body piercing trouble

Cycalogic

Alright. The first time I ever got my ears pierced I was about 4. Now I dont remember them being pierced, or if i had trouble with them, but they closed up.

In 2005 I got my bellybutton pierced, but that rejected, despite my best efforts in taking care of it.

In 2006 I got my ears pierced again, but they were unbelievably sore. The piercer (Sean in vegasv2 - tullamore) told me to use the titanium earrings, and even brought over special ones from vegasv2 in portlaoise. But it was no good. My ears became so sore, they were so swollen that the tiny titanium studs became embedded in them and there was red/brown goo being expelled. I removed them, and within days it had closed up.

The same thing happened when i got them repeirced. So basically, ive had my ears pierced 3 times and none of them stayed.

I got my tongue done in vegas v2 in jan 07 and out of ALL my piercings this one is the one that gave the least problems.
My tongue became so swollen that when i went back to get the original bar changed to a smaller one, sean told me that it didnt need to be changed. So, 2 years later, I still have the same bar as he put in the day it was pierced. And its just the perfect length.

I wanted to get the nape of my neck pierced but sean told me that it wasnt a good idea, that more than likely, it wouldnt last two weeks.
The tattoo guy (rob i think??) told him basically to STFU and told me that it would last if I got the plastic bar thing put in..

I am not a piercing buff, I have no idea what theyre talking about. Whats the chances of it rejecting with the plastic thing? Would you reccomend it?
Is the tongue not reducing in size normal? Will I ever be able to keep a piercing??

any opinions, greatly appreciated

Star Lord

I only know one person who had a PTFE bar in their piercing from the start, it's not common but can work. Would really recommend staying with titanium till it's healed up. Nape piercings are notorious for rejecting though.

Plus why would you take a tattoo artists advice over the piercers?

Cycalogic

Damo El Diablo - I wouldn't... I think the tattoist is the owner, im unsure though. When he tried to hush up the piercer, i kind of thought he didnt care if it rejected... Just to get the 80 euro. I know, im a pesimistic!

Léan

Nape piercings should really only ever be done with a surface bar that's surgical steel, titanium etc.. Not plastic.

Anything i've seen done (or had done ) with plastic rejects or is very uncomfortable.

PinkTulips

i'd suggest going to maurice in metal urges in killarney (unless he's moved again?)... he's a fantastic piercist.

he saved my belly piercing from being completely rejected when it went a bit mental and infected after a thump in the stomach and he repierced my previously rejected nipple piercing and it lasted until i took it out when pregnant 3 years later... it wasn't even sore, only piercing i've ever had that didn't even pinch!

he'll do it if it can be done, and more importantly he'll tell you if there's no point doing it.

-lala-

Cycalogic wrote: »

My ears became so sore, they were so swollen that the tiny titanium studs became embedded in them and there was red/brown goo being expelled. I removed them, and within days it had closed up.

If the jewellery becomes embedded in your ear, it means the bar isn't long enough. If this happens you should go to your piercer to get them changed to longer bars - although really it should have been pierced with a long enough bar to accommodate swelling in the first place.

-lala-

Cycalogic wrote: »

I wanted to get the nape of my neck pierced but sean told me that it wasnt a good idea, that more than likely, it wouldnt last two weeks.
The tattoo guy (rob i think??) told him basically to STFU and told me that it would last if I got the plastic bar thing put in..

Maybe try a different studio where the staff are more consistent? It sounds like the owner just wanted the money - no good studio should tell someone to get something done that doesn't have a chance of lasting. If Dublin is in any way possible for you to get to I would suggest going to snakebite - they won't hesitate to tell you if the piercing isn't suitable for your anatomy, and they're both really fabulous piercers!

Sorry for the double post, still haven't got the hang of this quoting malarky!

Cycalogic

-lala- wrote: »

If the jewellery becomes embedded in your ear, it means the bar isn't long enough. If this happens you should go to your piercer to get them changed to longer bars - although really it should have been pierced with a long enough bar to accommodate swelling in the first place.

They were long enough to accomodate the piercing, originally, but my ears got so infected/goo-ie that they kept swelling up until the earring got embedded in it. I actually freaked out in english class when i noticed it and my enlish teacher helped me take them out, eugh. Im sure it was the grossest thing he ever had to do inside a classroom.

Star Lord

If your ears got infected like that then there was either a problem with the the equipment used, the jewellery or the aftercare.

Cycalogic

The aftercare was fine. After my bellybutton experience and getting that cut out in the hospital, i knew i needed to be careful.
I used savlon spray and i kept my earrings turned in my ear, but it was no good.
He used titanium because he said it was for sensitive skin?

-lala-

Cycalogic wrote: »

The aftercare was fine. After my bellybutton experience and getting that cut out in the hospital, i knew i needed to be careful.
I used savlon spray and i kept my earrings turned in my ear, but it was no good.
He used titanium because he said it was for sensitive skin?

I've never heard of anyone using savlon spray on piercings - the normal thing to use is sea salt water (a quarter tsp of sea salt in a pint of boiled water). But anyway, just spraying it with a spray is not enough - you should soak the piercings is sea salt water for 15-20ish minutes and then clean around the piercings. If you weren't cleaning the crusties off them, and you kept turning the earrings around, then you could well have been working the crusties right into the piercing,

Titanium is grand, but maybe it wasn't autoclaved properly?

Obviously it's hard to say what happened to your piercings over an internet forum, but if this was the aftercare advice you were given, and also based on the other things you've said in your posts, I'd find a different piercer if I was you.

Star Lord

Savalon spray is way way too harsh to use on your piercings!!! You should use cooled boiled water with a little sea salt diluted in it.

Cycalogic

Christ guys! Goshdarrrn it, Sean in Vegas told me not to attempt to put salt anywhere near my piercings?? Maybe thats where i was going wrong?? edit, the savlon spray was used with those cotton bud things?? you know what im talking about to get the crust off my ears, because it was how i used to clean my bellybutton too.

suzaane

to be honest, i've been in that place and it's not the cleanest.
i asked the guy in there, a few simple questions about my jelwerry and stuff and i had a fair idea but was just making sure, but he didn't seem to sure himself.
i'd steer clear if i were you.

PinkTulips

agree savlon spray is useless for piercings, have alway been told to use sea salt water and, if badly infected, alcohol wipes from the chemist. the key with cleaning is to be gentle but thourough so cotton buds not great either... far better to soak a piece of cotton wool in salted water and hold it to the piercing for 5-10 mins to soften any crusties and let it seep into the wound, then very, very gently rotate once and leave the hell alone until the next cleaning.

hand hygine when you do this is paramount too.

again, if you can get to him i can't recommend maurice enough

Star Lord

Cycalogic wrote: »

Christ guys! Goshdarrrn it, Sean in Vegas told me not to attempt to put salt anywhere near my piercings?? Maybe thats where i was going wrong?? edit, the savlon spray was used with those cotton bud things?? you know what im talking about to get the crust off my ears, because it was how i used to clean my bellybutton too.

Ordinary salt is a big no-no as well, it contains iodine and chemicals that you don't want near your piercing either. Proper sea-salt, dissolved in boiled then cooled water is the only way!

Cycalogic

wish me luck! im going to get it done again today

-lala-

good luck!

misshavok

-lala- wrote: »

you should soak the piercings is sea salt water for 15-20ish minutes

This is far too long, sea salt soaks should be only be applied for longer than 5 minutes but no more than 10.

-lala- wrote: »

although really it should have been pierced with a long enough bar to accommodate swelling in the first place

Standard ear piercings are really only pierced at the standard length. So unless the piercee lets the piercer know that they have had previous abnormal swelling, it is impossible to assume that anything more than the standard post length is needed in lobe piercings.

DamoElDiablo wrote:

If your ears got infected like that then there was either a problem with the the equipment used, the jewellery or the aftercare.

Ear lobe infection will 99% of the time be due to the piercees body (e.g. allergies, reactions, etc) and their aftercare, primarily the fact that alot of piercees do not know when is the right time to take jewellry out of irritated lobes or keep them in for that matter.

PinkTulips wrote:

and, if badly infected, alcohol wipes from the chemist.

I have never spoken to a piercer who would recommend this. Many many years ago alcohol and peroxide mixes were often recommended but research and trials have shown that alcohol is much too strong a product to use on broken skin. It is suitable for use on non-broken skin for brief cleaning, etc but the content will eat away both the good and bad bacteria in an open wound therefore killing the bad aswell as killing all the good that you need to heal it.

DamoElDiablo wrote:

Proper sea-salt, dissolved in boiled then cooled water is the only way!

Exactly, boiled water cooled to warm/body temperature is the perfect temperature to correctly cleanse the piercing and have the warmth last the recommended 5-10minutes needed to soak.

Sorry if this seems bombarding, just my comments, I have signed up late so it seems like I am attacking but I assure you I don't mean to be

Oh and good luck user:Cycalogic, I hope all goes well this time.

Nape piercings are generally a hard one to heal completely, PTFE bars leave stress marks on the the entry and exit points due to the pressure put on the skin and sometimes reactions to various surface bars can also hinder the healing process though they are your best bet. Again, I really hope all goes well for you!

Star Lord

misshavok wrote: »

Sorry if this seems bombarding, just my comments, I have signed up late so it seems like I am attacking but I assure you I don't mean to be

Not at all, you make some very good points, and people with good knowledge and that are helpful are always welcomed along here
Are you a piercer yourself or just have a lot of experience?

-lala-

misshavok wrote: »

This is far too long, sea salt soaks should be only be applied for longer than 5 minutes but no more than 10.


Standard ear piercings are really only pierced at the standard length. So unless the piercee lets the piercer know that they have had previous abnormal swelling, it is impossible to assume that anything more than the standard post length is needed in lobe piercings.

"no more than 10"? Interesting, I've always been told by reputable piercers that any LESS than 10 minutes will do very little for the piercing.

Would be interested to know what this "standard length" is. My ears tend to swell a lot more than most peoples when pierced but this has never been a problem as the jewellery used has always been long enough - which is the way it should be.

misshavok

I was a piercer, though I have since started studying IT full time so I am not piercing currently. I am still in love with the industry and try and keep up with all I can plus I am still relatively modded myself and don't see myself stopping anytime soon.

As for ear lobe piercing jewellry, the general standard I have encountered is 20gauge sss (surgical stainless steel - the gold-look ones being sss with gold plating). Usually ranging from 10-12mm in post length (in other words from the base of the jewel to the very end of the post).

This sizing and choice of "metal" usually allows for standard swelling and any reactions. Obviously people will mention if they have an allergy to sss and another product would be used in its place. Aswell as people who mention abnormal swelling should be offered an alternative to the basic sizing or be told flat out if that piercer does not have the correct jewellry to perform the procedure safely. And if they tell you that "you'll be fine" and that they will "upsize" for you once they get TOO big for the post length, then that is rubbish and I would bail asap haha.

Also for people of various African or Islander descent, it can often be advised to use a larger post length due to their thicker lobes. And just to clarify, this is just talking about lobe piercings, not any other ear piercings.

PinkTulips

misshavok wrote: »

I have never spoken to a piercer who would recommend this. Many many years ago alcohol and peroxide mixes were often recommended but research and trials have shown that alcohol is much too strong a product to use on broken skin. It is suitable for use on non-broken skin for brief cleaning, etc but the content will eat away both the good and bad bacteria in an open wound therefore killing the bad aswell as killing all the good that you need to heal it.

shows how long it's been since my first piercings doesn't it