Ask me a question about body piercing
 

Go on--you know you're curious! I put this in the health forum, because body piercing does have some consequences in relation to the body and the health.

For instance, did you know that piercing guns are NOT recommended for health and happiness of the piercing by most people who are informed? That's because the guns cannot be properly sterilized, the clerks not well trained in infection control; also those guns were designed for cattle tagging, and inflict blunt trauma on your flesh; plus the jewelry is poorly designed for healing and usually of inferior quality.

You're probably okay if you just get a lobe gunned, but for anything else, make sure you find a properly trained piercer who uses a needle.

Can you have a Prince Albert in your can?

Do you find piercings attractive?

The question is.....once it's in ....can you get it back out again?

edit: PS> i think that's the raunchiest thing i've ever seen from HMonkey

yes, I find piercings attractive, particularly well done piercings sized appropriately and accenting an attractive body part.

In fact, I personally am not very attracted to plainskins anymore. Gotta have the metal!

Sure, you could put your PA in a can . . . why would you want to?

:)

Maybe it's a can of Crisco.

Do you know where to get nose bones that are all gold, not just gold ends on a goldplated post?

ah, well then.

Here are the best sources for gold body jewelry:

http://www.bodycircle.com/

http://www.bodyvision.net/

http://www.claytonlimited.com/

Nose bones are evil, though--screws are better--which may be why they're not readily available.

Plated jewelry should never be put in piercings for any reason. If you are concerned about sensitivity to metal, titanium is a great option.

Yeah, none of those places even had them.... thanks though :rolleyes:

How 'bout a nice screw that your piercer will custom-bend for you? No need to rip your nose up removing it, either.

We are talking about piercing, right? :lol:

I don't even want to know where your mind went just then.

:p

I really prefer the bone, I just can't find one that's all gold.

looooves the bone

what, no "Does it hurt?" or "why would you do that to yourself" or "is it true having a piercing makes sex better?" or "does the hole go all the way through?" or "I'm interested in piercing but am I too old?"

Here are stupid/funny answers to the stock questions:

http://bodyart.xiaan.com/thelist.html

but I'd rather have genuine questions!

I just can't resist the dual combo of a bad pun and a reference to an extremely retro joke.

Piercings and tats fall into the category of "If you have to ask, you wouldn't understand". I like both piercings and tats. To each his own I say. Personally I am not real big on anything on the face because I think it is a block to the conduct of normal business and everyday interactions with the general public.

Cloud, do you have pictures of your piercings? (assuming worksafe locations here...)

Also, how can you tell which shops are better to go to for piercings? I don't really know what to look for except, you know, no obvious rats or anything...

Try to find a master piercer. A lot of tat shops do them but I would choose very carefully. There should be some references on the web. I imagine that their is an organization you could reference. I would travel what ever distance possible to go to the right person.

how to find a good piercer: of critical importance, really--there are an awful lot of bad hacks out there. Try to find the most experienced piercer you can, even if you have to travel--The Mercenary is on the right track here.

There are 2 things to look for: 1) a clean shop which follows local rules and proper sterilization techniques; and 2) a really good, experienced piercer who knows what they are doing.

How do you determine this? You ask questions. You go in first for a consultation and ask to see their sterilization procedures, the piercer's portfolio of piercings. How are you treated? Is the shop professional? What is their aftercare routine? (If they say, Bactine, alcohol, Dial soap, or antibiotic ointment--run).

The more adept and experienced a piercer is, the faster and surer your piercing will be. This mean--less pain!

As far as "master" piercers--there are really only a few real ones, designated as such by the old Gauntlet shop. The only other professional designation to look for is an Association of Professional Piercers shop (in the US). This means that the shop conforms to VERY rigid layout and sterilization techniques put forth by that organization. This does NOT refer to the skill of the individual piercer, though.

Here's a link to the APP--lots of really, really good info here, like--how to choose a piercer, what to look for in jewelry, up-to-date aftercare, etc. www.safepiercing.org

As for pictures--most of my piercings are NOT worksafe, 'cause, well--I'm an old lady, and like most older people, most of my piercings are hidden by clothing (the opposite of younger people, who tend to have lots of facial piercings), but here's one I can share:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...b/000_0047.jpg

Cloud, we have all but a few of the complete series of PFIQ mags. That is when we got into it. Long before it has become mainstream.

lucky you! I have been lucky enough to meet Jim Ward and see his collection of PFIQ and other stuff from the early Gauntlet.

We never met him but did meet the folks down in the LA shop once. We went there in 1985. Followed Jim and the group for a long time. Long before any of this ever became mainstream.

Cool. Have you read Jim Ward's articles on BME about the early Gauntlet? Very interesting.

Were they in PFIQ? I do recall some stuff about how the shops came to being and when they moved to LA it was their first branch out from SF.

not safe for . . . leisure suits?

No, they are new--written within the last 5 years or so. Essential reading for anyone interested in the modern body piercing movement. Includes very enlightening discussion of Doug Malloy, and the origin of some of the more popular (and false) myths about the history of piercing (e.g., Roman Centurions had nipple rings to hold their cloaks). Here:

http://www.bmezine.com/news/jimward-all.html

BME's whole site is NSFW, and very squicky,so be warned.

Very cool! I remember Doug Malloy. There were a few other names who were earlier apprentaces.

Interesting new form of discrimination.

I don't get self mutilation for the sake of fashion.

Or the regular kind.

I don't think an individual's personal preferences as to what attracts them is discrimination. Refusing to be waited upon or refusing to hire a person with piercings is, though.

Furthermore, "mutilation" is a loaded word, and I certainly don't view my body art as such. However, Western thought does generally view permanent alteration meant to be viewed (as opposed to permanent alteration meant to be hidden, such as plastic surgery) as mutilation, and there are very good historical and philosophical antecedents to this; i.e., the greek ideal of bodily perfection, medieval attitudes toward the body, Cartesian philosophy, etc.

I think and hope this antiquated viewpoint is changing, and I would urge you to open your mind a little bit. Most people who are heavily involved in this practice (including me) view it as celebrating and decorating the body, infusing it with personal meaning, rather than the self-harm the term "mutilation" connotes.

If you have a question, I'll be happy to try to answer it. You don't really have to "get it" though--it's not for everyone, that's for sure!

I've only been intimate with one person with piercings (1 mouth, 1 genital - some others I think but those were the ones relevant to this response). I found it very intrusive and it coloured my experience with them.

Whenever I think about that person and the clicky sensation on my teeth it makes me squirm a little.

Not for me.

It is not discrimination to decline to hire someone who does not meet basic business appearance standards. If corporate policy is business attire or business casual, and you show up for an interview in ripped jeans in a tee shirt, don't be surprised when you aren't hired, even if your resume is an exact fit for the job.

Sure, employers have the right to hire who they want, unless they discriminate against a class of people protected by law (which of course piercees are not). That doesn't mean there isn't discrimination going on, or that piercees don't feel discriminated against.

Believe me, I am very well acquainted with the tension between the desire for body art and the need for gainful employment, but that's not really why I posted this thread.

I'm hoping to reach out to people who are curious about piercings, but have no one to ask.

Did you have a question for me?

I have a question, but I'm refraining from posting it because I'm quite sure it's outside the strict boundaries about what you think people should be allowed to contribute to your thread.

reeeowr!

If you have a question about body piercing that you are uncomfortable talking about in the public forum, that's fine--feel free to PM me.

If you get your lip pierced and remove the jewelry can you spurt water through the pierce hole?

I always wondered.

yes, you can, if the labret hole is positioned just right and large enough.

You can put cocktail swords through your nose, too (if your septum is pierced large enough). Great fun at parties. ;)

you can even hold up your stockings if you are pierced just right!

A friend had trouble with a clit piercing....alternating pain and numbness. I theorized the numbness came from sensory overload, piercing such a nerve center.
Heard of girls having trouble with this particular pierce?

Most piercings which are described as "clit" piercings are actually piercings through the hood covering the clitoris; either vertically (a VCH) or horizontally (the HCH). This is a thin membrane which pierces with little pain and heals relatively quickly. The jewelry is (hopefully) positioned to increase sensation on the clit.

Actual clit piercings are rare, as most piercers are reluctant to pierce through such a sensitive area for fear of the kind of damage you describe. Sometimes a change in jewelry size or shape can alleviate the problem.

Yeah, I was shocked it wasn't a hood piercing. She's removed it entirely but still has some "flashbacks" for lack of a better word. It's been out a month now, we'll see what happens.

talk about your utilitarian piercings:

I'm not going to hesitate a guess as to whether there might be any lasting damage. Hope not!

Have you offered to rub something on it?

[TSA]OK, sir, just step through the metal detector . . . [/TSA]

Well, the second pic isn't too utilitarian. That takes a great deal of courage and patience to achieve, especially because anything like that is ephemeral--not meant to be permanent.

I find it rather beautiful.

utilitarian in that he can create his own electricity by rotating rapidly between two large copper brushes.

actually, i only meant to upload the first one. i think the second one looks cool. i wouldnt say beautiful, but...im a dude. so... ok. ....the end.