Dear Alley is our weekly advice column for pierced, inked, and amazing individuals (and everyone else too!) who might need a nudge in the right direction. Relationships, mods, or whatever, Alley's got you covered :).

Do you have a question for Alley, submit it to DearAlley@bodycandy.com for your chance to get featured!

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!

Hey Alley,

I have always been self conscious about my inverted nipples. It has been suggested to me that getting them pierced could help them become un-inverted.

While I really like the idea of getting them pierced I am worried that it will not fix my problem. Does getting inverted nipples pierced really help? And how do I find a piercer that has experience with this?

Thank you,

- Ash

Alley: Hey Ash,

First and foremost, inverted nipples are super common... You shouldn't be self-conscious about them!

I like to remind people that I used to dislike my nose until I got my nose pierced. My point being - no matter how you feel about any part of your body, getting a fresh piercing can be liberating. It's an amazing way to beautify and grow to love a part of your body you initially felt self-conscious about.

In your case, nipple piercings certainly COULD help to "correct" inverted nipples... But there's no way to know for sure until you actually get them pierced. My advice - go into the piercing avoiding the mindset that piercings will "fix" your body or "correct the issue..." Instead, try to look at your piercings as an exciting new adventure and a beautiful new addition to your body. Even if your nips remain inverted, your new piercings might change the way you feel about your body.

As for your second question, you're right - your best bet is indeed to find a pro piercer who has experience with nipple piercings, specifically inverted nipples.

My best suggestion is to try to find an APP-certified (Association of Professional Piercers) piercer to take a look at your case. There are certain nipples that aren't good candidates for piercings (shallowness, etc.), but your piercer will be able to help you assess your anatomy and alert you of any potential issues.

Here's a helpful blog on how to find a reputable piercing studio near you! While you're looking for the right fit, don't be afraid to make some phone calls and ask lots of questions. Any good piercer will want you to be happy with the final result!

Love,

- Alley

Hi Alley,

I've had my nose piercings for a little over a year now. I have two nostril piercings on the same side and they were done on the same day.

My one nostril has a white gold hoop in it, and it has no problems. However, my other nostril has a piece of jewelry that my body must be allergic to, and I get random bumps often on the skin near that piercing. I have tried getting it out, but it seems impossible and I don't know what to do. It is one of those hoops that you push together and pull apart, but it seems stuck. What should I do?

Thank you so much in advance.

- Laurie

Alley: Hi Laurie!

Material sensitivities can be a really tricky part of being pierced. While I'm not 100% sure that it's the material of the jewelry that is specifically causing your bump, it certainly could be contributing to the issue... Here's a little about that:

First, from your description, I think the jewelry you are referring to is something known as a "seamless ring" - seamless rings can be gently bent open and shut in a way that allows them to be put into place.

Sometimes, if the seam is positioned inside of your healing piercing, your nose will heal up inside of the seam, essentially locking your jewelry in place. If this is the case, you wouldn't be able to move your jewelry, resulting in that "stuck" sensation you're referring to. If this is the case, you should head to a professional piercer to get your jewelry removed - you may also need to get your nose re-pierced depending on the extent of how much it healed through your jewelry.

Your bump could also be a result of the stress of trying to remove the jewelry. Bumps can really be caused by a lot of different things - here's more on nose piercing bumps and how to get rid of them here.

It's worth mentioning that I'm not a professional piercer Laurie! Get a pro's opinion for sure! If you're still worried about sensitivities, opt for another white gold piece, or try a more biocompatible metal like titanium.

Love,

- Alley

Hi Alley!

I've had my temple dermal since 2009 and I am now interested in changing out the jewelry but I'm having to hardest time finding a piece that both "catches" and screws in properly. The tread "lengths" appear to be too "short"

Does thread length come on different lengths and could you assist me with locating a new jewelry piece for my temple dermal?

Thank you,

- Ericca

Alley: Hey Ericca!

2009, wow! Dermals are tricky, and for you to hang onto yours for 12 years is amazing, congratulations.

This is a tough question for me to answer because - without a picture of you or your jewelry, I can't determine size/placement or see any specifics when it comes to your anchor. I will say this - most dermals are 14g in size (although 16g dermals exist). If you are trying to insert a 16g dermal into a 14g anchor, it won't catch because it's not the right size.

Because dermal piercings are so finnicky (and unique to each individual person), in your situation, I would recommend heading to a professional piercer for an in person consult. They can both measure your current jewelry and also help you change out your jewelry into something new that will hopefully catch onto your current anchor.

After twelve years of having your piercing, I'm sure it's probably healed up safely, but during the process of changing your jewelry, there's always a chance of losing your dermal anchor under your skin. It could also be that your body has healed up around your jewelry in a way that it is preventing you from screwing in a different style of dermal top.

Since you've already had so much trouble finding a piece that fits, I vote that you should leave this one to the professionals - I'm sure they'll help you find something that works for you!