Frequently Asked Questions:
I just created this section, please allow some time for this to fill up with answers to common questions.
What is your studio's policy on piercing minors?
At 12 Ounce Studios we can perform a lot of piercings on minors! There are no age limits on earlobe piercings but my own personal rule is that the child has to be old enough to actually ask me for the piercing. Otherwise that child is technically not consenting to the piercing and I don't feel comfortable piercing an unwilling client. At 15 years old I can pierce nostrils, navels, and anything in the ear. At 16, I can pierce lips, tongues, eyebrow, septum, and bridge piercings. Everything else, such as surface anchors(proper terminology for "dermals"), surface piercings, and genital work has to wait until they are a legal adult at 18.
We do require paperwork for all minors. We need a photo ID and birth certificate for the minor as well as the parent or legal guardian's photo ID. If it's a legal guardian, we will need guardianship papers.
We do require paperwork for all minors. We need a photo ID and birth certificate for the minor as well as the parent or legal guardian's photo ID. If it's a legal guardian, we will need guardianship papers.
What should I look for when choosing a body piercer?
First thing I would notice would be the studio. Does the studio look clean and well kept? What about their piercing station? The next thing I would look for would be the artist's portfolio. I would hope to see a good variety of well lit and clear photos of many types of well placed piercings. There should also be a good amount of healed piercing photos in there as well, anybody can push a needle through skin and put a piece of jewelry in. It takes a skilled professional to do it safely and properly in order to give that piercing a chance to heal. Next would be the piercer themselves. Are they friendly and well spoken? If you have questions (which you should, asking questions is great!), can they answer them confidently and in full detail? Is the jewelry they're piercing you with made of implant grade materials? If the jewelry has threads, the jewelry should be internally threaded or threadless. Do they have mill certificates to prove that their jewelry is of implant grade quality? If you make it beyond this point and decide to get pierced, when you're sitting down about to get pierced, is the piercer setting up in front of you? Are all of their tools being opened out of sealed sterilization pouches or fresh out of an autoclave (for this option, a bagless autoclave should ideally be in the piercing room)? Are they changing their gloves frequently? Are they explaining your aftercare instructions in detail? These are all important things for a professional body piercer to be doing in order to earn your business. Do not be afraid to ask questions!
Is externally threaded jewelry bad?
The answer here would be yes. First things first is the quality of jewelry. No companies that I have ever seen make standard external threaded jewelry in high quality materials. I've never seen a piece of implant grade standard externally threaded jewelry. Now as far as the threads goes, they damage tissue. Those little threads can be like a saw going through your piercing every time you put the jewelry in and when you remove it. That can absolutely cause unnecessary trauma and irritation. Those threads when going in can also collect body fluid and that harbored bacteria can lead to infections.
The best and safest thread types are internally threaded jewelry and threadless jewelry. I wouldn't wear anything else in my body, and strongly recommend you doing the same. Your body deserves the best!
The best and safest thread types are internally threaded jewelry and threadless jewelry. I wouldn't wear anything else in my body, and strongly recommend you doing the same. Your body deserves the best!
Is it safe to wear acrylic jewelry?
The answer here is a big NO! The problem with acrylic is that it is rated as toxic in it's MSDS sheets. It begins to break down at a temperature that is lower than body temperature (at around 80 degrees if I remember correctly). When the material starts to break down, it releases carcinogens that are as toxic to the body as carbon monoxide. It also contains materials that are known to cause cancer. If acrylic MUST be worn for any reason, it should be worn for a very short amount of time.
Wouldn't it just be easier if I ordered my jewelry online?
The problem with this thought process is that most online retailers sell a LOT of low quality body jewelry. There are a select few websites that retail from reputable companies, but even the most popular sites sell a lot of junk as well. If you would instead go to your local reputable body piercing studio, not only will they be selling you high quality body jewelry made by companies that support the hell out of this industry, you'll also be getting the proper advice from a professional. We can help you pick out a piece of jewelry, make sure its the correct size, tell you the benefits or issues with certain jewelry materials or styles. On top of all that, you'll be helping support your local piercing studio. We really do need to depend on jewelry sales to help keep the doors open. I generally try to tell people to use the online retail websites as a backup plan. If your local studio doesn't have what you need and for some reason won't order it for you, then by all means buy online. Besides, isn't it way more fun to get that instant gratification when you can walk into a studio and walk out with your pretty new jewelry on the spot?
Why are piercing guns so bad?
Where to start on this one? The piercing gun can't be properly sterilized. They are for the most part made of plastic, which can't be run through an autoclave because it would melt. Certain blood borne pathogens can live in dried blood for quite some time, so if these (probably) poorly trained gun piercers don't know how to even properly disinfect their tools in between piercings, it is fairly easy to contract these diseases like hepatitis. To go a little further into the training of these gun piercers, in most cases these people have very little training.
Help! I think my piercing is infected, what do I do??
If you honestly think your piercing is infected, the only thing you should be doing is going to see a doctor! Piercers are not doctors and to be honest with you, we're not even legally allowed to diagnose an infection because that crosses over that line of "practicing medicine without a license". However, infection is a lot more rare than people think. For some unknown reason, as soon as something goes wrong with a piercing, most people's first thought is that it is infected when in reality, a lot of times it is just irritated. Common signs of an infection include fevers, extreme redness around the site and often times red streaks, green or yellow discharge secreting from the wound that has a very foul odor, and the skin is generally very hot to the touch. If you are seeing one or more of those signs, go see your doctor and get yourself some antibiotics. If you're just seeing some slight redness around the piercing and not much more than that, but you're still worried about it, that's when it is time to go to your piercer to check up on it. We can help with irritated piercings, we can not help with infected piercings. Just remember, if all you did was bump or snag the piercing, chances are that isn't going to be causing an infection. Trauma causes irritation, bacteria causes infection.
There is a bubble forming on my piercing, what do I do??
Those bumps form due to some sort of irritation. That irritation could be caused by physical trauma such as bumping it, snagging it, sleeping on it, etc. It could be caused by a more chemical irritation such as harsh aftercares or soaps or also shampoos getting in there and not being thoroughly rinsed off. It could be irritation from low quality jewelry or jewelry that has a damaged surface finish such as a nick that could be irritating it from the inside whenever the jewelry moves. It could also be irritation from poor angles on the piercing. So with all of that information, you should be able to figure out what could possibly be irritating your piercing and just eliminate that cause and that bump should go away with your standard saline soaks!
My friend told me that surface piercings grow out all the time, is that true?
Surface piercings do in fact grow out all the time, but not for the reason you're probably thinking. The main reason that surface piercings collectively have a low success rate is because the vast majority of body piercers do them incorrectly. Sadly, the most common methods for surface piercings include taking a straight barbell and bending the ends up and calling that a surface bar. Another common method is using a flexible barbell because "it moves with the body" which sounds great in theory, but not in reality. The only proper way to perform a surface piercing with with an actual surface bar, which is a barbell with 90 degree bends on it with very small rises (the part of the jewelry that sticks up through the skin). Recently some of the high end body jewelry companies have also designed a new surface bar that is actually flat and not round. I have found these to be the best design ever made for surface piercings. But to go back to the original question, yes they grow out often because they're often times done incorrectly. When done properly, surface piercings can absolutely have a high success rate, even long term. There is no reason that a surface piercing is supposed to grow out. If it happens, it happens, but you shouldn't have to expect it to. And just because it happened to your friend, does not mean it will happen to you. Also, they're not called surface piercings because they're supposed to "surface". That is not how they got their name, that is just a rumor started by (I'm assuming) lower quality body piercers to justify their low success rate.
How do I go about stretching my ears?
Here is the ear stretching guide I wrote for the Ask A Professional Piercer group on Facebook.
Written by AJ Goldman - 12 Ounce Studios - www.PiercingsByAJ.com
and Sarah Wooten - Immaculate Piercing - www.ImmaculatePiercing.com
Here is a little guide to help you along while stretching your piercings. The majority of these tips will especially help while stretching earlobes in particular, and the advice or time frames may be different for different piercings. This guide is a collection of suggestions from reputable body piercers, this should not be construed as, or used as a substitution for, medical advice. Things may be different in your circumstance because everyone's body is different!
First things first is jewelry quality. Stick with implant grade materials such as 316LVM ASTM F-138 steel or ASTM F-136 titanium, glass, and also certain stones have proven to be safe to stretch with. Avoid lower quality metals (especially ones sold in common mall chain stores), avoid stretching or even wearing acrylic jewelry, avoid stretching with organics such as woods, and avoid stretching with silicone! All jewelry for initial stretches should be single flared or no flared. DON'T STRETCH WITH DOUBLE FLARED JEWELRY!!
Second thing would be time frame in between stretches because so many people get this part wrong. We generally recommend waiting a minimum of 6-8 weeks in between each stretch although you might find yourself having to wait 3 months or longer. The big thing here is to listen to your body. If you're noticing pain or any sort of bleeding, you're stretching too quickly. If this happens, stop, downsize to your previous size and just wait longer.
A common mistake when stretching is the use of tapers. You shouldn't need tapers to stretch your earlobes so avoid stretching kits, chances are they're coming with low quality jewelry anyway. Tapers are a tool used by professional body piercers to assist with jewelry insertions. Stretching piercings at home with tapers can often lead to stretching too quickly which will likely cause tearing, excess scar tissue and/or blowouts. Also, keep in mind that tapers are not jewelry. Wearing a taper as a piece of jewelry will cause a lot of pressure on the back and bottom of your lobe and can cause it to thin out.
Another method for stretching would be the "taping" method. This method involves wrapping a thin layer of PTFE or bondage tape around the jewelry every so often to help slowly increase the size of the jewelry and thus, your piercing. In most cases, this can be completely unnecessary and should be avoided. There is no known documentation that states that any type of tape is safe to be worn inside of the body. It should also be noted that using any sort of tape as a method of stretching is going against manufacturer’s instructions.
Some tips along the way include frequent massaging. When your piercing has healed enough after your most recent stretch to the point where you can comfortably remove your jewelry for at least a few minutes at a time, it is greatly beneficial to gently massage the tissue. Holey Butt’r is a great product to use for massaging. Other alternatives would be jojoba oil, coconut oil, etc. Be sure to avoid oils which you may have an allergy to. If you are unsure, consult with your doctor or dermatologist before using any of these products. Massaging works so well because it helps increase blood flow to the area and helps promote new cell growth. Another great tip is to not be afraid to purposely downsize. Although you're probably eager to get to your goal size, downsizing can be a great option to keep your lobes thick and healthy. Once the piercing is healed, wearing heavier jewelry such as stone or glass plugs can also help the stretching process. However, it should also be noted that wearing heavier hanging jewelry can lead to uneven stretching or thinning of the tissue at the bottom of the lobe.
Overall, the best method for stretching we've found is time. The longer you wait in between stretches, the easier it should be and the healthier your piercings will be in the long run. Stretching should be a long and slow process. Enjoy the ride, no need to rush. Each size has its benefits and different types of jewelry selections. If you should have any questions regarding stretching your piercing, feel free to ask in this group or of course you could ask your local reputable body piercer. https://www.facebook.com/groups/AskAProfessionalPiercer
Written by AJ Goldman - 12 Ounce Studios - www.PiercingsByAJ.com
and Sarah Wooten - Immaculate Piercing - www.ImmaculatePiercing.com
Here is a little guide to help you along while stretching your piercings. The majority of these tips will especially help while stretching earlobes in particular, and the advice or time frames may be different for different piercings. This guide is a collection of suggestions from reputable body piercers, this should not be construed as, or used as a substitution for, medical advice. Things may be different in your circumstance because everyone's body is different!
First things first is jewelry quality. Stick with implant grade materials such as 316LVM ASTM F-138 steel or ASTM F-136 titanium, glass, and also certain stones have proven to be safe to stretch with. Avoid lower quality metals (especially ones sold in common mall chain stores), avoid stretching or even wearing acrylic jewelry, avoid stretching with organics such as woods, and avoid stretching with silicone! All jewelry for initial stretches should be single flared or no flared. DON'T STRETCH WITH DOUBLE FLARED JEWELRY!!
Second thing would be time frame in between stretches because so many people get this part wrong. We generally recommend waiting a minimum of 6-8 weeks in between each stretch although you might find yourself having to wait 3 months or longer. The big thing here is to listen to your body. If you're noticing pain or any sort of bleeding, you're stretching too quickly. If this happens, stop, downsize to your previous size and just wait longer.
A common mistake when stretching is the use of tapers. You shouldn't need tapers to stretch your earlobes so avoid stretching kits, chances are they're coming with low quality jewelry anyway. Tapers are a tool used by professional body piercers to assist with jewelry insertions. Stretching piercings at home with tapers can often lead to stretching too quickly which will likely cause tearing, excess scar tissue and/or blowouts. Also, keep in mind that tapers are not jewelry. Wearing a taper as a piece of jewelry will cause a lot of pressure on the back and bottom of your lobe and can cause it to thin out.
Another method for stretching would be the "taping" method. This method involves wrapping a thin layer of PTFE or bondage tape around the jewelry every so often to help slowly increase the size of the jewelry and thus, your piercing. In most cases, this can be completely unnecessary and should be avoided. There is no known documentation that states that any type of tape is safe to be worn inside of the body. It should also be noted that using any sort of tape as a method of stretching is going against manufacturer’s instructions.
Some tips along the way include frequent massaging. When your piercing has healed enough after your most recent stretch to the point where you can comfortably remove your jewelry for at least a few minutes at a time, it is greatly beneficial to gently massage the tissue. Holey Butt’r is a great product to use for massaging. Other alternatives would be jojoba oil, coconut oil, etc. Be sure to avoid oils which you may have an allergy to. If you are unsure, consult with your doctor or dermatologist before using any of these products. Massaging works so well because it helps increase blood flow to the area and helps promote new cell growth. Another great tip is to not be afraid to purposely downsize. Although you're probably eager to get to your goal size, downsizing can be a great option to keep your lobes thick and healthy. Once the piercing is healed, wearing heavier jewelry such as stone or glass plugs can also help the stretching process. However, it should also be noted that wearing heavier hanging jewelry can lead to uneven stretching or thinning of the tissue at the bottom of the lobe.
Overall, the best method for stretching we've found is time. The longer you wait in between stretches, the easier it should be and the healthier your piercings will be in the long run. Stretching should be a long and slow process. Enjoy the ride, no need to rush. Each size has its benefits and different types of jewelry selections. If you should have any questions regarding stretching your piercing, feel free to ask in this group or of course you could ask your local reputable body piercer. https://www.facebook.com/groups/AskAProfessionalPiercer