the tissue surrounding the openings, and this can be irreversible. For example, nipple piercings are known for causing permanent enlargement, especially in underdeveloped (small) anatomy. Specifics are covered in the discussion of each common piercing.
Scarring and tissue discoloration at the piercing site are relatively normal occurrences, especially if you have a history of darkened scars. This can happen even when a piercing is performed properly and heals uneventfully.
Excessive scarring sometimes occurs in reaction to piercing, and it can be very difficult to resolve. If you have a history of problems with scarring or keloids (large growths of fibrous tissue), piercing is generally inadvisable. For more on this topic, see “Excessive Scarring,” and the subsequent sections in chapter 16.

Liz wrote back with some additional questions:

Elayne -
Thanks so much for responding so quickly!  I have your book on pre-order with Amazon, and look forward to devouring it!

I really hesitate to try any kind of steel - I have had my ears pierced since I was 8, and to this day can’t get near anything less than 14k (other than sterling) in my ears without major irritation and discharge, even bleeding.  My wedding ring is white gold, and even after wearing it for 14 years, I still sometimes get a rashy irritation under the band from the nickel in the alloy.  Can you tell me any more about the alloy used in 14k that makes it piercing compatible?  Even the gold earrings I wear turn red over time where they contact my skin - presumably from my body oxidizing the trace copper in the yellow gold alloy.  Who knows.  Obviously something I need to do more research on - I had no gold would pose its own complications.

I hope the attached pics are ok - the q-tip was a bit tricky, and as it is a self-portrait, kind of blurry.  It’s a standard generic q-tip.  If you need better detail or a different angle or something, I can try to re-do the photos later this weekend (if I can get my toddler to nap).

Thanks again - Liz

Liz,
I know my book will provide you with a great deal of information that will prove most helpful to you. There is a big chapter on jewelry and you will learn all about the different materials. For healing, you may decide to go with titanium or even bioplast or PTFE (inert plastics).

Implant grade steel and titanium have alloys that meet certain standards, but gold does not have an implant designation. Gold alloys are proprietary mixes, so there are no assurances like the “mill certificates” provided by manufacturers of implant grade steel and titanium. You’d be safer with titanium which does not contain ANY nickel.  Again–lots of info in the book about all of your questions.

Yes, you can definitely get a rash from white gold unless it is specifically alloyed to be nickel-free. White gold is a common offender. In quality body jewelry, they often use palladium for whiteness, which is in the platinum family, instead of nickel. It is inert and well tolerated by the body.

I’m limited in my ability to evaluate you from here without being able to examine you in person, but your tissue appears somewhat borderline. There may be sufficient hood to make the piercing safely if the  receiving tube is placed properly during the procedure. It will be very important to go to a highly qualified professional.

If you put the swab in place but try to draw the skin down to cover the entire tip, can you do that? (It is easier to push the tissue down rather than try to pull it.)

P.S. If you would like to see me perform a number of VCH piercings, you can go to this page. It shows in great detail exactly how it should be done and where the piercing should be placed. (Once your piercer marks you, if it doesn’t look like it does in the video–it is not too late to request a more appropriate placement, or if necessary, call it off.)

Let me know if you have any questions left once you read my book!

Elayne

Today I received this query in the comments section of one of my posts:

HI!  I am 44, and have been considering a VCH for a while now, and find that most of the research I have done has led me to you and Rings of Desire. I appreciate your expertise, and any time you could give to address my questions.  Hubby and I will be attempting the q-tip test today, and I hope to email you a pic of that for your expert advice (if that’s ok).  I have no real local resources (small midwestern town).

1. How do I determine what size jewelry to buy?  I need to use 14k gold (metal allergy issues with anything else) and I assume not all shops carry 14k.  Maybe that’s a bad assumption, but I’m guessing I’ll buy in advance and take it to the shop with me -

2. Will I be able to change the jewelry myself (or can my hubby) if i want to increase size, or will I need to return to my piercer?

3. I’ve heard the phrase “growing out” - what exactly does that mean?
Thank you so much for your time!  I look forward to hearing from you, and would love to know if you would look at my photos, if hubby can get any good ones!
All best, Liz

Hi Liz,

Sounds like you have LOTS of questions that will all be answered in detail by my book. You can pre-order it at a discount on Amazon.com.

Below you will find some brief answers to your questions to tide you over:
1. I would not suggest buying jewelry in advance. A piercer with a quality studio will stock a wide range of suitable styles, sizes, and materials. You should not need to determine the size–your piercer should know EXACTLY what you need for your build and suggest the size for you. It is not uncommon to start with more basic jewelry and get gold once you know what size you want to wear, because after healing, you have more options.

The implant grade steel and titanium are very inert and good metals to use for fresh piercings. Gold in 14 or 18 K is good, but only when it is alloyed specifically for biocompatibility. There is a lot to know if you want to wear gold. There are literally chapters full of information to thoroughly answer these questions and provide other crucial information you should have before embarking on a genital piercing.

2. After your piercing is well healed, your husband can change your jewelry (if he has reasonable dexterity and hand-eye coordination). There are complete instructions for changing jewelry and stretching piercings in The Piercing Bible.

3. When properly placed in appropriate tissue and the right size, style, and quality of jewelry is worn, migration and rejection are not at all common with a VCH piercing. Below is a short passage from The Piercing Bible about the subject:

Migration and Rejection
Two rather distinctive piercing complications are migration (the piercing moves from its initial placement, then settles and heals in a new location) and rejection (the jewelry is expelled completely from the body). The piercing is likely to migrate when unsuitable or insufficient tissue is pierced, or if your jewelry is too small in diameter, thin in gauge, or of poor quality. Inexperienced and untrained piercers often make these errors. Migration and rejection can also result from using a harsh aftercare product, following poor health habits, or experiencing excessive physical trauma or emotional stress during the healing process. And, unfortunately, sometimes even when everything is done properly, a piercing will migrate or reject for no known reason. This is simply a risk of placing a foreign object through your skin: it may not stay in the desired position.

Take care,
Angel