Piercing FAQ
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From: ardvark@best.com (Anne Greenblatt)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.bodyart,news.answers,rec.answers
Subject: rec.arts.bodyart: Piercing FAQ 1--Introduction
Followup-To: rec.arts.bodyart
Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 04:11:52 -0700
Organization: Planet Platypussy
Expires: Mon, 03 August 1998 07:00:00 GMT
Message-ID: <ardvark-0907980411520001@dynamic9.pm01.san-mateo.best.com>
X-Trace: 899982572 4488 (none) 206.86.0.12
X-Newsreader: MT-NewsWatcher 2.4.4
Archive-name: bodyart/piercing-faq/introduction
Last-modified: July 08, 1998
Posting-frequency: Monthly
URL: http://www.cs.ruu.nl/wais/html/na-bng/rec.arts.bodyart.html
Summary: This posting contains information about body piercing. Anyone
interested in the subject and/or who wishes to read/post to
rec.arts.bodyart should read the Piercing FAQ first.
The rec.arts.bodyart Piercing FAQ is divided into 28 parts:
1--Introduction
2A--Jewelry Materials
2B--Jewelry Sizes & Designs
2C--Facial Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
2D--Body Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
2E--Genital Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
3--Getting A New Piercing
4A--Professional Organizations, Piercing Instruction
4B--Professional Piercers - United States - Alabama - California
4C--Professional Piercers - United States - Colorado - Iowa
4D--Professional Piercers - United States - Kansas - Nevada
4E--Professional Piercers - United States - New Hampshire - North Dakota
4F--Professional Piercers - United States - Ohio - Pennsylvania
4G--Professional Piercers - United States - Rhode Island - Wyoming
4H--Professional Piercers - Canada
4I--Professional Piercers - Beyond N. America
4J--Professional Piercers - Beyond N. America Cont'd
5--Care Of New Piercings
6--The Healing Process & Healing Problems
7--Healed Piercings
8--Historical Information
9--Resource List
10A--Personal Experiences - Facial & Unisex Piercings
10B--Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings
10C -- Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings Cont'd
10D -- Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings Cont'd
11A -- Jewelry Manufacturers
11B -- Jewelry Manufacturers Cont'd
This FAQ has been rated by Magellan as a Four Star Site!
This is Part 1 of the rec.arts.bodyart Piercing FAQ. This FAQ is updated
and posted on the first Monday of each month.
If you would like to know what rec.arts.bodyart is as a newsgroup please
visit
The RABbit Hole http://www.eskimo.com/~rab
Queen Spako's Slug Patch http://www.achilles.net/~dextra/spako/
All texts written by Anne Greenblatt unless otherwise noted.
The Piercing FAQ is maintained on a voluntary basis and is produced for free
distribution. No funds are generated by the circulation of the
rec.arts.bodyart Piercing FAQ and the author and contributors are not
remunerated in any way.
This FAQ was originally compiled by Paul Davies aka Synthetic Man
<pdavies@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca> with contributions from various people.
The rights and responsibilities to maintain this FAQ was passed on to me
in July 1993.
COPYRIGHT AND DISSEMINATION
Under the Berne Convention, this document is Copyright (c) 1998 by Anne
Greenblatt, all rights reserved. Permission is granted for it to be
reproduced electronically on any system connected to the various networks
which make up the Internet, USENET, and FidoNet so long as it is
reproduced in its entirety, unedited, and with this copyright notice
intact. Web sites are included. Individual copies may also be printed.
All of the Piercing FAQs may be cited as:
Greenblatt, Anne (1998) "rec.arts.bodyart Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)"
Usenet rec.arts.bodyart,
available via anonymous FTP: rtfm.mit.edu:/pub/faqs/bodyart/
While you are allowed individual copies of the Piercing FAQ, this does not
mean the FAQ is in the public domain.
Part of the value of the Piercing FAQ is that it is a living document; it is
updated monthly to include the most current information available. For this
reason you are explicitly requested to include a notice of how to obtain the
most recent edition of the FAQs.
You must obtain prior permission from me before you make the FAQs available
commercially.
If you are a media reporter or journalist, you are explicitly requested to
contact me prior to using material in or quoting from the Piercing FAQ.
Additionally, I would appreciate a copy of the article or publication in
which the FAQ is cited.
You need not obtain special permission to quote parts of this FAQ for
academic research purposes, although you must cite this FAQ. Additionally, I
would appreciate a copy of the article or publication in which the FAQ is
cited.
If you are not sure how to cite electronic information please refer to
_Electronic Style: A Guide to Citing Electronic Information_ by Xia Li and
Nancy B. Crane (Westport, 1993).
SHARING THE FILES ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS:
You may copy and disseminate the entire set of FAQs electronically and in
print on an individual, non-commercial basis. If you must break up the
files, use the sectional format provided. Do not create your own sections.
Do not add your own information in the FAQ.
SHARING THE FILES THROUGH A BBS:
If you maintain a BBS and wish to have these files available please include
a notice of how to obtain the most recent edition of the FAQs.
CREATING YOUR OWN HTML PAGES FOR WWW:
If you would like to include the FAQ on your webpage, you are encouraged
to provide a link to the FAQ archives in order to provide your visitors
with the most recent edition.
The FAQ is archived at:
http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet-faqs/bygroup/rec/arts/bodyart/top.html
http://www.cs.ruu.nl/wais/html/na-bng/rec.arts.bodyart.html
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/
http://www.landfield.com/faqs/bodyart/piercing-faq/
Please look at the "Last-Posted" line in the headers for the current
month's edition.
Please remember that body piercing is an inexact science. The content of the
FAQ reflects the continual advances made in the field of body piercing. The
information contained in the FAQ is culled from group knowledge and
experience. Each person's experiences regarding piercing viability, healing,
and longevity may be different.
I would like to recognize and thank the following piercers, jewelery
manufacturers, and enthusiasts for their contributions:
The Association of Professional Piercers
http://www.piercing.org/app/
Keith Alexander of Modern American Body Arts, NY <keitha2@mail.idt.net>
http://www.cybercondo.com/pub/bodyart
Elayne Angel of Rings of Desire, LA <angel@ringsofdesire.com>
http://www.ringsofdesire.com
Dave Anthony of Body Work Productions, OH <bodyworkprod@earthlink.net>
http://www.bodyworkprod.com
Eerin Atkinson of Sine Qua Non, NM <Eerin@worldnet.att.net>
Barry Blanchard of Anatometal, CA <barry@anatometal.com>
http://www.anatometal.com
Sean Christian of Revolution Body Jewelry, CA
http://www.captivebead.com
Kevin Cook, Manager of the Piercing Links List <kevincook@worldnet.att.net>
http://www.geocities.com/soho/cafe/8816/list.html
Tom Brazda of Stainless Studios, Toronto, Ontario Canada <bodyart@io.org>
http://www.stainless-studios.com/
Michaela Grey formerly of Gauntlet, CA and the Association of Professional
Piercers <mgrey@sfo.com>
Michael Hare, The Exotic Body, CA <mike@exoticbody.com>
http://www.exoticbody.com
Karen Hurt of Future Primitives, CA <karen@fprimitive.com>
Shannon Larratt of the Body Modification Ezine <glider54@pobox.com>
http://www.bme.freeq.com
Derek Lowe of Steve's Tattoo & Piercing, WI <piercer@ns1.inxpress.net>
http://www.inxpress.net/~piercer
Denise Robinson of Ambient, Ottawa, ONT Canada <ambient@ambient.on.ca>
http://www.ambient.on.ca
Brian Skellie of Piercing Experience, GA <bskellie@pop.mindspring.com>
Jim Ward of Gauntlet
John Ward, MD aka "Dr. Jack" <bones@softdisc.com>
DISCLAIMER! The Piercing FAQ contains material of a sexually explicit
nature. The information contained in the Piercing FAQ should not be
construed as medical advice.
Table of Contents of the rec.arts.bodyart Piercing FAQ:
1--Introduction
2A --Jewelry Materials
2A.1 Metals
2A.1a Report on Stainless Steel by Sean Christian
2A.2 Non Metal Materials
2A.2a Report on FDA Approved Acrylic by Michael Hare
2A.3 Organic Materials
2A.3a Hardwoods
2A.3b Bamboo
2A.3c Ivory, Horn, Antler
2B --Jewelry Sizes & Designs
2B.1 Jewelry Sizes
2B.1a Gauges And Equivalents
2B.2 Jewelry Designs
2B.2a Basic Designs
2B.2b Piercing-Specific Designs
2C --Facial Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
2D --Body Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
2D.1 Navel Piercings
2D.1a "The Navel Piercing - A Better Alternative"
2D.2 Nipple Piercings
2D.2a Female Nipple Piercings
2D.2b Male Nipple Piercings
2D.2c Nipple Piercings and Breast Feeding
2D.3 Surface & Unusual Piercings
2E -- Genital Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
2E.1 Female Genital Piercings
2E.2 Male Genital Piercings
2E.3 Genital Piercings and Sexual Activity
2E.4 Genital Piercings and Pregnancy
3--Getting A New Piercing
3.1 Assessing Anatomy and Jewelry Selection
3.2 What to Look for in a Piercer
3.3 Piercing Needle or Gun?
3.4 Basic Piercing Procedure
3.5 Methods of Sterilization and Disinfection
3.5a Autoclave
3.5b Dry Heat
3.5c Pressure Cookers
3.5d Ultrasonic Cleaners
3.5e Sterilizer Monitoring and Testing
3.5f Bagging Instruments for Sterilization
3.5g Disinfectants
3.6 Anesthetics
3.7 Are You Under 18?
3.8 Does It Hurt?
3.9 Making Your Experience More Comfortable
3.10 Piercing Kits and Doing It Yourself
4A --Professional Organizations, Piercing Instruction
4A.1 Professional Organizations
4A.2 Piercing Instruction
4B--Professional Piercers - United States - Alabama - California
4C--Professional Piercers - United States - Colorado - Iowa
4D--Professional Piercers - United States - Kansas - Nevada
4E--Professional Piercers - United States - New Hampshire - North Dakota
4F--Professional Piercers - United States - Ohio - Pennsylvania
4G--Professional Piercers - United States - Rhode Island - Wyoming
4H--Professional Piercers - Canada
4I--Professional Piercers - Beyond N. America
4J--Professional Piercers - Beyond N. America Cont'd
5--Care Of New Piercings
5.1 Antiseptics and Antibacterial Soaps
5.1a Chlorohexidine Gluconate Solutions
5.1b Liquid Antibacterial Soaps
5.1c Other Soaps and Cleansers
5.1d Products to Avoid
5.2 Medicated Ointments
5.3 Essential Oils
5.4 Treating Facial Piercings
5.5 Treating Oral Piercings
5.6 Treating Body Piercings
5.7 Treating Genital Piercings
6--The Healing Process & Healing Problems
6.1 The Healing Process
6.1a Abandoning a Piercing
6.2 Scars
6.3 Irritations & Infections
6.4 Piercing Migration / Rejection
6.5 Metal Sensitivities
7 --Healed Piercings
7.1 Changing Jewelry
7.2 Stretching Piercings
7.3 Piercing Adornments
7.4 BDSM Play and Chasity
7.5 Play Piercing
7.6 Hiding And Retaining Piercings
7.7 "Piercings and Surgery", by Scott Dorsey
7.8 Piercings and Common Medical Procedures
7.8a Dentistry
7.8b Surgical Procedures / In-Patient Treatment
7.8c Ultrasound / X-Ray / MRI / CT Scan
7.9 Body Jewelry and Metal Detectors
7.10 Piercings and Employment
7.11 Oral Piercings and Wind Instruments
8 --Historical Information
8.1 History Of The Nipple Piercing
8.1a "History of the Nipple Piercing"
8.1b "Titrings, A Bit of History"
8.2 The Apadravya in the Kama Sutra
8.3 History of Late 20th C. Piercing and Why?
9 --Resource List
9.1 Books and Magazines
9.2 Videos
9.3 Online Sites
9.3a Chat Rooms and Online Clubs
9.4 Software and CDs
9.5 Calendars and Posters
9.6 Places of Interest
10A -- Personal Experiences - Facial & Unisex Piercings
10A.1 Tongue Pierce
10A.2 Labret Piercing
10A.3 Hand Web Piercing
10A.4 Eyelet Piercings
10A.5 Nipple Piercing - Male
10A.6 Niehbuhr, or Erle
10A.7 Piercing Inverted Nipples (Male)
10B -- Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings
10B.1 Triangle Piercing
10B.2 Vertical Clitoral Hood Piercing
10B.3 Ampallang Piercing #1
10B.4 Foreskin & Septum Piercings
10B.5 Frenum Placement with Intact Foreskin
10B.6 Ampallang Piercing #2
10C -- Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings Cont'd
10C.1 Reverse Prince Albert
10C.2 Apadravya
10C.3 Bead Implants
10C.4 Prince Albert with Intact Foreskin
10C.5 Camilla's Custom Nipple Studs
10D -- Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings Cont'd
10D.1 Inner Labia
10D.2 Fourchette Piercing
10D.3 Dolphin Piercing
11A -- Jewelry Manufacturers
11A.1 Jewelry in All Metals & Materials
11B -- Jewelry Manufacturers Cont'd
11B.1 Jewelry in 316L/LVM Steel Only
11B.2 Jewelry in Other Steel Grades
11B.3 Jewelry in Niobium and Titanium Only
11B.4 Jewelry in Gold and Platinum Only
11B.5 Jewelry in Acrylic Only
11B.6 Piercing Accessories for Healed Piercings
11B.7 Piercing Supplies / Needles
11B.8 Niobium and 316L Surgical Suppliers
11B.9 Medical Suppliers / Sterilization Services
11B.10 Insurance Brokers
--
Ardvark
Anne Greenblatt
Manager of the rec.arts.bodyart Piercing FAQ
/\*/\
Piercing Exquisite
http://www2.ba.best.com/~ardvark/
*
"You will not sink my cheerio!" HNB
From: ardvark@best.com (Anne Greenblatt)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.bodyart,news.answers,rec.answers
Subject: rec.arts.bodyart: Piercing FAQ 2A--Jewelry Materials
Followup-To: rec.arts.bodyart
Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 04:12:25 -0700
Organization: Planet Platypussy
Expires: Mon, 03 August 1998 07:00:00 GMT
Message-ID: <ardvark-0907980412260001@dynamic9.pm01.san-mateo.best.com>
X-Trace: 899982611 4488 (none) 206.86.0.12
X-Newsreader: MT-NewsWatcher 2.4.4
Archive-name: bodyart/piercing-faq/jewelry/partA
Last-modified: July 08, 1998
Posting-frequency: Monthly
URL: http://www.cs.ruu.nl/wais/html/na-bng/rec.arts.bodyart.html
Summary: This posting contains information about body piercing. Anyone
interested in the subject and/or who wishes to read/post to
rec.arts.bodyart should read the Piercing FAQ first.
The rec.arts.bodyart Piercing FAQ is divided into 28 parts:
1--Introduction
2A--Jewelry Materials
2B--Jewelry Sizes & Designs
2C--Facial Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
2D--Body Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
2E--Genital Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
3--Getting A New Piercing
4A--Professional Organizations, Piercing Instruction
4B--Professional Piercers - United States - Alabama - California
4C--Professional Piercers - United States - Colorado - Iowa
4D--Professional Piercers - United States - Kansas - Nevada
4E--Professional Piercers - United States - New Hampshire - North Dakota
4F--Professional Piercers - United States - Ohio - Pennsylvania
4G--Professional Piercers - United States - Rhode Island - Wyoming
4H--Professional Piercers - Canada
4I--Professional Piercers - Beyond N. America
4J--Professional Piercers - Beyond N. America Cont'd
5--Care Of New Piercings
6--The Healing Process & Healing Problems
7--Healed Piercings
8--Historical Information
9--Resource List
10A--Personal Experiences - Facial & Unisex Piercings
10B--Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings
10C -- Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings Cont'd
10D -- Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings Cont'd
11A -- Jewelry Manufacturers
11B -- Jewelry Manufacturers Cont'd
This section includes:
2A --Jewelry Materials
2A.1 Metals
2A.1a Report on Stainless Steel by Sean Christian
2A.2 Non Metal Materials
2A.2a Report on FDA Approved Acrylic by Michael Hare
2A.3 Organic Materials
2A.3a Hardwoods
2A.3b Bamboo
2A.3c Ivory, Horn, Antler
All texts written and (c) 1998 by Anne Greenblatt unless otherwise noted.
Please see Part 1 of the FAQ for information regarding copyright and
dissemination of the FAQ.
DISCLAIMER! The Piercing FAQ contains material of a sexually explicit
nature. The information contained in the Piercing FAQ should not be
construed as medical advice.
2A.1 METALS
The metals used for body jewelry are chosen because of their "body friendly"
qualities. However, some metals are more biologically inert and considered
more hypoallergenic than others. People who are nickel-sensitive or
metal-sensitive can often wear niobium or titanium. Niobium and titanium
are elemental metals. Sensitivities to niobium are rare but not unheard of.
Please see Part 6 for more information about metal sensitivities.
Gold
1 karat = 1/24th of the alloy is pure gold
Solid gold of at least 14 karat (58.3% gold). Some piercers prefer to
use only 18k gold (75% gold) in fresh piercings.
Gold-filled and gold-plated or jewelry is not appropriate. The gold plate is
very thin and can wear away quickly with the friction to which body jewelry
is exposed.
Some people are sensitive to the alloys present in karat gold (namely
nickel, silver, zinc and copper) and cannot tolerate wearing gold jewelry.
Some people's pH (in oral and genital tissues, perspiration) is acidic
enough to corrode the alloys in karat gold, evident by blackening of the
jewelry and discoloration of the surrounding skin.
White gold often causes more adverse reactions than yellow gold of the same
karat because a higher concentration of nickel is used to yield the white
color. White gold alloyed with palladium, an inert metal of the platinum
group, instead of nickel is preferable for wear in new piercings. Some
people who cannot wear steel alloys can wear 18k white gold palladium
alloys.
Green or pink gold should not be worn because of the higher concentration of
copper and zinc used to produce the color.
Gold jewelry may acquire a surface discoloration when exposed to iodine
(Betadine) and when autoclaved. Use of heat indicator packaging or tape
often results in discoloration. This discoloration is not true oxidation,
which only takes place at the melting point of the alloys present. Jewelry
discolored by iodine or heating can be repolished to its previous shine.
Over a long period of time gold jewelry exposed to urine may acquire a
rough, dull surface. The acids found in urine leach into the surface and
dries to form a hard crust. Buffing or polishing the jewelry will remove
this build- up. Daily cleaning of the jewelry will prevent this build-up.
Niobium
An elemental metal, strong yet flexible; slightly heavier than 316L
stainless. Niobium is non-reactive chemically; few people are sensitive to
niobium. The wide array of colors achieved through anodizing (not dyeing),
in which the jewelry is submerged in an electrolite solution. Anodizing
forms an oxide layer on the jewelry. The color seen is light refracted
through this layer; the thickness of the layer determines the particular
color produced. The voltage applied during anodizing determines the
thickness of the oxide layer and hence the resulting color. The anodized
layer of oxide will eventually wear away; how long the process will take
depends on how thick the oxide layer is and the amount of friction and wear
on the jewelry. Some colors will start to fade within 6 months.
Matte black is achieved by heating the niobium until it is red-hot and
cooling it. After blackening, the jewelry can be polished to a certain
degree. Black niobium will not fade; rather, it will deepen and grow
smoother with age and wear.
Niobium jewelry is available in matte ("satin") or high-polish ("mirror")
finishes. Very rough-finished niobium should not be used for fresh/unhealed
piecings, as the pores present in the matte finish can trap bacteria as well
as retain polishing-compound residue which can be toxic. The rough finish
will also have a tendency to "stick" to new piercings via dried discharge,
which can cause the newly-formed tissue to rupture, extending healing time.
Platinum
Platinum and metals in the platinum group such as Palladium are completely
inert, making them excellent choices for body jewelry (barring alloys).
However, platinum is economically impractical for most manufacturers and
consumers. Platinum is also very heavy which may make it an inappropriate
choice for some piercings.
Palladium gold alloys is similar to 18k gold in cost.
Stainless Steel
0.03 C, 2.00 Mn, 0.045 P, 0.030 S, 1.00 Si, 16.00/18.00 Cr, 10.00/14.00 Ni,
2.00/3.00 Mo, Bal. Fe (1)
Of the many stainless steels available, only 316L or LVM is suitable for use
as body jewelry. 316L is a low-carbon variety of 316. 316LVM is 316L,
Vacuum Melted when manufactured. The low pressure prevents any air /
airborne contaminants to attach to the molecules in the metal, resulting in
a more consistent steel. For most people, however, that the steel be 316LVM
is not a necessity to heal and maintain a healthy piercing.
The jewelry should be polished to a reflective shine (mirror-finish), free
from rough edges, tool marks, wire-drawing lines and pitting which is
present in the surface of the steel when it arrives from the mill. When
polished, true 316L is a white, not grey, metal. Under-polishing will be
most evident along the inside of the ring, where polishing is most
difficult.
316L arrives from the steel manufacturer at specified degrees of hardness.
Most jewelry manufacturers use the least-hard (1/4 hard) steel available for
rings. Working the steel and forming the steel into rings hardens it to some
degree. Annealing, a controlled heating and cooling process performed in a
vacuum, yields a more flexible steel, resistant to metal fatigue. Most
piercers and jewelry manufacturers agree that steel rings should be annealed
to some degree after forming or formed from annealed wire, as an annealed
ring is easier to safely and quickly manipulate for insertion; in the
thinner gauges, pliers are often unnecessary.
On the other hand, some manufacturers feel that annealing the thinner gauges
(18 through 14ga) makes the ring too malleable to maintain its shape and
retain the bead. However, for most applications annealed rings are safe.
For piercings subject to enough pressure to reshape the ring, a thicker
gauge is advised. Depending on the gauge and diameter, annealing limits the
minimum bead size which can be used (eg. a soft 14ga 5/8" ring would not
securely hold a bead smaller than 7/32").
The more a ring is annealed, the easier the finish is scratched from tools
or simply from daily wear. The trade-off is that the harder rings require
tools to manipulate, which increases the chance of damage during insertion.
A non- annealed or close to full-hard ring will break under stress, when the
ring is torqued open. Fractures invisible to the unaided eye may be
created. These breaks can trap bacteria and lymph discharge and complicate
the healing process.
The importance of manufacturing the barbell balls, their threads and ring
beads of 316L has been questioned by some manufacturers and piercers, but it
is the author9s opinion that any part of the jewelry in contact with the
openings of the piercing or with bodily secretions should be of 316L or of
one of the other metals suitable for use in piercings.
316L is classified as an austenitic steel. Austenitic steels are generally
non magenetic when annealed, although some may become slightly magnetic by
cold working.
Sterling Silver
Sterling silver should never be worn in a fresh or unhealed piercing or in
a piercing that is located in a moist area of the body (mouth, lip, navel,
genital). Silver oxidizes very easily when exposed to moisture. When worn
in a fresh piercing the skin often absorbs the oxide and the piercing
darkens or turns grey, usually permanently. Silver causes chemical
irritation which can result in scarring. Silver is very soft and is easily
scratched; scratches in the jewelry surface irritate the piercing and trap
bacteria.
Silver captive beads should not be worn on new piercings.
Titanium
Titanium is an extremely lightweight elemental metal similar to Niobium.
The specific alloy used for body jewelry is 6AL4V (60 parts aluminum, 40
parts vanadium), specifically 136 grade with extra low interstitial
elements. (4)
"[Titanium's] substantially inert surface oxide has high integrity and
tenacity. The oxide will, if scratched or damaged, immediately restore
itself in the presence of air or water. The film is stable over a wide range
of pH, electro-potentials and temperature, particularly in neutral and
oxidising environments." (2)
While the titanium alloy contains aluminum and vanadium, the oxide layer
does not contain any traces of either element. (4)
"Titanium is the most bio-compatible of all metals due to its total
resistance to attack by body fluids." (2) Titanium is often used in
permanent surgical implants where the tissue is encouraged to assimilate the
implant. The body will readily accept titanium because of its non-reactive
quality; in the case of implants, the pores allow for the tissue to attach.
Titanium jewelry is available in a range of colors through anodizing.
Unanodized, titanium is medium grey in color and polishes to a smooth
finish. Titanium and its oxide are harder than niobium; hence the color of
anodized titanium usually lasts longer than that of niobium.
Titanium is extremely porous. Thus it is very difficult to achieve a
smooth finish.
References:
(1) Carpenter Technology Corporation, http://www.cartech.com/
(2) Internation Titanium Association, http://www.titanium.net
(3) Reactive Metals Studio Inc., http://www.callamer.com/~ezecho/rms/rms.html
(4) TI Specialties, http://www.callamer.com/~ezecho/tispec.html
(4) Gilliam, Brian, Anatometal, Inc. http://www.anatometal.com
Report presented at the Association of Professional Piercings Open Meeting,
May 1998.
2A.1a Report on Stainless Steel
by Sean Christian
Revolution Body Jewelry, Sacramento, California
http://www.captivebead.com
Presented at the Association o Professional Piercers Open Meeting
May 1998
edited by Anne Greenblatt
Terminology
Surgical Stainless Steel: The term "surgical stainless steel" is not a
technical term. It is a term that was originally coined by knife and
cookware manufactures. It brought more marketable value to the material that
they used. "Surgical stainless steel" is a generic term for a variety of
different grades of steel and is not commonly found in any medical or
metallurgical reports. There are no standards set for this type of metal.
Implant Grade Stainless Steel: "Implant grade stainless steel" is a more
accurate term for the steel used in body jewelry. There are standards set
for what materials can be called implant grade. There are currently only two
different types of stainless steel that commonly match these standards: 316L
and 316LVM. These materials have been employed successfully in human
implants that are in contact with soft tissue and bone for more than a
decade.
316L and 316LVM: Designations for types of steel that meet the standards for
"implant grade." 316 is the designation number. The "L" in these two
designations stands for low carbon. The "VM" stands for vacuum melted. Both
of these materials meet the ASTM designation F138 for "Implant Grade
Stainless steel" and the ISO standard 5832-1 and 6892 for "Surgical Implant
Material" and "Requirements Against Nickel Allergies."
The ASTM and ISO
American Society of Testing and Materials: The ASTM is a non-governmental
organization that compiles information and makes standards for
manufacturing, materials, and methods for just about everything. These
standards are considered to be of the highest qualities.
International Organization for Standards: The ISO (which is not an
acronym, it is short for the Greek word isos meaning equal) is the European
equivalent of the ASTM. The ISO is trying to standardize all European trade
and manufacturing methods.
ASTM "F" Series: The "F" series of the ASTM designations concern "medical
grade materials" and are the guidelines for FDA approval of materials used
in medical products. Responsible manufactures of any medical product comply
with these standards.
ASTM F138 Grade 1 & 2: F138 is the designation number for the "Standard
Specification for Stainless Steel Bar and Wire for Surgical Implants." This
standard characterizes composition and properties to insure consistency for
medical implant devices. 316L adheres to grade 1 and 316LVM adheres to
grades 1 and 2. Implant Grade Stainless Steel is chemically inert and
atraumatic to the body so as not to react with the surrounding tissues or
the immune system.
Annealing
The milling of stainless steel wire used in captive bead rings (not to be
confused with bar stock that is used in barbells) work-hardens the wire to
a point that it loses some of its corrosion resistance properties. It
requires these properties to be considered implant grade.
Annealing is a process of heat treating metal. It involves heating steel to
about one half of its melting point and cooling it in a controlled
environment. Annealing stainless steel serves to produce changes in the
physical condition, mechanical properties and residual stress levels of the
metal. Specifically, the annealing process serves to reduce the corrosive
tendencies of the work-hardened metal. During annealing, chromium carbides,
which markedly decrease resistance to inter-granular corrosion, are
dissolved. Annealing literally cleans up the metal.
We all know that annealed jewelry is easier to work with, and what we need
to understand is that non-annealed jewelry might not be safe to use in
piercings.
Polish
There are purposes for polishing the surface of bead rings other than
aesthetics. A mirror finish is required for implant devices; the metal
cannot be gray, blurred, or dull. When finished properly, stainless steel
is resistant to degradation by the body's internal environment. Having a
mirror finish will improve impact strength, decrease corrosion, and
produce a non-porous surface that will not harbor bacteria.
Individuals do not have problems with the material content. Rather, they
have problems if the material is not finished properly and breaks apart due
to wear, fatigue, and material fragment build ups. The surface of the metal
must be free of any nicks, scratches, or burrs that increase surface area
and allow for bacterial colonization which interferes with the body's
healing process.
2A.2 NON METAL MATERIALS
Acrylic
Acrylic jewelry is most often worn in enlarged piercings when light-weight
jewelry is desired. Acrylic is not intended to be worn in fresh or unhealed
piercings. There is some debate among piercers regarding the safety of long
term wear. Acrylic has not been clinically proven to be safe for wear in
the body. Jewelry should be inspected frequently for scratches which can
irritate the piercing and trap bacteria.
Acrylic is very brittle and will shatter under stress. For releasing beads
in captive bead rings, first warm the ring in the palm of your hand; do not
use ring-expanding pliers. Acrylic cannot be autoclaved. Extended exposure
to any type of alcohol will degrade acrylic jewelry.
Nylon / Teflon
Monofilament nylon and teflon are used where a more flexible piece of
jewelry is desired or if the wearer is senstive to metals. Both can be
autoclaved.
Securing monofilament is often difficult. Appropriately bored threaded
metal balls can be screwed onto the ends; the metal threads will cut
threads in the monofilament. The ends may be flattened into a disc shape
using a hot knife but the results may not be smooth or comfortable.
2A.2a Report on FDA Approved Acrylic
by Michael Hare
The Exotic Body, Sacramento, California
http://www.exoticbody.com
mike@exoticbody.com
Presented at the Association o Professional Piercers Open Meeting
May 1998
edited by Anne Greenblatt
We have found a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved acrylic
styrene copolymer (hereby referred to as "our acrylic"). Our acrylic
provides superior resistance to stress hazing and surface grazing when
compared to straight acrylic. The FDA has approved our acrylic for
applications in which it is in contact with the body. Our acrylic meets
USP XXI Class VI plastics guidelines for medical devices.
The USP XXI Class VI testing is done by United States Pharmacopoeia which
conducts biological tests for Class VI plastics. It has been determined
that our acrylic meets USP XXI Class VI specifications and therefore is
acceptable for use in medical applications. Cytotoxicity as well as
Hemolysis tests were also done. The cytotoxicity test determine the degree
of cell destruction caused by exposing certain cell cultures to an extract
of the polymer. The Hemolysis test determines the degree of destruction of
blood cells that occurs when specific extracts of the polymer are
introduced into the blood. The results of these tests show that our
acrylic is non-toxic as well as non-hemolytic.
Glow-in-the-dark Acrylic
It is our position that no glow-in-the-dark acrylic can be safe for the
body. The phosphorescent material is carcinogenic. It should not be in
contact with the body for any time. The alternative is UV or Black Lite
acrylic which is reactive under a black light and appears to glow. This UV
material is not carcinogenic.
Sterilization and Disinfection of Acrylic
At this time no known acrylic jewelry can be sterilized by autoclave. We
have tested our acrylic in the most frequently used cold sterilization
solutions.
MadaCide: After soaking for 72 hours there was no cracking or
discoloration of the jewelry.
Isopropyl alcohol (91%): Soaking for 48 hours yielded the same result.
We are in the process of looking into Gamma Ray Radiation sterilization.
2A.3 ORGANIC MATERIALS
Thanks to Erica Skadsen / Organic for the information contained in this
article. Please visit her webpage for photos and more information, at
<http://www.spiritone.com/~organic>
2A.3a Hardwoods
Hardwoods are most often used to make plugs for enlarged piercings, such as
ear lobe, labret, and septum piercings. Hardwoods are natural materials that
work in harmony with the body. They can "breathe" with a piercing and allows
an interchange of oils. Wood stays warmer than metals. Wood does not develop
the bad odor plastics can develop.
Hardwoods are broad-leafed, deciduous trees (angiospermous). The term
"hardwood" does not actually refer to hardness: for example, balsa is a
hardwood. The part of the tree normally used is the center heartwood,
normally darker and denser than the surrounding sapwood.
A few species of wood commonly used for jewelry, furniture and inlays are
endangered or threatened. These species are regulated by CITES, the Center
for International Trade of Endangered Species. Endangered species include
Brazilian rosewood (Dalbergia nigra). Threatened species include Mexican
mahogany (Swietenia humilis) and Carribean mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni),
Commoner (Guaiacum officinale), and Holywood lignum vitae aka "Tree of Life"
(Guaiacum sanctum), Bigleaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), and American
mahogany (Swietenia meliaceae). In some cases, wood from threatened species
is acquired by salvage or through sustainable harvesting.
Grain (fibers within the wood) is considered either open or closed.
Open-grained woods may collect bacteria, shed skin tissue, and dirt and
hence generally should not be used for jewelry.
The overall shape and dimensions of the piece should be consistent and
appropriate for the particular piercing with room to allow for possible
swelling. The finish should be free from scratches, pits or tool marks. The
piece should be free of raised grain (wood fibers), even when wet. Luster
varies from species to species and the wood may or may not shine. An oiled
plug will appear dull.
Because hardwoods are porous and readily absorb and release moisture, oil,
and bacteria, hardwood plugs are best worn in healed piercings and dry areas
of the body. Because hardwood jewelry cannot be sterilized it should always
be handled by clean hands and only worn by one person. Autoclaving hardwood
jewelry may cause it to crack, split, and warp. Hardwood jewelry should be
cleaned regularly with a non-chemical soap that is safe for the body. Tea
Tree oil can also be used; prior to use a patch test is recommended to test
for allergy. Hardwood jewelry should be oiled after cleaning to benefit the
skin and aid insertion.
The type of finish applied is usually an oil and sometimes a sealant. Many
finishing oils and sealing products contain chemicals, toxins, solvents,
petroleum or animal products, or pigments. Using a finish that entirely
seals a hardwood plug eliminates the purpose of wearing wood. I usually
recommend a non-toxic oil or wax. Food grade oils such as olive and peanut
are generally safe but may break down (turn rancid) with heat and time;
pieces finished using food grade oils should be washed and re-oiled
periodically to avoid turning rancid. Waxes can be animal or vegetable
based; waxes may come off with heat or be rubbed off while cleaning. I do
not recommend using pigment as most are chemical or solvent based and can
fade or enter the bloodstream.
Some people are allergic to certain hardwoods. A sensitivity to hardwoods
can also be acquired with exposure. The risk of developing a sensitivity to
certain hardwoods is increased for those who work with the woods by way of
the dust which is produced in the production process. The hardwoods likely
to cause allergic reactions include all woods within the Dalbergia genera,
or the rosewoods: African blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon), Brazilian
rosewood (Dalbergia nigra), Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa), Indian rosewood,
aka Bombay blackwood (Dalbergia latifolia), Kingwood aka Violetwood
(Dalbergia cearensis), Tulipwood (Dalbergia frutescus), Teak (Tectona
grandis), Purpleheart aka Amaranth (Peltogyne spp.); and possibly Greenheart
and Satinwood (Chloroxylon swietenia). Some woods may be very hard to
identify; for example, African blackwood can masquerade as ebony.
2A.3b Bamboo
Bamboo is not a wood but a grass. Several thousand different species exist,
ranging from tiny plants to huge towering trees. Many species are light
yellow, tan, or green; some can be purplish or black. Most species are
solid in color; some can be striped or spotted.
Bamboo stalks are hollow and segmented with solid portions of culm. Bamboo
is lightweight; its cross-section may be round, oval, or slightly cardioid
(heart-shaped). The outside of the bamboo is naturally smmoth and protective
and should not be removed to make plugs. The inside is normally whitish and
may have a papery lining which is usually removed or is shed over time.
2A.3c Ivory, Horn, Antler
Thanks to Jesse Jarrell <gjarrell@polarnet.com> for the information
contained in this article. Please visit his webpage for photos and more
information, at <http://www2.polarnet.com/~gjarrell/>
Stabilizing Treatments
All of these materials are somewhat porous and readily absorb moisture and
skin oils. This can lead to cracking in a few of these materials.
Absorption of moisture can be avoided by coating or pressure impregnating
the material with a substance such as bee's wax or a hypoallergenic
sealant. I would not recommend oiling ivory or horn jewelry as it will
tend to promote cracking rather than deter it.
Skin oils make these materials more flexible. With designs such as the
captive bead ring, this can result in lost beads if the carver does not
adjust for expansion. I recommend using a coating or some type of pressure
treatment to prevent the ring from becoming flexible. Untreated captive bead
rings should be very tight before they have been worn. If you are afraid of
breaking an untreated ring you should wear the ring without the bead for
about a day to soften the ring.
Mammoth Ivory
Mammoth ivory is easily acquired in Alaska, Siberia and other places where
it has been preserved underground in permafrost for thousands of years. Gold
miners often find it during erosion mining in glacial silt. Because of it's
age mammoth ivory is difficult to acquire in large solid pieces. Ivory is
softer than most stone and is flexible which makes it ideal for intricate
and delicate carvings. The foremost disadvantage of using aged or fossilized
ivory for body jewelry is that it absorbs skin oils which causes it crack.
Mammoth ivory ranges in color from a cream white to a medium brown. Darker
ivory is more fragile and will crack with moisture much more easily, making
it unsuitable for delicate work.
Fresh Ivory
Most sources of fresh ivory such as elephant tusks are subject to legal
restrictions. Two sources of unrestricted ivory are warthog and hippopatumus
tusks. Fresh ivory does not have the same problems with cracking that aged
ivory has.
Dall Sheep Horn
Dall sheep horn is semi-transparent material with an opaque white grain. The
advantage of sheep horn is its superior flexibility over other organic
materials. Sheep horn tends to distort or bend when exposed to moisture or
skin oils. Body jewelry that must to hold a precise shape or is dependent on
tension, like a captive bead ring, must be stabilized.
Water Buffalo Horn
When polished, water buffalo horn looks similar to ebony. It is not as
flexible as sheep horn and has a much stronger grain, which makes delicate
or detailed work more difficult. Because of the grain it will crack with
exposure to skin oils and thus cannot be used for body jewelry unless
stabilized.
Moose, Elk and Deer Antler
Antler varies in color from ivory white to shades of brown and gray and
sometimes has a purplish hue near the surface. White antler can be nearly
indistinguishable from ivory in appearance. Antler will almost never crack
with exposure to moisture or skin oils. It is an excellent substitute for
ivory because of its comparative cost, availability, and durability.
However, it is a bit softer and more porous than ivory, resulting in less
strength against fractures.
--
Ardvark
Anne Greenblatt
Manager of the rec.arts.bodyart Piercing FAQ
/\*/\
Piercing Exquisite
http://www2.ba.best.com/~ardvark/
*
"You will not sink my cheerio!" HNB
From: ardvark@best.com (Anne Greenblatt)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.bodyart,news.answers,rec.answers
Subject: rec.arts.bodyart: Piercing FAQ 2B--Jewelry Sizes & Designs
Followup-To: rec.arts.bodyart
Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 04:12:48 -0700
Organization: Planet Platypussy
Expires: Mon, 03 August 1998 07:00:00 GMT
Message-ID: <ardvark-0907980412490001@dynamic9.pm01.san-mateo.best.com>
X-Trace: 899982631 4488 (none) 206.86.0.12
X-Newsreader: MT-NewsWatcher 2.4.4
Archive-name: bodyart/piercing-faq/jewelry/partB
Last-modified: May 10, 1998
Posting-frequency: Monthly
URL: http://www.cs.ruu.nl/wais/html/na-bng/rec.arts.bodyart.html
Summary: This posting contains information about body piercing. Anyone
interested in the subject and/or who wishes to read/post to
rec.arts.bodyart should read the Piercing FAQ first.
The rec.arts.bodyart Piercing FAQ is divided into 28 parts:
1--Introduction
2A--Jewelry Materials
2B--Jewelry Sizes & Designs
2C--Facial Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
2D--Body Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
2E--Genital Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
3--Getting A New Piercing
4A--Professional Organizations, Piercing Instruction
4B--Professional Piercers - United States - Alabama - California
4C--Professional Piercers - United States - Colorado - Iowa
4D--Professional Piercers - United States - Kansas - Nevada
4E--Professional Piercers - United States - New Hampshire - North Dakota
4F--Professional Piercers - United States - Ohio - Pennsylvania
4G--Professional Piercers - United States - Rhode Island - Wyoming
4H--Professional Piercers - Canada
4I--Professional Piercers - Beyond N. America
4J--Professional Piercers - Beyond N. America Cont'd
5--Care Of New Piercings
6--The Healing Process & Healing Problems
7--Healed Piercings
8--Historical Information
9--Resource List
10A--Personal Experiences - Facial & Unisex Piercings
10B--Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings
10C -- Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings Cont'd
10D -- Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings Cont'd
11A -- Jewelry Manufacturers
11B -- Jewelry Manufacturers Cont'd
This section includes:
2B --Jewelry Sizes & Designs
2B.1 Jewelry Sizes
2B.1a Gauges And Equivalents
2B.2 Jewelry Designs
2B.2a Basic Designs
2B.2b Piercing-Specific Designs
All texts written and (c) 1998 by Anne Greenblatt unless otherwise noted.
Please see Part 1 of the FAQ for information regarding copyright and
dissemination of the FAQ.
DISCLAIMER! The Piercing FAQ contains material of a sexually explicit
nature. The information contained in the Piercing FAQ should not be
construed as medical advice.
2B.1 JEWELRY SIZES
Jewelry is measured by gauge (thickness) and inside diameter in the case of
rings or length from ball to ball in the case of barbell studs. The higher
the gauge number, the thinner the jewelry.
Most jewelry manufactured in the US is gauged according to the Brown &
Sharpe system. Jewelry from the UK and Europe are manufactured by metric
gauge.
2B.1a Gauges and Equivalents
A visual representation of gauges and diameters is available at
http://www.cf.ac.uk/uwcc/psych/stevensonwc/gauge.html
Maintained by Will Stevenson <stevensonwc@cf.ac.uk>.
Brown and Sharpe Gauges (used by most American manufacturers)
--------------------------------
gauge inches millimeters
--------------------------------
20 0.032 0.812
18 0.040 1.024
16 0.051 1.291
14 0.064 1.628
12 0.081 2.053
10 0.102 2.588
8 0.128 3.264
6 0.162 4.115
4 0.204 5.189
2 0.258 6.544
0 0.325 8.251
00 0.365 9.266
000 0.410 10.405
0000 0.460 11.684
Silver Anchor Gauges (through 1994)
---------------------------------
gauge inches millimeters
---------------------------------
20 1/32 = 0.03125
16 3/64 = 0.046875 1.19
14 1/16 = 0.0625 1.59
12 3/32 = 0.09375 2.38
8 1/8 = 0.125 3.18
6 5/32 = 0.15625 3.97
4 3/16 = 0.1875 4.76
2 1/4 = 0.25 6.35
0 5/16 = 0.3125 7.94
2B.2 JEWELRY DESIGNS
Jewelry designed for ear piercings is not appropriate for wear in body
piercings. Ear jewelry is designed to fit the thickness of the average
earlobe; most body piercings are wider than the thickness of the earlobe.
Ear jewelry is too thin to be safely worn in body piercings. Rings and
hoops designed for ear piercings often have hinges, hooked ends or
overlapping hollow tubes with rough edges which easily irritate the
piercing. Ear piercing studs are difficult to
clean. The butterfly clip backing can become clogged with discharge, dirt,
and bacteria. Ear jewelry is usually made of silver or of an inferior
grade of steel or is plated, all unsuitable materials for wear in body
piercings.
2B.2a Basic Designs
Captive Bead Ring
The basic ring design is the captive bead ring, or ball closure ring. The
bead is not attached to the ring; the tension of the ring holds the bead
captive. Factors which affect how tightly the bead is held in place are
how annealed (soft) the ring is, how deeply the bead is bored, and the
relationship between the gauge and diameter of the ring. In the case of
captive bead rings in small diameters or thicker gauges ring expanding
pliers may be required to release the bead. The ends should be well-rounded
for easier insertion. Captive Bead Rings (CBR) are referred to as Bead
Closure Rings in the UK.
Variations on the standard captive bead ring include:
Flat-Tipped: The ends are flattened horizontally, making the ends tapered
and pointed. The ring appears to be able to stand-up when the bead is
removed. While this design makes insertion and stretching easier (no
taper needed), it is not suitable for most new piercings where the
thinner section cannot be prevented from rotating into the piercing.
Flat-tipped rings may also be uncomfortable in some areas, depending on
the cut and angle of the horizontal edge.
Asymmetrical Teardrop / Navel Ring: Designed specifically as a less
extruding piece of jewelry for the navel piercing; a teardrop-shaped ring
in which the opening is on one side rather than at the bottom. This
design takes some practice to manipulate.
Teardrop Ring: A symmetrical upside-down teardrop, where the opening is
at the narrowest point. When sizing, the width of the ring is most
significant, and standard sizing guidelines should be followed using this
measurement.
Ball and Socket Ring: The same appearance as a standard CBR, with the
convex/concave orientations reversed; the ring ends are concave to hold a
solid bead. This design only works with rings of 8ga and larger.
Large gauge ring (10ga +) with bevelled ends: The ends bevelled vertically
to fit perfectly into the bore of the bead; the bead is bored or dimpled
to match the gauge of the ring. The ring has the appearance of passing
through a hole in the bead; the rings ends are not visible with no gaps.
Bevelling the ends in this way also reduces how far the ring must be
opened to release and replace the bead. This design does not prevent smooth
insertion.
Other designs include tapered teardrops (the upper half of the ring is the
full gauge), symmetrical oval, and rings in various shapes.
Counter-bored and dimpled beads are best suited for most gauges. Stone
beads are usually drilled all the way through; the entrances should be
bored a bit wider to accommodate the gauge of the ring. Steel beads are
often dimpled to
the appropriate depth for the gauge of the ring rather than drilled all the
way through.
Rings can be fitted with a wide assortment of beads. Cubes, skulls, hearts,
coils, and tubes in a variety of metals are just a few of the options.
Decorative sterling silver beads are usually too heavy to be worn on a new
piercing. Silver beads can irritate a piercing if the bead is in contact
with the piercing. Silver beads should not be worn with genital piercings;
urine will oxidize the metal.
Soft stones such as tigers eye, malachite, lapis, turquoise, or jaspers
should not be worn in genital piercings or new piercings because urine and
piercing secretions can erode the stone. Malachite, turquoise, and lapis can
leach copper in these envoronments. Porous stones trap bacteria. Lesser
grades of brittle stones which are easily chipped should be avoided.
-------------------------------------------------
ball size fits gauges in diameters
-------------------------------------------------
1/8", 5/322 18 - 16ga 5/16" - 3/8"
5/32" 18 - 14ga 5/16" - 7/16"
3/162 16 - 14ga 7/16" - 5/8"
3/162 12ga 3/8" - 1/2"
7/32" 14 - 12ga 5/8" - 7/8"
1/4" 12 - 8ga 1/2" - 1"
5/16" 10 - 6ga 1/2" - 1" +
3/8" 6 - 4ga 5/8" - 1" +
7/16" 4 - 0ga 5/8" - 1" +
Bead Ring or Attached Bead Ring
Another basic ring design is the bead ring. The bead is fixed to one end of
the ring with a hole drilled into the other side of the bead to receive the
other end of the ring. The disadvantage of the bead ring is that it must be
torqued / twisted sideways to open and close. If the ring is opened and
closed frequently it can eventually acquire a warped shape or break,
particularly if the ring is not annealed.
Gold rings are often made as bead rings to prevent losing the expensive
gold bead.
Attention should be paid to the method by which the bead is affixed to the
ring (also applicable to nostril screw construction). At the present time,
there is no guaranteed permanent method of bonding steel to steel for body
jewelry applications. Some manufacturers use soldering/brazing compounds of
a gold alloy which may not be suitable for people sensitive to the high
amount of alloys found in the solder, especially if solder residues are
present beyond the joint. A soldered joint is weak, especially when metals
are mixed, for example using karat gold solder to join surgical steel. The
acids in bodily secretions will penetrate any gaps in the joint and break
down the alloys in the solder, weakening the joint; over time, the joint may
come apart. Other manufacturers thread the bead and ring, using a
thread-locking compound or epoxy to fix the bead. Some of these compounds
are not heat resistant and may weaken when autoclaved.
Beadless or Seamless Rings
Surgical steel, niobium and titanium seamless rings are usually made with
flat ends. These rings are not suggested for new piercings. Inserting
seamless rings into a new piercing can be very uncomfortable because the
ends are not rounded. Closing seamless rings and smoothly aligning the
ends is difficult, especially in thicker gauges and smaller diameters;
softer or annealed metals are easier to manipulate. If the ends are not
aligned the edges will irritate the piercing when the ring rotates through
the piercing. The seam between the ends collects bacteria.
Gold seamless rings are often made with a rounded convex end and a concave
end which interlock. The convex end should be inserted into the piercing.
Captive Tube / Bar Ring
Instead of a bead, a short straight or curved tube or solid bar is held
between the ends of the ring. The captive piece is usually the same gauge
as the ring, unless otherwise noted by the manufacturer. Some manufacturers
make the ends of the captive piece convex and the ring ends concave. The
ring has two seams which make it unsuitable for new or unhealed piercings.
Screw On Ball Ring
Alternative to large gauge captive bead rings. The ball is threaded on one
end of the ring; no need for ring expanding pliers to remove the ball.
However, the gap between the ball and the opposite end of the ring may be
uncomfortable in some piercings.
Straight, Curved and Circular Barbells
Straight Barbell: A straight bar with a ball on each end. The length
is the measurement of the bar, not including the balls. Balls are
available in different sizes.
Curved Barbell: Approximately one quarter of a circle. Often used in navel
piercings or when an unobtrusive piece of jewelry is desired. Also used
when the width of the piercing requires such a large diameter ring as to
be uncomfortable. The length is the linear measurement of the bar, not
including the balls.
Curved barbells are sometimes called L-Bars or Half Moon Barbells.
Bent Barbells are typically bent at an angle, not curved.
Circular Barbell: Approximately three quarters of a circle. Can be used when
a captive bead ring is suitable. Useful if the wearer changes jewelry often.
Circular barbells are heavier than captive bead rings and may not be suitable
for all new piercings. To prevent losing circular barbell balls, a captive
bead can be inserted between the balls.
Circular barbells are sometimes called Horseshoe Barbells, although some
manufacturers do make Horseshoe Barbells that are U-shaped rather than
circular.
Straight, curved and circular are manufactured with two thread designs:
Internally threaded: The bar is threaded internally. A guide wire or taper
can be used between the barbell and needle to aid insertion.
Externally threaded: The bar is threaded externally. Some externally
threaded jewelry is designed so that the threaded section can be inserted
into the end of the needle. Externally threaded jewelry can irritate or even
damage the piercing when the jewelry is changed.
Threading style and dimensions vary between manufacturers and are often
incompatible. Replacement balls should be purchased from the same
manufacturer.
Threaded Gemstone Balls and Settings
The threads of internally threaded stone balls are usually affixed using
an epoxy. Threaded stone balls affixed with epoxy should not be worn in
tongue
or genital piercings because the epoxy can deteriorate when exposed to
saliva and urine. Additionally, stone balls can shatter when accidentally
bitten, especially if the stone is brittle or porous.
Gold settings are more secure than steel settings because the setting is
shaped tightly around and overlaps the edge of the stone. Steel cannot be
manipulated to overlap the edge of the stone; the stones are usually held in
place with epoxy. Settings affixed with epoxy should not be worn in tongue
or genital piercings because the epoxy can deteriorate when exposed to
saliva and urine.
Soft stones such as tigers eye and jaspers should not be worn in tongue or
genital piercings because saliva and urine can erode the stone. Malachite,
turquoise, and lapis can leach copper in these envoronments. Lesser grades
of brittle stones which are easily chipped should be avoided.
2B.2b Piercing-Specific Designs
Jewelry for Enlarged Piercings
The following designs are intended to maintain the enlarged size of the
piercing without the weight of a ring. These designs are most commonly worn
in ear and septum piercings, although they may be suitable for other
enlarged piercings such as nipple, labia, and LaBret. Most of the designs
are available as small as 10ga and as large as 3", in a variety of lengths
to fit different piercings.
Earlet / Eyelet / Flesh Tunnel: A short, hollow tube with flared ends, in
stainless steel or niobium. The flared ends necessitate that the piercing be
stretched a gauge larger than the eyelet gauge for insertion. One variation
this design is an eyelet with one flared end, the other straight for easier
insertion, held in place by a rubber O-ring. The wearer may consider wearing
a ring through the plug so that if the eyelet falls out it won't become lost.
Eyelets smaller than 6ga can be difficult to fit with a ring; the ring must
have a diameter larger than the length of the eyelet.
Plug: A short, solid, cylindrical piece of metal, lucite, acrylic, exotic
hardwood, or glass held in place by two rubber O-rings. The plug may be
grooved to fit the O-rings. Grooves may get caught on or tear the edge of the
piercing when inserted.
Screw-together Plug: Two-piece design, internally threaded and usually solid
with flat ends.
Nipple Jewelry
Nipple Retainer: Comprises a straight bar worn through the piercing, held in
place by a thinner round or flat wire which encircles the nipple. The bar is
hinged to the wire circle.
Nipple Shield: Decorative jewelry held in place by a barbell or ring; some
designs require a barbell.
Nipple Stretcher: Jewelry designed to stretch the nipple outwards, usually
held in place by a barbell worn through the piercing. One design comprises a
metal band or ring at the base of the nipple attached by two or more legs to
a smaller diameter ring over which the barbell is worn; this design is
usually one fixed length. A second design is essentially a corkscrew which
slowly stretchs the nipple as it is rotated. Some nipple shields function as
stretchers. Stretchers should only be worn on healed piercings and the wearer
should watch for signs of migration or trauma to the piercing. Risk of
migration or trauma is greater when thinner gauges are worn.
Septum Jewelry
Septum Retainer: U-shaped piece of metal, either rounded or squared-off,
and usually between 5/16" and 3/8" wide and 3/8" long. The spread of the
shanks should be adjusted to fit the wearer so that the retainer may be
comfortably flipped up into the nose. To prevent losing the retainer the
shanks should be at least 5/16" long and adjusted so that the retainer is
snug when flipped up and down.Wire in gauges larger than 10 is more
difficult to shape into small dimensions. A few companies make large gauge
retainers with thinner shanks so that the retainer can be shaped accurately.
Solid plugs or eyelets may be more comfortable or more readily available than
retainers for piercings larger than 8ga.
Septum Spike: A solid length of tapered metal, usually between 1" and 4"
long. Styles available include straight, curved, or horse-shoe shaped. Some
designs feature a notched center, which rests in the piercing.
Septum Tusk: Similar in appearance to the Septum Spike. The tusk comprises
two pieces which screw together with a thinner center bar worn through the
piercing. Thus someone with a 14ga piercing can appear to have a 4 ga
piercing.
Prince's Wand
The Prince's Wand / Urethral Tube is made in designs to fit either PA,
Ampallang or Apadravya. It consists of an 8 or 10mm stainless steel tube, 3"
- 4.5" long, bored through from end to end, the inner end tapered and
rounded, with the outer end internally threaded to take a short SS
ball-ended threaded stud which is used to guide insertion and removed for
urination. The tube is worn in the urethra and is kept in place by a
ball-ended stud worn through the piercing(s) and screwed into the Wand.
For personal experiences and photos, please visit:
The Body Modification Ezine, http://www.bme.freeq.com/
http://www.littleblue.demon.co.uk/p_intro.html
--
Ardvark
Anne Greenblatt
Manager of the rec.arts.bodyart Piercing FAQ
/\*/\
Piercing Exquisite
http://www2.ba.best.com/~ardvark/
*
"You will not sink my cheerio!" HNB
From: ardvark@best.com (Anne Greenblatt)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.bodyart,news.answers,rec.answers
Subject: rec.arts.bodyart: Piercing FAQ 2C--Facial Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
Followup-To: rec.arts.bodyart
Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 04:13:12 -0700
Organization: Planet Platypussy
Expires: Mon, 03 August 1998 07:00:00 GMT
Message-ID: <ardvark-0907980413120001@dynamic9.pm01.san-mateo.best.com>
X-Trace: 899982658 4488 (none) 206.86.0.12
X-Newsreader: MT-NewsWatcher 2.4.4
Archive-name: bodyart/piercing-faq/jewelry/partC
Last-modified: July 08, 1998
Posting-frequency: Monthly
URL: http://www.cs.ruu.nl/wais/html/na-bng/rec.arts.bodyart.html
Summary: This posting contains information about body piercing. Anyone
interested in the subject and/or who wishes to read/post to
rec.arts.bodyart should read the Piercing FAQ first.
The rec.arts.bodyart Piercing FAQ is divided into 28 parts:
1--Introduction
2A--Jewelry Materials
2B--Jewelry Sizes & Designs
2C--Facial Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
2D--Body Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
2E--Genital Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
3--Getting A New Piercing
4A--Professional Organizations, Piercing Instruction
4B--Professional Piercers - United States - Alabama - California
4C--Professional Piercers - United States - Colorado - Iowa
4D--Professional Piercers - United States - Kansas - Nevada
4E--Professional Piercers - United States - New Hampshire - North Dakota
4F--Professional Piercers - United States - Ohio - Pennsylvania
4G--Professional Piercers - United States - Rhode Island - Wyoming
4H--Professional Piercers - Canada
4I--Professional Piercers - Beyond N. America
4J--Professional Piercers - Beyond N. America Cont'd
5--Care Of New Piercings
6--The Healing Process & Healing Problems
7--Healed Piercings
8--Historical Information
9--Resource List
10A--Personal Experiences - Facial & Unisex Piercings
10B--Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings
10C -- Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings Cont'd
10D -- Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings Cont'd
11A -- Jewelry Manufacturers
11B -- Jewelry Manufacturers Cont'd
This section includes:
2C --Facial Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
All texts written and (c) 1998 by Anne Greenblatt unless otherwise noted.
Please see Part 1 of the FAQ for information regarding copyright and
dissemination of the FAQ.
DISCLAIMER! The Piercing FAQ contains material of a sexually explicit
nature. The information contained in the Piercing FAQ should not be
construed as medical advice.
2C FACIAL PIERCINGS
The following contains brief descriptions of each piercing and suggested
jewelry. Healing times offered are estimates. Healing time and success rates
vary for different people.
EAR LOBE
6 to 8 weeks
Ear piercings heal more quickly and more comfortably when a body jewelry
style ring is worn. Body jewelry is easier to clean and more comfortable
than ear piercing studs. Piercing studs are of one length and too short to
accommodate swelling or earlobes which are thicker than average. Piercing
studs are difficult to clean. The butterfly clip backing can become clogged
with discharge, dirt, and bacteria. Studs also have a tendency to become
wrapped with hair, embedding the hair in the piercing.
For information about piercings guns and needle piercing procedures, please
see Part 3 of the Piercing FAQ.
Initial jewelry: Captive bead rings, bead rings, circular barbells in 20
to 8ga, 3/8" to 5/8" in diameter. In larger gauges circular barbells in
stainless steel may be too heavy for comfortable healing. If a barbell is
chosen the length should be 1/16" wider than the width of the piercing to
allow for swelling and cleaning.
LARGE LOBE PIERCINGS
Please see Part 7 of the FAQ for information on stretching piercings.
Most ear piercing studs are approximately 18ga in thickness. Using a
stretching taper is the easiest method to test how far the piercing can be
stretched safely. Usually standard ear lobe piercings can be safely
stretched to 16 or 14ga.
Lobe piercings can be stretched quite easily. However, the stretching
process should be a gradual one. Stretching too soon or too fast can cause
the piercing to tear or stretch unevenly.
The size of your lobe and how close the piercing is to the bottom edge will
determine how far you can stretch an existing piercing. If the piercing is
too close to the edge of the earlobe to be stretched to the desired size a
new piercing may be placed above the existing piercing without compromising
the strength and elasticity of the earlobe.
If your earlobe has not been pierced and you desire an ultimately large
piercing the piercing should be placed centrally by visualizing the
earlobe as a circle or oval.
Most piercers do not perform piercings larger than 10 or 8ga. Piercing
needles slice a crescent-shaped hole and do not remove tissue. The larger
the needle, the more exaggerated the crescent shape of the hole. Some
piercers will use a large needle and immediately stretch the piercing to
the next gauge. However, this method may cause excessive tissue damage if
the piercing tears at the corners of the crescent rather than stretches
throughout.
Dermal Punch Method
Dermal punches are designed to remove tissue for biopsy procedures. Some
piercers and the Association of Professional Piercers
<http://www.piercing.org/app/> feel that dermal punches are inappropriate
for performing piercings. Their use constitutes a medical procedure which
could be considered medical malpractice.
Shannon Larratt of the Body Modification Ezine <http://www.bme.freeq.com>
comments on the dermal punch procedure:
"The piercing is made with a dermal punch, usually 2-3.5mm depending on
the lobe and the desired effect. A taper is used to stretch the hole.
Since the surface tension is relieved by using a dermal punch, the stretch
is an easy (and large) one. The final piercing size is usually between 6
and 2 gauge. It is important to use light (often titanium) jewelry for
healing. Healing time is the same or slightly faster than a standard lobe
piercing."
TRANSVERSE OR LATERAL LOBE
4 to 8 months
Piercing made through the earlobe perpendicular to a standard earlobe
piercing. People with large, unattached earlobes are the best candidates
for this piercing.
The transverse piercing can be made to intersect an enlarged lobe piercing,
making the transverse piercing two piercings which may decrease healing
time. If an eyelet is drilled to fit the transverse piercing, the holes must
be perfectly smooth with rounded edges.
Initial jewelry: Straight and slightly curved barbells, 1/8" longer than
the width of the piercing to allow for proper cleaning. If a ring is chosen
it should be large enough in diameter so that arc of the ring that passes
through the piercing is not so tight as to cause the piercing to migrate or
reject.
EAR CARTILAGE
3 to 6 months, depending on location and gauge
Helix (upper ear) piercings are often performed with a piercing gun.
Cartilage piercings performed with guns are often problematic. Often the
piercing is not perpendicular to the tissue because the gun will not fit
around the curl of the upper ear. Piercing studs are very dull in
comparison to piercing needles and cause more tissue damage, literally
tearing a hole through the tissue.
Cartilage piercings involve several layers of different types of tissue that
heal at different rates and by different processes. Cartilage piercings
are usually performed using a needle one size larger than the that of the
jewelry to be worn (e.g. 18 gauge jewelry, 16 gauge needle) to allow room
for the new tissue to form around the inside of the piercing.
Cartilage piercings have a greater tendency than other piercings to scar
because of the nature of the tissue involved. Placing the piercing as
perpendicular to the tissue as possible will reduce the mechanical stress
that contributes to scarring. Scarring, as well as migration and rejection,
can also result if the wearer sleeps on his/her piercings or if the ring is
too small in diameter. A ring which is too small in diameter will constrict
the piercing and the entrances of the piercing will migrate to conform to
the tight curvature of the ring.
Cartilage piercings resist stretching. Stretching a reluctant piercing
will contribute to scarring.
Dermal Punch Method for Large Piercings
Dermal punches are designed to remove tissue for biopsy procedures. Some
piercers and the Association of Professional Piercers
<http://www.piercing.org/app/> feel that dermal punches are inappropriate
for performing piercings. Their use constitutes a medical procedure which
could be considered medical malpractice.
The specific ear cartilage piercings include:
CONCH Piercings made straight through the bowl shape of the ear
cartilage. Conch piercings can be described as either "lower" or "upper"
with regards to the Crus helicis (see DAITH). Depending on the location
either a
ring or a barbell may be worn. If a barbell is chosen it should be 1/8"
wider than the thickness of the cartilage to allow for swelling and proper
cleaning. A ring may not be advisable if the wearer sleeps on his/her ears.
DAITH A piercing made through the Crus helicis, the inner-most ridge of
cartilage above the Tragus. Because of its interior location the Daith
piercing can be slept on comfortably. Placement is located by pinching the
ridge and locating the softer spot of cartilage.
Initial jewelry: rings in 18 to 14ga, 3/8" - 7/16" - 1/2" in diameter.
HELIX Piercings made through or around the upper edge of the ear. If the
curl is large or well developed the ring must be wide enough to not hug
the curl;
in this case a piercing made through the apex of the curl parallel to the
side of the head may be more comfortable.
Initial jewelry: rings in 18 to 12ga, 3/8" - 7/16" - 1/2" in diameter.
TRAGUS The triangular prominence of cartilage in front of the opening of
the ear canal.
Initial jewelry: rings in 18 to 14ga, 5/16" - 3/8" in diameter.
ANTI-TRAGUS A piercing is made through the ridge of cartilage opposite
and below the tragus.
Initial jewelry: rings and barbells in 18 to 14ga, 3/8" - 7/16" - 1/2" in
diameter/length. In some cases a straight or curved barbell is advisable
over a ring, especially if the wearer sleeps on his/her ears. If a barbell
is chosen it should be 1/8" wider than the thickness of the cartilage to
allow for swelling and proper cleaning.
INDUSTRIAL Refers to two or more piercings through which a single barbell
is worn. An Industrial can involve piercings of the helix, tragus, lobe,
Conch, or Rook. Piercings should be placed as perpendicular to the tissue
as possible to avoid mechanical stress that can cause scarring and
migration. If wearing a single piece of jewelry will put too much stress on
the piercing the piercings should be healed wearing two separate pieces of
jewelry.
ORBIT / ORBITAL Refers to two piercings through which a single ring is
worn. Common Orbital combinations include Conch/Lobe, Lobe/Lobe,
Conch/Conch. Piercings should be placed as perpendicular to the tissue as
possible to avoid mechanical stress that can cause scarring and migration.
If wearing a single piece of jewelry will put too much stress on the
piercing the piercings should be healed wearing two separate pieces of
jewelry.
ROOK / ANTI-HELIX A piercing made through the antihelicis, the ridge
of cartilage above the Crus helicis.
Initial jewelry: rings and curved barbells in 18 to 14ga, 5/16" - 3/8" in
diameter/length. A curved barbell is advisable over a ring if the wearer
sleeps on his/her ears. If a curved barbell is chosen it should be 1/8"
wider than the thickness of the cartilage to allow for swelling and proper
cleaning.
SNUG A horizontal piercing of the antihelix. This piercing is very
anatomy dependant and is often difficult to heal, especially if the wearer
sleeps on his/her ears. Straight and curved barbells are usually chosen as
the most comfortable and unobtrusive style of jewelry. If a barbell is
chosen it should be 1/8" wider than the thickness of the cartilage to allow
for swelling and proper cleaning.
NOSTRIL
3 to 6 months
Placement is usually somewhere along the groove in the nostril where the
cartilage is thinnest. As with ear cartilage piercings nostril piercings
should be performed with a piercing needle a gauge larger than that of the
jewelry to be worn.
Initial jewelry: Captive bead rings, bead rings in 20 to 14 gauge, 3/8" to
1/2" inside diameter, occasionally as small as 5/162. The ring should not
hug the edge of the nose. If the ring is too small in diameter the curvature
of the ring will be too tight, resulting in scarring or migration.
Nostril Screws are the optimum jewelry choice for those who prefer the look
of a stud. Nostril screws have a small semicircle "tail" at a right angle to
the stud that holds the jewelry in place without the need for a clasp.
Because nostril screws are more difficult to clean and may not accommodate
swelling associated with a fresh piercing it is suggested that the piercing
be healed before a screw is worn. If a nostril screw is chosen for a new
piercing the shaft should be at least 5/16" to 3/8" determined by measuring
the thickness of the nostril.
SEPTUM
4 to 8 weeks
The septum piercing is made through the thin layer of tissue between the alar
cartilage (outer) and the quadrangular cartilage (separating the nostrils).
This space of tissue is usually largest towards the tip of the nose. The
jewelry should be no thicker than what the space can comfortably
accomodate. Jewelry that is too thick can painfully pinch the cartilage.
If the space is small but the wearer desires a thicker gauge, the piercing
should be performed at a thinner gauge and later stretched. Septum
piercings are easily stretched after healing.
If the piercee anticipates wearing spikes and tusks the piercing should be
made low enough to allow the jewelry to fit comfortably below the nostrils.
See Part 2B of the FAQ for descriptions of septum tusks and retainers.
Initial jewelry: Captive bead rings, bead rings, circular barbells, in 18 to
10 gauge, 3/8" to 5/8" inside diameter. U-shaped septum retainers are
available for those who need to hide the piercing. Rings are easier than
retainers to clean during healing. To prevent losing the retainer the
shanks should be at least 5/16" long and adjusted so that the retainer is
snug when flipped up and down.
If the wearer must hide the piercing occassionally an option to buying two
pieces of jewelry (ring and retainer) is to wear a small circular barbell
with the gap between the balls expanded so that the ring may be flipped up
into the nose. Wearing a circular barbell as a retainer is limited by the
size of the nose.
EYEBROW
2 to 4 months
The eyebrow piercing is usually placed perpendicular to the eyebrow.
Piercings placed vertically usually cause the ring to protrude. Piercings
that are slanted inwards (\ /) tend to make the ring lay flat. The piercing is
usually between 5/16" and 3/8" wide. To avoid damaging the nerves beneath
the eyebrow, the piercing should not be made much deeper. Placing the
piercing through the outermost half of the brow will avoid the Supraorbital
nerve.
Since the brow is usually relatively flat, eyebrow piercings have an
increased risk of migrating or rejecting. If the brow is completely flat and
cannot be easily pinched, the tension of the skin creates pressure on the
jewelry which may cause the piercing to migrate towards the surface. In
some cases the piercing will shift or migrate slightly while healing but
will eventually settle.
Initial jewelry: Captive bead rings, bead rings in 18 to 14 gauge, 3/8" to
7/16" inside diameter; diameter should be approximately 1/8" wider than the
width of the piercing. No more than 1/3 of the ring should be through the
piercing. Straight or curved barbells 3/8" to 7/16" post length. Eyebrow
retainers should not be worn in new piercings because they are not secure.
A ring which is too small in diameter will constrict the piercing and the
entrances of the piercing will migrate to conform to the tight curvature of
the ring. Straight barbells should only be used if the brow is very
pronounced. If a straight barbell is used through a flat brow the balls will
create pressure against the skin behind them, causing the piercing to
migrate forward. A curved barbell will eliminate pressure between the
barbell balls and the skin. If a barbell is used it should be at least 1/16"
longer than the width of the piercing to facilitate cleaning and allow for
swelling.
Jewelry which is too thin is more easily rejected by the body and more
likely to tear the piercing if the jewelry is accidentally pulled. Jewelry
which is too heavy for the amount of tissue available can cause the piercing
to migrate or reject. Some piercers perform eyebrow piercings too deep under
the misguided theory that it will migrate into place.
It is not uncommon for eyebrow piercings to swell or bruise very slightly
after piercing. Any swelling or bruising occurring later during healing or
any intense bruising and swelling could signify that the piercing was made
too deeply.
BRIDGE / NIEBUHR / ERL / NASION
4 to 6 months
This piercing is made through the tissue over the bridge of the nose. This
piercing can be both difficult to both perform and heal and has a high
incidence of migration and rejection. This piercing must not be made too
deep to avoid piercing the blood vessels and nerves that are found on
either side of the bridge. The piercing is usually 3/8" to 9/16" wide.
An infection of a bridge piercing should be treated very seriously because
of the close proximity of the sinuses. For this reason, some piercers do not
perform this piercing. Please read The Association of Professional Piercers
"The Point" Vol. 2 Issue 2 <http://www.piercing.org/app/> for more
information.
Initial jewelry: Barbell studs or curved barbells in 14 - 12 gauge, 1/2" to
5/8" in length; barbells should be 1/16" to 1/8" to allow for proper
cleaning.
LIP & LABRET
2 to 4 months
The Labret piercing is usually made centrally approximately 3/8" below the
colored edge of the lower lip, through or just above the cleft of the chin.
Lip piercings can be made anywhere along the outside of the lips. Because
of the nature of the tissue the colored area of the lips should not be
pierced. If a ring is chosen the piercing should be placed so that there
is no pressure against the teeth; pressure will cause the piercing to
migrate.
Because of the nature of the mucous membrane tissue on the inside of the
lip the piercing may close if it is left empty, even after the piercing
has healed.
Labret studs tend to cause deterioration of the inside of the lip; often a
niche forms under the disc. Labret jewelry usually causes at least some gum
erosion where the disc rubs the gums. Labret jewelry can also cause damage
to tooth enamel if the jewelry rubs against the teeth.
L-shaped Fishtail Labrets are designed to reduce gum erosion. The "tail" is
intended to stay in place in the indentation below the gumline; the piercing
cannot be placed too high. The presence of a large frenulum may impede ideal
placement for a fishtail.
Some piercers prefer to angle the Labret piercing so that the disc is above
the teeth. This placement will avoid gum erosion but may cause the wearer
to inadvertently bite down on the jewelry while eating and speaking,
resulting in chipped teeth.
Initial jewelry: Captive bead rings in 18 to 10 gauge and 5/16" to 1/2" in
diameter; the ring should be large enough to allow for swelling and should
not hug the lip; a smaller ring may be worn when healed. Labret studs in 16
to 10 gauge; the stud should be 1/8" longer than the width of the piercing
to allow for swelling; internally threaded jewelry is strongly advised for
this piercing as external threads can tear or irritate even a healed
piercing; the edges of the disc should be smoothly rounded. Fishtail Labrets
in 18 to 10 gauge; should be made of a flexible metal (gold, annealed or 1/4
hard steel) so that is can be adjusted to fit your mouth comfortably.
If the piercing is abused while the piercing is healing an 18 or 16ga ring
may tear the inside of the lip or create scarring on both entrances.
Labret jewelry will collect plaque, especially in the crevice between ball
and bar. Plaque traps bacteria and can cause the jewelry to have a bad odor.
Daily use of an anti-plaque rinse is suggested to prevent plaque build-up.
To remove a build-up of plaque remove and soak jewelry in an antibacterial
denture cleaner following the package directions.
While smoking may be irritating but not necessarily damaging to a new
piercing the use of chewed tobacco products is discouraged as the use of
chewed tobacco has been attributed to oral cancers and lesions.
MADONNA / BEAUTY MARK
A piercing made above the upper lip, usually to one side, using a Labret
stud. Placement should be checked carefully to avoid the Facial Artery. Also
called the Marilyn, Chrome Crawford. So-named because of the resemblance to
the aforementioned idols' natural beauty marks. Jewelry should be selected
following the guidelines for Labret piercings.
A piercing made in the center of the upper lip has been called Philtrum
(anatomical), Upret, Divot, Medusa, Angel's Kiss, Cupid's Bow.
The piercing should be placed so that the jewelry will not irritate or erode
the gums or tooth enamel. For some locations Fishtail Labrets may be more
comfortable than Labret studs.
CHEEK
3 to 5 months
Many piercers consider cheek piercings dangerous because of the proximity
of large blood vessels and nerves. Placement should be checked carefully
to avoid the Facial Vein and Artery and the Paratoid Duct.
Initial jewelry: Labret studs in 14 to 10 gauge, usually at least 1/2" in
length; a longer piece of jewelry is required for the healing process to
allow for swelling. Precise measurements and placement are necessary to
prevent nesting of the jewelry.
SCRUMPER / LIP FRENULUM
1 to 2 weeks
This is a piercing of the upper lip frenulum. The look could be described as
a septum ring for the mouth. The piercing is performed with the aid of a
needle receiving tube. The chance of tearing with frequent play should be
considered because of the thinness of the frenulum.
Over the long term the jewelry can contribute to gum or tooth enamel erosion.
Initial jewelry: Rings in 14 gauge, 5/16" to 7/16" in diameter
TONGUE
4 to 8 weeks
Tongue piercings are usually placed in the center of the tongue. The risks
of nerve and blood vessel damage are minimized when the piercing is placed
centrally. The large blood vessels are usually highly visible to either
side, on the underside of the tongue. Tongue piercings are not known to
affect the sense of taste; the papillae (tastebuds) are too numerous.
Placement should be decided with regard to the length of the tongue both in
its normal resting position in the mouth as well as when it is extended.
While there is some latitude as to how far forward or back the piercing can
be placed, a piercing made through or just behind the natural bend in the
tongue is usually most comfortable for speaking and eating. A piercing
placed too far back may be uncomfortable and will irritate the frenulum, if
one is present. If the piercing is placed too far forward the bottom ball
will irritate the gums.
The piercing should be as perpendicular to the tongue as possible. An
extremely slanted piercing (top hole further back than bottom hole) creates
stress on the entrances which can result in scarring. A slanted piercing
often pushes the bottom ball against the gums causing irritation and erosion
of the gums.
The bottom of the mouth or lower gums may become irritated from pressure and
friction exerted by the bottom barbell ball. Irritation is usually
eliminated by shortening the barbell. If the ball continues to rub against
the gums after the barbell is shortened a smaller ball or disc with rounded
edges should be worn. If the piercing is too close to the tip of the tongue
or slanted the ball will rub against the gums regardless of the ball size.
Over the long term continued pressure will cause erosion of the gums and
possibly bone loss beneath the gums, indicated by an indentation in the
gums.
Chipped and cracked teeth and enamel erosion are risks of tongue piercing.
Wearing smaller balls, in addition to downsizing the bar length, is advised
if the wearer accidentally bites down on the balls while eating. Over the
long term metal tongue jewelry will contribute to the erosion of tooth
enamel as the balls hit and scrape the teeth. Cracked and badly chipped
teeth are subject to accelerated decay and exposure of the nerve (root)
which could require endodontistry (root canal). The risk of damage is
increased if the teeth are already structurally weakened by large fillings
or caps.
The frenulum is the web of tissue which runs lengthwise along the underside
of the tongue, usually present in most people to some degree. Piercing
through the frenulum often leads to scarring. If a frenulum is presnt the
piercing should be made in front or to the side if possible. If the frenulum
is large or extrudes it may become irritated by the jewelry enough to create
scar tissue. A smaller bottom ball can reduce irritation.
If the frenulum presents too much difficulty in placement the piercee should
consider having the frenulum clipped by a dentist or oral surgeon. This
procedure is commonly performed when the frenulum interferes with speaking
or some other daily activity.
Tongue piercings made through the front and side edges of the tongue using
rings have been successful for some people, but for most people a ring
impedes eating and speaking. The wearer is more likely to accidentally bite
down on a ring. A ring may rub against the gums, resulting in gum
irritation. If such a piercing is desired it is important to use a ring
large enough to allow for swelling; a ring which hugs the edge of the tongue
may cause migration or scarring. A smaller ring may be worn after the
piercing has healed.
Initial jewelry: Barbell studs; 14 to 10 gauge, 5/8" - 3/4" - 7/8" - 1" in
length. Many piercers will not use 14ga or even 12ga because of the risk of
tearing the piercing. During the first 24 to 48 hours the tongue usually
swells to almost twice its normal size. The initial stud should be at least
1/4" to 3/8" longer than the tongue at its thickest to accommodate swelling.
Too short a barbell can make the balls "nest" into the tongue.
Standard ball sizes for 14 and 12ga are 7/32" or 1/4"; for 10ga, 1/4". 3/16"
balls are available from most manufacturers for 14 and 12ga.
The barbell may be shortened after the swelling immediately around the
piercing has gone down, usually after 2 to 4 weeks. Shortening the jewelry
usually corrects any speech or eating impediments. Some people choose to
wear their "starter" barbell with no problems at all.
If the piercing has not healed enough along the inside to rely upon to stay
open the jewelry should be changed with the aid of an insertion taper so
that the piercing is not left empty. The existing barbell should be pushed
out with the taper and the taper pushed out in the same direction with the
new jewelry.
Jewelry which is internally threaded at both ends allows for easy insertion
and removal. Internally threaded barbells are easily and securely inserted
upon piercing using a short piece of wire or a threaded taper to connect the
barbell and needle. Barbells with one fixed ball should not be used; the
bottom ball can adhere to the shaft with plaque making removal difficult or
impossible. Externally threaded jewelry can irritate or tear a piercing,
even after the piercing has healed.
A slight indentation usually forms under the top ball, particularly if the
tongue rests against the roof of the mouth. A slight indentation under the
top ball is not unusual. If the indentation covers half or more of the ball
or forms a pocket around the ball the barbell is probably too short to
accomodate swelling and / or the piercing is slanted (top hole further back
than bottom hole).
Occasionally a protrusion of soft, white hypertrophic scar tissue will form
around one or both entrances during the healing period. Scar tissue is not
a sign of infection. Scar tissue can result from:
- a displaced or intersected taste bud or from tissue displaced by the
crescent-shaped hole left by the piercing needle.
- stress caused by playing with the barbell while the piercing is healing
or playing too hard for the gauge to endure; 14 and even 12ga piercings
have been known to tear or stretch forwards if the piercing is abused
- stress caused by excessive length of the barbell if the barbell leans
when the mouth is closed
- stress caused by the piercing being placed at an inappropriate angle;
the piercing should be perpendicular to the tongue and not slanted
- friction against the frenulum
- plaque accumulation
- chemical irritation caused by the alcohol present in many mouthwashes,
overusing mouthwash or disinfectant; sensitivity to carbamide peroxide,
smoking, certain foods
Often, scar tissue recedes into the piercing as the piercing heals or after
the barbell is shortened. Continue cleaning the piercing as suggested by
your piercer for the remainder of the healing period. If you are using
Listerine switch to an alcohol-free or reduced-alcohol mouth rinse such as
Biotene or Oral-B. The alcohol in Listerine could be a source of irritation.
Scar tissue caused by friction against the frenulum or by the piercing being
placed at an inappropriate angle may not recede and may worsen. Scar tissue
that is persistent or grows larger after the piercing has healed may not
recede unless the jewelry is removed. Extreme or persistent scar tissue may
need to be removed by a dentist or oral surgeon.
Some people successfully use an aspirin and water paste to dissolve the
excess growth if less harsh methods are unsuccessful. However, aspirin can
seriously damage oral tissues if left in place too long.
Tongue barbells will collect plaque, usually on the bottom ball, especially
in the crevice between the ball and bar. Plaque traps bacteria and can cause
the jewelry to have a bad odor. Daily use of an anti-plaque rinse is
suggested to prevent plaque build-up. To remove a build-up of plaque, remove
and soak jewelry in an antibacterial denture cleaner following the package
directions.
Check the tightness of tongue barbell balls daily to prevent losing or
swallowing the jewelry. Ask your piercer if your barbell is threaded at
one or both ends and if it is internally or externally threaded. Ask your
piercer to show you the barbell prior to insertion. Ideally the threads
should be at least three rotations and should fit securely. Swallowed
jewelry usually passes within 3 days.
TONGUE WEB / FRENULUM
2 - 4 weeks
The piercee must have a very pronounced frenulum to be safely pierced; there
must not be any visible blood vessels present. The piercing should be made
in the center of the triangle of the frenulum and not too close to the base
of the tongue, where there are blood vessels and glands present. Making the
piercing too deep can damage the sublingual salivary glands. Frenulum
piercings appear to be prone to rejection. The frenulum is easily torn with
frequent play. Tongue web jewelry easily accumulates plaque.
Initial jewelry: Bead rings and captive bead rings 14 to 12ga 5/16" to 7/16"
in diameter; for people with tongue piercings, a small curved barbell is
usually better suited, unless the relative placements, ring diameter and
tongue barbell ball size allow for a ring.
--
Ardvark
Anne Greenblatt
Manager of the rec.arts.bodyart Piercing FAQ
/\*/\
Piercing Exquisite
http://www2.ba.best.com/~ardvark/
*
"You will not sink my cheerio!" HNB
From: ardvark@best.com (Anne Greenblatt)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.bodyart,news.answers,rec.answers
Subject: rec.arts.bodyart: Piercing FAQ 2D--Body Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
Followup-To: rec.arts.bodyart
Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 04:13:33 -0700
Organization: Planet Platypussy
Expires: Mon, 03 August 1998 07:00:00 GMT
Message-ID: <ardvark-0907980413340001@dynamic9.pm01.san-mateo.best.com>
X-Trace: 899982678 4541 (none) 206.86.0.12
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Archive-name: bodyart/piercing-faq/jewelry/partD
Last-modified: July 08, 1998
Posting-frequency: Monthly
URL: http://www.cs.ruu.nl/wais/html/na-bng/rec.arts.bodyart.html
Summary: This posting contains information about body piercing. Anyone
interested in the subject and/or who wishes to read/post to
rec.arts.bodyart should read the Piercing FAQ first.
The rec.arts.bodyart Piercing FAQ is divided into 28 parts:
1--Introduction
2A--Jewelry Materials
2B--Jewelry Sizes & Designs
2C--Facial Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
2D--Body Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
2E--Genital Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
3--Getting A New Piercing
4A--Professional Organizations, Piercing Instruction
4B--Professional Piercers - United States - Alabama - California
4C--Professional Piercers - United States - Colorado - Iowa
4D--Professional Piercers - United States - Kansas - Nevada
4E--Professional Piercers - United States - New Hampshire - North Dakota
4F--Professional Piercers - United States - Ohio - Pennsylvania
4G--Professional Piercers - United States - Rhode Island - Wyoming
4H--Professional Piercers - Canada
4I--Professional Piercers - Beyond N. America
4J--Professional Piercers - Beyond N. America Cont'd
5--Care Of New Piercings
6--The Healing Process & Healing Problems
7--Healed Piercings
8--Historical Information
9--Resource List
10A--Personal Experiences - Facial & Unisex Piercings
10B--Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings
10C -- Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings Cont'd
10D -- Personal Experiences - Genital Piercings Cont'd
11A -- Jewelry Manufacturers
11B -- Jewelry Manufacturers Cont'd
This section includes:
2D --Body Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
2D.1 Navel Piercings
2D.1a "The Navel Piercing - A Better Alternative"
2D.2 Nipple Piercings
2D.2a Female Nipple Piercings
2D.2b Male Nipple Piercings
2D.2c Nipple Piercings and Breast Feeding
2D.3 Surface & Unusual Piercings
All texts written and (c) 1998 by Anne Greenblatt unless otherwise noted.
Please see Part 1 of the FAQ for information regarding copyright and
dissemination of the FAQ.
DISCLAIMER! The Piercing FAQ contains material of a sexually explicit
nature. The information contained in the Piercing FAQ should not be
construed as medical advice.
The following contains brief descriptions of each piercing and suggested
jewelry. Healing times offered are estimates. Healing time and success rates
vary for different people.
2D.1 NAVEL PIERCINGS
4 to 8 months
Initial jewelry: Captive bead rings, bead rings, circular barbells in 14 to
10ga and usually 7/162 to 1/22 in diameter; rarely as thin as 16ga and as
small in diameter as 3/82. A ring which is too small in diameter will
constrict the piercing and cause the entrances of the piercing to migrate to
conform to the tight curvature of the ring. Curved barbells (1/4 of a
circle) in 14 to 10ga and 3/8" to 5/82 in length. Teardrop and oval rings
may also be worn when less extruding jewelry is desired.
The shape of the navel varies from person to person. Not all navels can be
successfully pierced. An "innie" navel with a distinct ridge or lip is most
likely to be pierced successfully. Navels lacking a distinct ridge often
cannot support a piercing and the piercing migrates or rejects. The upper
ridge is usually more prominent than the lower ridge. Often there is a
natural indentation or slight wrinkle where the piercing is made. The
entrances of the piercing should be placed equidistant from the edge of the
ridge to make the piercing as perpendicular to the tissue as possible.
The navel should be examined for suitability and measured before the jewelry
is selected. Placement of the piercing should be determined after examining
the navel in different body positions. The dimensions of the jewelry should
be chosen after measuring the width of the piercing. Often the navel ridge
will stretch and flatten when the piercee reclines. No more than 1/3 of the
ring should be through the piercing. If a curved barbell is chosen it should
be at least 1/8" longer than the width of the piercing.
A curved barbell is recommended if the piercee's waist folds at the navel
when he/she is sitting. In this case a ring would be forced to one side
causing the piercing to heal crookedly and scar. A curved barbell is also
recommended if the navel ridge is not distinct or if the ridge flattens or
inverts when the piercee reclines. If the ridge is not distinct the width of
the piercing often exceeds 1/2" and requires a ring of an uncomfortably
large diameter. A curved barbell provides a non-constrictive curvature.
Although the navel piercing is one of the most popular piercings it can be
one of the most difficult to heal. Wearing tight waistbands or frequent
activity involving bending at the waist can prolong healing time. The
pressure of waistbands will force the ring to one side causing the piercing
to heal crookedly and scar. Too much pressure can cause the piercing to
migrate or reject completely. A navel piercing performed at 14ga may heal
without incident if waistbands are avoided during healing but may begin to
migrate when the wearer resumes wearing very tight waistbands across the
piercing.
Some women have successfully worn navel piercing jewelry throughout pregnancy.
In other cases, the navel ridge pops out, making the jewelry uncomfortable.
Monofilament nylon or teflon is a more flexible option to metal jewelry. A
piercing that has been completely healed for several years will most likely
remain open if the jewelry is not worn; it will shrink, necessitating the aid
of an insertion taper to install the original jewelry.
The "outie" is a remnant of the umbilical cord which is connected to the
interior of the abdomen and internal organs. If an "outie" piercing were to
become infected, the infection could travel to the interior of the abdomen
or internal organs.
Of piercing "outies" Michaela Grey, formerly of the Association of
Professional Piercers <http://www.piercing.org/app/>, comments:
"The falciform ligament of the liver is attached to the umbilicus and the
liver, with only about an inch of ligament betwixt. In layman's terms, any
piercing of the scar tissue, whether recessed or an outie, would be only
about an inch or so away from a serious liver infection. I have never seen
any outie where there was enough loose, non-umbilicus fatty tissue covering
the actual button. It might take a few years, it might happen tomorrow, or
it might never happen, but the proud piercee has a little ticking time bomb
on her belly."
2D.1a "The Navel Piercing - A Better Alternative"
by Karen Hurt, Future Primitives, San Francisco, California
During the last few years I have observed an alarming number of navel piercings
struggling to heal. Most problems result from jewelry that is too small
causing stress to the openings of the piercing. I have seen navel piercings
with 3/8" - 1/2" rings containing 1/2" - 3/4" of tissue. It would be obvious
if a nipple or other piercing contained too much tissue for the jewelry; but
the navel is less obvious. It is not uncommon for navels pierced with a ring
to suffer through 6-18 months of healing time.
We have all seen irritated and inflamed navel piercings; many develop
discolored and hardened tissue around the openings. Some migrate and/or "grow
out." This happens because the jewelry is too small and needs to move through
the tissue to a position where it is no longer under stress. Removing the ring
and replacing it with a Curved Barbell has always solved these problems,
usually within days. A Curved Barbell allows the body to move naturally
without stress to the piercing and will not cause any of the undesirable
effects associated with the use of a ring.
Having worked in a high volume studio for over 5 years, I had the opportunity
to gain much insight into problems associated with piercings. I have come to
the conclusion that a Curved Barbell is the best initial jewelry for optimum
comfort and healing. Navels pierced using a Curved Barbell generally heal in
3-4 months.
People usually associate rings with navel piercings, but when they are made
aware that the healing time is greatly reduced with virtually no chance of any
irritation or scarring, they are usually happy to start with Curved Barbells.\
After the jewelry is inserted, they also like the look.
This is a shift in thinking for all of us (piercers and piercees), but the
overall benefits become obvious after a few piercings.
Suggested Navel Piercing Procedure
I encourage all piercers to carefully mark both the inside and outside of navel
piercings to insure that the piercing does not contain too much tissue. All
other piercings are marked on both sides and we see much better results in
overall appearance and healing. I believe that navel piercings should be
performed with equal care and precision.
Clean the navel with the piercee lying down, and mark a preliminary inner
placement dot. Assess the overall situation; if the navel area spreads
and/or flattens with no visible flap remaining, a Curved Barbell should be
used.
Have the piercee stand and mark a visually attractive and desirable outer
placement.
Lying down again, carefully measure the distance between the marks.
Adjust the marks to create a placement width that will accommodate the
jewelry of choice. Generally, both marks will need to be moved closer
together to create a balanced and attractive placement.
The final placement marks must be aligned and fine tuned with the piercee
standing. Make sure that the final width remains consistent with the chosen
jewelry. The initial Curved Barbell size should be 1/16" longer than the
maximum width of the piercing as measured with the piercee lying down.
If a ring is to be worn after healing, I suggest the following:
Future ring size: Maximum piercing width using a Curved Barbell:
3/8" 5/16"
7/16" 3/8"
1/2" 7/16"
5/8" 9/16"
Keep in mind that a 5/8" ring often causes irritation to the bottom of the
navel. The piercee may benefit from wearing a Curved Barbell most of the
time.
2D.2 NIPPLE PIERCINGS
4 to 8 months
Nipple piercings can be positioned horizontally or vertically. Rings are
usually chosen as the initial jewelry in horizontal piercings because they
can be cleaned more easily than barbells. The inside diameter of the ring
should be approximately 1/4" wider than the length of the piercing. No more
than 1/4 of the ring should be through the piercing. A ring which is too
small in diameter will constrict the piercing and cause the entrances of the
piercing to migrate to conform to the tight curvature of the ring. It is not
uncommon for the nipple to swell or actually grow in size during the healing
process; the ring should be wide enough to accommodate expected growth.
After the piercing has completely healed a smaller diameter ring can be
worn.
Straight and curved barbells are used for vertical piercings. Barbells may
be more appropriate than rings for horizontal piercings if the wearer
engages in contact sports or daily physical activities that involve lifting
and carrying. The barbell should be at least 1/8" longer than the width of
the piercing to facilitate cleaning and allow for swelling. The barbell
balls should be small enough in diameter so that they do not create pressure
against the areola, which can cause the piercing to migrate forward.
Piercings of flat or inverted nipples may be more successful when slightly
curved barbells are worn. If the nipple does not protrude from the areola a
slightly curved barbell will eliminate pressure between the barbell balls
and the areola. While in some cases piercing inverted or flat nipples causes
the nipples to develop and enlarge, such results are not guaranteed.
Piercings in flat or inverted nipples have an increased risk of migration or
rejection.
Jewelry which is too thin is more easily rejected by the body and more likely
to tear the piercing with strenuous play. For most people 14 or 12 gauge is
appropriate. Larger gauge piercings can comfortably withstand strenuous
play. Sensation and stimulation usually increase when larger gauges are
worn.
Multiple piercings can be made to crisscross (alternating horizontal and
vertical piercings) or made parallel. To prevent complications such as
scarring and piercing migration multiple piercings should be made
separately; the first piercing should be allowed to completely heal before a
second piercing is made. At least 1/8" of tissue should separate the
piercings to prevent pressure from the innermost piercing from causing the
outermost piercing to migrate out.
Please see Part 2B of the FAQ for information regarding nipple stretchers
and retainers.
2D.2a FEMALE NIPPLE PIERCINGS
Female nipple piercings should be made at the base of the nipple where it
meets the plane of the areola. The piercing should not be made behind the
nipple or through the areola unless the nipple is inverted.
Migration and rejection of the piercing is usually caused by pressure on the
piercing. Bras can create too much pressure on the piercing, particularly if
the bra is very tight or if the wearer has large breasts. When a bra is worn
the ring is pulled downwards and against the breast, creating leverage
against the piercing. Depending on the shape of the breast, wearing the ring
flipped up when wearing a bra often reduces pressure. Athletic bras stretch
more than standard bras and are often more comfortable. Wearing nursing bras
or cutting out the center of the bra cups will eliminate pressure while
providing support. Bras with seams across the nipple should be avoided; the
seam can easily irritate the piercing.
Many women with large breasts have found barbells much more comfortable than
rings during healing. Many women who have experienced prolonged or difficult
healing while wearing rings have successfully healed their piercings after
switching to barbells. The barbell balls should be small enough in diameter so
that they do not create pressure against the areola, which can cause the
piercing to migrate forward.
Piercings made through flat or inverted nipples are more likely to migrate
or reject. If the nipple is more easily pinched vertically a vertical
piercing is more likely to be successful. In some cases, the nipple is more
easily pinched at a diagonal, or perpendicular to the long axis of the
nipple if one is present. If the nipple continues to flatten or invert with
the jewelry in place, pressure is created between the skin and jewelry.
Larger gauge (12 or 10) piercings better withstand pressure and resist
migration. Piercings of flat or inverted nipples may be more successful when
slightly curved barbells are worn. A curved barbell will eliminate pressure
between the barbell balls and the areola.
The menstrual cycle may cause piercings to become irritated or more
sensitive, especially during the healing period. The swelling and water
retention usually associated with menses may cause the nerves in the nipple
to become pinched against the jewelry.
It is not uncommon for the discharge released during healing to seep from
the front of the nipple via the penetrated milk ducts.
Initial jewelry: Captive bead rings, bead rings, circular barbells in 14 to
10 gauge, 5/8" inside diameter or larger. The inside diameter of the ring
should be approximately 1/4" wider than the length of the piercing.
2D.2b MALE NIPPLE PIERCINGS
Because most men have very small or flat nipples the piercing is usually made
behind the actual nipple and through the areola so that the piercing is
approximately 3/8" to 7/16" wide. Nipples which are well defined and
larger than 1/4" wide can be safely pierced through the base of the
nipple.
Piercings made through flat areas, like the areola, are more likely to
migrate or reject. If the nipple is completely flat and cannot be easily
pinched the tension of the skin creates presure which may cause the piercing
to migrate forwards. Often, the nipple is more easily pinched vertically, in
which case a vertical piercing is more likely to be successful. In some
cases, the nipple is more easily pinched at a diagonal, or perpendicular to
the long axis of the nipple if one is present.
Initial jewelry: Captive bead rings, bead rings, circular barbells in 14 to
10 gauge, 1/2" inside diameter or larger. The inside diameter of the ring
should be approximately 1/4" wider than the length of the piercing.
2D.2c NIPPLE PIERCINGS AND BREAST FEEDING
Unfortunately no studies regarding nipple piercings and breast feeding
have been conducted.
The nipple contains many milk ducts. Piercings intersect the nipple and
the ducts perpendicularly. Most likely at least a few ducts would be
blocked by the piercing. There is a risk of blocked ducts becoming
irritated or infected if the milk collects in the blocked ducts and cannot
be expressed.
Most piercers maintain that nipple piercings will not interfere with breast
feeding later in life, provided that the piercings have completely healed
with minimal scarring. Factors which contribute to scarring are discussed
in Parts 2D and 6.1 of the FAQ.
One reader reported that the jewelry became extremely uncomfortable during
the final tri-mester, which forced her to remove the rings.
Removal of jewelry is suggested, a task which may become tiresome and
painful with the condition of the nipples during breastfeeding; for many
women breastfeeding can be quite painful at first. Jewelry may damage the
baby's delicate palate and prevent the baby from forming the tight seal
around the areola necessary for breast feeding.
Several women who have never had children, and a few men, have commented
that they have experienced discharge through the front of the nipple during
the latter stages of healing. This discharge is most likely discharge that
is associated with a healing piercing and not milk. A representative of the
Lactation Institute responded that piercing the nipple will not instigate
milk flow.
Kelly Fahey <kelfay@ix.netcom.com> comments:
"I will caveat this by saying that had my nipples pierced well after I had
my kid and stopped nursing. So I have experience in nursing and in pierced
nipples, but not in nursing with pierced nipples. I have lactated
consistently since my son was born 5 years ago. I've continued to lactate no
more or less with pierced nipples than I did with unpierced nipples (ok, so
it was a bit more at first!).
"There are 2 things that would seem to possibly affect a decision to pierce
the nipples in regard to lactation. The first is that the jewelry would have
to be removed during the period of nursing. In my experience, it is
completely unreasonable to think you could remove the jewelry only when it's
time to nurse. Time to nurse (in the first few months) means every 3 to 4
hours. Imagine taking time to remove nipple rings at 3 am with a baby
screaming! Pregancy and nursing change the body incredibly. It's entirely
logical that the piercings would close during this period, and even if they
didn't the breasts and nipples are most likely not going to be shaped quite
the same after weaning.
"The second factor is that breast milk comes from various small openings
(ducts) in the nipple surface, not a single one. I'm certain that some of
the milk ducts in the nipple surface are lost in piercing. Additionally, the
suckling sensation might prove to be really uncomfortable with any scar
tissue formed around a well-healed piercing. Nursing can be intensely
painful all by itself. "
Another woman comments:
"Although I did breastfeed both my girls (the baby until she was 3) I didn't
have my nipples pierced then. I do now, and I think that the gauge of the
ring would really mess up the milk expulsion. I still had milk at the time
of my nipple piercing although haven't nursed in years, and the rings
pierced the ducts and they now don't express like they did prior to the
piercing. IMHO it is best to wait on the nipple rings until the
breastfeeding experience is over. For me the nipple piercings were a right
of passage from "mommie" to parent of young adults - sort of."
Caro <caro@camelot.com>, <caro@nix.ha.md.us>, <http://nix.ha.md.us/~caro>
comments:
"I had stopped breastfeeding about six months before I was pierced, and I
had, to my knowledge, stopped lactating. When I was pierced, it stimulated
lactation, my doctor said. As I wasn't nursing or expressing, I developed a
breast infection and had to be treated with antibiotics.
"So my response would be this: If you have already nursed a baby, it's
possible that a piercing will cause you to relactate. If you have not
already nursed a baby, piercing will not induce lactation. Note: It is
possible for a woman to nurse an adopted baby, so hormones are not totally
necessary for lactation, but repeated persistent stimulation of the right
kind is required."
References:
Lactation Institute, Encino, CA, (818) 995-1913, Chele Marmet, Director
2D.3 SURFACE AND UNUSUAL PIERCINGS
Please note that most piercers do not commonly perform the following piercings
because of the risks of scarring and rejection.
Thanks to Shannon Larratt of the Body Modification Ezine for help in
compiling this information. For information about and documentation of
unusual piercings please see the Body Modification Ezine,
http://www.bme.freeq.com/
Surface Piercings
Also known as surface-to-surface piercings, these piercings tend to reject
because of anatomical mechanical stress. Surface piercings are temporary in
all but the rarest instances. A few of the standard piercings, such as those
of the eyebrow and Guiche, could be considered surface piercings if the
area is flat.
Various types of jewelry have been used in attempts to successfully heal
surface piercings. Some piercers feel that larger-gauged (10ga +) jewelry
will maintain the piercing longer. Others have tried using monofilament
nylon and teflon with the idea that the flexibility of the material will
reduce mechanical stress on the piercing. Stainless Studios
<http://www.stainless-studios.com/> have designed a barbell specifically for
surface piercings which reduces the pressure between the jewelry and the
tissue.
Areas most commonly attempted include the Madison (piercing made at the base of
the neck, between the collarbones); the loose skin under the chin; along the
forearms or wrist; in the male pubic area.
Elayne Angel of Rings of Desire <http://www.ringsofdesire.com> commented on
the topic of one successful forehead piercing:
"I did a forehead piercing on a woman named Jen, about 6 years ago, and it is
still in place. I began with a straight piece of 14 gauge monofilament and
used a traditional forcep procedure. It took about 8 weeks to heal pretty
well but she waited about 3 months to change to a slightly bent barbell. It
was very successful, I think in part because her tissue was pretty pinchable.
I was able to start with a significant amount of tissue, about 5/8"."
Handweb
4 to 6 months
The piercing is usually made through the web of skin between the thumb and
forefinger. It must not intersect the muscle tissue.
Handweb piercings are temporary in all but the rarest instances. The
mechanical stress created by hand movements causes the piercing to reject.
Handweb piercings greatly interfere with daily activities. Elayne Angel of
Rings of Desire <http://www.ringsofdesire.com> maintained a handweb piercing
for