Body piercing !!!
Frequently asked Questions
Where do I go to get piercings done?
A proper piercing facility would have a good reputation as such in the community. Many professional Tattoo studios provide
body piercing or could reccomend a place. Trust your instincts, if you don't feel good about the atmosphere then
try another place. Although the methods and procedures vary slightly from person to person , certain sterilization standards
must be adhered to. Safe tattooing in the 90's" describes sterilization related procedures in great
detail. Dial it up, Nipple! Piercing needles need to be single use only and sterilized as well. There should be no visible stains
on any forceps,needles,jewellry, or any related surfaces. All surfaces that come into contact with bodily fluids,
need to be cared for in a responsible fashion. ie,hazardous waste disposal system.
A lot of people seem to think that sterilization is a very touchy subject, however, if the sterilization is all there, then there should
be no song and dance,jargon,whatever. Although you can find the odd ear piercing place thats willing to try various
body piercings,you should stop right there. These places usually use the "stud gun" type equipment which are both
unsuitable and innaccurate. It appears that these piercings rarely work out and are usually painfull. Although some people
get lucky it's really not advisable. The jewellry should be polished and accommodate any swelling that may occur.
ie-captive bead, barbells, horseshoe, these types are normally sugical stainless steel, and have a higher success rate
than any other material.
Also, don't feel pressured when shopping for a piercing, you can always shop around.
How do I care for my new hole
Generally, a pierce is really easy to handle. All you really have to do is help your body move any discharge clear of the
jewellry. You don't need a whole mess of medicines to pull this off. In fact, it's probably better to leave the damn thing
alone than trying out everyone's home remedy. Less is more, you know, K.I.S.S. Your body is a self cleaning machine,
so, you don't need to do much except wait. In the event that you are experiencing any "misadventure", it's highly possible
that you are irritating it some way. The products you use may or may not irritate a piercing. Usually it's advised to
avoid any alcohols or oils. Alcohols can be harsh, as well as detergents. Oils tend to trigger infections, thus causing
the jewellry to be rejected. Assuredly, the best thing to do is, avoid irritants like tight, restrictive clothing, heavy perfumes,
body oils,solvents, battery acid, or whatever it is you like to slather all over yourself. Also, sometimes people make the
mistake of applying Polysporin repeatedly. If you're positive you've gotten it infected, remove any matter from the jewellry,
apply Polysporin and ease a little in the pierce. After a couple of hours you can wash off the polysporin. Don't repeat,
one application should sufficiently kill any infection. The next step is to gently remove the resultant discharge. This will
occur for a day or two, so be patient. Also a common irritant is soap residue that has not been properly rinsed. This
will look like it's not healing or give it the appearance of infection. It's best to wash your hands prior to washing the
pierced area. Don't wash directly on the pierce. It's only necessary to wash the general area with a suitable product.ie-
Phisoderm(diluted) for eyebrow,earlobe, nipple, labret, navel (mild saline is also OK)
Bactine for nostril,septum
So, just exercise some common sense and you'll find a nice, happy, middleground between killer kindness and neglect.
What if I don't like it?
LUMP IT!!!!! Seriously, if you find that your new thing isn't working out, don't worry. Unless you're into heavy hole
expansion, scarring is minimal, if not invisible in time. You should still visit your friendly neighborhood teknishun (in whom
you have complete faith) and have them remove it. They can do this a lot easier than you can.
How does hole stretching work
Well, right off the bat you have options. You can start small(16 guage) and gradually step up the size, bit by bit.
this is the easy way, also you don't want to do too drastic a change, because you risk tearing. Nice and easy, see?
The alternative to this is to do it all in one fell swoop. 10 guage and up, are more painfull, take a lot longer to heal,
and can be difficult. Probably NOT for the inexperienced.
Can piercing do damage?
Piercing that is executed and cared for in a proper fashion has a high success rate, however there is a small
possibility of failure ie-allergic reaction,infection left unchecked, misadventure, career damage, etc.
In the event of problems arising removal may not be your only option. Depending on the nature of the problem.
You have to target the cause. If you're allergic to stainless, gold may be an option... Any infection will leave
scar tissue, left unchecked, in time, will become more severe. A worst case scenario would be that the jewellry
were ripped out, or sumpin. This will definitely result in some form of permanent damage. Not what you're looking for.
Sometimes, completely unforseen things can occur. Don't be sad, just talk to someone who knows.
Maybe a short word on social damage. If you find people really hate you all of a sudden because of your cool
new hardware, they're not your friends to begin with so you should tell them to fuck off or something equally
appropriate. But not your Mom and Dad.
Why do people get pierced?
Many colorful reasons. I saw one. I want one. Looks cool.
Looks hot. Looks sexy. Looks bad. Looks like it hurt.
It's fun, you get a rush. People look at you in awe. They wonder if you're crazy, you are! It's available, it's easy,
it's wild and wacky. It's crushing,blinding pain that you too can achieve,and still have something to show for it!
Does it hurt, what can I expect?
Usually a piercing doesn't hurt too bad. A proper needle is very sharp so it should cut cleanly. The cleaner the
pierce, the less painfull it is. Other than that, it's not so much pain as a shock to the system. If you have a hard time
at all, it will probably be in the form of a strong headrush which may scare you. Don't be scared, this will pass
in a few minutes. In the event that blood really freaks you out and you've passed out, just relax and someone
qualified will be with you in a moment. There there. Upsy daisy.
The author, Rob Macdonald can be found piercing and making mokos at Lower East Side Studios in
Toronto.
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