Dear Body Candy,

I’m thinking about getting a newpiercing and I don’t know what styles of jewelry I can get piercedwith. What are the standard styles that piercers use when doing afresh piercing?

Thanks,
Diane

Body Candy: Hello Diane!

The style of jewelry that your piercer will recommend depends almost entirely on which piercing you want to get. Most cartilage piercings done in the ear will require a flat-back style, known as a labret. The exception to this is a rook piercing, which requires a small, curved barbell or other curved jewelry. Another area that is generally pierced with a labret is their area. Lower lip, philtrum, and cheek piercings all are done with labrets as well. Navel piercings and eyebrow piercings require curved barbells, while tongue, nipple, nasal and industrial piercings are generally done with straight barbells. Septum piercings are a bit more flexible and can be done with a horseshoe or captive bead ring.

Of course, these are just standard guidelines and may vary from piercer to piercer. Initial piercing jewelry needs to be able to accommodate the swelling that goes along with any fresh piercing. You also don’t want the jewelry to be able to move around too much as that can interfere with the healing process. That’s why your piercer will most likely use slightly longer jewelry to pierce with and then have you return later to downsize it.

If you’re really determined to get pierced with non-standard jewelry, have a chat with your piercer. By not taking their advice you may extend the healing period or windup with a piercing that never heals properly. But they may also be able to guide you through healing your piercing with the jewelry you want. If they are absolutely emphatic about the jewelry you need, make sure you listen to them. They’re professionals and better to wear the jewelry you’re not crazy about during the healing period than to have your sweet new piercing turn into a disaster. Good luck with your new piercing!

Love,

Body Candy

Dear Body Candy,

I’m getting ready to get my tongue pierced next week. I’m super excited to get it done but have one small concern. What am I going to be able to eat during the healing period?? I don’t want to eat the wrong thing and mess up my new piercing!

Please help!

Marie

Body Candy: Hi Marie!

There’s no reason you have to go hungry with a fresh tongue piercing! There are several options for what you can have….and a few guidelines on what to avoid.

First of all, you want to avoid anything spicy, acidic (citrus, vinegar, sour candy, etc.), or sticky, and for the first few days you’ll want to avoid anything crunchy or that requires a lot of chewing. During the first days of healing, your tongue is going to be swollen. You’ll want to stick to soft foods such as soup, ice cream or water ices, milkshakes, purees. The tongue is different from other piercings in that you’re piercing a muscle instead of skin or cartilage. The healing time can be very different, and you may find that the initial swelling goes down in a matter of days. At that time, you can reintroduce solid foods while continuing to avoid spicy, sticky, or acidic foods until your piercing is fully healed. Enjoy your new piercing – its well worth the sacrifice!!

Love,

Body Candy

Dear Body Candy,

I just got a new helix piercing and I absolutely love it! It’s my first piercing and I want to take the best possible care of it. How do I know if something is wrong? What should I look for?

Thank you!

Andrea

Body Candy: Hi Andrea!

Great question! Any fresh piercing is a wound and can have its own ups and downs during the healing process.You may see yellow crusty stuff or redness in the area. Those are totally normal and just signs of your body healing itself. You want to look out for green crusty stuff, unusual bumps, or the appearance that your piercing has moved. Green stuff can be a sign of infection and isn’t something you should try to treat at home –particularly if it’s accompanied by noticeable swelling, heat, redness, or a fever. Bumps can be irritation bumps, which are common especially if you accidentally knocked your piercing against something. However, they can also be a type of scar called a keloid which would also require attention. If your jewelry has shifted or the piercing has become noticeably shallow, that can be a sign of migration. Migration is when your jewelry is making its way out through the skin. If this happens and isn’t dealt with, it can lead to loss of the piercing and scarring. If any of these three things occur, you should promptly contact your piercer. They can tell you if they can help you save the piercing or if you need medical attention.The best things you can do for your piercing are to go to a reputable piercer and follow their aftercare instructions to the letter. Enjoy your new helix piercing!

Love,

Body Candy