Facial Piercings
88
Facial piercings have been very popular throughout the years and throughout history, including both primitive and modern cultures. Tribes once used body modifications as a rite of passage. They preformed various brandings, scarrings, and piercings.
Tribes pierced the lips of women before marriage, and stretched the piercing to mark the times. They pierced the cheeks of tribe members, and wore bars connecting the piercings.
Nose piercings began 4,000 years ago in Middle East as they were thought to make childbirth easier due to the placement of the female reproductive organs. Rebekah, in Genesis was, even, given the gift of a nose ring. In many cases, in history, facial piercings were the mark of higher rank in society.
Today, we still see these piercings amongst our culture, as well as many other facial piercings. Facial piercings, as well as other body piercings serve as a mere aesthetic purpose.
Piercers of today, do not fall for historic guidelines, but instead, the thinking is rather "if it protrudes, it can be pierced." If you are thinking about getting some facial piercing, you need to think about healing, as it takes greater care in healing a facial piercing, as for the most part, the face is a flat surface. Plus, the face has several vital areas to which blood travels, so you want to watch healing and infections, as well as rejection and migration.
Because modern society is not like the tribes who practiced face piercings, you will want to consider many things if you decide to get a facial piercing. Consider your job, as most jobs will not allow facial piercings; consider what happens if it gets infected and you have a scar on your face; and consider every possible disadvantage before you get the piercing.
Various Facial Piercing Placements
Labret- Placed below the lip. Usually centered in the face, but can be off-center as well.
Vertical labret- Pierced vertically through the center of the lip.
Lip- Pierced directly below the lip. Can be centered or off centered. Usually worn with a CBR.
Monroe- Placed to appear as a birthmark, it is usually on the upper lip diagonal the nose. Named after the famous Marilyn Monroe.
Cheeks- Two piercings on either side of the face, to resemble dimples
Septum- Also known as an Earl; piercing directly through the septum of the nose. Usually worn with a CBR or horseshoe.
Nose- Jewelry is placed through the nostrils on either or both sides of the nose. Can be worn with a small CBR or nose screws.
Eyebrow- Piercing can be horizontal, but usually vertical. It's placed on the eyebrow.
Bridge- Pierced through the top of the nose between the eyes.
Healing facial piercings
Healing facial piercings is similar to healing other body piercings. You should use a saline solution or a mild sea salt solution, which consists of 1 teaspoon of sea salt and 6 ounces of water.
Clean the piercing itself, as well as around it with the saline or sea salt solution at least twice a day.
Soak a cotton ball or Q-Tip to clean the piercing. Do not use a towel.
You should, also, clean the piercing daily when in the shower. Gently rub a mild soap on and around the piercing. Push the jewelry in and out of the piercing, letting the soap clean the inside as well as the outside. Rinse the piercing thoroughly, as you do NOT want to have soap left on the piercing to dry. This will severely irritate the piercing, raising rejection rates and causing them to soar.
Do NOT fiddle with the piercing any other time than when cleaning it. Playing with the jewelry will cause irritation and possible migration.
Healing Expectancy
Although the healing time for the different facial piercings will vary according to each person and each person's body. Healing time is, also, affected by your conscious effort to clean and take care of the piercing.
On average, the following piercings heal at an average rate of:
- Nostril (Nose)- 6 weeks to 6 months
- Septum- 8 weeks to 6 months
- Eyebrow- 6 weeks to 6 months
- Bridge- 10 weeks to 12 months
- Labret- 6 to 8 weeks
- Lip- 6 to 8 weeks
- Cheeks- 6 weeks to 6 months
Mouth Piercings
Piercings of the mouth can also be considered facial piercings. These piercings include the tongue, tongue web (frowny), and upper web (smiley).
Mouth piercings are, actually, a very old piercing, dating back to the Aztec and Mayan cultures. Although, there is not any evidence of the people keeping permanent rings, or jewelry, through the piercings, the pictures show priests piercing tongues and drawing blood from the holes.
Mouth piercings are easy to heal as the saliva in our mouths carry strong bacteria that heal wounds quickly. But, even still you need to practice safe piercing aftercare.
To heal a mouth piercing, you can gurgle with an alcohol free antiseptic mouthwash. Healing time it usually 4-6 weeks.
Tongue Jewelry
|
BUYERS CHOICE Tongue & Belly rings BODY JEWELRY L@@K!!!
Current Bid: $8.99
|
|
Wholesale Lot of 100 Acrylic 6mm 14g Tongue Ring Balls
Current Bid: $7.85
|
|
100 Tongue Rings No Duplicates & Fast Shipping!
Current Bid: $14.98
|
Labret Jewelry
|
Lot of 20 Labret Studs 16g 3/8" rings chin monroe
Current Bid: $9.99
|
|
Butterfly 14k Gold Tragus Labret Lip Ring Stud 16G
Current Bid: $6.64
|
|
Labret Lip Monroe Chin Rings Bars Stud Ear 16g Lot ^AUD
Current Bid: $6.19
|
Piercing Retainers
|
Nose Stud Ring Clear Retainer Hide Piercing LOT OF 5
Current Bid: $2.75
|
|
4 Clear Labret Lip Ring Retainers 16g (piercing monroe)
Current Bid: $6.64
|
|
NEW 5 Clear nose studs ring/retainers hide ur piercing
Current Bid: $3.25
|
|
Lot 10 Eyebrow Jewelry Retainers Hide Piercing 14G NEW
Current Bid: $8.99
|
Jobs and Piercings
When you decide to get a piercing, much less one that is visible, you need to think of everything.
If you are currently employed, how will your employer feel about your new lip piercing or tongue piercing?
If you are employed, but looking for a job. Having a visible piercing may inhibit your ability at finding a job.
In many cases, businesses will not hire people with visible facial or mouth piercings. In other cases, the piercings must be removed when on the job. In this case, are you willing to take out your piercing?
You shouldn't remove the jewelry unless the piercing is healed. How will you be able to put in a retainer if it's not recommended to even remove the jewelry the piercing was pierced with?
Sometimes, you can find a job with a visible facial piercing. You just have to be looking in the right spot and hope that it's a job that you enjoy. Because is a piercing really worth not being able to work?
I'm not saying not to get a visible piercing. You just need to think about how it will affect your employment and life before deciding to get it.
Tongue Piercing
Pictures can be found at flickr.com.
PrintShare it! — Rate it: up down flag this hub
Comments
Thanks... Hopefully your friend will find some decision making thoughts in this hub. My thought process on facial piercings is that I'd love to have a vertical labret, snake bites, or even the monroe, but with I worry about finding a job with facial piercings. Sometimes, you just have to take the plunge and do it... And put a retainer in the piercing after healing.
Thanks again;)
uaoooooo, it's a bestial
hey i got my nose pierced in the middle of june of this year.... so i have had it for a while. It had healed and everything and then i changed my ring about 3 months later, then it got irritated. so i put my old ring back in and then let it heal again. after that i changed it to a smaller ring, by accident, i didnt realize what woudl happened, it was irritating it so i took it out... unfortunately i couldnt get my original larger gauged screw on stud thing...hah... back in. so i just pushed through the skin and it's back in. It has been about a month since that has happened, it hasnt fully healed yet, and now there is a red bubble thing on the surface of my nose where the hole is. WHAT DO I DO?! i really hope it isnt permanent or leaves a scar, and i have been cleaning it with dial every other day. it just wont heal i dont know what to do =(
You definately irritated the piercing by changing the jewelry so much, especially changing out guages. When you change jewelry in any piercing you must give the piercing time to adjust to the new jewelry before switching out jewelry again, as this will cause irritation.
I would suggest cleaning it with a saline solution daily for 5-10 minutes. The red bubble, will take time to go away. I've had this happen with my industrial and conch piercings. You can try to pop the bubble, to release the pressure and blood; if you choose to do this, use a sterilized needle.
I'm not 100% as to whether it will scar, but with any piercing you risk the chance of a scar, especially when you have complications. My industrial piercing did scar.
From what you've described, I wouldn't say that the bubble is a keloid, but it is possible; in this case a keloid is raised scar tissue. Does the bubble hurt? If not, then it is more than likely a keloid scar. You can try lavender oil, teatree oil, potassium carbonate/ hydrogen peroxide paste (baking soda and hydrogen peroxide will do).
I've always been scared to get a piercing . I just don't have the gutts. =/ I guess.
no the bubble hurts. eh. do you think its the metal? because i had them cut it shorter because it was popping out of my nose, and they left a dent in where the top part is where the diamond part is. i was thinking about going to the place i got it pierced and getting a new one?
Alright, as I do not want to give you incorrect info, I call for reinforcements... My boyfriend's a body piercer.
He said to saline top and bottom with a Q-Tip to get the crusties off. Dial in the shower. Make sure to wash your hands first before cleaning. Don't over clean.
He said that as for the type of metal, it could have been the type of metal in the second piece of jewelry that you put in the piercing could have irritated the piercing. You should make sure to use 316L surgical stainless steel
He strongly emphasized that you should NOT buy jewelry from the following places or places like them: Claire's (Icing), Wal-Mart, Limited Too, Piercing Pagoda, or any Kiosk in a mall. Places that are not specialized in body jewelry purchase their jewelry from companies that mass produced and sometimes has more impurities and fillers in the metal.
Basically, the rule of thumb is that if you pay $2.00 for a nose ring, you're getting $2.00 worth of nose ring.
If the bump is still there in a month, go to a tattoo shop and speak to a body piercer. Which means not the mall. Doctors generally do not have the proper info about piercings and the general care. Don't take out the jewelry because you can trap any infection in your nose.
If you are able to heal the piercing, and put in new jewerly, remember to give proper adjustment time. When you changed back to the original jewelry the first time, you created more irritation than you initially started with.
thank you so much! so i should buy my noserings and stuff at the place i got my piercing at... it was a professional piercing place too so thats a good thing. but thank you!!!
Oh, so it's the bubble that hurts. sorry! check out my new hub!
Ear piercing is fine but at other places on your face?Sounds scary.Thanks for sharing this info.
Great!
Jules: Yes it's best to buy body jewelry at tattoo shops, or other businesses that specialize in body jewelry.
Yes, it does help that you went to a body piercer and not the mall. Malls use guns on noses, which is the first mistake in those cases.
mmkay here is an update, when i was cleaning my nose this morninging i dried it off witha q-tip and im pretty sure puss came out of the bubble, but the puss is not visible from the outside. its just really red and it still hurts. so should i do the same thing with the saline soak and the dial soap?
In tattoo shops, the piercer is often an afterthought and therefore services may not be as good...
Thanks alot for the mentions of septum and monroe piercings. They're the two I want first ^_^
Jules: Continue cleaning wit hthe dial and saline. The saline will help with the infection. And, if it's still red and such in a month go back to your piercer. He will be able to look at it and give you a better solution.
Apae- Yes, if you are going to a tattoo shop for a tattoo, you probably won't be thinking about a piercing, unless you talk to the piercer, but many people go to tattoo shops for the piercer. My first time in a tattoo shop was to speak to the peircer about a few ear piercings, which progressed to other piercings. I spent hours upon hours in a tattoo shop before I ever got my first tattoo. But, in any sense a body piercer at a tattoo shop is a better bet than an employee at the mall.
I can't help but agree when you put it that way. As far as I know, there are no tattooists in town so I wouldn't know, and I'll have to travel to get anything more than my eras or my nose done.
I have found that in my area there are only a few truly good piercers. I've only used two, as my normal piercer was on vacation when I wanted my inner conches, and let's say the guy I tried really messed up my left one. It's healing, but he did not properly follow through with the needle in the back of my left one. Although, I have not used the other reputable piercer in my area, I know many people who have used him, and he as a rather large reputation in my town.
I would definately suggest the travel, if you want your septum and monroe.
i had a monroe piercing for a few years before deciding to take it out. Now i have a visable hole in my face from the piercing and was wondering if you know of any options to get the hole filled as im currently training to become an actor and the hole on my face is not ideal!
Maya: Honestly, I am not sure what you could do to get rid of the hole. My boyfriend has the same problem with his labret that he had for about 3 years or so. You may be able to try mederma, as it is essentially a scar.
Disregard what I just said. I asked my boyfriend, who's a body piercer, and he said that the tissues in your lip will heal and close but the skin on the outside of the lip will not completely close. It may diminish overtime, but it may not close completely. Because at that point it's a scar, to which mederma may help. Make up's your best best though.
i just got my industrial done yesterday. but, the guy didn't tell me how to clean it. can you help me?
Sure can, industrial piercings are my favorite ear piercings; just wish my upper cartlage was thick enough to heal the piercing. I've had mine pierced twice because of it, and sadly had to retire the piercing all together. Saline on a Q-Tip., gently rub around the piercing to get lymph (crusties) from around the piercing. You can wash it in the shower with a gentle soap. Make sure to rinse thoroughly as not to leave soap in or around the piercing, as this can cause other concerns. Don't get hairspray, gel, or other products on the new piercing. Treat it as any other piercing... With care.
me and my mom have been fighting about me getting snake bites forever
and i want them so bad, i have for a long time now too
but she thinks im going to get some god job and they wont hire me because of it, and to be honest i really dont care
to me it feels like shes limiting me to be what she wants me to be
i hate it
my mom says there are no good jobs that allow me to have facial piercings
but i know there are
i just dont know which ones are or where to look
my mom over-reacts i think
i just hate it
my mom always thinks i have some hidden talent that will be found
and im gonna be turned down cause of it
to be honest
im really here for some help to improve my arguement
and if i do get them
is there any good way i can keep them there but hide them at the same time without using bandaids?
Troy- To be honest. Your mom is right. No "good" jobs allow facial piercings. I have worked at one retail store that allowed it, but ONLY because the manager didn't care. But when the higher up managers came down, all facial piercings had to be removed. I do love snake bites, but when it comes to a job, you're probably not going to get a good one with them.
As for how to cover them, once they are 100% healed, you can remove them and use clear plastic retainers. My boyfriend used to just remove the ball from the outside of his labret when he was working; and although you can see a little bit of the screw from the stud, his employer didn't mind it as much. He was a pizza delivery person.
Business rules as I know them.. Generally speaking are this: corporate (lawyers, doctors, desk jobs)- men 0 ear piercings, females 2, no other visible piercings and no visible tattoos; retail- 1-2 ear piercings men and women, no other visible piercings or tattoos. I'm not sure about restraunts, but I would assume them to be the same. I know that cooks cannot have tongue rings (which is considered a facial piercing.)
If you go to an interview with the jewelry in, you will more than likely be turned down, as in most cases it is policy for no facial piercings. If you have an excellent resume and contacts, they may give you a chance and say to remove them when on the job. I would just recommend not wearing the jewelry in while at an interview or on the job.
You need to remember that labret piercings such as snake bites can cause serious damage to your gums, which will not regenerate.
Places that I know of that will allow visible piercings include tattoo shops, alternative stores (hot topic, spencers, pac sun), and porn stores.
thank you so much
you have given me alot of insight that can help me
even though its not the answer i was hoping
even though it never is for anyone
thank you once again
and i take good care of my mouth
so with the gum issue, would it help if i used rings instead of stubs?
thank you though for all the help
this sucks too cause i have wanted snake bites since i was 8
im 16 now
i dont have any piercings either
so this really bums me out
:[
I have never had a tattoo or a piercing but i will consider to have one in the future.Thanks for sharing these informations,DrPc-Global, The Global Computer Support System
Troy- gum recession will occur whether you wear rings or studs because there will be constant rubbing on the gums, which will irritate them ino receeding. And once they receed all the way, gum tissue does not grow back.
oh
well
i still think my mom is over reacting
lol
Understandable, but don't deny the truths because of something that you want. You must weigh the pros and cons equally.
true
but i feel like its never in my favor
That happens sometimes. If you're looking for a piercing, find something that will work with a job and whatnot. I would recommend something hidden or one lobe piercing per ear.
what kind of job would you chose?
As a minor with facial piercings? I would possible try some sort of retail job. But, most will have a problem with the piercings, and will be under the impression that there are TONS of kids that they could hire, so they'll probably look around for one without visible piercings.
As, an adult, I wouldn't get visible piercings (other than ears) unless I owned my own business, was a writer by profession, or was able to make my own rules.
I will admit I have 10 current piercings, 8 are visible, with plans for 2 more visible piercings, but they're on my ears, and when I have a job, my hair is long enough to cover them, or I remove them for the day, replacing jewelry with retainers.
ohh
where are all your piercings at?
Currently just navel. I have top and bottom pierced. I have a few others I'm soon to get, though.
like what?
They're not facial piercings, so I'd rather not discuss them here. :-)
Hey! so i am the girl above with the nose piercing that was infected. but anyway it cleared up and it was good. and then it got irritated..AGAIN! so i went to a local piercing shop and asked them if it was the metal or something. they said it could be and that it was just irritation. they replaced my nose screw with a titanium nose screw, ever since i have gotten my nose screw (2 weeks ago) it has been SO SO SO SO SO SORE! and near the piercing around the skin of my nose is turning PURPLE and its just so sore when i twist it while cleaning it and everything.
i am going back to the piercing shop tomorrow. i just dont know what is happening!! do you know what is happening? im just so sick of having to deal with my nose hurting 24/7. its way cute, but i dont know if it is worth it anymore.. =(
Your body may be rejecting the piercing. Some people's body's reject certain piercings, as you must remember it is a foreign object in your body. Other than that, if it's not the metal, I'm not sure. You're piercer should be able to better diagnose it for you. Maybe consider gold jewelry.
Dont do it. I have my lip pierced twice and its a horrible idea i got fired because of it and no one will hire me because of it. I am sueing because that is discrimination. I have been out of work for almost 4 months now. I love my piercings i wont take them out. all depends on how bad you want the job. I have 23 piercings 21 on my ears, soon im going to get my toung done. As soon as we get a hot topic im working there.
Barbara
I don't know legalities of things, but I don't think you have a right to sue, as I'm sure it's company policy against facial piercings versus discrimination. Did the company warn you or give you the option to continue working as long as you remove the jewelry while at work? If they did both or either of those, I don't think you have a leg to stand on.
I'm 13 and I really want my Conch pierced, my mom knows me well so she knows that I love piercings and tattoos. so my questions are about how long does it take to heal, what should I do if it gets infected, how bad does it hurt when it is being pierced, and any other important things you think i should know befor I get it pierced. Also, is there a certian you have to be atleased to get it pierced?
As for healing, it really depends on your body. I have both my inner conches, and have had them for about a year, neither are fully healed. But, as for any cartlidge piercing it can take a minimum of 6-9 months or longer. If it gets infected you should go to the body piercer who pierced it for you. Cartlidge piercings are one of the worst to heal because there is very little blood flow. There is some complication with them. I personally, cannot heal upper cartlidge piercings, which is why I opted for the inner conch. I tried twice for my industrial with no success.
The pain, depends on your pain threshold. For me it hurt, but wasn't the worst of my piercings. Piercing ages depend by state.
If you can go to a tattoo shop and get a piercing with parent permission, then you should be able to get it. Most states are aged 18 regardless of parent permission. Some are 16 with parent permission. I'm not sure about 13 though. You may have to wait before you're older.
Actually, that is not true. You can get a "Good" job with a piercing, just depends on what you have or how many you have. If you are pierced up too much, then yeah you will only work retail.
I have my labret and eyebrow pierced and I work in a professional office. I have never had to take them out and I have only work as an administrative professional. I have had the piercings for 10 years now, since I was a teen.
It actually depends on where you live and the type of profession. A good job, by definition, will vary per person. Depending on the type of business the rules will also vary.
I don't know any retail that will allow a completely "pierced up" person to work for them. Even spencers and hot topic have their limits.
Larger cities and states tend to have more lenient rules, but on average there are more states that will not higher a person with facial piercings than those that will.
Hello.. My name is Julie, I am 20 years old, and I currently have 14 piercings, all in my ears. I have been interested in a tongue piercing for the past 2 years now, and I have recently become interested in an off-center labret (I'm not sure the technical name for it.. but it's like 1/2 of the snakebites). I was just curious if you could give me some of the pro's and con's to these two piercings because I feel like getting facial piercings crosses that "line." (Especially when it comes to hiding them) Most people would probably say that 14 ear piercings crossed a line a long time ago, but I have long hair and can easily cover them in a professional setting. How effective are spacers at hiding labret piercings? Also, I've looked into some tongue barbells that "blend-in" with your tongue to make it less noticeable. Anyway, I'm rambling... Could you please just give me some more information on these piercings I'm interested in? I don't know much about the off-center labret; it seemed hard to find information. Thanks!
It depends on where your personal line is. I perfer ear piercings, so naturally I have more than most people (not quite 14 though Ha), but in terms of facial, that's up to you. Tongue piercings are easy to hide with retainers, but you can't use the retainer until the piercing heals, which usually doesn't take too long. You can try the tongue rings that have the light peach balls that are supposed to help blend in, but they're still noticeable as you can't really match the color of your tongue perfectly. I'd suggest a clear, translucent ball, or the retainer. I think the retainer would be the best bet to hide it. But, personally, what's the point in getting it if you're going to hide it all the time? I understand for work, but I dunno.
As for offset labrets, you have to wait until it heals to put in the retainer, but usually you can stil see the hole with the retainer in, it's just not as bad as having the jewelry in. Some places will allow you to wear the labret stud but you have to take out the ball, that way just the screw part is showing. But, even still you can see it. I'm not sure if you want to piercing to be completely hidden or what.
If you're wanting to be a vet, from what I gather by your screen name, it may be hard to get taken seriously with facial piercings. Just a personal opinion.
For the offset labret, you can find info by searching just labret piercing, because it's the same thing just in a different placement than in the center.
As for pros/cons. The pros will vary by person, so that's really up to you to figure out. Is having the piercing worth it when you'll have to cover it in most jobs?
I used to have my nose and my labret pierced. I also had a really bad irritation problem when I changed the nose ring out with a sterling silver one.
Come to find out. I'm allergic to silver. So spend the money and get good hypoallergenic body jewelry.
I used to love my nose ring and really regret taking it out. Part of the hole is still there, but I can't get a ring in anymore. The labret I can do with out. Don't like anything that interfers with eating a sandwich.
Okay so I want to get snake bites. Im 15 so I dotn have to worry about getting rejected by a employer. But are they safe? Will it "kill" my gums? How bad is the pain if anyone knows? and What are the pros and cons?
heh. questiony today =]
I'm not sure where you got that you won't be rejected by an employer. Depending on where you live, the restrictions will vary, but many employers will not higher people with facial piercings. I'm not sure what you mean by safe; with any piercing you risk complications in terms of infection, rejection, and migration. It will reced your gums, which will never grow back. The pain will depend on your pain tolerance. I had my labret pierced and is was the least pain of any of my piercings, but I have a very high pain tolerance where getting tattooed tickles.
Only you can can determine the pros and cons. General cons can include infection, rejection, receding gum line, and hard time getting a job.
well i have braces, and forr snake bittes can you still qeett them if you have braces?
You really shouldn't get them with braces.
i am looking into getting my cheeks pierced do you think it would be best for me to get both sides done at he same time im o.k on the job side of things as i work in retail for a company who strives on being different i am the manager so there isnt an issue but whats the scarring like after
It's up to you whether you want to do one or both at the same time. Doing both will eliminate the healing time since you will be caring for two piercings at once, whereas separately the total healing time will essentially double. As for scarring, that's going to depend on your body and how it regularly scars. Plus it l depend on how well they heal. IE if they heal poorly and take a while to heal, then if you remove the jewelry once healed, then you'll probably see more scarring than if they healed quickly and without problems. Either way, you will still see some scarring.
Thanks for the hub! I have been fascinated about nose piercings for a while now. The first two pictures are quite freaky! :D
i have been given a price for both cheek piercings of 120 pouds would these be about average
Honestly the price will vary per piercer and tattoo shop.
i understand that braces can irritate monroe piercings, but what are the actual risks?will the piercer turn round and say no?plus, how long will it take to heal, to an extent when i can put a retainer in?
You shouldn't get a mouth piercing with braces. Most body piercers won't do it. THe piercing needs to be 100% healed before you put in a retainer. It can take up to 6-8 weeks to heal, if not longer, but it's an estimated healing time.
Alright, I was reading about dogs and now I'm in the body modification section of your life. Love it Whitney.
Those first two tribal shots were good. It shows how the piercings are part of real human nature. I look to tribes as the real people. They were untouched by high technology yet had amazing rituals that survived history.
Hey! im thinking of getting my face pierced and have seen pictures of the thing i want, but i don't know the actual name of it. The piercing is just below the eye, sort of on the cheekbone and is just off horizontal. I'm not even entirely sure if there IS a name lol! hopefully you can help :) cheers
try anti-eyebrow piercing. it's more of a surface piercing that can be hard to heal.
i want to buy myself a monroe for my birthday and i'm really excited about it!
i'm a little worried though; i DO have a good job at a hospital, which prohibits "facial hardware" (love that phrase!) i don't think you can heal with a retainer, right? so what should i do about it while it heals... is there a type of jewelry that is clear or unnoticeable that i can until then?
You can't heal with a retainer. It is a thin plastic that is VERY porous. There really isn't anything that you can do to let it heal and not be visible. You need to use steel in the piercing while it heain order to get best results.
I really want to get an off-center lip piercing. All the piercings I've gotten in my ears so far seem to heal completely in 3-4 weeks. I know piercings will leave scars but for a quick healer like me, will a labret piercing (when I'm older) show as a "gross" hole in my face? When im 70 and wrinkley will there be giant gap in my lip?I understand that piercings always will have risks but will Is scar badly?
Typically yes, it will show a hole to some degree. I had a labret for about 2 days, took it out, and if you look closely you can still see the placement and it has been months since I've removed it. My ex-boyfriend had his for years, and it's been at least a year or so since he removed his, and there is a very visible hole in his face. There won't be a huge gap, but a tiny hole/imprint left.
Hey
I got my nose repierced a week ago. Unlike the first time, it bled a lot. Now the bleeding has stopped but next to my stud is a purple spot. There is no puss, it doesnt hurt....its just purple next to it. I have been cleaning it religiously. Is it just a bruise? Its annoying me cause the small purple splotch is taking away from the prettiness of the stud.
It's probably just normal bruising for now, but you'll want to keep an eye on it.
hey!i have my tongue double pierced the first hole i got in 2006 and the second one in june 2008!i was just wanting to know if it is normal to have things that look like little white balls on the bottom of my piercings.they feel kind of hard but they do not hurt,so will u plz help me cuz im worried that something is wrong!and also is it normal for there 2 be a lump like the size of a pea on ur tongue,becuz when i take them out i feel my tongue and their is a hard lump,but its not visible,and if u can plz tell me wut it is and if its something 2 worry about like a tumor on my tongue!thanx
Is the lump and the 2 white balls the same? For the most part right around the tongue is going to be the scar tissue, and nothing to worry about.
I want to get a horizontal eyebrow piercing in the next few days. I know there is a high rejection rate, but i just want to know how i can treat it to potentially prevent infection and prevent it from rejecting. I also would like to know what would be the best jewlery to use. Ive been looking around and some sites say titanium while others say surgical stainless steel. which would be best?
You can potentially prevent infection by proper cleaning, but not over cleaning. Rejection is not somethign that you can really prevent just prolong, in general that is. If it's going to happen, it will. Surgical stainless steel is the typical material to use. For an anti-eyebrow piercing, it will depends on where it's actually done, but typically a banana barbell should be fine as long as it's a 16g-14g, at best. If a banana barbell is used, and it turns out that the jewelry itself is flush with your skin, like your skin is pushing the jewelry away from yoru face, then you should consider switching to a surface barbell or PTFE.
umm, well, i really want to get a lip piercing. like the one on the side. but. if i decide to take it out forever, will i have a scar forever? <3
There will be a scar to some degree, but unless there is complication there probably won't be that visible of a scar. I had my labret pierced for less than 2 days and there is still a mark on my face. I jsut didn't like the piercing and removed it. My ex had his labret for years and he still has a mark, but you can only see it if you're close or are looking for the mark.
I really want to get a monroe piercing I don't know if the piercing on the bottom directly from the top is a monroe piercing but I don't know which one (top or bottom) will look right...I'm scared. :(
I got my Monroe pierced about a week ago. It was really red when I first got it done, and now its not very red at all. But I went to a doctor today, and she said that it may be infected and gave me antibiotic for it. She also said to take it out if it doesnt clear up in a week. Is there anything else I can do to not have to take it out? I love this piercing and dont want to get rid of it. None of my other piercings got infected... =(
i just got my dimples pierced yesterday... ive been using listering but will switch to salt water... i have libret bars in right now.. the piercer didnt put long barbells in tho.. and im afraid they are too tight.. the flat disk in like..sucked into my cheek in the inside.. i try not to touch the piercing but ones ina while i push on the outside ball to relieve pressure.. cuz i feel as if its cutting off the circulation and that the barbell will heal into my cheek!!! what should i do? or will it be fine after a few days cuz of the swelling? THANKS
Alexandra, I would just keep with the antibiotic and clean with saline one to two times a day.
Kaly, you should go back to the piercer and have him change the barbells to slightly longer ones. Most of what you're experiencing is the swelling from the initial piercing.
I recently just got an industrial (five days ago) and I was wondering if you should twist the bar. I've read that you should and that you shouldn't, so I'm not sure what to do. What would you reccomend?
DO NOT twist or mess with the piercing. Keep your hands off it unless cleaning.
i think that getting a septum would be the best idea for a piercing, because you have a way to hide it in your nose without taking it off. (and, it's a piercing i want, but i don't think i should get it. my parents would murder me.)
ive had my industrial piercing for abot a year now, and i know its still healing, but in the middle of my ear where the bar is, is kinda gettin irritated and really sore.. should i take out the piercing or is there anything i can do about it? i dont want to have a big scar from this...
You will have the scars from where the actual piercing is, but I don't see why you'd have a big scar. It's up to you as to whether you think it should be removed. I would seek consult of a body pierce to see what he thinks. The bar shouldn't really be rubbing against the middle of your ear- inbetween the exit points.
I work at a grocery store that has a policy against body/facial piercings and i'm set on getting snakebites but at the same time obviously don't want to loose my job. Does anyone have any ideas that I haven't thought of?!I know that taking them out just for work would be an option but the problem there is the piercing takes 4..up to 8 weeks to heal from what i've heard and you can't take the ring out through that length of time..Cover-ups, anything??
There's really nothing you can do for the piercing until it's healed. If you remove the jewelry while still healing, you will lose the hole quickly. If you use retainers will healing, you will greatly irritate the piercing by removing the jewelry and putting in the retainers each day that you have to.
Once, healed the retainers work great, but you can still see the hole, which most business will still not approve of. And, by taking out the jewelry once the piercing is healed, and leaving just the hole there for work, the piercings may close even after an hour or so, it all depends on your body. Some people can go days without jewelry, and some can't go a few hours. It will also be a concern because it will still be a new piercing, even if it's healed. New piercings, even healed ones, will generally close faster than older piercings.
Really, there's no option that you have until the piercing is healed.
Well, not exactly what I was hoping to hear but thanks for your help anyways haha.
If any more questions come up i'll be sure to ask since this page has helpful info
Hiya i've read through the majority of these comments and it's making my head spin to be honest, because now i'm really unsure of what to do. I wanted to get my nose done, in about a week.. but after all of the things that people tell me about getting a good job and facial peircings .. it doesn't sound like a very good idea but i do want it done. If i wore a retainer, would I get a good job with a nose stud? or would they still class it as visable and unacceptable? and another question, if i take it out for a job interview instead of wearing a retainer, or if I don't like my piercing anymore, will the hole be very visable? ..will I be employed? I'm only 15 but I will soon be 16 and I really think that considering all of these points is a good idea before it's too late. Please help?
Danny, sorry I wasn't able to give you what you wanted to hear. Just wanted to make sure you got the truth. And, if you do have any other questions, please ask.
Louisa, the retainer is still visible, but some companies will accept them but not all. There will still be a visible hole without the retainer. When it heals there will usually be a small hole/scar left behind, but that shouldn't prevent you from getting a job. The piercing with the jewelry in, whether a stud or loop. Just remember you can't use the retainer until the piercing is full healed. Some people can't use the plastic retainers because they can irritate the piercing, especially if you have to take the jewelry out and use the retainer each day.
Thanks for the help :)
i think i will get it done but i will take it out for a job interview or for work in the future and hopefully this wont cause a problem
Yep, it may and probably will cause future problems with jobs, but that's just something you'll have to deal with when it comes to you. You're still young, and probably won't keep the piercings throughout adulthood anyway.
I was thinking about getting my right side of my lip pierced, but i dont know if its sore lol.
is it sore, and how long should it be sore for??
It will be sore. The period will vary that it will be sore, and how sore will vary.
does getting your off-centre lip hurt? and do they like numb your lip before doing it because i won't have it done til i know hehe
The pain will depend on your pain tolerance. No they do not numb it. Even if they do it only numbs the outside skin, most of the pain will be on the inner portion.
I know this is going to be advised against but I must ask anyway. I've been searching for a second job forever and finally gave up. So last Tuesday I had my snake bites done which I've wanted for two years now.
Today I got a call from Best Buy in which I have an interview Wednesday. Which is hysterically ironic to me since I've been trying to get interviews for 6 months now.
Could I take them out for an hour or should I just be ghetto and put bandages over them?
I currently work at Ulta as a beauty consultant and we can wear facial piercings there so I don't see why it would be any different at Bust Buy but I didn't want to chance the interview.
Sure you can take them out, but the holes will probably close up. Best Buy and most retail stores do not allow visible tattoos or facial piercings.
okay so ive been reading the ppls questions and your answers, you seem to kno alot and your pretty well informed. i dont have a dumb question like "does it hurt" ummmm HELLO your peircing your body dumbass ITS GONNA BE A SMIDGE PAINFUL, it jus depends on if your to big of a baby to handle the pain. It bothers me a little hearing those questions, if you have to ask you proly shouldent be getting your face peirced, am i wrong?!?! anyway ha okay so i wanted to get my lip done for like 5years n my ma always talked me out of it, told me i wont be able to get a job blah blah blah. so i did it and i thought it would be cool with my boss.... but it wasent.... so now that iam unemployed, but PEIRCED : ). i need advice/help how do i find a job that doesnt care? i mean i kno the kinds of jobs that are cool with it, for the most part, but most of the time you gotta kno ppl to get involved wth those jobs. how do i do that? Honestly i want to be a potter but i wouldent kno how to go about that either, i ask you because your man is in that loop of ppl nd such im assuming, how did he do it?!? HELP please
My ex was a body piercer so his tattoos and piercings didn't affect him. There are many jobs that don't have a problem with facial piercings. Sorry. Working at retail stores like Hot topic and Spencers are pretty much the only jobs other than construction and tattoo parlors that don't care. I know I worked at a petstore that said no faciral piercings, but the GM didn't care as long as they were removed when the big guys came in, but that's not going to be common. I'm not sure what a potter is, sorry. Most places don't want people with facial piercings because it can affend and piss customers off. I met a lady who asked from a different waiter because he had facial piercings; she said he was ironed and dressed nicely, spoke clearly and was very nice, but she just didn't want to look at him every time he came to the table.
i want to get a monroe piercing (top lip) but ive seen some people with them and there lips are really thin so when they smile you can really see the bar. I don't think this look really nice when you can see the bar stick out loads. Can you get shorter bars so they fit the thickness of your lip?
The monroe piercing uses labret studs. They only go so short.
I got a monroe about a month and a half ago and now it almost looks like the surrounding skin kelioding ...is this normal
it's not normal for keloids to form if it's going to heal right. What does it look like? Is it a ring?
ok i ha my monore for bout 5 months now i just went had it changed out lol i know right..anyway the ring they put in first time was smaller and the ring they just put in was bigger and she had to push it threw .its not red just sore ass hell lol is that normal????
I'm not sure I really understand what you're saying. It sounds like it was pierced with say a 14 gauge, and now a 12 gauge piece of jewelry was pushed through the hole. Redness and soreness is to be expected in that case. Keep it clean and treat it like a new piercing.
My doctor has a facial piercing. It's a tiny gold stud on one side of her nose. Small, but still noticable. I've seen lots of respected professional women with nose piercings.
It's very rare. Most companies, hospitals, restaurants, and even retail stores do not allow facial piercings or visible tattoos.
ok so i already have my navel pierced and 2 ear piercings and i've been thinking about getting my tongue pierced for awhile now but i wanted to know all the risks first. Like, how common is infection if i follow all the care instructions that the body piercer provides? I was also wondering how long the swelling generally lasts and also how visible it is... like, will employers usually notice it during interviews? And my last question is probably going to sound pretty stupid but i've heard that after you get your tongue pierced you talk with a lisp... does this happen to everyone and if so, is it just temporary?
Risk of infectino is there, but generally pretty small. Employers generally frown on tongue or facial piercings; and yes more than likely they'll notice it during an interview. Most companies won't hire people with piercings other than ears. Some people can dvelop a lisp after the piercing, but not all, and the lisp will vary as to how noticeable it is.
Heey Whitney, I like looking over your hubs cos they have alot of interesting information on them.
Can you give me all the information you know on eyebrow piercings? Im 12 and I am very keen on getting mines pierced. I already have 10 piercings so I know where I am going with it.
When I am older I am going to train to be a tattooist and body piercer, another reason for which I like piercings.
Thanks :) x
You're too young, IMO. Don't know what info you're looking for... Sorry but at 12, you don't know what you want to be. You're not striving for very much.
okay ,
im 13 years old, and i already had my nose pierced, and i wanted to try something new that is unique, i found one and it's called the horizantal philtrum i just wanted to know if anyone knows anythingabout it, my mom is quite conserned and looking for info ,
thankss ..:)
At 13, I wouldn't recommend a facial piercing. Remember that something 'unique' is not always the best if you don't know proper care and aftercare, as well as a piercer familiar with it. Basically, this is a horizontal upper lip piercing; personally, that's not necessarily the most attractive IMO.
compu-smart says:
2 years ago
This Hub has some very good information for people interested but scared in having piercings, like my friend who has been interested in getting some for a long time, so I shall email this to them..
Thanks.