This piercing is awesome to show off yet easy to hide.

The piercing is placed right wear the hipbones are. Complimenting the natural curves of your figure.

As gorgeous as this piercing is, I wouldn’t recommend jumping in and getting it done without thinking about what you’re doing.

Do your research. Find out more about the piercing so you know what you’re getting yourself into. There are things you need to know.

Here you will find all the information you will need:

Dermal VS Surface Hip Piercing

There are two types of hip piercing.

The microdermal and the surface piercing.

The Hip Dermal is a single point piercing. Meaning that the jewelry is anchored into the surface of the skin through one hole only. A single ball or gem is seen above the skin.

One of the benefits of the dermal is the fact that you can place multiple piercings in close proximity. You can even have an odd number if you wish. I see many people get 3 dermals on each hip. What a gorgeous look.

The other form of hip piercing is a surface piercing. A standard double point piercing. Meaning that the jewelry goes in through one point of the skin surface and out through another. Two balls or gems will be seen on the outside on the skin.

Types of Jewelry

Microdermal

A dermal anchor is inserted underneath the skin, through the incision made by the piercer. The anchor is shaped like a foot.

Having holes in the anchor makes the jewelry more secure. Thus lowering rejection rates. The anchor is permanent. You should NOT attempt to remove it without the help of your piercer or a medical professional.

A gem or other decorative head is screwed into the protruding part of the anchor. This part of the jewelry is interchangeable. There are many designs available.

Surface Piercing

A surface bar is usually worn in the hip surface piercing. Wearing the correct type of barbell in your piercing is crucial. Otherwise your piercing is at greater risk of rejection.

You should pick a flat surface bar with an upright post on both ends. The tops screw into the upright legs. These are the only parts of the jewelry seen above the skin. Balls, gems and disks are commonly worn as tops on surface piercings.

How to Look After Your Hip Piercing

To help your hip piercing heal up smoothly, you need to look after it well. This includes cleansing twice daily using a piercing cleansing solution.

My top recommendation is the EasyPiercing Care Kit. With this kit you get three different piercing cleansing solutions. Each with its own unique benefits.

If you can’t get hold of a piercing solution, your next option is to throw together some saline solution.

All you need to do is stir a quarter of a tea spoon of rock salt into a cup of luke warm water.

Soak a cotton pad in the solution and hold on your piercing for 5 minutes.

Alternatively, use the cup to form a suction seal on your skin. Hold for five minutes. Don’t it spill. You must keep the suction. Otherwise water will go everywhere.

Other Care Tips:

• Don’t use alcohol to cleanse your piercing or jewelry.
• Wear loose fitted clothing. Your waist bands should be low enough to not rub on your new piercing.
• Avoid saunas and swimming pools.
• Don’t touch your piercing with dirty hands. Wash your hands thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap before you cleanse your piercing.
• Do not change your jewelry for at least a month after getting your piercing done. Although ideally you should wait longer than this. You don’t want your piercing closing up before it’s had a chance to heal.

How Long Will it Take to Heal?

Piercings in the hip area take approximately three months to heal completely. Give or take a few weeks. This varies drastically from one person to the next.

Talk to your piercer about healing times.

Infection or Rejection?

During the healing period, keep a close eye on your piercing. If you look after it well, there should be no problems. Although you still need to be vigilant. Surface and dermal piercings are prone to rejection and infection.

Symptoms to watch out for:

• Redness, soreness.
• Excess bleeding.
• Foul smelling or off colour puss.
• Jewelry sitting differently. More loose than it used to be (rejection).

Preventing Such Issues

Luckily these problems are preventable.

For a start, wear titanium jewelry: It is less irritating to skin than steel, which contains trace amounts of nickel. Many people are sensitive to nickel, so can’t wear steel jewelry without their piercing playing up.

Larger gauge sizes are less likely to reject: I know this sounds bizarre. Smaller gauged jewelry is much thinner. This can cause a ‘cheese cutting’ effect. Cutting through the skin like a piece of string through cheese.

Wear the correct style of jewelry: In a surface hip piercing, wear a flat bar with upright legs on each end. In a dermal, go for an anchor with holes in it. Your skin will grow through these holes, making your piercing more secure!

Conclusion

Put the effort into looking after your hip piercing. This will prevent any problems from arising during the healing process. Your piercing will thank you later.

Hip piercings take 3 months to heal up. I know, it sounds like a long time.

Be patient. Time will pass quicker than you think!

Trust me, it is worth the wait for such a beautiful and feminine embellishment on your hips.

Having this piercing will give you a reason to rock belly tops. Especially when the sun is shining.

The hip piercing is so easy to hide that you won’t have to worry what your boss or parents think. Perfect for piercing lovers who’s boss does not share their passion.

Would you get a hip piercing done?

Have your say:

What would you like to read about next time?

For those of you who don’t know, Angel Bites are a combination of the Monroe and Madonna piercings. Two above your top lip. One on each side.

I always see this piercing as Snakebites’ With the right jewelry, this piercing will really enhance the shape of the top lip.

Angel Bites are a unique and edgy, yet glamorous piercing.

Seeing as this piercing is continuing to grow in popularity, I figured it is time I created an Angel Bites piercing information guide. So you guys know what you’re getting into before you get the piercing done!

Piercing Procedure

Like most body piercings, Angel Bites are done using hollow piercing needles. Never a gun.

Both of the piercings are done in one sitting, like when you get snakebites. A separate needle is used for each of the two piercings.

Before sticking the needle through the skin, the piercer will use a marker to draw dot where the piercings will be. They will then use a clamp to secure the lip in place. This helps make sure the incision is clean and the skin does not get torn.

Once the client is happy with the placement of the piercing, the piercer will stick the needle  through. In a single motion.

If done correctly, the whole process will be over with very quickly. It should not feel much worse than a quick pinch!

Pain Level

There is no definitive way to quantify pain. Everyone feels pain differently. A piercing that is painless to one person may be agonising for someone else!

Generally speaking though, Angel Bites are not the most painful. For comparisons sake, this piercing will hurt a bit more than a bottom lip piercing. This is because the skin is slightly more dense than the bottom lip.

Keep in mind that getting 2 piercings in one sitting causes a bit more pain.

Luckily the pain is over very quickly. So don’t let it put you off!!

What Jewelry Should You Wear?

Labret studs are the most suitable type of jewelry to be worn in the Angel Bites piercing.

You will be wearing a longer bar during the healing process. This allows for swelling, which is normal and rather common.

After you have healed up fully, the longer labret stud is swapped for a shorter, more fitted one.

Rings are occasionally worn in top lip piercings. This is uncommon though. This piercing should be placed lower on the lip if a ring is to be worn. Angel Bites are generally placed too high up for a ring to fit properly.

Make sure to wear high quality jewelry. Many people are sensitive nickel, which can be found in trace amounts even in surgical grade stainless steel.

If your skin is sensitive, go for titanium jewelry!

Aftercare

Whilst your piercing heals, be sure to cleanse it twice or three times daily.

Your best cleansing option would be to use a quality piercing aftercare product. Such as the EasyPiercing Care Kit or H2Ocean’s cleanser.

If you cannot get hold of any piercer aftercare products, use saline solution. You can make your own by stirring a quarter of a teaspoon of rock salt into a cup of hot water. Then allowing it to cool down until it is luke-warm.

Soak a cotton pad in the solution and hold it on both piercings for about five minutes.

Also, make you practice good oral hygiene.

Brush your teeth thoroughly first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Also, brush each time you eat or drink anything other than water! If you smoke, try and keep it to a minimum, and brush after each cigarette.

Use alcohol free mouthwash. You can get specialised mouthwash for piercings.

Avoid oral sex and make-out sessions. Basically you don’t want to get anyone else’s bodily fluids in your mouth.

What Are the Risks?

Due to the fact that Angel Bites are an oral piercing, the risk of infection is slightly higher than it usually would be.

Like I said before, good oral hygiene helps prevent anything nasty happening to your piercing.

There is also a risk of oral damage if placed improperly. This could mean gum erosion or chipped teeth. A good enough reason to go to a professional for this piercing.

Are Your Angel Bites Infected?

Whilst your piercings are healing, you should be on the look out for the following symptoms:

• Redness
• Swelling
• Soreness
• Bleeding
• Foul smelling or off colour discharge

If notice any of these symptoms, see your doctor or piercer as soon as you possibly can. Infection can be serious. It can spread to other parts of the body. There is also a risk of it turning into septicaemia, which can be fatal!

Conclusion

If you want this piercing because you like the way it looks and think it would suit your face, go for it!

If you are thinking of getting it done because everyone else has it; forget it! It will be out of fashion soon anyway. Then you will end up looking like a bit of an idiot!

Always go to professional, look after your piercing well and wear the right jewelry. You will be glad you did when you are left with a unique and edgy piercing.

Embrace your wild side!

Piercing a baby’s ears is controversial in the US and the UK.

Many people in our society say this is cruel. The would tell you that the baby cannot make up their own mind on whether they even want the piercing done. They have no understanding of what is being done to them.

On other side of the coin, piercing a baby’s ears is customary in several cultures of the world. As soon as baby enters the world, a needle is poked through their earlobes! The reasoning behind this is that it is believed to be more painful if the piercing is done when the child is older.

Many people will argue that the child will have no recollection of it when they grow up.

Kids are likely to end up wanting their ears pierced anyway these days. Girls in particular. Thus, they will be thankful to have had the piercing done whilst was too young to remember.

If you decide to go ahead and get your baby’s ears pierced, please make sure you do it right!

Here are some tips:

Piercing Guns are Not Safe. End of Story!

Using a piercing gun on any part of the body, including the lobes, is risky business. As I’ve said numerous times before!

Yes, I’m aware that Claire’s Accessories has been guns to pierce for years. Same applies to the piercing stalls you find in most shopping malls.

This does not mean that this method is safe though. Not by a long shot!

Many of these part-time piercers are not very hygienic. For a start, they do not sterilize their equipment after each use, as they should. According to the APP, all piercing equipment should be sterilized after every use. Any equipment which can not be sterilized should be thrown out. This prevents blood borne pathogens and other diseases from spreading.

Here’s another reason to avoid any piercer who uses a gun: They are known to cause damage to the skin. Ear cartilage is often shattered by the brute force. This damage is often permanent!

Another problem with getting pierced in a mall is the fact that they often use cheap, low quality body jewelry. Wearing jewelry of such a low quality raises the risk of infection. Many people are allergic to the nickel found in the metals used in the jewelry. This can cause severe irritation or even a full blown allergic reaction (this can be very serious!).

The so called “piercers” in these places do not get anywhere near enough training. They are not even made to study blood-borne pathogens. According to the APP this is mandatory!

Needles are the Way Forward

It may seem extreme to pierce a baby’s ears using a needle. One would imagine it to be scarier and more painful than a gun!

This is not the case though. Not at all.

Piercings done with a needle have a better chance of healing problem-free. Infection and rejection rates are low.

You know that all equipment is brand new and fresh out of it’s package. Even so, it is still sterilized using an autoclave, which is the most effective sterilization method. This means that there are no deadly pathogens being passed from person to person.

Overall, this is a much safer option for both adults and babies alike.

Option #1: Find a Local Medical Piercer

It is not uncommon for parents to dislike the idea of taking their youngster into a piercing studio. This is understandable.

Most piercing studios also do tattoos. The environment of a studio of this sort can be intimidating. You may feel that it is not child friendly. Perhaps you are concerned that your child may be influenced or frightened by the heavily tattooed and pierced individuals found there.

Luckily for you there is another option!

Many doctors in the US and now the UK can help you find a medical piercer. Some will even perform the piercing themselves. No referral needed!

If your doctor is not qualified to pierce kid’s ears, they will point you in the direction of one who can.

A medical piercer is specially trained to pierce the ears of babies. Some even pierce the noses of teens. This stops them from attempting a dangerous self-piercing!

Going to medical piercer is by far the safest option for your baby.

Most will not charge you for this service either!

Option #2: Take Your Youngster to a Professional Studio

Can’t find a medical piercer in your area?

Your next option is to find a child friendly and reputable piercing studio.

Do your research, there may be a piercing studio which specialises in ear piercings for babies and children. Most areas will have one. Read the reviews on the studios around your area to make sure you choose the most preferable one.

If there are no ear piercing studios for children and babies, you could always take your child to a proper tattoo and piercing studio!

Not all piercers will pierce babies. You will need to phone up and ask. You will be surprised at how many studios will.

Believe me, taking your baby to a tattoo and piercing studio is a great deal safer than some stall in the shopping mall! Wouldn’t you rather someone that knows what they’re doing pierce your baby’s ears? This is definitely a better option than a “piercer” who barely has two weeks of training under their belt!

Conclusion

The majority of kids get their ears pierced in the mall or at Claire’s. This does not mean it is safe though!

The environment in these places comes across as ‘child friendly’. Although the chance of your child’s piercing getting infected is substantially higher.

Piercing guns are unhygienic and damaging to the skin. The gun uses brute force to force the stud through the skin. Whereas a piercing needle will create a clean incision.

Go to a medical piercer if you have this option where you live. If not, take your child to a reputable piercing studio! Find a studio specifically for children if you can, they do exist!

Either will do a much better job for your child than the mall ever could!

You can guarantee the professionals have done a lot more ear piercings than any mall piercer could shake a stick at!

Put time into researching local piercer. Worst case scenario is you might pay a bit extra. It is well worth it for the sake of your baby’s health though!

Do you believe in piercing a baby’s ears? What about your own kids, what is the youngest age you would have their ears pierced? Join in the conversation by leaving a comment below!

In recent years, this piercing is has drastically increased in popularity. I believe I know the reason the septum piercing has caught on so well! Consider this: septum jewelry is highly noticeable when you want it on show. Slap bang in the middle of your face. Yet it is also easily hidden!

The septum piercing looks badass and edgy. Although with a smaller ring it can look strangely delicate and beautiful!

This piercing suits most face and nose shapes. It does not alter the appearance of the nose in the long run. Although swelling may occur for a few days after the piercing is first done. Primarily on the inside of the nose.

What a versatile piercing!

The Piercing Process

People assume that the septum piercing goes straight through the cartilage.

This is not usually the case. Most piercers prefer to perforate the soft skin just below the septum cartilage wall. More commonly known as the “sweet spot”.

Not everyone has a big enough sweet spot to pierce. In cases like this the piercer has to stick the needle through the cartilage.

To find your sweet spot, grab each side of your septum and feel around for a softer bit of skin. It should be right below the hard cartilage down the center of the nose.

You may even be told that you do not have the correct anatomy for this piercing. Your piercer might refuse to do the piercing altogether.

Pain

The level of pain one experiences when their septum is pierced varies immensely.

A piercing through hard cartilage hurts a heck of a lot more than the sweet spot. Your eyes are guaranteed to water. So girls, make sure your mascara is waterproof. Unless you are going for the panda eye look!

A skilled piercer will pierce the soft skin below the cartilage. The pain level for a septum piercing performed in this manner is comparable to that of plucking a nose hair. More of a stinging, eye watering sensation. It is overwith quickly anyway. Nowhere near as painful as you would imagine it to be!

Jewelry Types

The main types of jewelry worn in the septum piercing are as follows:

Horseshoe

The circular barbell, usually known as the horseshoe is the most common form of jewelry for the septum piercing.

This form of barbell is unusual as it is measured and worn as a ring would be.

The horseshoe barbell comprises of a rounded barbell with a ball on each end. Both balls can be unscrewed. This makes insertion and removal of the jewelry pretty simple. Although the balls can be fiddly to screw on.

Septum Clicker

Septum clickers come in many different designs

There is a septum clicker for every mood, person or occasion.

You will find basic designs for every day wear or more extravagant designs which are prefect for a big night on the town!

Septum clickers are a hinged form of segment ring.

BCR

Many people choose to wear a Ball Closure Ring in their septum. This type of jewelry is a sensible choice.

They are easy to insert and remove. Less awkward than the horseshoe ring because the ball does not need to be screwed in. Instead it is held in placed by tension between each end of the open ring. There are two dimples on ball which keep it secure.

The BCR is a top choice for fresh piercings as there is little chance of it getting caught on anything. This is due to the smooth edges.

Aftercare

The septum piercing needs to be kept scrumptiously clean whilst it is healing. You may think I’m stating the obvious, but I’m often shocked at how many people do not care for their piercings!

Risk of infection is high due to the position of the piercing. Any nose piercing carries this risk. There is a possibility of pieces of snot getting stuck in the jewelry. This causes bacteria to form and leads to infection.

Make sure to cleanse your septum twice a day. You can cleanse using a piercing cleansing product. Using a cotton pad to soak the piercing. Your other option for cleansing is to use saline solution. Make your own saline solution by dissolving a quarter of a teaspoon of rock salt into luke warm water.

Use a Q-tip to remove any crust which forms on the jewelry or wound.

Tip: Be gentle and always wash your hands with antibacterial soap before touching your piercing!

Risks

There is a heightened risk of infection if the piercing is not cared for properly.

Don’t touch the jewelry or the wound whilst it is healing. Cleanse it properly twice or three times a day. This way you will heal up without any problems!

Other than that, the septum piercing is risk free. One of the safest piercings you can get!

Is the Septum Piercing Right for You?

Are you considering getting your septum pierced?

You don’t want to end up regretting it. Piercings are expensive and require lots of care. You need to be 100% sure that you really want it!

Here’s some advice; ask yourself “why do I want a septum piercing?”. Is it because you want to be seen as ‘cool’ or to be a part of a group? This is not a valid reason to get pierced. Take my word. Fashions change quicker than the weather. What will you do if the piercing goes out of fashion? (It will!)

Get your septum pierced because you want it. You feel it would suit your face, style or personality. Some people find piercing give them more self confidence.

As I have said many times before, do not get pierced just because your friend or favourite celebrity has it.

Read: The pros and cons of a septum piercing.

To Sum Up…

Be smart and know what you’re getting into. Before you get pierced, do your research.

Always go to good piercer who knows what theyre doing. Read reviews online. Make sure it is sterile and has an autoclave. Always ask to see your piercer’s portfolio.

Read: 13 important questions to ask your piercer.

I hope you learnt something whilst reading this post.

What would you like to read about next? Let us know in the comments below!

Don’t forget to share this with your friends.

Hannah – Founder of Pro Piercing Kits.

Hence the name!

This piercing is unique and also has a stylish look to it.

Although the nape piercing is a surface piercing which means that it carries a higher rejection rate.

Luckily you can prevent anything of the sort from happening by taking certain precautions.

Such as taking proper care of your piercing whilst it heals. An unclean piercing is an angry piercing!

To help you out, here is a nape piercing aftercare guide to follow.

Cleansing Your Nape Piercing

Cleansing your new nape piercing is essential in getting it to heal without any issues.

Make sure you cleanse your piercing two or three times a day. Using either:

Piercing Aftercare Solution

There are an insane amount of piercing aftercare products on the market.

Most will do a decent job of keeping your piercings clean. My top recommendations would be any EasyPiercing or H2Ocean product.

All you need to do is make sure you thoroughly soak your piercing in the solution. No matter which product it is you’re using. Use a cotton pad rather than a cotton ball. The fibres on cotton balls can get caught in your jewelry.

Saline Solution

If you can’t get your hands on a piercing aftercare product, your next option will be saline solution.

You can easily make this yourself. All you need to do is stir a quarter of teaspoon of rock salt into a glass of warm water.

Table salt is not as potent as rock salt or sea salt. I would not recommend using it. If you have no other option though, you will need at last a teaspoon full of table salt. Otherwise it won’t do a good job of sterilising you piercing at all!

Then soak your piercing in the simple salty solution using a cotton pad.

It can’t get much easier!

More Nape Piercing Care Tips

Besides cleansing your piercing twice or three times daily, there are some other actions you can take to heal up better. There are also certain things you should avoid.

Such as:

• Wear loose clothing around your neck area. You do not want anything getting caught on your jewelry!
• Avoid swimming in public pools. Bacteria and chlorine don’t mix well with fresh piercings.
• Do not fiddle with your jewelry.
• Never touch piercing with unclean hands. Always wash your hands with antibacterial soap first.
• If your hair is long, wear it in a bun. Use clips on stray hairs too. Stray hairs cause serious problems.
• Avoid sleeping on your back.
• Bathe or shower using mild soap.
• Avoid wearing scarves or necklaces.

Troubleshooting

Every time you get a piercing there is a risk of infection. The nape piercing is a surface piercing so it also carries the risk of rejection and migration.

It’s best to prevent problems from arising to start with. You can do this by caring for your piercing properly. Although you should always keep a close eye on your piercing while it heals. No matter how well you are looking after it.

If you do happen to get an infection, it is best to catch it early. That way it won’t spread and end up too serious!

Look for the following symptoms of infection:

• Redness or swelling.
• Severe pain or soreness.
• Ongoing bleeding which lasts more than a few days.
• Unusual coloured or foul smelling discharge.

You should also keep an eye out for signs of migration/rejection:

• Piercing appears to have moved.
• Jewelry sits differently in your skin.
• Jewelry it sticking out further than it used to.
• Skin looks increasingly thin.

Wear the Right Jewelry, Prevent Rejection!

When preventing rejection in surface piercings, one of the main things to consider is your jewelry. Wearing incorrect jewelry only increases the chance of rejection.

Make sure you get the following right:

Gauge size: Piercings of a larger gauge size are less likely to reject. So when you get your piercing done, ask your piercing to go for at least a 14G needle and jewelry.

Surface barbell type: There are a few different types of barbell worn in surface piercings. You need to go for a flat surface bar with 90 degree legs at both ends.

Material: Titanium is the best material for any piercing. Unlike stainless steel, it does not contain nickel. Your  chance of getting a reaction from titanium is very low. Even if you have sensitive skin!

So There You Have it!

Sounds simple, right? It is!

It will be well worth sticking to a strict aftercare routine. You will end up regretting it if you don’t. Believe me!

With sufficient aftercare, your nape piercing should heal up in 3 months up to a year. Healing times vary drastically from person to person.

When you are all healed up are left with a unique and sassy piercing to show off and enjoy!

Would you get a nape piercing? Yes or no? Let me know your answer and why by leaving a comment below.

Don’t forget to share and subscribe (fill in your details on the right!).

What a tricky decision. Getting a piercing is a big commitment so you need to be certain. There are so many things that you need to consider. Will it suit you? Will it affect your work? Will you be able to look after it properly? The list goes on.

How about if I help you decide?

Let’s talk through this decision together. That way you can reach a more certain outcome.

What I’m going to do is tell you everything about the tongue piercing. Positive and negative.

Let’s get started…

Rumours and Myths BUSTED!

There are rumours floating about about wearers of tongue piercings. Many people believe that having a tongue piercing has a hidden meaning.

Before I give you the details, let me say that this is not at all true. It is merely a rumour and shouldn’t be taken seriously!

If you decide to get your tongue pierced, prepare to be asked if it’s for oral sex. Of course, you know it’s not. You will get asked this question though. You have to learn to ignore these kind of remarks. Anyone insensitive enough to ask this is not worthy of your friendship (unless you’re into that kind of humour). Drop them out!

Will Your Work, School or Parents Mind?

Having piercings is strictly forbidden in certain organisations and many schools.

If this rule applies to where you are currently working, getting your tongue pierced is a bad idea. Is it really worth getting fired for the sake of a piercing?

If you are currently job hunting, be mindful as to what piercings you get. Is there a particular line of work you are aiming to get into? If so, do your research! Find out what their policy on body piercing says. It varies drastically between different companies. Some are lenient whereas others are strict. Some even fall halfway, meaning they don’t mind you having piercings, as long as they are not too obvious!

A word of advice; for job interviews you should take your body jewelry out. It is paramount that you turn up looking professional! This also goes for companies that allow piercings. This will drastically increase your chance of landing the job.

Word of advice: Aim to get a job where you can have piercings. Any job that doesn’t is the wrong job for you!

Even if you are still in school, this applies to you.

If it is you parents who oppose the piercing, be respectful! Yes, they will get over it eventually, but you don’t wanna cause family warfare over a bit of jewelry do you?

Other Pros and Cons

Let’s have a look at the main pros and cons for the tongue piercing. I’m going to lay them out in list format. This will make it much easier for you to make your final decision!

Pros:

• Easily hidden. Don’t open your mouth too wide and no one will see anything.
• Can provide pleasure during oral sex.
• Show off your individuality. Piercings are a great way to express yourself!
• Fast healing.
• Some people find that piercings raise their self esteem.
• To get the look you desire or create your own individual style!
• Vast assortment of awesome jewelry. There is something for everyone!

Cons:

• Can chip your teeth if jewelry is too long.
• Heightened risk of infection in oral piercings. Avoid this issue by keeping good oral hygiene and following your aftercare instructions.
• You have to avoid certain things during the healing period. Such as crunchy and spicy foods, making out and oral sex.
• Your tongue will swell a bit for a few days. This may cause you to talk with a lisp. This will pass.
• Speaking may feel a bit weird for a few days. This will pass though. You will get used to it.

Only You Can Decide

You now understand the positive and negatives of the tongue piercing. Hopefully this has made things a little clearer in your head.

Make your decision once and for all. Ask yourself:

“Are the pros worth putting up with the cons for?”

Note down your intuitive answer to that question. That would be the first thought that popped into your head.

If your immediate answer was “yes”, the tongue piercing is for you. If you answered “no”, don’t rush into anything. Wait a few weeks and see how you feel about it. Reread the list of pros and cons. If you’re still not convinced, you could always consider a different piercing!

If you do get your tongue pierced, go to a professional and take good care of it!

Everyone experiences piercings differently. What are your personal pros and cons of the tongue piercing? Let us know by dropping a comment below.

Hannah – founder of Pro Piercing Kits.

The piercing is located at the base of the finger,  where a ring is worn. In recent times people have been getting this piercing as a more permanent replacement for a ring!

The finger piercing is classy and unique. Well, that is until your friends see it.. They may decide to copy you and end up getting their own finger pierced!

The Finger Piercing Process

First of all, I would like to say that I do not recommend you do this piercing yourself. Go to a professional who has plenty of experience in finger piercing!

When you get a standard piercing, a hollow needle will go in through one part of your skin and out through another. That is not the case with the finger piercing, which is a single point piercing.

Instead of using a needle, your piercer will use a tool known as a dermal punch (photo on the right). As the name of the tool suggests, a hole is punched through the epidermis and dermis layers of the skin. On rare occasions a needle is used to make an L-shaped pouch in the dermis.

To keep the jewelry in place, a dermal anchor is then inserted. The foot of the anchor sits in the dermal layer of the skin. The anchor is shaped kind of like a human foot and often has small holes in it. Whilst the piercing heals, skin grows through the holes of the anchor. This makes the piercing secure and permanent.

Once the anchor is secured, a dermal top is screwed into the stem of the anchor (the part that sticks out from the skin).

You will not be able to remove the anchor from the skin by yourself. The screw in dermal top is interchangeable though. Which allows you to customize your piercing to look however you want it to. That is what makes it so fun!

Finger Piercing Jewelry – Wear a Different ‘Ring’ Everyday!

This is an exciting concept  for jewelry addicts!

There is a mind blowing assortment of microdermal jewelry which would be just perfect for your digits!

To get an idea of some of the beautiful gems and designs up for grabs, head over to the Microdermal Jewelry page on my site. That doesn’t even scratch the surface though! Go ahead and see what else you find on Amazon, BodyJewelry.com or Body Candy. You will be amazed at the selection!

Care and Healing Time

For the first few days after you get your finger piercing you should wear a band-aid or dressing. You must protect it and stop it from getting knocked or caught on anything.

protect the piercing at all times throughout the healing period. Which varies between one and three months. Do not allow it to get caught in clothing or get knocked about.

Cleanse the piercing twice or three times daily. Use either a piercing aftercare product or saline solution. Make your own saline solution by stirring a quarter of a teaspoon of rock salt into a cup of warm water.

Always wash your hands before touching or cleansing your piercing!

Is There a Big Risk of Rejection?

All microdermal and surface piercings come pose a risk of rejection and migration.

Due to the fact that the finger piercing is placed on a part of the body where not much flesh is present, the risk of rejection may be slightly higher.

Once a piercing starts rejecting there is not much you can do to stop it. What you can do is prevent it!

Express your concerns to your piercer. They will be able to offer you a few tips and help ensure that your piercing does not reject. Some of the most effective tips being:

• Avoid cheap jewelry. The materials used to make cheaper jewelry are known to contain nickel. This includes 316L surgical grade stainless steel, which has been found to contain trace amounts of nickel. Enough to cause a reaction in those who are sensitive.
• Nickel free jewelry materials such as BioFlex/BioPlast, titanium, silver and gold.
• When you get your piercing done, go for a larger gauge size. Small gauge jewelry can actually cut through the skin. Think of a fine piece of string cutting through cheese. This is known as the ‘cheese cutter effect‘.
• Make sure the anchor that goes under your skin is the type that has holes in it. These holes keep the jewelry from just sliding out from its pocket in your skin.

To summarize…

Finger piercings are not practical for everyone. If you work a very physical job where your hands get constant abuse, I really wouldn’t recommend this piercing for you!

For everyone else, this is definitely a piercing you should consider. The unique subtlety of this piercing alone is enough to win me over personally!

There are other types of finger and hand piercings. How would you like for me to tell you about some of the other types in a future post? Leave a comment below to let me know if this sounds interesting to you!

Thanks for reading. I’ve been very busy this week so I do apologize if this article wasn’t quite up to standard

Hannah – founder of Pro Piercing Kits.

You may have seen it before, in fact you probably have! You know Marilyn Monroe’s beauty spot above her top lip, off to the left hand side, yeah, that’s where this piercing lives. On the flip side of the top lip, you have the Madonna piercing.

Being that these piercings are oral (on the mouth) they need to be very well cared for as they are a slightly higher risk of infection than some other piercings. For this reason I have decided to write a guide on Madonna and Monroe piercing aftercare for you guys.

Cleansing Your Monroe Piercing

Keeping your piercing clean is the most important step you can take to helping your piercing heal up quickly and painlessly. You should cleanse your piercing twice daily using one of the methods I will list below.

Use a Piercing Aftercare Solution

There is a massive plethora of high quality professional piercing cleansing products you can buy either at your piercing studio or online. Choosing the right one for you can be confusing, but it doesn’t have to be!

You could either buy a single product or a complete kit. If you have got multiple piercings or intend to get pierced again in the future some time, I would personally recommend you get a kit such as the EasyPiercing Care Kit.

No matter what solution you are using, the method is pretty much the same. You just need to make sure to completely soak the piercing in the solution. Depending on the type of bottle, you could either use a cotton pad to do this or you could apply the solution directly if you are using an aftercare spray or similar.

Use Saline Solution

If you are not able to get hold of a body piercing aftercare product of any kind, the next best thing you could use would be saline solution. There’s a mighty good reason it is so commonly used in hospitals!

This is very simple and convenient as it can be made from just two ingredients that are very easy to get your hands on; rock salt and warm water!

You can do this in 3 stupidly easy steps:

1. Make a saline solution by mixing a quarter of a teaspoon into a cup of warm water.
2. Soak a cotton pad in the solution. Make sure the cotton pad is completely drenched.
3. Use the cotton pad to apply the salty water to your monroe or madonna piercing.
4. You could also swish the remainder of the solution around your mouth to keep the inside of the piercing clean and kill off any bacteria that may be breeding in your mouth.

Alternately you could buy a specially formulated saline solution designed for use on body piercings. Check it out:

Click here t0 read about this super effective professional body piercing saline solution!

Practice Good Oral Hygiene

This is something you should be doing anyway, but always make sure you keep your whole mouth extra clean for the healing period of your monroe piercing.

This should involve brushing your teeth a minimum of twice a day and using alcohol free mouthwash such as Listerine Zero. The mouthwash absolutely must be alcohol free. Alcohol is a strong chemical which can cause severe irritation to new piercings. If you cannot get hold of mouthwash, swish and gargle saline solution (see recipe above).

Be very gentle when you brush the teeth around the area where the piercing is, you don’t want the toothbrush to knock and bash your piercing, this would definitely cause you some pain and discomfort!

If you really want to give your piercing that little bit of extra loving care, invest in an oral piercing mouthwash. I would suggest H2Ocean’s Arctic Blast or Refreshing Lemon Cleansing Mouthwash.

More Tips for a Easy Pain Free Healing Period

Besides keeping your piercing and mouth extremely clean, there are certain other actions you can take to really ensure that your piercing heals up well.

Here are some of my top tips to help you heal:

• Avoid spicy food and alcoholic beverages.
• Avoid swimming in public pools.
• No kissing or oral sexing.
• Eat healthy, exercise and stay hydrated. A healthy body can heal up much quicker. You’de be surprised how much difference this can make!
• Do not use household towels or washcloths to clean or dry your piercings as they can harbour bacteria.
• Refrain from removing or changing your jewelry until your piercing is completely healed. This should take between 6 and 12 weeks.

How to Recognise and Treat Infection

If you get your piercing done professionally and follow all my advice above, your chances of getting an infection are significantly lowered. Although you should always err on the side of caution and keep a close eye on your piercing while it is healing, just to be on the safe side!

Some of the symptoms of infections you should be looking out for are severe redness or swelling, excessive bleeding, severe soreness or funky smelling, off colour discharge.

If you notice any of  these symptoms, make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as you possibly can! Infection is not something that should be taken lightly. Long-term damage can be done to your face and if the infection spreads, it could make you very sick and even end up fatal if you get blood poisoning (septicaemia).

Conclusion

So if you have got or plan on getting a Madonna or Monroe piercing, there are certain things you need to remember in order to prevent infection and heal up as quickly as possible.

The main ones being to keep your piercing clean by thoroughly cleansing it at least twice a day, practising impeccable oral hygiene, not using alcohol to cleanse your piercing and avoiding kissing and oral sex (contact or exchange of bodily fluids).

If you would like fun updates from us occasionally, don’t forget to subscribe. We do not send out emails all that often, unless we have got something interesting to share with you guys!

I would love to hear what you guys want to read about next! Ask me any body piercing related question or whatever else is on your mind. No matter how complicated or stupid you think it sounds. Just leave a little comment below. I get so excited when I see that people have commented on one of my posts!

Thanks for reading. Take care!

Hannah.

Until now piercings have been used for two main reasons, either as part of a tradition or for fashion and style. Although a new discovery which has just been made could actually result in people getting pierced for medical reasons!

I bet you never thought you would hear anyone say that!

Well, a lot of people have gone and got daith piercings done since this discovery was made. Many found that it made a massive difference and they were getting less headaches or migraines. Here are some tweets on this very topic:

first migraine since my daith piercing. wow what a difference it made

— kell (@gotta_love_kell) December 31, 2015

Only the second headache I’ve had since I got my daith pierced

— armybrat Chelsea (@Mixxed_Chelsea) December 24, 2015

Three different people have told me to get a daith piercing because they apparently help with migraines…

— Jodie (@itz_j0di3) December 23, 2015

How is This Even Possible?

You’ve heard of acupuncture, right? If not, let me quickly give you a little explanation of what exactly it is.

Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine which originated from China. It is also becoming very popular in modern society and is still widely used around the world.

The practice involves inserting needles into the skin of the patient to stimulate the nerves. The acupuncture points around your ear correspond to body parts and are said to remedy a number of ailments. Acupuncture is often used to treat pain but is also an effective treatment for many other ailments.

One of the acupuncture points which is used to treat migraines and headaches is the inner ear. The exact position where the daith piercing is placed.

This discovery was made by pain specialist Dr Thomas Cohn.

How to Tell if This Will Work for You

Before you jump for joy and run straight down to your local piercer to get a daith piercing, you need to figure out if this is even going to work on you. Don’t just take my word on it!

First off, you need to find out if acupuncture works on you. Some people do not get relief from their headaches through acupuncture. If you have never had this treatment done before, book yourself an appointment and and see if you get any relief from your headaches or migraines.

Maybe even go for few acupuncture sessions. Try to go along to one while your head is sore and see if it actively helps you feel any better. You could also try massaging your inner ear whilst you are stuck at home with a migraine, if massaging it helps, that is a sign that acupuncture will work!

The rule being that if acupuncture helps your migraines, then getting a daith piercing should be a more permanent solution.

Be Careful Though!

Just because a lot of people are claiming this works, that does not mean it will work for everyone. In fact, for some people there is chance that getting a daith piercing could end up making your migraines worse.

No in depth studies have been done yet so there is no concrete proof that getting daith piercing is going to cure your migraines.

Simon Evans, CEO of Migraine Action warns migraine sufferers to practice great caution until more clinical studies have been carried out. He also stated that those who do go and get the piercing done should continue the treatment they have been prescribed by a medical professional, even if they feel they have been ‘cured’.

In Conclusion

I know it’s exciting to hear that there could be a cure for migraines, but don’t jump straight into getting a daith piercing in the hope that you will be forever cured.

I would strongly suggest that you test the waters first.

Start off my locating the inner ear (shown in the photos above) and massaging the area next time you feel a migraine coming on. If you find relief, you should take the next step; book an appointment with your local acupuncturist and see how you react to having actual needles inserted into your inner ear. Keeping in mind that people do occasionally have adverse reactions to this treatment.

All I’m saying is don’t go and get a daith piercing for the purpose of curing your headaches unless you know for a fact that acupuncture provides you with a significant amount of relief!

Let’s hope we hear more about the daith piercing being the cure for migraines in the future of medical science!

Let me know your opinions on this matter by leaving a comment below.

Also, don’t forget to share this article with your friends.

-Hannah. Founder of Pro Piercing Kits.

A straight barbell is worn between the piercings and secured in place with a ball behind both of the outside holes.

The most common location for this type of piercing is across the top of the ear cartilage. One of the piercings is placed in the helix on the outside of the ear whilst the other is in the anti-helix area. The bar is usually slightly diagonal rather than completely horizontal.

How Much Does the Industrial Piercing Hurt?

When you are planning to get a new piercing, one of the main questions you want answered is just that; “how much will it hurt?”.

To answer your question, the Industrial Piercing will hurt more than a Lobe Piercing. This is due to the fact that the needle goes through cartilage rather than soft skin of the ear lobe or the lip.

The thing is, this questions is very difficult to answer definitively, as it really depends on what your pain tolerance is like.

What are the Risks of the Industrial Piercing?

All Piercings come with their own unique set of risks. Before you go ahead and get an Industrial Piercing done you should know the risks. This will allow you to take the necessary steps to prevent anything from going too wrong when you do get the piercing done.

Industrial Piercing risks are as follows:

• Jewelry may start migrating and get rejected.
• Keloids – A type of scarring which appears as a red bump on the skin. Some people are prone to getting them whilst others are not. They occur when the skin is too thin to heal and as a result ends up scarring. This often happens after an infection.
• Pseudomonas – A bacterial infection which is most often seen on cartilage piercings. Can result in spread of infection, fever and physical deformity of the ear, otherwise known as “cauliflower ear”.

Industrial Piercing Aftercare

In order to prevent infection and the other complications mentioned above, you need to take good care of your piercing whilst it is healing.

Industrial piercings can be a bit awkward to keep clean, due to their placement and the jewelry getting in the way. Although there are ways around this problem. If you know what you are doing, keeping your Industrial piercing clean will be no problem and the healing process will be swift and painless.

The aftercare procedure for the inndustrial piercing is very similar to that of any other cartilage piercing. Although Industrial piercings can be a bit trickier to cleanse as the jewelry tends to get in the way, they can also take longer to heal, up to 24 weeks. You should cleanse twice a day for the entire healing period.

There are two highly effective cleansing methods which can be used on Industrial Piercings:

Cleansing with Piercing Aftercare Solution

One of the most powerful cleansing techniques for your industrial piercing is to use a piercing aftercare solution. I always recommend the EasyPiercing Care Kit, my personal favourite piercing cleansing solution.

This is such a simple way of keeping your piercing clean. All you really need to do is apply the solution straight to the piercing. You could use a cotton pad although you might not even need to if the solution comes in a spray bottle.

Cleansing with Saline Solution

Saline solution, the answer to nearly all piercing problems! One of the best ways to prevent infection and generally just to help your piercing heal up nice and quick.

Let me tell you how to use the Saline Solution method:

1. Stir some sea salt into a cup of luke warm tap water.
2. Saturate a cotton pad (do not use a cotton ball as the fibres may get stuck to your jewelry) in the solution.
3. Apply the soaked pad to your piercing. Be sure to soak the piercing all over.
4. Pat dry with a paper towel.

Here are some more tips:

• Don’t allow shampoo or any other strong chemical products to make contact  with your piercing. If you do accidentally get something on your piercing, wash it out instantly with fresh running water!
• If the piercing is only one side, sleep on the side that is not pierced.
• If you wear a hat, make sure it is a clean one.
• Don’t touch your piercing with unclean hands. Wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap before handling your piercing or jewelry.
• Avoid saunas and swimming pools as they breed bacteria.
• Do not remove or change the jewelry until the piercing is completely healed.
• Do not use strong chemicals such as alcohol, ointments, topical solutions or creams or hydrogen peroxide.

Types of Jewelry for the Industrial Piercing

The most popular type of jewelry to wear in any type of industrial piercing is a standard industrial/scaffolding bar.

Sometimes, during the healing process, a Ball Closure Ring is worn. Although I would not recommend wearing anything other than an industrial bar during the healing process of your piercing. The reason for this is because the piercing will heal up at the wrong angle causing it to become misaligned.

Inserting an industrial bar into holes which are not aligned properly can be painful and may even cause damage to the piercings, which could result in migration, rejection or infection.

You should opt for a scaffolding bar when your piercing is done and not change it until it is fully healed.

>> Check out my collection of Industrial piercing jewelry <<

Styles of Industrial Piercing

As I mentioned before, there are a few different style of Industrial Piercing.

Here are some photos of the most popular types of Industrial Piercing:

The Classic Industrial Piercing

This is the most popular type of Industrial Piercing.

It is located at the top of the ear, between a helix piercing and an anti-helix piercing. Usually it is positioned slightly diagonally, where it is lower on the outer side on the ear.

This piercing looks good with any type of industrial bar in it. You could wear a simple straight barbell or you could be eccentric and wear something dangly! Anything goes with this piercing.

This type of piercing is usually diagonal but can also be positioned perfectly horizontally. It all comes down to personal preference.

The Conch to Tragus Industrial

As the name suggests, this type of industrial piercing connects the Conch to the Tragus. The jewelry goes across the middle of  the ear. The Conch to Tragus is usually at a horizontal angle.

The Tragu piercing and the Concch piercing are both cool looking in their own right. Connect them with one long barbell and it’s bound to look freakin’ awesome!

This is a piercing for those who want something a bit different. People who like to go against the grain and stand out from the crowd.

If you are a music fan and you want this piercing, be prepared to stick to over-the-ears headphones!

The Vertical Industrial Piercing

This is a very intricate looking piercing. The bar actually passes through 3 different hole in your ear from top to bottom!

If you decide to get a Vertical Industrial Piercing done, I would strongly advise you to go to a reputable piercer with lots of experience in industrial piercings, especially the vertical kin. Ask to see their portfolio to check the quality of their work is up to par.

When this piercing is done properly and looked after well, it really is one to be proud of. Even with just a plain straight bar, this piercing looks pretty badass!

You will need to get an extra long barbell to wear in your vertical Industrial, but there is a great deal of beautiful Industrial Piercing jewelry available in various sizes.

To Summarize

The industrial piercing is just perfect for those who like to be a bit different and stand out from the crowd. Just having this piercing will automatically give you an alternative look.

Just makes sure that if you do get this piercing done, get it done professionally and take extra good care of it. That way you will heal up quickly and soon be able to change your jewelry and enjoy your piercing.

I hope you enjoyed reading this article. What other types of Industrial Piercings  do you know of?? Tell us all about it by leaving a comment below.

Never miss a post again! Subscribe to the Pro Piercing Kits newsletter on the right hand side of the page. You will be kept up to date with all the latest piercing trends, news and advice plus all the best deals on body jewelry and piercing equipment.