The following contains brief descriptions of each piercing and suggested jewelry. Healing times offered are estimates. Please keep in mind that healing time and success rates vary from individual to individual.

Please remember that body piercing is an inexact science. The content of this document reflects the continual advances and new findings made in the field of body piercing. The information contained in herein is culled from group knowledge and experience. Each person’s experiences regarding piercing viability, healing, and longevity are different. Thus, opinions on almost all aspects may vary or conflict.

• NAVEL PIERCINGS

•  NIPPLE PIERCINGS
  Female Nipple Piercings
  Male Nipple Piercings

•  SURFACE AND UNUSUAL PIERCINGS
  Surface Piercings
  Forehead
  Knuckle
  Handweb
  Uvula

NAVEL PIERCINGS

Initial healing: 4 to 8 months.

Although the navel piercing is one of the most popular piercings, it is for many people one of the most difficult to heal. Tight waistbands, belts, and a high level of activity involving bending at the waist can lengthen healing time.

Jewelry too thin in gauge is more easily rejected by the body. For some people, 14 or 12ga is appropriate. For others, only thicker gauges will not migrate or reject. Thicker gauges are recommended for areas where pressure on the piercing cannot be avoided. For example, navel piercings can migrate or reject from the pressure of waistbands. A navel piercing performed at 14ga may heal without incident if waistbands are avoided, but then begin to migrate when the wearer resumes wearing tight wasistbands across the piercing.

An “innie” navel with a distinct “ridge” (outward-facing fold) which is not drawn tight when the piercee reclines is ideal – thus the entrance and exit of the piercing will be through parallel surfaces opposite one another (like an earlobe piercing). The upper ridge of the navel is usually pierced unless the lower is more prominent. Often there is a natural indentation or slight wrinkle at the desired placement.

The navel should always be examined for suitability BEFORE the jewelry is selected – one size does not fit all, and this especially applies to navel piercings. A piercee with a well-defined ridge of skin above the navel while standing may see it flatten out completely when reclining. Thus jewelry size and depth of piercing should be based upon the navel’s relative shape in different body positions. The ring diameter or curved barbell length should be determined from measurements taken with the piercee reclining, when the piercing is at its widest. For a ring add 1/8″; for a curved barbell add at least 1/16″. No more than 1/3 of the ring should be occupied by the piercing when it is at its widest, usually when the piercee is reclining.

Curved barbells are recommended if the ridge flattens out and is drawn tight when the piercee reclines – in this case the piercing become wider, necessitating a ring of an uncomfortably large diameter. A curved barbell is recommended if the navel is compressed when the piercee is sitting – in this case a ring would be pushed to the side, stressing the entrances of the piercing and causing it to lean. A curved barbell is also recommended in cases where If the navel does not form a distinct ridge – in this case the piercing is usually wider than 1/2″ when the piercee reclines, necessitating and uncomfortably large ring.

Occasionally, a ring of soft tissue will form around the entrance or exit, usually during the second or third month of healing. This condition is most likely due to irritation from sweat, clothing and/or daily activities. This condition should not be confused with an infection, although the two conditions may occur simultaneously. If this occurs do not over-clean, and keep the piercing dry. If the irritation appears on the inside of the navel, use cotton swabs to dry the navel after showering. Usually the consition will diminish on its own. Soaking the piercing in warm salt water after a morning or evening cleaning and applications of hot compresses often helps.

Scarring is indicated by a hard, whitish ring around the entrance of the piercing. Once again, soaking the piercing in warm salt water can help diminish the tissue. Application of a small amount of cortisone ointment for no more than 5 days at a time may help. Application of a peroxide gel 3 times a week has also been used successfully to diminish scar tissue. Do not use these treatment methods simultaneously.

Of piercing “outies,” Michaela Grey (michaela@gauntlet.com) of the Association of Professional Piercers comments:

“The falciform ligament of the liver is attached to the umbilicus and the liver, with only about an inch of ligament betwixt. In layman’s terms, any piercing of the scar tissue, whether recessed or an outie, would be only about an inch or so away from a serious liver infection. I have never seen any outie where there was enough loose, non-umbilicus fatty tissue covering the actual button. It might take a few years, it might happen tomorrow, or it might never happen, but the proud piercee has a little ticking time bomb on her belly.”

Initial jewelry: Captive bead rings, bead rings, circular barbells in 14 to 10ga, usually 7/16² to 1/2² in diameter; rarely as thin as 16ga and as small in diameter as 3/8²; curved (1/4 of a circle) or “L” bars in 14 to 10ga, 3/8″ to 5/8² in length. Teardrop or oval rings are also popular choices for a less extrusive piece of jewelry.

Some women have successfully worn navel piercing jewelry throughout pregnancy. In other cases, the navel ridge pops out, making the jewelry uncomfortable. Monofilament nylon or teflon is a more flexible option to metal jewelry. A piercing that has been completely healeed for several years will most likely remain open if the jewelry is not worn; it will shrink, necessitating the aid of an insertion taper to install the original jewelry.

“The Navel Piercing – A Better Alternative” by Karen Hurt @ Future Primitives, <karen@fprimitive.com>

During the last few years I have observed an alarming number of navel piercings struggling to heal. Most problems result from jewelry that is too small causing stress to the openings of the piercing. I have seen navel piercings with 3/8″ – 1/2″ rings containing 1/2″ – 3/4″ of tissue. It would be obvious if a nipple or other piercing contained too much tissue for the jewelry; but the navel is less obvious. It is not uncommon for navels pierced with a ring to suffer through 6-18 months of healing time.

We have all seen irritated and inflamed navel piercings; many develop discolored and hardened tissue around the openings. Some migrate and/or “grow out.” This happens because the jewelry is too small and needs to move through the tissue to a position where it is no longer under stress. Removing the ring and replacing it with a Curved Barbell has always solved these problems, usually within days. A Curved Barbell allows the body to move naturally without stress to the piercing and will not cause any of the undesirable effects associated with the use of a ring.

Having worked in a high volume studio for over 5 years, I had the opportunity to gain much insight into problems associated with piercings. I have come to the conclusion that a Curved Barbell is the best initial jewelry for optimum comfort and healing. Navels pierced using a Curved Barbell generally heal in 3-4 months.

People usually associate rings with navel piercings, but when they are made aware that the healing time is greatly reduced with virtually no chance of any irritation or scarring, they are usually happy to start with Curved Barbells.\ After the jewelry is inserted, they also like the look.

This is a shift in thinking for all of us (piercers and piercees), but the overall benefits become obvious after a few piercings.
Suggested Navel Piercing Procedure

I encourage all piercers to carefully mark both the inside and outside of navel piercings to insure that the piercing does not contain too much tissue. All other piercings are marked on both sides and we see much better results in overall appearance and healing. I believe that navel piercings should be performed with equal care and precision.

* Clean the navel with the piercee lying down, and mark a preliminary inner placement dot. Assess the overall situation; if the navel area spreads and/or flattens with no visible flap remaining, a Curved Barbell should be used.

* Have the piercee stand and mark a visually attractive and desirable outer placement. ?Lying down again, carefully measure the distance between the marks.

* Adjust the marks to create a placement width that will accommodate the jewelry of choice. Generally, both marks will need to be moved closer together to create a balanced and attractive placement.

The final placement marks must be aligned and fine tuned with the piercee standing. Make sure that the final width remains consistent with the chosen jewelry. The initial Curved Barbell size should be 1/16″ longer than the maximum width of the piercing as measured with the piercee lying down.

If a ring is to be worn after healing, I suggest the following:

Future ring size: Maximum piercing width using a Curved Barbell: 3/8″ 5/16″ 7/16″ 3/8″ 1/2″ 7/16″ 5/8″ 9/16″ Keep in mind that a 5/8″ ring often causes irritation to the bottom of the navel. The piercee may benefit from wearing a Curved Barbell most of the time.

NIPPLE PIERCINGS

Initial healing: 4 to 8 months; nipple piercings can be problematic for some people, both women and men.

Nipple piercings can be made horizontally or vertically. Rings are usually the initial jewelry in horizontal piercings. Some piercers prefer to install a barbell initially, as this may decrease the chance of the piercing migrating downwards due to the weight and curve of a ring. If a barbell is to be used, it should be at least 1/8″ longer than the length of the piercing to facilitate thorough cleaning. Barbells of the same length as the piercing can be worn after the piercing is healed.

The effect of gravity on a nipple ring while healing can be countered by wearing the ring flipped up for 12 hours a day, when the piercing is healed enough that it is not painful (usually after 2 to 3 weeks). Be sure to remove any discharge and lubricate the piercing thoroughly before altering its position.

Wearing the ring flipped-up may also be recommended if a woman’s bra is pulling the ring downwards, creating a leverage effect. The leverage effect can also happen when bras are worn over barbells when the ball is wider than the distance the nipple protrudes from the areola.

Barbells are used for vertical piercings, as a ring will tend to stick out.

For heavy play (chains, pendants, weights) captive bead rings smaller than 12 or 10 gauge should not be worn. The larger the gauge, the less likely the piercing is to tear. Many people have also noticed that sensation and stimulation increases with a larger gauge. Nipple stretchers should only be worn *after* the piercing has healed and toughened, and preferrably with thicker jewelry (10ga or larger) to resist tearing or migration.

Multiple nipple piercings are not uncommon. Piercing can be made to crisscross (alternating horizontal and vertical piercings) or made in the same direction. To prevent complications such as scarring and piercing migration, multiple piercings should be made separately: the first piercing should be allowed to completely heal before a second piercing is made. There should be at least 1/8″ of tissue (depth) between the piercings to prevent pressure from the innermost piercing from causing the outermost piercing to migrate out.

The inside diameter of the ring should be at least 1/8″ to 1/4″ wider than the length of the piercing – the arc of the ring that passes through the piercing should be close to straight. It is not uncommon for the nipple to swell or actually grow in size during the healing process – the ring should be wide enough to accomodate expected growth. After the piercing has completely healed rings of a smaller, tighter diameter can be worn if desired. A too-small diameter ring can contribute to migration/rejection of the piercing or cause it to heal into an arc.
Female Nipple Piercings

The ideal nipple for piercing is one which extrudes from the areola. The piercing is made slightly above center, at the base of the nipple, where it meets the plane of the areola – never behind the nipple or through the areola, unless the nipple is inverted. Piercings made behind the nipple tend to migrate or reject downwards.

In the case of fresh/healing women’s nipple piercings, applying halved-panty liners to the inside of the bra cups will keep the piercing clean and the bra free from discharge and/or blood.

Many women appreciate a bra post-piercing, especially at night and particularly if she is wearing rings. But this also depends on breast size. A woman with an A-cup will not feel the discomfort associated with “jiggling.”

When I’ve seen nipple piercings migrate, it’s always been a matter of the skin tension. Often the cause of the tension is obvious – for example, when the ring is too small a diameter, and the piercing is pressed into a tight arc. Another, less obvious example is bra pressure, esp. if the wearer is wearing a too-small bra or has larger breasts. In a bra, the ring is pulled downwards, too, creating a leverage effect, putting uneven pressure on the jewelry. The leverage effect can also happen when bras are worn over barbells when the ball is wider than the distance the nipple protrudes from the areola.

The pressure distribution on the piercing depends on shape and size of the breast as well as dimensions of piercing and jewelry. Some women have found that the bra contributes to the downward pull on the piercings; wearing the ring flipped-up while wearing a bra can alleviate the pressure in some cases.

Most women with larger-sized breasts have found barbells much more comfortable than rings during healing. In addition, women who experience a prolonged or difficult healing process often experience excellent results after they switch to barbells.

If the barbells balls make indentations in the areola, either the nipples flatten when they are not erect, or the balls are too wide for the distance your nipples protrude. If the balls are too wide, the leverage will create tension on the piercing while it is healing.

Some women may experience irritation or a delay in healing before and during their period, or if they are subject to PMS. Water retention may cause the nerves in the nipple to become pinched against the jewelry. Also, it is not uncommon for the discharge released during healing to seep from the front of the nipple via the penetrated milk ducts.

Initial jewelry: Captive bead rings, bead rings, circular barbells in 14 to 10 gauge, 5/8″ inside diameter or larger.

Male Nipple Piercings

Because most men do not have sufficient nipple development, the piercing is usually made behind the actual nipple, through the areola, so that the piercing is approximately 3/8″ to 7/16″ wide.

However, nipples which are well-developed should be pierced through the base of the nipple, especially if the skin is simply too tight to be pierced through the areola. In this case the nipple can be pierced at its base, and as the nipple grows the wearer is able to stretch one to two sizes comfortably after healing.

Men, on average, have more difficulty than women with nipple piercings migrating or rejecting. If a nipple is to be repierced after the initial piercing has rejected, the first wound should be allowed to heal completely. If a large amount of scar tissue is present, it may be advisable to wait at least 6 months to allow the area to recover. The repierce is usually made behind the scar tissue from the initial piercing. Piercing through the scar tissue can be difficult and in some cases more painful. Keep in mind that repiercing behind scar tissue will not insure a successful piercing. Some people have experienced rejection/migration of second, even third, attempts at a nipple piercing.

Initial jewelry: Captive bead rings, bead rings, circular barbells in 14 to 10 gauge, 1/2″ inside diameter or larger. The inside diameter of the ring should be at least 1/8″ to 1/4″ wider than the length of the piercing – the arc of the ring that passes through the piercing should be close to straight.

SURFACE AND UNUSUAL PIERCINGS

Please note that most piercers do not commonly perform the following piercings because of the liklihood of scarring and rejection.

Thanks to Shannon Larratt of the Body Modification Ezine <http://www.bme.freeq.com/> for help in compiling this information.

Surface Piercings

Also known as surface-to-surface piercings, these piercings are temporary in all but the rarest instances. A few of the “standard” piercings discussed above could be considered surface piercings in some or most cases, including the eyebrow, Guiche, and Lorum.

Various types of jewelry have been used in attempts to get the piercing to stay. Some piercers feel that only larger-gauged (10ga +) jewelry is safe and will maintain the piercing longer. Others have tried nylon and teflon, citing that the flexibility of the material will reduce stress on the piercing.

A great majority of surface piercings do migrate and/or reject. Often there is resulting tell-tale scarring.

Areas most commonly attempted include the Madison (piercing made at the base of the neck, between the collarbones); the loose skin under the neck; along the forearms or wrist; in the male pubic area.

Forehead

Elayne “Angel” Binnie of Rings of Desire in New Orleans, LA, <ebinnie@aol.com>, commented on the topic of one successful forehead piercing:

“I did a forehead piercing on a woman named Jen, about 6 years ago, and it is still in place. I began with a straight piece of 14 gauge monofilament and used a traditional forcep procedure. It took about 8 weeks to heal pretty well, but she waited about 3 months to change to a slightly bent barbell. It was very successful, I think in part because her tissue was pretty pinchable. I was able to start with a significant amount of tissue, about 5/8″.”

Knuckle

Healing Time: 3 – 6 months

“I’m writing this one because it’s another surface piercing that is “successful” in the manner of an eyebrow or spinal piercing.” – Shannon Larratt

“This hand piercing enters between fingers and exits between the knuckles, as an approximately 1″ long piercing on most people. It is placed so that the jewelry passes through the natuaral curve present and does not significantly displace the tissue like most surface to surface piercings do. Like all hand piercings, special care must be taken of these piercings; however, this piercing is far easier to successfully heal than a hand web piercing. The primary concern is cleanliness, since the hand is subjected so much dirt and bacteria every day. This piercing was pioneered by Tom of Stainless Studios.”

Initial Jewelry: 1″-1 1/4″ 12ga slightly curved barbells

Handweb

Initial healing: 4 to 6 months.

Most piercers consider this piercing to be rather a novelty. The piercing is usually made through the web of skin between the thumb and forefinger. It must not intersect the muscle tissue.

Rate of infection is extremely high, due to the exposure to bacteria during daily activities. Rate of rejection and migration is also high, due to the nature of the tissue and hand movements.

Initial jewelry: Barbells and curved in 14-12 gauge, at least 1/2″ in length to accommodate swelling.

Uvula

A very difficult piercing done through the uvula (the little “punching bag” in the back of the mouth). Those who have the piercing maintain that it does not make you gag all the time; for most people, the nerves responsible for the gag reflex are located in the surrounding tissue and the tongue. Many people cannot feel anything in their uvula.

The problem is not HAVING the piercing, it is DOING it. This piercing should never be attempted without significant planning and dryruns, and should only be attempted by a very experienced piercer and piercee. Even piercers that have successfully done this piercing warn that while it is within their personal margin of safety, it is still a very dangerous piercing to do. While technically not the first person to do one, Jon Cobb is credited as the inventor and promotor of this piercing, having done about a dozen, all successfully and without incident. In many cases the jewelry was lost while switching rings later. Only two of the dozen remain. Jon Cobb says that it is a dangerous piercing and he does not recommend trying it. He no longer performs them and he will not perform it on ANYONE that asks.

Our Thanks to the members of alt.bodyart for this material!
– ed. Wasteland