body jewelry

Thank you for your blog and insight. When I decided on a VCH piercing I researched your blog and found infinate piercings in Philly to be reputable and only about 2 hours away from me. I had her done at the end of October. They were excellent, professional, clean...wonderful experience.


I guess my question to you is now that I feel I've healed, when I look at correct vch piercings mine looks different. It seems to stick out more than others.

Now I do realize anotomy is different so I try not to let it bother me, however it appears correct from the view I sent, according to your dots I see you mark on others photos. The side view shows it doesn't seem flush with the skin like others are. (She likes to lean to one side...ha) Could it possibly be pierced wrong? Perhaps I need a larger gauge. I was pierced at 12 and just ordered a 10 to stretch so perhaps that may help? Thanks for your time.

I recently had an exchange of correspondence with a piercer who asked some interesting questions:

I have been piercing for 10 years now in a shop where my husband is the awesome tattoo artist. I just want to be yet another one to thank you for all of your tireless dedication to this industry. I just had a quick question about surface piercings done with polytetrafluoroethylene. At first when these surface piercings became the thing to do around here, I would perform them with the traditional bars for hips, clavicals, Madisons-you name it. I stuck them all with bars. Now this new material seems so much better for healing and does not leave the same scars that the bars do. I just wanted to get your opinion on it. Which is better, the polytetrafluoroethylene or the traditional surface bars?

I got this message from a piercee who is having trouble with  a labret (lip) piercing:

I got my labret pierced on the 3rd of december, and in the last couple days the skin on the inside of my piercing has grown (like a white flap on the bottom of the disc about 1mm tall) that rests next to the disc. i don't know whether it would be growing over it, i have a 10mm long stem which i thought is long enough, but i would still like your opinion

I told her that if she thinks the tissue is growing over the jewelry, she should should see her piercer IMMEDIATELY for a jewelry change! I also explained that I couldn't really evaluate a piercing without seeing it--or at least a photo or two. I requested that she send some clear, close up images, and I received these (below). They do show that the post is long enough so she is not in danger of the jewelry becoming embedded (which is a risk when a piercing is healing if the jewelry is too short).

I received a message from a woman whose nipples I pierced and she had questions about changing the jewelry:

Hello Elayne! I got my nipples pierced by you last year when you were at Obscurities, Dallas. I just want to let you know that this is my favorite piercing yet! They healed so beautifully! So after a year I was wondering if getting my jewelry changed to rings instead of barbells would be possible. If I did do the jewelry change (meaning I got to a piercer to get them changed, I'm kinda chicken in that situation) would my nipples once again become tender as they get used to the new jewelry? I still clean them daily. Your input would mean a lot to me! Thank you again for everything you have done! S.

I was asked to provide some information about risks of piercings specifically as regards teenagers (14 and up). Below are the questions and answers:

Q: What are some associated health risks that teens may be more exposed to when their piercing is healing?

A: Some teens pierce themselves or have a friend do it, or go to a piercer who is unethical (piercing minors without parental consent). In all of these situations, the risk of infection is MUCH higher than if they go to a professional studio and get pierced by a qualified practitioner. Sterilization equipment is expensive, and it is required for safe piercing. The piercing "kits" that are advertised as sterile do NOT provide everything needed for a safe piercing. These situations are all recipes for disaster. One of the likely problems is that the piercing won't end up in the right spot. When this takes place, it doesn't look good, and it won't heal well. Piercings that are not placed properly to the individual anatomy have a tendency to become irritated or infected; the can migrate and reject, and cause tissue discoloration and/or excessive scarring. Poor quality jewelry can cause the same problems. And teens are frequently on a tight budget, which means they often buy jewelry that is poor in quality

I got this message from a girl seeking advice about jewelry for her smiley piercing:

Hi I'm D.,
I was wondering if you could help me out with something, although I'm not sure if this is a type of help you can give. I have my smiley pierced and I recently snagged it a little. Which I have noticed it might have torn little enough to not bother me, but enough that it is now sitting a tiny bit lower then when initially pierced. Was sitting on the lower gum line. Now I can just barely feel it touching some tooth.

Now I know these ones are pretty risky as far as migration goes, but I'm madly in love with it and want to do anything to keep it without risk. My problem is it is now causing one of my front teeth to be incredibly sensitive and this was never a problem before. I know I can go smaller in diameter as far as the captive bead ring goes, or just flat out switch to a bent barbell which I want to avoid the barbell unless it's my only option.

So I've spent the last week trying to find somewhere that has a CBR with a silicone or silicone like bead instead of surgical steel to protect my teeth more if rubbing happens. I know they make them commonly in larger gauges and the smallest I can seem to find is a 10g. I definitely DO NOT want to put anything bigger then the 18g I have now.

Don't want to lose my pretty piercing, and with bigger sizes it's pretty much inevitable. What I'm so slowly getting at is do you have any idea where I could find some? Preferably the internet if possible, if not that's okay too. Or maybe somewhere I can custom order it? I hope you can help! By the way I looove your site! You're awesome! Talk to you soon.

I recently received a message from the owner of an adult boutique who is interested in carrying body jewelry:

Hi Elayne, I own a lingerie boutique in a small town and have many customers ask me for body jewelry, particularly for hood piercings. I was not familiar with the many types of piercings until I found your website while researching body jewelry. Thanks for posting all the wonderful information! But I am still trying to figure out which type and size of body jewelry I should research and recommend for my customers. Labret studs? Rings? Any info to get me started in the right direction would be so appreciated!
Thanks, G.

My reply:

I received a question from a woman who was experiencing a very unpleasant side effect from her clitoral hood piercing:

Hi Elayne,
 
I am so glad I found your website.  I need your wisdom.  I have had my vch for about two years and ever since I got it I have had a fishy scent.  Prior to my piercing I had no scent at all - not to be gross, but my husband said I had no scent or taste.  For example, I could be in bed for days with the flu and not shower and still not have any scent.  Now, even though I wash daily I still end up with a fishy scent by the end of the day.  (Sorry for the to-much-info details but I wanted to explain just how much my vagina has changed since the piercing).  I clean with ivory and move the barbell back and forth.  I don't have any discharge, redness, or pain.  My husband said the scent is not that strong but I am horrified.  I have not changed my piercing since I got it and from what the piercer told me I have a stainless steel barbell with "less than 18% nickel".  I am wondering if I need to chane to another material, if I may have bacteria inside the piercing, or if the barbell possibly changed the pH of my vagina???  Should I just take it out?  I am so embarrassed and would be grateful for any advice you could give me.
 
Thanks so much,
R.