I received this email today, and it makes me so upset! When one knows what to do, on most anatomy, performing a VCH is really a straightforward and relatively simple. It breaks my heart to see clients suffering unnecessarily from improperly placed piercings. PLEASE vet your piercer well, or come to me. Or visit one of the professionals on my referrals list.

HELP what do I do??!!!  I recently (last week) got my hood pierced, I thought she knew what she was doing but obviously not!  It was done very poorly, it is shallow and so crooked (not straight at all) your first diagram of an incorrectly place piercing shows exactly what mine looks like... but mine is more crooked.  WHAT do I do?  it looks horrible, i don't like it at all! Should I just take it out, if so should I wait for it to heal?  Should I get it redone?  Do I go back to the same place and complain?  I am so affraid of removal and repiercing cause i do not want to get an infection.
Please help...

BTW, your site is soo helpful and I will try to donate to your paypal as soon as my finances permit, well worth it!!!

I thought it would b best if I attached a picture... thanks in advance.  I have to pick up your book as I love body piercings and am interested in getting more.  If you feel these pictures would be helpful to others please feel free to post on your blog ANONYMOUSLY.

My Response:

If you're unhappy with the placement (and it is incorrect), then you should remove the jewelry ASAP. You may want to photograph it or go to the studio to express your displeasure, try to get a refund, and perhaps educate them about proper placement.

Here are some instructions from my book, The Piercing Bible--The Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing, about retiring a piercing:

Retiring a Piercing
Retiring a piercing is permanently removing your jewelry and abandoning the hole. Though body piercing has the potential to be a lifelong adornment, there is no doubt that a piercing—especially one that hasn’t been stretched too fast or large—is easier to be rid of than most other body modifications.

If your piercing is fine but you have decided the time has come to get rid of it, simply wash your hands and the area, open your jewelry, and remove it. A little bit of water-based lubricant such as K-Y Jelly can help to make the transition smooth. Wash the area daily when you bathe. Abandoning a piercing is that simple.

You should continue to care for the area daily until the wound is completely healed. Then you can look into having it redone by a more qualified piercer.

If you found my website informative, I think you'll be amazed by what's in my book, The Piercing Bible--The Definitive Guide to Safe Piercing.  My website barely scratches the surface. The Piercing Bible contains a great deal of information for everyone interested in piercing including loads of facts about evaluating piercers and studios, piercing placements, appropriate body jewelry sizes, styles, and materials, aftercare, troubleshooting, and much, much more. You'd be wise to read it before trying to select a new piercer.

Alternatively, you can get it from major booksellers, or buy direct from the publisher (Random House), or Amazon.com.

Also, if you'd like to see me performing piercings, and demonstrating exactly where they should be placed and how quickly and easily an expert can perform them, I've got videos available here.  (You'll see that I can perform a piercing in an instant!)

If you would like to be notified when I make travel plans, please sign up for my newsletter in the box at the bottom of any page of this site. It is an "opt-in" list, so I can't add you myself. My last piercing trips were to New Orleans and Philadelphia, and I'm not yet sure where the next one will be.
 
Let me know if you have other questions.

Sincerely,
Elayne

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

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