How to Properly fit Belly Button Rings

Getting a proper fit on a belly button ring has nothing to do with your body size, it has to do with the angle and depth of the actual piercing.

There are standards in the industry, but your Piercer may have to make adjustments for your navel type. Some Piercers may not work within the standards that are set in the industry, making it more difficult to find jewelry that will fit correctly.

The standards for a navel piercing are 14 gauge for the thickness of the barbell and 3/8" to 7/16" for the length barbell to be worn, once the piercing has healed.

Your piercer will use a longer curved barbell, or a ring for the initial piercing. This is to allow for swelling and to leave room for proper cleaning.

Once the piercing has healed enough to change the jewelry, normally 2 months, it is time to determine the correct size for your navel piercing.

Let's begin with the correct way to measure a curved barbell. With the top ball threaded all the way on, you are going to measure in a STRAIGHT line, not along the curve of the barbell. The two points will be:

#1- Where the top ball meets the barbell on the under side of the ball.(holding the barbell up and down, as if it's being worn).

#2- Where the bottom design, or ball, meets the barbell on the top side of the ball.

Measure in a Straight line from these two points. The two pionts will both be on the inside of the curve.

Metric Conversion: 5/16"=8mm, 3/8"=10mm, 7/16"=11mm, 1/2"=12mm, 9/16"=15mm.

Do not fit the curved barbell to have no barbell showing. You need to have some barbell displayed, as this allows air to the piercing and prevents the jewelry from trying to pull into the piercing. You should have about 1/4" of barbell showing.

You may need to experiment with a few sizes, to find your best fit. Here is the basic rule of thumb.

Shallow Piercings = 5/16" (8mm)

Standard Piercings = 3/8" (10mm) or 7/16" (11mm)

Deep Piercings = 1/2" (12mm)

Very deep Piercings = 9/16" (15mm)

Most shops only sell the standard length, because most manufactures only produce the one size. Our shop has a large selection of all lengths, because we manufacture many of our designs.

You can find a large selection of the 5/16", 1/2" & 9/16" length curved barbell designs Here

Nose Piercing Receiving Tube

When doing a nostril piercing a tool is required to catch the needle on the inside of the nostril.

Most Piercer's will use a receiving tube, which is made for this application. A receiving tube can be made in plastic, glass or stainless steel.

The plastic tubes are disposable, as they would melt in an autoclave machine for sterilization.

The glass or steel can be used over & over again, as they can be properly sterilized. Glass can break, if dropped, which is an obvious drawback. The steel can be more expensive but the most reliable.

Some Piercer's will use a cork to catch the needle. The cork can only be used a single time and can be a less comfortable method for the person being pierced.

Man Tattoos His Eyeballs

Some States Do Not Regulate Teenager Piercings

Here in New Hampshire we have some strict guidelines to follow for piercings on a minor.

We are required to have a parent or legal guardian present, with a photo identification. The minor also has to bring their birth certificate. We then verify that the adult photo id matches the name on the birth certificate.

New Hampshire requires that we photo the photo ID and the birth certificate for our files. The insurance provider also requires a minor release form be filled out and signed.

The parent is then required by New Hampshire to be in the room during the piercing.

Shockingly Iowa has NO regulations on teenager piercings and there are a dozen states that also do not abide by rules and regulations on age, permit process OR inspections.

Needless to say, parents are outraged by Iowa being so lax and not doing anything to protect their children from the dangers of an improperly run piercing studio (since no rules are in place to protect the public).

For a full article about the parents being up in arms please visit WCF Courier

Hooked on Body Suspension

This photo shows Kat with 4 Tuna Hooks freshly pierced into her skin. She is preparing for her 7th body suspension.


Kat's body is swimming with endorphins. Dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin — she knows them by name, and she knows their effects. In fact, she’s become rather addicted to them.


In addition to the rush, Kat does body suspensions to overcome her fears.


Kat said that the first hook does not cause her pain, but her back muscles start to tighten up. This makes each additional hook harder to receive.


You can read an entire article written by Ryan Burns and see a gallery of her body suspension at The Journal 

What is a Correct Belly Button Piercing?

Measure in a straight line, not along the curve

There are industry standards for a belly button piercing, but not all Piercers concern themselves with how your after market jewelry will fit.

The standard size belly ring is 14 gauge. This is the thickness of the bar. A large selection of jewelry is available in this standard gauge. If you are pierced with a thinner or thicker needle, you will only have basic steel barbells to select from. Any professional piercer should pierce for a 14 gauge barbell.

The length is more tricky for the Piercer. The end result can be based on the distance of the piercing and the depth of the piercing. Ideally a 3/8" or 7/16" curved barbell will fit properly in a healed belly piercing.

Now, when I say the proper length is 3/8" or 7/16" (only 1mm difference for these 2 length), I do not mean for the barbell to be completely inside of the piercing. There should be some barbell showing, to allow the piercing to breathe and to provide room for sitting and stretching.

A fresh piercing will either use a circular barbell (best for cleaning the piercing) or a curved barbell that is longer than the standard, allowing room for swelling and cleaning.

Three most common problems: too shallow a piercing, a crooked piercing, or too deep an angle, making the belly ring pull into the belly button.

Dermal Piercings look Great with Tattoos

Dermal Piercings are taking the piercing world by storm.

Now you can place a piercing most anywhere on the body

The most popular use of a dermal piercing has been to accent a tattoo

Reverse Ear Gauging if 1/2" or Larger Opening

Snake Bite Piercing

Angela comments on her experience with the Snake Bite lip piercings "I never planned the lip rings I just decided to do it last minute & now I always get asked if it hurt. It did not its like a slight pinch than its over sorta like ripping off a band-aid."

Function-able Body Piercings

People are becoming creative with body piercings.

Here is a new use for a gauged earlobe

Women can easily tuck their cell phone into a purse, but men have to become creative with how to store their wallets, keys, cell phones & combs. 

Yet another reason to find the smallest and lightest weight cell phone.

Maybe this will become as popular as the Earl piercing (bridge piercing), which you can attach your eyeglasses to each side of your nose bridge.

Image provided by myinterestingfiles.com

Remember When Piercing Your Ears Was The Biggest Deal Ever? | The Frisky

Remember When Piercing Your Ears Was The Biggest Deal Ever? | The Frisky

Bridge Piercing AKA Earl

A bridge piercing is done on the loose skin at the top of the nose, between the eyes.

Typically a straight barbell is used for this piercing, as it is a form of a surface piercing.

This is not a very painful piercing, but it must be maintained for success. Be diligent about cleaning this piercing and never touch it with dirty hands to improve your odds against rejection and infection.

The name "Earl" for the bridge piercing came from the first known person to get this piercing. His full name was Earl Van Aken

What is a Venom Tongue Piercing?

A Venom tongue piercing involves two tongue rings. The piercings are done on each side of the tongue, not in the center. 

The two piercings will line up like the fangs on a snake. 

Watch this YouTube video to see this popular piercing style.

Ear Gauging

Thinking of Gauging your ears?

Be sure to practice patience and only gauge up one size at a time. Allow for full healing between each gauge and you will have a better looking and healthier piercing

.

Healing should only take 1 to 2 weeks between gauges. Be sure to clean off any crusties and wear jewelry that does not carry bacteria, such as surgical steel.

Although you can gauge your own ears, a professional will have properly sterilized equipment and will make sure your ears are ready to go up a gauge. 

You should find the price to gauge an ear piercing to be much less than the cost of a piercing.

H2Ocean or a sea salt mixture (50% sea salt - 50% water) will help your ear to heal.

(image is compliments of topicden.com )

Hide a Septum Piercing

It is very easy to hide a septum piercing, if you are pierced with a circular barbell.

Portable Body Piercing Aftercare

You are going to love these convenient Q-tip designs for taking care of your piecings.

The solution is stored inside of the Q-tip bar. You snap one end in half and the solution drains into the other Q-tip end, ready to be applied.

These are called Dr. Piercing's Aftercare solution
or, you can also acquire Dr. Piercing's Hole-istic solution which is best for a fresh body piercing.

They come in a fancy carry case of 36 units. You can easily toss these into your purse, glove compartment or office desk. Available for $7.00 Here

Nose Rings (literally the Ring) are Becoming Mainstream

You have seen an occasional full size ring being worn in a nostril piercing, but it use to be a small percentage of people that would wear the 360 degree ring.

We find that our customer base is starting to ask for a full ring much more frequently. Also, when walking among the public, there are more sightings of this nose jewelry.

In the way back machine (a year or so, lol) there was only the standard captive bead ring, but now there are better options.

The continuous ring is very desirable in the 14 karat white or yellow gold. You just push the gold to one side, put it on, and push it back into position.

Continuous rings also do come in steel. There is a small section of the ring that is removable and a bit tricky to put back into place. It's worth the effort to have a ring that looks like there is no ending point.

Hypertrophic Scarring

What is Hypertrophic Scarring and what does it have to do with a body piercing?

Hypertrophic scarring will appear around a body piercing hole. This scarring tissue will only show around the actual piercing and will not expand or grow beyond the hole.

This type of scarring will heal. To assist in the healing process, make sure that you are not wearing a piece of jewelry that is too heavy. A heavy piece of jewelry will just add to the irritation and will slow down the healing process.

Do not try and pop the scarring, as there is no puss in the scarring. You will just cause further irritation and delay the healing process.

What will help heal Hypertrophic Scarring:

• H2Ocean Body Piercing Spray
• 50% Sea Salt & 50% Water used as a compress
• Light weight jewelry
• Not playing with or popping the scar tissue

Wikipedia defines Hypertrophic Scarring as: Hypertrophic scars occur when the body overproduces collagen, which causes the scar to be raised above the surrounding skin. Hypertrophic scars take the form of a red raised lump on the skin

Do not confuse Hypertrophic Scarring with a Keloid. A Keloid will grow beyond the piercing entrance and will have to be surgically removed.

Surface Piercing Rejection - BMEzine Encyclopedia

Surface Piercing Rejection - BMEzine Encyclopedia

It would be wise to read this article before having a surface piercing performed.

Your body is designed to reject a surface piecing, as it would reject a splinter.

Unless you only plan to wear the piercing for a short period of time, you are taking a risk of permanent scarring.

With todays dermal piercings you can achieve many of the same looks, and increase your chances of no rejection.

YouTube - Body Piercing Slideshow

YouTube - Body Piercing Slideshow

Hand Piercings, Finger Piercings, and Hand Web Piercings

Dermal Piercing on each finger

Hand Piercings, Finger Piercings, and Hand Web Piercings

Hand piercings are gaining in popularity, but should be considered carefully before getting one done.

As the hand is a very active spot on your body, it becomes more difficult for a piercing to heal and much more likely to become infected. There is also an increased chance of rejection.

You have to be diligent about cleaning the piercing and keeping it clean.

Be sure to stick with an area of your hand that will not interfere with your lifestyle, from writing to fishing to painting. You do not want to have the piercing be subject to constant rubbing and pressure.

Also, gloves can cause problems with hand piercings. Can you handle living in mittens?

Hand piercings can be a captive ring in the webbing of your fingers, a surface piercing, or a dermal piercing.

Lip Piercing Leads To MRSA Infection - Kansas City News Story - KCTV Kansas City

Lip Piercing Leads To MRSA Infection - Kansas City News Story - KCTV Kansas City

Here is an example of why you should not pierce yourself, or a friend.

Without proper sterilization, Zeke Wheeler developed a staff infection which sent in to the hospital and he was near death.

It is not worth trying to save $45 to risk your life and to likely pay much more in medical bills trying to save your life from serious infections running through your blood stream.

Anyone thinking of piercing yourself, please click the above title and read the entire article about Zeke Wheeler which was published by kctv5.com

Making Sure the Piercing Shop is Safe and Sanitary

Check list on Where to get a Body Piercing


If you decide to get a body piercing, do a little investigative work about a shop's procedures and find out whether it provides a clean and safe environment for its customers. Every shop should have an autoclave (a sterilizing machine) and should keep instruments in sealed packets until they are used.

Ask questions and make sure:

#1) the shop is clean

#2) the person doing the piercing washes his or her hands with a germicidal soap

#3) the person doing the piercing wears fresh disposable gloves (like those worn at a doctor's office)

#4) the person doing the piercing uses sterilized instruments or instruments that are thrown away after use.

#5)the person doing the piercing does not use a piercing gun (they're not sterile)

#6) the needle being used is new and is being used for the first time

#7) the needle is disposed of in a special sealed container after the piercing
there are procedures for the proper handling and disposal of waste (like needles or gauze with blood on them)

It's also a good idea to ask about the types of jewelry the shop offers because some people have allergic reactions to certain types of metals. Before you get a piercing, make sure you know if you're allergic to any metals. Only nontoxic metals should be used for body piercings, such as:

surgical steel
solid 14-karat or 18-karat gold
niobium
titanium
platinum

If you think the shop isn't clean enough, if all your questions aren't answered, or if you feel in any way uncomfortable, go somewhere else to get your piercing.

Article from kidshealth.org

Very Nice Products

Hello Pierce This 2   I have purchased many belly rings from your company and have been very happy.  You have really nice items and a very large selection.   Thank you Michele

Nickel Reaction To Body Jewelry

What are the signs that you are having a nickel reaction to your jewelry?

#1) Red rash around the piercing
#2) Itching
#3) Puss
#4) Skin looks like it is trying to pull away from the barbell

H2Ocean will take away these problems, but they will reoccur if you have not changed the jewelry to be nickel free.

Most people can handle a small amount of nickel. The industry standard barbells are called 316L and they have no more than 13% nickel.

There are people that can not even handle the 13% nickel, as they are highly sensitive to this metal.

A better choice would be to wear titanium, if you are highly sensitive to nickel, as there is only a trace element of nickel.

Don't be fooled into thinking that gold is nickel free, as it is typically not. Nickel is used as an inexpensive hardening agent in most gold products.

You must find gold pieces that specifically are advertised as nickel free, or it is not.

You should immediately be relieved of itching and notice that the skin is no longer pulling away from the barbell once it has been replaced with a nickel free alternative.

Pregnancy and Belly Button Rings

Do you have to remove your belly button ring if you become pregnant?

No you do not!

There are now special barbells on the market which are long enough to accommodate that growing belly and the stretching of the belly piercing.

Also, these barbells are flexible to bend with the belly and they can be worn during an x-ray.

You can find this pregnancy belly button ring on the bottom of this link

For more details about belly buttons and pregnancy please visit this page

Industrial Piercing

An industrial piercing (North America), sometimes called scaffold piercing (UK/IRL) or construction piercing, is any two pierced holes connected with a single straight piece of jewelry (compare to orbital piercing); however, it typically refers to a double perforation of the upper ear cartilage specifically. Two piercings are made, one fairly close to the head (anti-helix piercing) the second further down the cartilage, on the opposite side of the ear (helix piercing). A straight barbell is inserted through the first piercing from behind the ear, travels diagonally across the front of the upper cartilage, then goes through the second piercing, and is secured with a screw-on bead behind the second hole.

The piercings themselves are made with a sterile hollow piercing needle, usually 14g, and the barbell jewelry is worn during the healing period. Sometimes, a pair of captive bead rings (CBRs) are used instead, and are exchanged for a barbell after healing is complete. Although the use of CBRs often results in faster healing, proper alignment of the piercings is difficult when this technique is used. It can be pierced with a flexible plastic tube and swapped for the metal bar when it has healed. It can also be piercied with a 16g barbell. After that has healed it can then be switched to a 14g barbell. Industrials typically take anywhere from three months to one year to fully heal. Most people say that the first piercing does not hurt as bad as the second piercing. However, your results may vary.

Two or more of this type of piercing located on the same ear is typically referred to as a cage.

This industrial barbell was purchased from Pierce This 2! Check out our website to see our entire collection!

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_piercing

Body Suspension makes History

Matt Zane set out to beat the record held by rock star-magician Criss Angel.

Criss Angel had used 8 hooks and lasted for 5 hours and 42 minutes.

Matt has opted for a more difficult 4 hooks and held on to just pass the record time that Criss Angel had held.

Please read the gory details of Matt's incredible suspension piercing by clicking the title.

Photo and full article provided by the Las Vegas Sun

Body & Facial Piercing Aftercare Solutions

CLEANING SOLUTIONS
H2Ocean is the most highly recommend product for piercing after care. H2Ocean increases circulation to the body piercing and accelerates the healing process. It will also help reduce lumps, scar tissue and itching. You can also use, although not as effective, a mild non-iodized (no iodine) sea salt soaks as described below.
The following information was written by the Association of Professional Piercers. For additional information, please visit their website at: http://www.safepiercing.org/.


SALT WATER SOAKS
Mild sea salt water soaks are strongly suggested at least once a day to accelerate healing and increase your comfort. This may also help to reduce irritation in the area. Dissolve a pinch (1/4 teaspoon) of sea salt into one cup (8 oz.) of warm or hot water in a clean cup. Distilled water is optimal. A stronger solution is not better as you can burn your piercing with too much salt. Invert it over the area to form a vacuum and soak directly for a few minutes. For certain placements it is easier to use a clean cotton ball or gauze pad soaked in the salt water and applied to the pierced area. Follow with a clear water rinse or splash then pat dry with paper products.
Salt water soaks help to stimulate air and blood circulation which facilitates healing. You can do a brief salt water soak before your daily cleaning(s) as well as several additional times a day. It is particularly advisable to soak before you do anything active, as it will prevent crust from being pulled inside the piercing as you move around. Salt water is the only additional product (other than the cleanser and water) we suggest you use to care for your piercing.
One soak per day should be for at least a few minutes. Additional soaks can be brief (1 minute or so) and still be effective for soothing the area and removing matter.

How to Properly fit a Belly Button Ring

Getting a proper fit on a belly button ring has nothing to do with your body size, it has to do with the angle and depth of the actual piercing.

There are standards in the industry, but your Piercer may have to make adjustments for your navel type. Some Piercers may not work within the standards that are set in the industry, making it more difficult to find jewelry that will fit correctly.

The standards for a navel piercing are 14 gauge for the thickness of the barbell and 3/8" to 7/16" for the length barbell to be worn, once the piercing has healed.

Your piercer will use a longer curved barbell, or a ring for the initial piercing. This is to allow for swelling and to leave room for proper cleaning.

Once the piercing has healed enough to change the jewelry, normally 2 months, it is time to determine the correct size for your navel piercing.

Let's begin with the correct way to measure a curved barbell. With the top ball threaded all the way on, you are going to measure in a STRAIGHT line, not along the curve of the barbell. The two points will be:

#1- Where the top ball meets the barbell on the under side of the ball.(holding the barbell up and down, as if it's being worn).

#2- Where the bottom design, or ball, meets the barbell on the top side of the ball.

Measure in a Straight line from these two points. The two pionts will both be on the inside of the curve.

Metric Conversion: 5/16"=8mm, 3/8"=10mm, 7/16"=11mm, 1/2"=12mm, 9/16"=15mm.

Do not fit the curved barbell to have no barbell showing. You need to have some barbell displayed, as this allows air to the piercing and prevents the jewelry from trying to pull into the piercing. You should have about 1/4" of barbell showing.

You may need to experiment with a few sizes, to find your best fit. Here is the basic rule of thumb.

Shallow Piercings = 5/16" (8mm)

Standard Piercings = 3/8" (10mm) or 7/16" (11mm)

Deep Piercings = 1/2" (12mm)

Very deep Piercings = 9/16" (15mm)

Most shops only sell the standard length, because most manufactures only produce the one size. Our shop has a large selection of all lengths, because we manufacture many of our designs.

You can find a large selection of the 5/16", 1/2" & 9/16" length curved barbell designs Here

Upside Down Tongue Ring

If you choose a flat top tongue ring design, like the image, it will be a bit more challenging to put it in from the bottom up, but this can still be done.

Once you have the piece in upside down, you can use a threaded ball design on the top of the ring. This will allow for a top and bottom decorative end.

Body Piercings for All Ages

People of all ages enjoy having body piercings.

We have requests from the very young (too young to care for a piercing properly) to the baby boomers and beyond.

Alberta stopped by our shop last week, visiting from Maine, and wanted to get a nostril piercing, also called a nose piercing.

As long as you are old enough to properly care for a body piercing, you should not let age be a factor in enjoying any of the different piercings available.

How Does a Dermal Piercing Stay in Place

The dermal jewelry has a shoe shaped bottom, which holds the post at a 90 degree angle.

This shoe has holes in it, some small and some larger size holes.

Once the shoe is put into place under the skin (laying the same direction as the skins surface) it will begin to heal.

As the piercing heals, your skin will attach itself through the hole openings to the skin on the opposite side.

It is wise to hold down the piercing jewelry with a band aid until the healing process is secure.

 

To Numb or Not to Numb a Tongue Piercing

A tongue piercing is the least painful body piercing in the industry.

The edges of your tongue has nerves, but the center of the tongue muscle does not which is why the piercing is not painful.

Some studios will offer to use 1% lidocaine but this will only numb the surface and does not improve upon the piercing experience.

Ice will also numb the tongue, but for only a brief period of time.

In our opinion, it is best not to try and numb the tongue for a piercing.