nipple piercing

I received an interesting question from a piercee who wondered if there was a reason his piercings healed more quickly the second time around:

Hey Elayne,

This might be a dumb question but I was curious as to why piercings heal faster the 2nd time. I had my nipples pierced twice cause I took them out for some dumb reason and then a few years later wanted them done again and I had 10 frenum piercings and did the same thing with those. Both healed alot faster the 2nd time... is there a reason for this? Im just curious... thank you for all your time with my questions and btw im back to work and just got paid so ur book is definitely on the agenda! Thanks. W.

My reply:

I just got an email from a woman who was concerned about the angle of her nipple piercings:

I had a few questions with regards to nipple piercings. I have gotten my nipples pierced before, but they came out crooked. She marked and pierced them when they were erect. But the crookedness really bothered me so I took them out, and got one of them repierced about a month later.

The second time, I got a different piercer, who marked when they were flat. Now, they are even when they are flat, but when the nipple gets erect, they get crooked, which still bothers me.

I am going to get my other nipple repierced, but I was wondering, is it standard to mark and pierce when the nipples are flat or erect? Are some nipples just naturally prone to crooked piercings? Is it not possible in some cases to have the piercing sit straight at both times (when they're flat and erect) so you have to chose? In which case, if I prefer the barbell to sit straight when they're erect, should I redo the first one?

Thanks, and sorry for the multiple questions! I really love the piercings, but when they are crooked, it really also bothers me! Thanks, J.

My reply:

Here is a message exchange I had with an unfortunate woman from Australia who suffered needlessly (multiple times!) at the hands of an unqualified piercer:

SORRY-THE GREAT PHOTOS THE PIERCEE SENT AND GAVE PERMISSION TO LET ME USE WERE TAKEN DOWN AT THE REQUEST OF THE HER HUSBAND.

I received a message from a woman who was large breasted and had some questions and concerns about getting nipple piercings:

I was wondering if you could give me some advice on nipple piercings. I am a lady of a larger build, and as such I have quite large breasts. My nipples aren't probably as perky as they should be and sit quite low on my breast. Would it be okay for me to get nipple piercings?

I currently have several other piercings and a few retired ones too, so I'm of age and not concerned about aftercare and such. Would it be better to go and ask a piercer face to face if they think my anatomy is suited to it? Also, does it make a difference what angle the nipple is pierced at? I've seen a few pictures of people with diagonal or vertical nipple piercings and I really like the look of them. Are they more difficult to heal or anything like that?

Thanks in advance for your help, people like you make me want to find an apprenticeship myself!

My reply:

I received a message and I genuinely hope my advice is taken on this one:

Hello! I have a question about female nipple piercing. Will you pierce a 16 year old girl with parental consent and supervision? Please let me know!

Thanks in advance,
T.

T.,

Absolutely not, and neither would any ethical piercer. You and the piercer both could be charged with reckless endangerment of a minor, child abuse, or other crimes. If someone agrees to do it, they're exactly the type of piercer you should run away from.

PLEASE wait until she is 18. Further, her body is likely to still be developing and a piercing that is properly placed now could end up in the wrong spot once her development is done. Nipple piercings are an adult placement, and she must WAIT until she's an adult to get the piercing done!

Sincerely,
Elayne

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

elayneangel@piercingbible.com
http://piercingbible.com/
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I recently received a great message from a gentleman who got his first piercings at age 50. He wrote to say how much he likes emu oil, and how well it worked on his piercings and stretches:

I received this message from a woman who was concerned about her piercings:

Hi!! i had a micro dermal on my cheast for about 6 months adn just recently it started to reject so i tried everything to reverse it. I couldnt and it got worse it was really painfull and it looked horriable do i had the piercer that did it remove it. also before i rejected i got both of my nipples pierced. Do you like that had anything to do with it? it was like a week after i had my nipples done that it started to reject. And also the piercer offered to redo another dermal above the previous one. do you think the next one will reject also? thank you!!!! M.

My Reply:

Hi M.,

Thanks for your message. There is a chance that the extra "stress" to your body from the nipple piercings caused your surface anchor ("microdermal") to become unsettled and reject.

That said, unfortunately surface anchors tend to be temporary modifications at best. So even if you redid it, and it healed well, it would not be expected to last for more than a few years. This form of body adornment simply isn't as permanent as ordinary body piercings.

Sincerely,
Elayne Elayne Angel, Author The Piercing Bible--The Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing
Medical Liaison, Association of Professional Piercers
http://piercingbible.com/ http://www.facebook.com/elayneangel
http://twitter.com/elayneangel
http://www.linkedin.com/in/authorelayneangel

I received this message from a woman I pierced many years ago.