Q: Hello, I got my nipples pierced about two weeks ago.  At first, they were doing great, and really, they still are. No crusting or redness or anything. But all of a sudden, if I go without a bra for more than a few hours, they start to burn a lot. With a bra I don’t even notice them anymore. Is something wrong? Thanks.  - Stephanie W.

A: No, there is absolutely nothing wrong with your piercings. They’re simply in the process of healing. When you aren’t wearing a bra, your piercings are moving with your body, they’re rubbing against your clothes, they’re doing all these things that you really don’t want new piercings to be doing. When you’re wearing a bra, they’re supported, they’re immobile, and they’re protected. These are things you want while your piercings are still in the fragile process of healing properly. Listen to your body and try to keep a bra on until they’re healed up entirely. They’ll thank you for it. Happy piercing!

 Q: I was pierced with a smaller gauge in my cartilage, is it painful to move up in size or gauge out your cartilage? - Charly

A: Stretching a cartilage piercing is definitely a more uncomfortable experience than stretching, say, an earlobe. However, standard cartilage jewelry is 16-gauge, which is 1.2mm in diameter. If you were pierced with 18-gauge or even 20-gauge jewelry, the maximum amount you’d have to stretch your cartilage is still less than half a millimeter. (An industrial piercing is generally 14-gauge, however that is still only 1.6mm.) You may wish to consult a piercer and see if they can simply insert standard sized jewelry into your piercing. Best of luck!

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!