Q: I have a new job that requires me to remove all piercings. How long can I leave my jewelry out before my piercings close up? -Brandon

A: This is an entirely relative sort of question and thus, difficult to answer in a helpful way. How long your piercings will last without jewelry depends on how long you’ve had them, how healed they are, and how your body reacts individually. Depending on the nature of your job, it may be easier for you to try to hide them if safety allows. Septum piercings with horseshoe jewelry can be flipped up, metal jewelry can be replaced with clear glass or flesh toned retainers. That said, if the retainers are spotted by a sharp-eyed employer there may be consequences of an unpleasant nature. Some piercings that have been healed for a long time may stay open for years while more recent piercings may seem to close in under an hour. (These can often be tapered open by a professional piercer, but this solution seems unlikely to work in the long run.) You may need to decide if your piercings are worth your paycheck or if this is an employer you really wish to work for. Best of luck.

Q: Just got my conch pierced. What can I do to keep from getting any piercing bumps or keloids? -Jaylynn

A: Here are a few tips. Make sure it’s the right jewelry – proper piercing jewelry for a conch would be an ASTM F-136 implant grade titanium labret stud. Not a circular ring. Also, make sure you are cleaning twice a day with sterile saline solution. Rinse it clean with running water and dry it with either a hair dryer (on low!) or a clean paper towel. Make sure your hands have been washed before you do this! If you sleep on that ear, you should likely invest in a travel neck pillow and make sure your ear is in the central hole, so you don’t sleep directly on it. Avoid touching it, playing with it, letting it come into contact with things like earbuds or phones or anything that may introduce bacteria. This will all help to avoid irritation bumps. Keloids, on the other hand, are a type of scar tissue overgrowth and can only be addressed by a dermatologist. If you have had one before, you may be more likely to get one in the future. They cannot be prevented, only treated. Enjoy your lovely new piercing!

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Disclaimer: Body Candy is only here to give you fun and helpful advice and information when it comes to getting pierced. Always consult a professional piercer to make sure a new piercing is right for you!