FAQs
Can I be pierced while pregnant?
The short answer is no.
The body’s immune system undergoes serious changes during pregnancy. These changes have a negative effect on healing and may even prevent piercings received shortly before becoming pregnant from finishing healing. Sometimes even healed piercing will act up while you are pregnant.
There is also a slight but important risk that if you experience a complication, such as an infection, that your pregnancy or foetus would be negatively affected. While the chances are slim, it is just not worth the risk.
Do I have the anatomy for the piercing that I want?
Anatomy consultations can only be done in person, as your piercer can see the area in real life and go over any potential considerations or issues with you.
Can I get repierced in the same spot as an old piercing? Can a piercing be redone through scar tissue? Will it hurt more?
Most piercings can be redone through a small amount of scar tissue with no issues. If there is a lot of scar tissue in the area, it may not be a good idea to redo the piercing in the same spot. The area needs to be evaluated in-person to see if re-piercing is a good idea. In some cases, healing may be a bit slower with a re-piercing.
Pain is subjective and varies from person to person, but a small amount of scarring should not have much impact on how the piercing feels.
Can I use [product] on my piercing?
Over the years, piercing aftercare has changed as the industry’s understanding of wound care expanded. Because there are so many suggestions, here is a list of what not to use, and why.
​Contact lens solution- this has extra additives that are not intended for wound care.
Nasal spray- this also has extra additives that are not intended for wound care.
Hydrogen peroxide- this is too harsh for a healing piercing and not intended for long term wound care.
Rubbing Alcohol- this is too harsh for a healing piercing and not intended for long term wound care.
Iodine - too harsh for a healing piercing and not intended for long term wound care.
Tea tree oil- do not apply any oils to a healing piercing. Tea tree oil is not meant for wound care and can be extremely harsh.
Aspirin Paste- not only is this using medication in a way not intended, this is extremely harsh and can cause chemical burns.
There are many other “Piercing Sprays'' on the market, however they usually contain many different ingredients that can cause issues or irritation, are non-sterile, etc. All you need is sterile saline.
Where can I find sterile saline?
Wound wash saline is available at most pharmacies.
When can I sleep on my piercing?
Ideally, it is best to wait to sleep on a piercing until it is fully healed. You may find that sleeping with a U-shaped neck pillow can help keep pressure off your ear. If a neck pillow is not an option for you, you can try rolling up a towel and shaping it into a U or a circle.
How long does [x] piercing take to heal?
Your piercing will likely look and feel healed before it has healed fully. Tissue heals from the outside in, and though the piercing may appear fine, delicate inner tissue may still be healing. Healing times vary from person to person, and factors like overall health, stress, getting enough sleep and nutrition can impact how long it takes your piercing to heal. These are general guidelines.
Earlobe: 3-4 months
Ear cartilage: 6-12 months
Nostril: 4-6 months
Septum: 3-4 months
Lip: 3-4 months
Eyebrow: 3-4 months
Navel: 6-12 months
Can I bring my own jewellery?
No, I only perform fresh piercings with never worn jewellery that is sterile and implant grade. As I cannot be certain of the quality of outside jewellery, I only use my own jewellery initially.
If you would simply like your jewellery changed in a healed piercing, I can do that for you.
Is this a keloid?
Keloids are usually the result of genetics, and diagnosis is far beyond the scope of body piercers. However, most bumps on piercings are not keloids, and can be fixed without the need for medical intervention.
What is this bump? How do I make it go away? Will it go away?
Bumps that appear on piercings are the result of irritation of some sort. This irritation is often caused by one or more of several factors:Â
Poor placement or angle.
Trauma such as a snag, sleeping on the piercing, or changing jewellery too soon.
Jewellery that is irritating due to size, style, or material.
Excess moisture, especially in navel piercings and behind earlobes.
Improper aftercare.
Once you have determined the source of the irritation, remedying the bump is a matter of getting rid of the irritation. Generally, if addressed early enough, the bump will resolve in time. Something key to remember is that the irritation is what is causing the bump, so if you do not address the source of the irritation, the bump will not go away. If you have had the bump(s) for several months or years, they can persist after retiring the piercing altogether. In that case, they may need to be addressed by a medical professional.
Can I use [product] to get rid of bumps?
Because piercing bumps are caused by something irritating the piercing, there is no topical solution that will remedy a bump, and most often things like tea tree oil, aspirin paste, peroxide, etc will make the issue worse. Most often, time, proper care, and proper jewellery will be all you need to remedy a bump.
For instance, if your irritation bump is caused by jewellery that does not fit correctly, it will not go away until that is fixed - as no amount of tea tree oil or sea salt soaking will change the fact that your jewellery isn’t fitting right.
Are the bumps normal?
No, however they are common. Plenty of people heal piercings every day without issue.
I am prone to keloids. Can I still get a piercing?
You can, however if you are predisposed to keloids, it will be a risk whenever you injure your skin, whether by getting a piercing or just a common cut or scrape.