I received a consultation request from a woman who'd worn nipple piercings that had been removed years prior. She was uncertain about the advisability of repiercing and had a number of other questions and concerns that raised some interesting issues. Below is our correspondence:

Many years ago I had my nipples pierced but ended up taking them out because they became over sensitive and couldn't bear to have hubby touch them. They always felt sore. No infection though.

Now, it's about 15 years later and I'm wondering whether to try again. 

With my old nipple piercings they were horizontal and I mainly wore a bar, although I did wear a ring sometimes.I found that my nipples, when unaroused, wanted to kind of flatten to the same level as my areola, so I'm wondering if the piercings were too shallow? Or if my anatomy just isn't quite right. I wonder if placement was wrong previously.

I'm a bit nervous to try it again, but if it worked, it would obviously be pleasurable afterwards ;)

As I said, they often felt sore, and I really didn't get any pleasure out of them. I'm obviously older now, in my early 40s, and had a breast uplift with implants about 10 years ago, so my nipples at least point in the right direction now :D   My areolas were also reduced in size. Incisions were around the areolas and straight down the middle of each breast. I had issues with scarring afterwards as a result of me being allergic to dissolvable stitches, so some revision had to be done.

Health wise, I had ulcerative colitis, and had major bowel surgery. I'm telling you this in case anything is relevant body / medical wise. Medication wise, I take Imodium, a blood pressure pill, and have the minera coil for birth control. With the previous piercings I was on the depo provera injection. 

I can't remember if I had bars or rings to begin with. But I do remember some kind of yellow or orange liquid soap type thing that was a USA brand that I was recommended to use to clean them with. I also used warm compresses and moved the jewellery to prevent sticking. 

In recent years I've become more sexually confident and enjoy nipple play a lot, including the occasional use of light clamps and pumping. Hence my apprehension over where to pierce again or not, as I don't want to loose the fun and the turn on of nipples.

If you have any information that you could point me to, I'd be most grateful.

This is my reply:

From what I can see, it appears that your piercings were properly placed for your anatomy, though the photos are a little far away for me to be 100% certain. The barbell length may be a bit short if that length was worn during initial healing--especially if your nipples relax out any wider flatter than shown in the image when they're not erect.

It is possible that your prior birth control method may have increased nipple tenderness and sensitivity to uncomfortable levels, as sore nipples are a potential side effect of Depo Provera. Also, you didn't mention how long you’d left jewelry in for, but you should be aware that nipples can take quite some time to fully heal. It is common that they’re in the healing process for 6-9 months or even a year or longer. So healing this region does require some patience. If you didn't have them for longer than that, then it is likely you were still in the healing stages, and tenderness is possible off and on throughout healing, depending on individual sensitivity and other factors.

I don’t see anything locally that makes me think you shouldn’t be repierced since the surgical scars are not directly in the area that would be pierced. But one of the other questions/considerations would be whether you absorb your food well enough to derive their nutrient benefits (due to your gastro-intestinal condition). Good nutrition is critical to wound healing, and if a health condition prevents good absorption, this can have a negative impact and delay the process.

It sounds like you may have used Dial soap, which I have never advocated as it is overly strong and drying. Triclosan and other strong antibacterials can damage the delicate new cells of a healing piercing. It was pulled off the market in the US by the FDA, along with 18 other antibacterial chemicals; they lead to antibiotic resistance and harm the environment as well.

I’ve found an incredible aftercare spray I’m suggestion for piercings and information about it is here: https://www.piercingbible.com/briotech-piercing-care

I’ve done a lot of research on it, and it it absolutely amazing stuff. It is the first aftercare product that has been used for piercings that has significant scientific research proving its safety and effectiveness for wound healing! It even kills MRSA and other antibiotic resistant pathogens in a matter of seconds, without harming tissue. Nor does it cause antibiotic resistance, like the strong soaps do.

Note also that the jewelry won’t become stuck. It is no longer suggested that you move your jewelry around; that could have contributed to tenderness and healing issues for you. Rings are suggested for initial healing to minimize trauma, which rings are more likely to be subject to. It is common that rings that are too small are inserted, which can also cause trouble. When the nipple is relaxed, a ring shouldn't pinch the pierced tissue at all--even after healing.