piercing safety

I received this message from a reader:

Hello Elayne, Picked up a copy of your book here in Canada last night. Holy Cow!! I didn't anticipate this much info--thank you. I have never been pierced before (hey, I'm a forty something) and am interested in a PA. You discussed retiring this piercing stating that there is the possibility it may not close up depending on the time you've had it and how large of jewelery has been used. You also indicated discussing with a surgeon/urologist about having it sutured up, and the pros and cons of doing this. Have you every been informed of what these pro's and con's could be?? I would like to know in advance of doing anything. Thanks, any comments would be greatly appreciated.

My reply:

Thanks so much for the positive feedback; I really appreciate it. Cons of going to a surgeon to close a PA would be expense, potential risk and discomfort (or pain) from surgery, and that you'll still end up with some form of scar. Also, it could be difficult to locate a physician who is open minded and non-judgmental. Pros would be that you are able to be rid of an undesired hole....

I hope that helps to clarify this for you.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Sincerely,
Elayne

I got this message from an apprentice who was given my book on her first day at work:

I am an apprentice piercing artist here in northern Michigan and I have to say your book has honestly become my bible! It is with me at all times at work. I have to thank you for writing this book and making it available. My boss handed it to me my first day of work when I was busy milling through piercing supply catalogs, by the end of that night I had read the entire book. I am currently reading it again actually!

I have just typed up all of my aftercare sheets, and they all have a simple comment at the bottom "This aftercare program contains information obtained from "The Piercing Bible" by Elayne Angel." I hope this little comment catches my customers interest to read your book as well :)

I am hoping to become APP certified and I am doing everything in my power to become the best piercer I can, thank you!
- Jenn

My reply:

I received a message from a concerned piercee who had recently received a triangle piercing:

I was wondering if you could give me some urgent advice. :(

I have had my triangle a week, it has slightly moved/torn forward about 2mm, but I was told to expect this.

But I am more worried about the fact I can see slightly red/shiny bumps coming up around both piercing holes. I am worried that this is scar tissue and that it won't go away? It's been exactly a week now since I've got it done and I am happy with it but I'm afraid if I leave this in that I'll have lumps of scar tissue which will develop and not go away.

My outer labias do cover the jewelry a bit when my legs are closed and I'm afraid this is what will continue the problem. I have only been using sea salt water soaks on my piercing. I am pretty sure that the CBB is titanium as I went to a well respected studio with a well known piercer.

Do I take out the jewelry now before the problem develops?

Thank you,

S.

My reply:

Health inspectors in Ontario, Canada purchased 14 copies of The Piercing Bible (through the Association of Professional Piercers) to assist them in regulating body piercing in that province. Upon receiving the package, the health inspector who placed the order sent this message:

 

Our medical officer of health requires us to use evidence informed decision making.

This is a good thing. We ask a lot of questions and strive to make the right decision.

The Piercing Bible will go a long way to help us educate ourselves.

The pamphlets are very nice too.

 

Awesome!

I got this message from a Facebook Friend:

Hello,
I hope it's ok to ask a quick question...do you think size 14-15 is too chubby to get a belly button piercing? I'm about 5'5" and 175lbs, if that makes any difference. I'm on my high school's tennis team which practices every day, so my size might go down in the next couple months. Do you think my current size would be ok to be pierced, or would you recommend waiting until I slim down? Thanks so much!

Megan

This is my reply:

Hi Megan,

Below is a  section from my book, The Piercing Bible--The Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing that answers your question.

Navel Piercing: Weight and Weight Loss Regardless of your weight, if your navel folds in and disappears when you sit down, this is a good reason to select a different piercing. Wearing jewelry on this type of build causes mechanical stresses that guarantee healing complications. If you have a horizon- tal crease across the area even when you are standing, you are unsuited to navel pierc- ing for the same reason. Some heavy people are still able to get navel piercings because body size isn’t as key a factor as your configuration in the area of the piercing. However, the diminished blood supply caused by excess abdominal fat does make healing more difficult. If you are diabetic and carry excess weight in this area, navel piercings are inadvisable because complications are to be expected and can be more serious.

If you are planning to lose weight, the overall shape of your navel area is still the primary consideration when deciding whether to postpone piercing. A protruding beer belly is generally suited to navel piercing because usually the area gets smaller with weight loss, but maintains the same basic contour.

This is a continuation of my discussion from my previous blog post about stretching a Prince Albert piercing:

How or what does migration look/feel like?  The stretch was done by the piercer who did the PA.  It felt like a lot of pressure for a very brief second when it was stretched last week.  I did not see the blood until I peed and like I said it was very little.  They used a horseshoe about a 1" I am guessing.  I normally wear underwear.  I had some crusting the first couple of days but that is all over with. I did soak it the first couple of days after the stretch.  It easily moves in the shower.  I wanted a barbell for the stretch but they were out.  The original piercing was done Nov 1st last year.

Thank you for your help.

I received this message today:

Can you tell me the grade of steel I want to purchase for  changing  my PA?  Can you also recommend a site where I can get  good quality jewlery?

Also, I just went from a 4 to a 2.  It is unusual for there to be a little bleeding.  It was very little for a very short period of time.

Eric

My reply:

Any of the materials sold here at Body Circle Designs are excellent: http://www.bodycircle.com/

I was interviewed for an article in Curve Magazine about piercing. They put it in the "Health Advice" column of their 20th Anniversary issue dated April 2010.

The article begins:
This year curve celebrates our 20th anniversary by looking back at the women who inspired us then. Twenty years ago, Elayne Angel was a master piercer at West Hollywood’s The Gauntlet, the first piercing specialty studio in the U.S. You may know her best as the woman who popularized the tongue piercing.

Here it is! (dowload .pdf)