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November 2010

Guest Blog Post: Nipple Piercing Problem

November 28th, 2010

I received this message from a friend and colleague (one of the few piercers on my referrals page), Courtney from Cheap TRX in St Louis, MO.

Her contact info is below.

So I have a story that I thought you may be interested to hear:

Last year a girl came to me after having 3 different attempts at healing nipple piercings. All were an issue of poor placement/poor jewelry. I did them for her a final time that day.

About 8 months later, she came to me almost in tears, as her gyno had sent her to have them removed. She had visited her doc in regards to suddenly beginning to lactate. I told her that piercings don't make you lactate, hormones do, and that she should return to her gyno and request further examination.

She was relieved, but not for long. Her gyno just said "meh" and that she still needed to take them out. As time goes on, my client developed increasing symptoms of hormonal issues. She then sought the help of her regular physician- and they eventually concluded that she had a tumor on her pituitary gland!!

Cute Quote

November 28th, 2010

I received this message from a someone on Facebook who wanted to be Friends:

         Hello Mrs. Angel,

My name is CB and i was recommended to you by my friend Nick who works at Vibes in Brunswick, Maine. I have a huge interest in the field of piercing and have began reading your book and I must say it is the most informitive cool book I have ever read on the subject and I was woundering if you would be interested in being a friend of mine onFacebook?       


Hi CB,
Thanks for the positive feedback; I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying my book!
Of course--let's be friends!
Elayne

He wrote again with one of the cutest statements made by anyone who has given me positive feedback about The Piercing Bible:


I'm more than enjoying your book. I LOVE your book! It's something I can't put down. My wife even gets mad at me for being soaked in to it; she calls it "the other woman."     

Success at Sol Tribe

November 20th, 2010


Hi Elayne,

I just wanted you to know that I went to Alicia of Sol Tribe Tattoo and Body Piercing for a VCH piercing.  If it weren't for your recommendation and awesome "Piercing Bible", I would never have done it and would still be a body art virgin!  Alicia was so sweet and informative.  Any outstanding question was answered and she definitely put me at ease.  I will highly recommend your book and Alicia to all of my friends.

Thanks again!

C.


My reply:

Hi C.,
Great! I'm happy (if not surprised) to hear that you had a great experience getting pierced by Alicia at Sol Tribe [in Denver, CO]. I'm so happy I could be of assistance!
Heal well and enjoy
Sincerely,
Elayne

Elayne Angel, Author
The Piercing Bible--The Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing
Medical Liaison, Association of Professional Piercers

elayneangel@piercingbible.com
http://piercingbible.com/
http://www.facebook.com/elayneangel
http://twitter.com/elayneangel
http://www.linkedin.com/in/authorelayneangel

Piercing Photos--The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

November 17th, 2010

(Note: The photos are NOT shown in that order!)

It seems as though this will never end! I keep getting messages from women with botched genital piercings.

Here's one I marked with the correct placement. As you can see from the dots I put on the image, the piercer was nowhere near the correct location.

Surface VCH piercing marked with correct placement

INCORRECT PLACEMENT

Here's another. Not only is the piercing angled far off to the side, this piercee told me that the piercing came through under her clitoris (instead of under her hood)!

Angled VCH Piercing

INCORRECT PLACEMENT

If you're a piercer and you're doing genital piercings without training, knowledge or skill, I beg you PLEASE STOP!

A Hood Surface Piercing From New Zealand

November 4th, 2010

Here's an exchange I had with a woman in New Zealand:

She wrote:

I know you are unlikely to travel to New Zealand so I went ahead and had a vch piercing performed locally. I thought I had asked the piercer all the right questions but I suspect he has got it wrong. I couldn't find anyone at all who uses a receiving tube but found someone who doesn't use clamps. Thought I was doing the right thing. At the moment I have a 12g ring with captive ball. It has healed well but there is now skin and flesh behind the ring. What should I do? I have a friend who is prepared to redo it for me - what are the risks? She has a copy of your book :) E


Hi E.,

Before doing anything else, I'd suggest you get her to lend you the book so that you can become well educated.

I'm not sure what you mean by "there is skin and flesh behind the ring"--can you send a clear, close-up photo or two so I can evaluate your current placement. What makes you think it is placed incorrectly?

If you think yours is improperly placed, that would be a reason to redo it. But if your friend is not a trained professional piercer, I HIGHLY advise against having her pierce you--even if she has a copy of my book (it is not a "how-to-pierce" book!).
Elayne

Dear Elayne,

A Different Angel Tattoo

November 4th, 2010

I received this message from a Facebook friend who is a fellow piercer:

 

Subject: Portrait
Hello Elayne,

How are you? We met at APP, a couple of times actually :) I am working on a leg sleeve of portraits of people in the body modification industry that I feel have made a huge impact or have been influential to myself. I only have one at the moment, David Vidra. Of course, you are going to be included in it! There are too many reasons to even list why I would choose to have your portrait tattooed on me, but I will just say that you are definitely a huge inspiration to a lot of us, and especially to us ladies out here. You've made leaps and bounds in this industry and I truly believe a lot of us wouldn't be doing what we are doing if it weren't for your work and dedication. So first off, thank you for being you! Second off, would it be possible to get a high resolution photo of you? I would LOVE the photo you used for your pain magazine articles. Your expression, your hat, all of it, I think would make an excellent portrait. Thanks so much in advance!

-D.

My reply:

Elayne Angel Headshot

Question About a Bleeding VCH Piercing

November 4th, 2010

I received this message through the contact page:

I got a VCH piercing 3 days ago by a very well known/good place. I was just wondering, mine is bruised pretty bad and semi swollen and it doesnt really hurt. My biggest concern is that it is bleeding alot. The hole where the jewelry comes out of has this blood looking tissue stuff (skin??) coming out of the hole. My piercing is bleeding alot but this stuff doesnt come off of my skin, its like tissue inside the hole where it is pierced. I have been cleaning it with sea salt solutions. Is this normal? I'm worried.  thank you, K.

Hi K.,

It is hard to evaluate you without seeing you (or at least a photo). Feel free to send a few clear, close-up images to elayneangel @ piercingbible.com and I'll be happy to take a look.

Any piercing can bleed, bruise, and/or swell during the initial phase, though most of the VCH piercings I do don't seem to suffer from that during the aftermath very often.

Yes, Yet ANOTHER Surface VCH Piercing

November 4th, 2010

Another Surface VCHI got yet another email about a surface VCH piercing:

Hey Elayne,
  I'm sure you hear this often but your site is great, very informative...I had never stopped to think twice about genital piercing beyond the usual 'eek, not there' but after learning on your site (don't even remember what took me there in the first place) that it didn't have to be the actual clit itself pierced I was all for it. Unfortunately, I was so excited I went to the nearest female (husbands requirement) body piercer and had it done. Seemed fine at first but soon noticed it was more shallow of a piercing than I believe is correct (pic attached) and I am pretty sure I have plenty more hood that could have went into, not to mention it doesn't rest against the clit and there seems to be way too much barbell exposed (I think it just a standard barbell and that's the usual for this piercing right?) Oh and I'm not positive but it seems as if it is migrating though my husband says he doesn't notice..

I had noticed you will be in TX soon and would love to go there so you could fix this...as well as do both nipples (hoping will increase their sensitivity, breastfed 2 babies and my daughter was a lil monster about it!!) and repierce my navel too. Too bad for me I can't afford to spend that much on travel and piercings when I have a family and bills to pay. I was curious if you ever had plans to come to Kansas?