387 responses so far ↓

• 1 Kate // Oct 8, 2008 at 11:58 am

  I am thinking about getting a surface piercing on the back of my neck or on my forearm. After it has completely healed, are you able to take out the bar and put it back in like other piercings? Will my hair irritate it? When i pierced my ears the piercer cautioned to keep my hair away from my ears while it is healing, is that going to be a concern with this as well?

• 2 Curt // Oct 10, 2008 at 2:42 am

  Kate,

  A surface piecing is a lifelong commitment, where as the lifetime of the piercing is restricted to the initial jewelry. In short, no you can’t change jewelry.

  The main concern with hair is the fact that it’s pretty dirty. You will want to keep hair away from any fresh piercing or tattoo to avoid infection. A simple shave before the procedure should be sufficient enough to avoid contamination during the healing process.

• 3 Nikki // Oct 16, 2008 at 12:07 pm

  Hi! I was thinking of getting an anti-eyebrow piercing soon, but I’m only keeping it for two months because I’m starting school and they won’t allow it.

  Since I’m only keeping it for two months, I was wondering if a curved barbell was considerable… from some accounts I’ve read of people who pierced their anti-eyebrow with curved barbells (and didn’t knock it or anything), most didn’t experience any rejection at the end of two months. If I do see any signs of rejection before 2 months though, I’ll remove it immediately.

  I’ll try to find a piecer who offers Tygon bars, but if I use titanium, and it doesn’t reject by the end of two months, how bad will the scarring be after I remove it?

• 4 Curt // Oct 17, 2008 at 6:51 pm

  Nikki, all I have to say is… If you already know that you are planning on removing this piercing after only two months, don’t bother getting it. 2 months is barely even enough time for the piercing to heal, let alone the fact that you will be putting your skin through even more trauma when you take it out prematurely.

  Scar tissue is forever and piercings shouldn’t be considered a short time investment.

• 5 Missie . // Oct 21, 2008 at 6:25 pm

  So i got my hips pierced it’s sweet i love them there in a high motion area so its a huge risk that im scared of. its a huge risk cause i can easly bump them soo i donnu. its been just over a weeek now. it’ll be 2 on friday. is redness n tenderness still ohkai to have?

• 6 Curt // Oct 22, 2008 at 11:00 am

  Missie,

  2 weeks is still very early in the process and that tenderness and redness is common.

  Try to minimize movement and trauma to the piercing. Good luck with the remainder of your healing process.

• 7 ashley // Nov 9, 2008 at 2:17 pm

  missie,

  i’ve had surface piercing on my hips for over a year now and they still look great. barely any rejection has taken place. mine were swollen and tender for a month or so but after that they have been no hassle for me. good luck!

• 8 amanda // Dec 9, 2008 at 3:09 am

  I got a lower back surface piercing done 2 weeks ago. ( with a tygon). when i went to check up on it, the piercer changed it to a bar bell. i only have one concern …its so uncomfortable and i feel like my skin is gonna rip when i stretch. is this normal?

• 9 Curt // Dec 9, 2008 at 9:17 am

  amanda,

  If you feel pressure when stretching that is not a good sign. Any kind of pressure will make a surface piercing agitated which is not good for the healing process. If you feel that you had better results with different jewelry I would go back to the other jewelry. Everyone is different and only you will be able to tell what is right for your body.

• 10 Melissa // Dec 18, 2008 at 2:23 am

  I just got my eyebrow pierced and I am a bit worried about rejection and migration. I can feel the bar through my skin. Is that normal or does that mean its rejecting? It was done with a curved barbell and I can feel it when i run my finger along my eyebrow.

• 11 Curt // Dec 18, 2008 at 10:40 am

  Melissa,

  You will feel the barbel underneath the skin with any eyebrow piercing. The piercing is not very deep. To tell how much it is migrating or if it is rejecting, you need to take notice to where your skin stops in relation to the barbel. As an eyebrow piercing grows out more of the barbel will be exposed. The best way to tell how much your piercing is migrating keep tabs on your barbel to skin ratio.

• 12 Nichole // Dec 30, 2008 at 9:15 pm

  i’ve been thinking about getting either my sternum or right under my belly button pierced. if i get one of those 90 degree angled barbells, what’s the liklyhood of rejection?

  also, i had my hips pierced, but i didn’t have the right barbell, and they got rejected. now i have too awful scars.
  if i decide to take out my chest piercing/below my belly piercing before if starts getting rejected, will it also leave scars?

• 13 alex // Dec 30, 2008 at 11:58 pm

  so I got my hips done 4 days ago and they seem to be healing fine but they are still sore and slightly red around the holes..is the redness normal? oh and besides the spray they gave me is there any other way to keep them clean?and this may be a silly question but can I go tanning with my newly pierced hips?

• 14 Curt // Dec 31, 2008 at 11:52 am

  Nicole,

  Depending on the trauma you inflict on your skin, scarring is always a possibility. Once you take out the piercing be sure to add some antiseptic ointment to the wound to speed healing and deter infection.

  alex,

  A surface piercing will be red around the edges until the rejection process halts. This could be a few weeks or even a few months, depending on where your piercing is located and the amount of movement or pressure the piercing sustains.

  Can you go tanning? Sure, but I would take great care not to burn your skin or you could suffer even more complications.

• 15 alex // Jan 2, 2009 at 2:54 pm

  curt ,

  thanks so muchhh for the info I appreciate it =)

• 16 Vee D. // Jan 3, 2009 at 12:07 pm

  In a few weeks I wanted to get my right index finger pierced. The other day I was “shopping around” for prices and one of the piercers told me that getting my finger done is risky because of the movement of the finger. He also said that regular surface piercings have a 50% chance of reject whereas on the finger you have a 90% chance of rejection. After I was done talking to him I pinched the skin on my index finger and flexed it. The skin only tightened a little but other than that the skin stayed in between my fingers. Is this piercing to risky? Should I think about getting a different piercing instead?

• 17 Curt // Jan 3, 2009 at 7:41 pm

  Vee D.

  Try more like 100% chance of rejection. You can’t get your hands pierced, there is simply too much movement and pressure to the piercing. If you do manage to get it to heal it will soon grow out, eventually ripping the rest of the way leaving a nasty scar.

  I’m sorry, but a hand piercing should not be considered an option. If you insist on modifying your hands, get a tattoo.

• 18 alex // Jan 13, 2009 at 12:23 am

  k so its now like 3 weeks and my hips are having a problem with getting infected , they keep getting slightly irritated to where I feel like they r infected a little bit, like I know it isn’t that bad that I have to take them out but they kind of had a slight bit of puss on them , I just bought another bottle of the h2o spray and I’ve been using bactine and sometimes antibiotic cream..any tips on what I should or shouldn’t do with trying to keep it from being infected or getting worse?

• 19 Toni // Jan 13, 2009 at 10:39 am

  I got my neck pierced 4 weeks ago now, the guy at the tattoo shop told me there was a high risk of rejection before I got it done so I took a month to consider it, the only problem is now I’m really attatched to it, it’s showing now signs or rejection at the moment, I am just more afraid now that it will reject as I’ve grown to love it so much & that’s the one thing I didn’t consider when I got it done & I think it’s something else other people should consider before they have it done.

• 20 Curt // Jan 14, 2009 at 12:08 pm

  alex,

  Your main concern should be to avoid pressure and movement to the piercing. You are trying to stop the bodies natural rejection process which is not always possible.

  Keep it clean, and keep it from being bumped or rubbed by clothing. Then it’s just a matter of waiting and hoping for the best.

  Don’t be a hero, if your piercings continue to go down the route they are… take them out. Scars will be more prominent the longer you wait.

  Hope everything works out for the best!

• 21 Curt // Jan 14, 2009 at 12:11 pm

  Toni,

  I agree that surface piercings are cool. If it comes down to a choice of looking cool or destroying body tissue permanently, I would take the piercing out for the hope of a second chance at re-piercing.

• 22 nicky // Jan 19, 2009 at 6:05 pm

  hey
  i was contemplating having on on the fleshy part under you thumb on the inside of my hand . i understand the risk involved i was just purely curoius weather that was a safe place to have one because i can see how it woudl easily be hit or bumped so what woudl you suggest get it or not ?

• 23 Curt // Jan 20, 2009 at 10:54 am

  nicky,

  I would not get that area pierced. There is just too much pressure and movement on that area of the body. If you do get it pierced I don’t think you will have it very long before something unpleasant happens to it.

• 24 Heather // Feb 1, 2009 at 8:12 pm

  Curt, i just got my hips pierced yesterday and i have the spray that they gave me but i was wondering if neosporin would be ok?

• 25 Curt // Feb 3, 2009 at 6:11 pm

  Heather,

  I’d stick with the spray for your new piercing unless you start to experience complications. Keep it simple and try to keep it from unneeded movement or trauma.

  neosporin is going to choke out oxygen which isn’t good for piercings.

• 26 Katie // Feb 5, 2009 at 6:16 pm

  Curt, okay so I got my left hip pierced about four days ago and the area around it is really sore. Also, about an inch on all sides of the piercing is red and the piercing itself is a little swollen. I have a straight bar in, so that could be the cause of my problem. I’ve been cleaning it with peroxide but it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. What do you suggest?

• 27 Curt // Feb 7, 2009 at 1:15 pm

  Katie,

  Please tell me you didn’t get a surface piercing and not use a surface bar, did you? If you have a straight barbel in there it will with out a doubt grow out, and probably quickly. Surface bars are made to minimize pressure and movement to the affected area. Sadly, that straight barbel is going to grow right out of your skin and probably leave a nasty scar if you wait too long to remove it.

  If your piercer gave you a surface piercing with a straight barbel instead of a surface barbel, don’t go there for anymore body-mod work.

  Keep a very close eye on your new piercing. If any red lines start to vein out from the area it means you are infected and need to go to the hospital.

• 28 kristie // Feb 7, 2009 at 10:21 pm

  im thinking about getting my hips pierced, i’m worried about wasting money on something that is just going to pop out. Is there anyway you can tell if your body is more likely to reject a piercing? For example: if your fast healer. I’m not sure if that effects it at all, but i really want this piercing , so i just wanted check before i put that money out.
  thank you.

• 29 luke // Feb 8, 2009 at 1:13 am

  hi curt, just a question if i was to get an anti- eyebrow piercing can i get a surface piercing or do i have to get the barbel in there?…. if i do get the surface piercing wat wuld be the best thing to do throughout the healing process?.

• 30 Curt // Feb 8, 2009 at 12:50 pm

  kristie,

  Is there a possibility that you will just waste your money and develop a nasty permanent scar from your new piercing? There sure is, but that’s the case with any piercing.

  Hips are hard to heal due to the amount of movement and pressure at that part of the body.

  Everyone’s body is different and to be honest most people who think they heal quickly, don’t.

  If the piercing is that important to you then get it, but take your time and choose a reputable studio that performs that procedure. Ask for fresh piercing pictures as well as healed piercings. If they can’t provide them, go somewhere that will.

• 31 chanel // Feb 10, 2009 at 5:10 pm

  i got my bellybutton pierced but on the sides they are about a week and a half old, ive been cleaning them twice a day with baxedine and a sea salt solution a few times a day, they arent swollen anymore but there is some red at the end of the barbells not alot just a tiny bit , they dont hurt anymore , i just wanted to know if the red is normal and they used a 16 gauge kind of like an eyebrow ring but longer to pierce is this okay?

• 32 Curt // Feb 12, 2009 at 11:05 am

  chanel,

  It sounds like you are healing fine. The longer barbel is to allow room for initial swelling, once its healed it is probably a good idea to change to a shorter barbel to avoid catching it on things (like your clothes).

• 33 Rizz // Feb 14, 2009 at 6:33 pm

  I’m getting my hips done in a week and i am aware of I’m sure pretty much all the risks…but I’m only 15 going on 16 and I have a hell of a lot of piercings; just because previous piercings haven’t grown out..does that mean my hip piercings have less chance? i know a lot about piercings and how they are done and I’ve done my research before getting any piercing that I have…I know the person very well and have had no problem with any piercings from her before… I take good care of my piercings as I love them… do you think I’d be able to handle hip surface piercings?

  thanks

  xR!zZx

• 34 Stormchaser // Feb 15, 2009 at 5:08 pm

  The body doesn’t hate surface piercings.

  Sorry, but the article is wrong about that. It is not a due to the way the body heals, but due to all-day forces. That’s why even well healed surface piercings can reject.

  Living tissue is a strange thing, so strong it is at short forces – you can even suspend fron a single piercing without tearing the skin – so weak it is at long term forces.

  A very dramatic, strange but not really funny example was this poor women last spring, which found her legs fused to the toilet seat after sitting there for a month due to mental disorder.

  http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/03/13/768309.aspx

  That’s a weird case, but it helps to learn a lot about piercing rejection. Permanent forces lead to skin damage, follow up infections and tissue degradation lead the toilet seat sink into the tissue, while scar tissue grow back under the seat, fusing it to the tighs of the poor woman. In other words, the process worked like an inverse rejection.

  Now look at surface piercings – there are a lot of forces pulling at them, and at many places the sum of that forces is clearly outward. Every time you move, the tissue moves, but the stiff piercing is a barrier, there are forces, look how often the generate an outward force. Much worse it is with the flexible but straight PTFE bars – there is a constant all time all day force pulling them. Now the balls at the side might sink in, but normal skin will be tougher thant young scar tissue inside the piercing fistula. so outward movement is the logical result.

  Now… surface peircings can heal AND be stable, but you need to think before WHERE, and WHICH SIZE. I found that very big diameters (3 – 5 millimetrers) helps a lot, by distributing forces, even at places where the skin moves a lot (back).

• 35 jenna // Feb 21, 2009 at 6:02 pm

  erm, i have my hand pierced for quite a few weeks now, i have a curved bar in as the lady said it would be best curved. Will my piercing heal up or can i stop the piercing from being rejected. I have not had any problem with my hand so far and do wish to keep my piercing as i wanted it for prom. How would i go about healing my piercing? it is quite healed i think already, but after reading this i am not sure. I did not get it pierced in a shop, as i did it myself, so was not given advise on it.

• 36 Rizz // Feb 22, 2009 at 4:16 pm

  I got my hips pierced today!
  I love them so much! i decided to get them done and I don’t regret it, the lady said that if it starts to grow out she’ll replace them with microdermals….
  They look so good! but I’m scared of rejection….
  How often should i clean it?
  x

• 37 Antonella // Mar 3, 2009 at 10:22 am

  hi!!!!!!!!!
  i want to get my chest pierced, i already have a sternum surface, it’s doing well, i have a ptfe bar, i clean it every day and i love it!!
  i also got 2 microdermals but sadly one is rejecting ….. a dissapointment :( now while i’m waiting for it to heal to put the microdermal back on, i want 2 surface piercings botha at a 45° angle towards the cleavage like a V, now should i get ptfe? or a surface bar there? it’s not an area of high movement ….
  how much chance of rejection do i have????
  (sorry about my english..:S)

• 38 Sarah // Mar 4, 2009 at 7:05 am

  hey i just got one of my hips pierced 5 days ago and it was fine at the start but over the last two days it has gotten quite painful and swollen but it isnt red…is this signs of infection and do i need to be concerned?

• 39 Curt // Mar 5, 2009 at 8:46 am

  Antonella,

  I assume by ptfe you are referring to a tygon jewelry (a type of flexible plastic)?

  Although you may think that the chest is an area of minimal movement you are not exactly correct. Every time you stretch your arms out pressure is exerted on the chest . I’m also assuming you are female (due to the cleavage reference) which means bra’s are going to cause pressure to the piercing as well.

  I’m sure your piercer can give you a much better answer since I can not see exactly what you’re working with.

  As far as your chance of rejection, there is no way to give you an answer. Some people have good results with surface piercings where others have nothing but complications.

  Keep it clean and stationary and hope for the best.

• 40 Curt // Mar 5, 2009 at 8:53 am

  Sarah,

  Your hip piercing is still very new. Pain, swelling, and even redness are natural occurrences with fresh piercings.

  Continue to keep a close watch on your new piercing. If red streaks start to spread from the pierced area or substantial puss looking leakage begins, go to a doctor immediately and get it checked out.

  It sounds to me like your piercing is just going through the natural healing process at this point.

• 41 Rizz // Mar 6, 2009 at 7:07 pm

  Right, I’ve got my hips done…. nearly 2 weeks, it hurts to even move… that’s not right is it?

  help?

• 42 Curt // Mar 7, 2009 at 12:14 pm

  Rizz,

  The healing process can be a painful one. Surface piercings do not heal quickly and there is a good chance they will be sore for an extended period of time.

  Keep them clean and if they start to reject or develop an infection, take them out, let the area heal and try again.

• 43 Kenneth // Mar 8, 2009 at 4:23 pm

  Hi,

  About 4 months ago, I got my nape pierced. It has healed very well, though I have to be really careful not to bump or tear it. I can’t sleep on my back, always have to be careful at parties, … because I’m afraid it would reject.
  But now I wondered. Since the piercing is a surface bar with two 90° angles, how will I be able to remove it when I want to, or once it starts to reject?

• 44 Becky // Mar 10, 2009 at 10:08 am

  hey,

  ive had my nape pirced for like 4 months and its starting to get sore agin so pretty sure its rejecting so ill take it out soon. I love it though so i want it redone, how long do you think i should leave it before getting it redone and will it hurt more?

  might get mircodermals there though

  thanksssss

• 45 Curt // Mar 13, 2009 at 3:59 pm

  Becky,

  It’s hard to tell how long it will take to completely heal. Everyone’s body is different and the amount of damaged tissue has a lot to do with it.

  I would give it at least 6 months, but could possibly take longer.

• 46 Curt // Mar 13, 2009 at 4:03 pm

  Kenneth,

  If the piercing starts to reject it will most likely cause the surrounding tissue to soften allowing you to remove the jewelry without much difficulty.

  I would suggest that you get a qualified professional to remove the jewelry, to reduce possible complications. The removal process is no more painful then getting it pierced.

• 47 Melissa // Mar 14, 2009 at 9:14 am

  Last week i got a surface piercing just above my hip. it was a professional piercing place where i got it done, but they used a straight bar, is this bad? it’s been fine so far, just abit itchy and scabbing slightly at each end.

• 48 Curt // Mar 14, 2009 at 2:23 pm

  Melissa,

  I don’t recommend using straight barbels for surface piercings. Surface barbels are made to reduce pressure which a straight barbel does not do.

  Surface barbels were made for a purpose and I would recommend them over straight barbels for any surface piercing. Keep a close watch on the ends of your barbel for signs of rejection or migration.

• 49 Feral // Mar 14, 2009 at 2:29 pm

  I just wanted to thank Curt for providing all of these answers. The ones already here have been pretty helpful so far.

  I just got a corset last night (10 rings), and I’m pretty sure it’s most likely going to start rejecting at some point (captive ball rings were used =/ ), and she told me to put neosporin on it (I already knew that was wrong!). So right now I’m just doing my research to see what my chances are of actually keeping my very very awesome corset.

  Should I see if I can have the piercer change my jewelry to something less likely to reject, or will the trauma of changing the jewelry make it more likely to reject sooner?

  Also, to minimize my clothes rubbing on it, and to keep it dry and clean, I was thinking of loosely taping a patch of clean gauze over it during the day while I’m out and about (I don’t have any qualms about hanging out topless when I’m at home). Would the gauze cause more or less problems?

  I’m aware that these piercings almost always reject, but have you ever known one to properly heal?

  Also, for cleaning solution- for a sea-salt soak, how would you recommend going about this? Would soaking gauze in it and laying it over for a little while a couple of times a day suffice? Also, I used Bactine when I got my nose pierced years ago, but I’ve seen mixed things about using it on surface piercings. Is it too harsh to use on my back?

  Again, I know my chances of keeping my lovely corset are slim, but do you have any other advice for maximizing the longevity of my piercing?

  Thanks again!

• 50 emily-jane // Mar 23, 2009 at 3:13 pm

  i got a waistline surface a few hours ago..
  do surface piercings ever properly heal? and is being able to see a raised section where the bar is a sign of rejection?
  thanks:)
  xx

• 51 Curt // Mar 23, 2009 at 4:36 pm

  emily-jane,

  It is possible to heal a surface piercing. Although it may reject or migrate at any time, even after it has appeared to be healed.

  Your piercing is far to new to show signs of rejection. What you are seeing is most likely natural swelling.

• 52 Alexis // Mar 23, 2009 at 6:53 pm

  Hey, I had qotten the middle of my chest pierced about a month aqo. The piercer used a regular tongue ring lenght bar, but it was a plastic one.

  I noticed he didn’t grab enough skin so I unfortunely took it off.

  If I qet it done w/ the Proper bar, what are any other complications I will be dealinq with?

• 53 Curt // Mar 23, 2009 at 8:53 pm

  Alexis,

  As with any surface piercing the risk are infection and rejection. If the shop you went to did not pierce it properly the first time, I wouldn’t go back there for any more work. Getting your piercing from a qualified professional will greatly reduce any risk of complications.

• 54 Hailey // Mar 24, 2009 at 6:56 pm

  I got my hips pierced with tygon and I was wondering if I could tan with them. The lady who did them told me not to but she also said that with the other piercings I have and it never did anything. ??

• 55 kathie // Mar 24, 2009 at 9:41 pm

  I got 12 surface peircings on my back. They seem to be haeling great. a few of them are a lil red by the ends. Before i got them peirced i didnt kno much about the peircing and told the peircer i wanted to keep them forever not just for a while. she even changed out the bars and put surface bars in with gemstones on them for me. was that a bad idea. how long do u think they will stay in without regection?

• 56 Curt // Mar 25, 2009 at 8:34 am

  Hailey,

  You know tanning isn’t good for you. Tygon jewelry shouldn’t be affected by sunlight or tanning lights. The risk you take is burning the healing tissue around your new piercing. I recommend you cover the piercing while tanning until it heals completely.

  kathie,

  How long will they stay in? That’s a question for the piercing gods. Chances are at least some of your 12 piercings will reject or grow out. All you can do is take good care of them and hope for the best. If they appear to reject or grow out you need to remove the rejecting piercings immediately to avoid further complications.

• 57 Grant // Apr 7, 2009 at 1:09 pm

  i got my hips pierced 4 days ago and they seem to be going fine a little redness around the holes but nothing serious but when i sit down or lay down my bar (surface barbell) pops out and like the bend is visable and im worried this will make them go dodgey? or heal wrong if they ever do.

• 58 Curt // Apr 7, 2009 at 2:11 pm

  Grant,

  You’re piercing is still in it’s infancy, expect some unwanted movement of the jewelry. Try to reduce movement as much as you can as too much can affect migration and rejection.

  The only advice I can offer is TLC.

• 59 Nikki // Apr 8, 2009 at 1:47 pm

  I just got a pair of surface clavicle piercings two weeks ago using Tygon. So far everything seems okay but I’m just curious: would you recommend Tygon for this type of piercing or do you think I should have had the piercer use surface bars instead?

• 60 Curt // Apr 9, 2009 at 9:38 am

  Nikki,

  Tygon has it’s benefits but I wouldn’t use it as a long term solution. I’m a fan of surface bars due to the fact that it exerts much less pressure on the surrounding tissue. You could always get surface bars put in at a later date. Just be sure to choose your size wisely and don’t go to big.

• 61 Abbie // Apr 25, 2009 at 5:39 am

  Im getting a surface piercingon my hip and on my chest. How long will it take for these to grow out?

• 62 Curt // Apr 27, 2009 at 6:56 am

  Abbie,

  There is no way to tell if, or when, a piercing will grow out or reject. Everyone’s body is different and results will vary greatly.

• 63 Juliah // May 13, 2009 at 9:19 pm

  hi, i just got my left side of my hip pierced, the piercer used a surface barbel, its amazing. but the very ends of the barbel are ALWAYS sticking out. is this normal? when it begins to heal will the skin heal over and just the 2 balls show? i know with other piercings the bar is supposed to be a little long, but is that the case for surface piercings too? thanks!

• 64 Curt // May 14, 2009 at 4:38 am

  Juliah,

  You don’t want the balls of the jewelry resting directly on top of your skin. It needs a small amount of room to breathe. I wouldn’t worry about the jewelry unless a problem develops.

• 65 Juliah // May 14, 2009 at 2:03 pm

  thanks! i been using anti bac soap and its been really good its about a day old. should i use sea salt mix too? also within a week or so when the swelling goes down should just the 2 balls show?

  it looks really good but there are 2 small redish “bruises” kind of. they arent really noticeable, but is this just bruising and should go away? its just 2 small spots near the top and bottom. other than that it is perfect there is no pus or swelling. ( well rised swelling)

  i can feel the bar though through my skin, was it pierced deep enough or is it supposed to be like that?

  thanks you are a great help

• 66 Leila // May 17, 2009 at 2:37 pm

  i have had my hips pierced for 2 days now, u can slightly see the bar through the skin and its still sore is this bad?

• 67 Julie // May 17, 2009 at 8:41 pm

  I was thinking about getting my hips pierced. I’m still in researching it though. I’ve been seeing a lot people worried about movement and pressure and I was wondering where sex falls in that group.

• 68 Curt // May 18, 2009 at 9:07 am

  Juliah, Leila,

  That’s a fresh piercing, you won’t know how well it’s healing for several weeks. Take care of it diligently and hope for the best.

  Julie,

  Sex like anything else can cause unwanted movement or pressure for any piercing. It’s one of those things you will need to take into consideration before committing to your new piercing.

• 69 Gemma // May 18, 2009 at 11:50 pm

  ive had my hips pierced for three days now, and they were fine the day i got them done, but now theres redness and a small amout of bruising, is this normal? :/

• 70 Grant // May 19, 2009 at 12:16 pm

  gemmma redness is normal and bruising is normal also mine were the same :)

• 71 Grant // May 19, 2009 at 12:20 pm

  oh and btw my hip piercings have now grown out i only had them a month lmao but iv had 3 microdermals on each side of my hip now :) and also got another surface under bellybutton 2 weeks old and the dermals are 4 days old both are doing good so far :d dermals were abit more painfull and alot more money!! :L

• 72 Leila // May 19, 2009 at 2:02 pm

  i know i probably seem really stupid asking this, but does that mean every hip piercing will grow out even if you look after it properly?

• 73 Grant // May 19, 2009 at 3:09 pm

  sadly it does yes i looked after mine perfectly and they still rejected hip piercings are the worst surface piercings to get and your left with horrible scars

• 74 Cassy // May 19, 2009 at 5:10 pm

  Hey I’m pretty serious of getting my inverse navel done, and it’s considered a surface peircing by most places. That doesn’t concern me too much, but I’m pretty active. I have Taekwon Do three times a week and I hate to miss any classes. What do you suggest to keep my future peircing safe as I do my sport? I refuse to get a regular navel due to the fact that most girls seem born with them. A inverse navel is just so unique and I want to keep it for a long time.

• 75 chanel // May 19, 2009 at 9:22 pm

  I got a horizontal lip piercing on my bottom lip done 2 weeks ago its done with a flexibal bar , the swelling is completly gone and there is no pain or discomfort at all even when touched, I wanted to know about the risks of rejection. its done very deep i can hardly feel the bar through the skin

• 76 Leila // May 20, 2009 at 3:42 pm

  jeeez! asif, lol great thats £60 for two scars,
  well i love them i dont want them to ever grow out tho:(
  how can i help to prevent it, the guy in the piercers told me to gently push it down gently two times a day to make sure the skin is healing over the bar not under it.

• 77 Natasha // Jun 2, 2009 at 11:23 pm

  hello i got my clavicles pierced 2 days ago and theyre red around the piercings and kind of tender. the piercer used surgical plastic instead of the typical barbell, apparently plastic is better for mobility? ive been cleaning them 3-4 times a day with saline solution, but theyre still kinda red. is this a sign of infection?

• 78 haley // Jun 3, 2009 at 4:09 am

  Hey, I got between my chest pierced bout 2 months ago and it seemed to be doing good but it started pussing really bad this week even though I’ve been cleaning it just as much as when I first got it.. does that mean its gonna reject?

• 79 Jade // Jun 3, 2009 at 7:53 am

  Hey i have angel bites and i recently had a pimple ..[ew i know] like right behind it and it looks really weird now because i guess i scratched it while i was sleeping.

  My left one is fine and all but my right one
  looks weird. i love them and im not really
  looking forward to taking them out anytime soon.ive had them done since
  feb 6th of this year.Any ideas of how i should treat this?

• 80 Juliah // Jun 3, 2009 at 10:18 am

  hii i’ve had my hip piercing for about 20days. and i wanted to know when it would be okay to go swimming in a pool with it.

  thanks again :)

• 81 Anna // Jun 7, 2009 at 4:08 pm

  hey, i got my hips pierced about 3 days ago. i have a straight barbell though and there slightly red at each corner.. bad sign ??! :[

• 82 Curt // Jun 8, 2009 at 9:47 am

  Jade,

  If it’s just a pimple, it should heal itself without much attention on your part. Unless it get’s infected, I’d use a salt water wash and wait.

  Juliah,

  It’s probably fine to swim with your piercing. Be aware that chemicals like chlorine can dry your piercing out or cause other problems but unless you are living in a pool, problems are not very likely.

  Anna,

  That’s normal.

• 83 Juliah // Jun 10, 2009 at 8:13 pm

  hey, i had my hip piercing for a month, but unfortunatly had to take it out, during sex it got pulled really bad, and it hurt to move so i had to take it out, it didnt reject or infected or anything but it was a hassle and a very sensative piercing, i plan on getting it redone with microdermals soon.

  but thanks for your help :)

• 84 Rach // Jun 14, 2009 at 10:50 pm

  I’ve had my nape piercing for about 2 months, it’s not rejecting, doesn’t hurt and doesn’t appear to have any kind of infection. It still gets crusties, but only a tiny bit from time to time. I just got a job offer that will require me to remove it, is it safe to remove it at this stage?

• 85 Erin // Jun 15, 2009 at 4:14 am

  I got my hips and my lower belly button (underneath it, horizontal surface piercing.) pierced recently. So far they’re all good. So uhm, can i have sex? Coz im freaking out that theyll all start rejecting if i do. Could i just take them out for a couple hours then put them back in??
  x

• 86 Curt // Jun 15, 2009 at 6:50 am

  Erin,

  You can have sex, but you need to be aware of your new piercings in the process. Causing trauma to the newly pierced skin can cause issues. So bang accordingly…

  You don’t want to take them out and put them back. That would definitely cause more harm then good.

• 87 Curt // Jun 15, 2009 at 6:52 am

  Rach,

  You can always remove a piercing. Your body will take over and begin the healing process almost immediately.

• 88 Justin // Jun 19, 2009 at 11:50 am

  I got my nape pierced a little over a week ago, and in the past couple of days I’ve noticed one of the balls starting to “go into” the skin. The other side looks normal. When I push on the normal side, the other side comes up and out of the skin. There has not been any pus or swelling really, just some redness and a bit of crust.

  I know the piercer used a surface/staple bar, and I’ve been using salt water soaks and what not.

  Should I take it out?

• 89 Gemma // Jun 21, 2009 at 4:36 am

  how will i know when my hip piercings start to reject? :/

• 90 brownsugar // Jun 21, 2009 at 10:41 pm

  Hi, Im planning on getting my hips pierced very soon. I was wondering if you have any tips on taking care of them like.. how many times a day should i clean them? should i not sleep on my tummy? I was also wondering if it would be better to get just one pierced at first? see if I like it and if its working out?

• 91 Lucy // Jun 30, 2009 at 12:12 pm

  Hey, I’m almost 15 and I’m getting my hips pierced. I’ve already gotten my bellybutton pierced, and that went fine, but my parents are concerned that since I technically haven’t stopped growing, my skin might stretch the holes of the hip piercings. Is this possible? I’d prefer to get it done soon, before they change their minds, but would it be better to wait until I’m like 16 or something and my body has stopped growing?

• 92 Curt // Jun 30, 2009 at 8:10 pm

  Lucy,

  You will be growing for several more years dear. Lucky for you, skin is incredibly flexible. You can continue to grow and your skin will grow with you The holes will remain the same size.

  There is a risk of migration as you grow, but there is always this risk in anyone with a surface piercing.

• 93 Lucy // Jun 30, 2009 at 11:33 pm

  Okay, thanks for the advice =]

• 94 Megan // Jul 1, 2009 at 2:18 pm

  I’m considering getting a bridge piercing… is this technically a surface piercing?
  Also, my dad’s concerned with the possibility of transmitted encephalitis. This is a rare disease in the first place, but what are the medical risks of a bridge piercing? Any other information about the piercing would be appreciated. Thanks!

• 95 Celina // Jul 14, 2009 at 4:18 pm

  I’m thinking about getting my hips pierced and I have gotten a lot of information about it. I’m a cheerleader though and I was wondering if even after it is healed would I be able to tumble and stuff or would that be too much movement that it would reject?

• 96 Rosh // Jul 16, 2009 at 8:58 am

  So i am thinking of getting my hips pierced in about a month [when i get back from holiday] and i was just wondering how much this piercing hurts? i know everyone has different pain thresh holds.
  i’ve got my Lower Navel pierced which was rather uncomfortable and stung quite a bit after. And my Tragus hurt.
  Also, what is the average cost? i know ‘BlueBanana’ is alot cheaper, however it has a bad rep and although i am happy with my other piercings i have had there i think i would rather not risk it?

  i’ve done my research into looking after them, etc
  However, i was wondering how easy they are to cover? Because my mom said i can get them done if i want [even though she doesn't really support it] because i am sixteen and old enough. Although my dad would kick up a massive stink.

  Is there any other vital information about this piercing that is useful to know?

  Thanks. (:

• 97 Gisele // Jul 19, 2009 at 3:15 pm

  Curt, I had my hips pierced yesterday and i love the look of them,
  I’ve been cleaning them with sea salt and warm water and diluted tea tree oil…
  they are a bit sore i think due to movement when i sleep, but also i can see the faint shape of the bar under my skin,
  is this normal?
  or is it just due to swelling?

• 98 Anna // Jul 19, 2009 at 10:20 pm

  I just had my hips pierced today, but I was pierced with PTFE flexible jewelry instead of a barbell. Now, I know everybody heals in different times, in different ways, but am wondering if the bar will bend so it will not make a bump under the skin? thanks!

• 99 Curt // Jul 20, 2009 at 2:34 am

  Gisele,

  Yes, it is normal to have slightly raised skin at the piercing location. This may subside once healed or it may not. It is nothing to worry about. Many surface piercings will have raised skin above the barbel or anchor for the life of the piercing.

  Anna,

  Although a PTFE barbel is somewhat flexible, it is still rigid plastic. It will not bend or flex much and certainly not enough to conceal the jewelry beneath the skin.

• 100 Gisele // Jul 20, 2009 at 5:53 am

  Curt,
  I woke up this morning and the swelling appears to have gone down a bit but the bar is appearing longer on my left side,
  also the one on my left seems to be a bit more stretched than the one on my right and it seems to be under less skin but it doesnt feel as sore anymore,
  is this normal or is my body rejecting it?
  also if not what are the signs of my body rejecting the piercings? these are the first surface piercings i’ve had and the piercer said that because i’m toned the piercings may reject sooner than most.

• 101 Anna // Jul 20, 2009 at 9:52 am

  ok :-) also, as my piercings heal, is there anything extra i can do to help block the rejection process? I am doing the salt baths, and cleaning it as I am supposed to. i woke up this morning with very little redness, and very little tenderness, is this a sign of the piercing doing alright or does this usually happen the second day?

  I washed my both hip piercings with neutrogena face wash yesterday, as i have done with all of my other body mods, and although it did sting as i was washing it, both side have greatly reduced in redness. should I not use that particular face wash because of the stinging, or because of the positive outcome of the piercings would it be alright to continue?

  thank you for your help!

• 102 Curt // Jul 20, 2009 at 2:45 pm

  Gisele,

  Your piercing is far too new to show signs of rejection. One side or another may look like it’s out further than the other. Your skin is extremely flexible and slight changes in position of jewelry is not uncommon.

  Anna,

  I don’t know who told you to use face wash on a fresh piercing but I do not recommend it. I wouldn’t use any fragranced soap to clean a piercing. You must be extremely careful about what the ingredients are in any soap you apply to a fresh piercing. Stinging is not a good sign. I would discontinue the use of face wash and simply use sea salt soaks to clean the new piercing.

  Remember that your new piercing is an open wound and will take a while to heal. Until that time, you will need to take intense care of your new piercing to help ensure proper healing.

• 103 Bernadette // Jul 21, 2009 at 5:32 pm

  Curt,
  so i was thinking about surface clavical piercings and i really want them and im willing to do whatever it takes to make sure theres no rejection. another one of my main concerns is that as of now i feel like ill want them forever but if one day in the future i decide i dont want them anymore do i remove them myself or should i go to a shop and have them do it? and what is the procedure for taking them out?

• 104 Curt // Jul 21, 2009 at 6:53 pm

  Bernadette,

  The removal process is almost an exact copy of the insertion process just in the opposite order. The skin will be slightly cut on the short side of the anchor and the jewelry will be removed in the same manner it was inserted.

  I would have a professional body piercer remove them if you would ever desire to do so.

• 105 Gisele // Jul 21, 2009 at 7:04 pm

  the hip piercing on my left side has risen even more since i last mentioned and you can see the barbel through the skin,
  the ends are quite swolen and i believe that they are taring a bit,
  it is sore to touch and very red, also when looking down you can see the perfect outline of the entire barbell and the skin around it seems to be getting shorter…
  should i remove it now?
  as i think the piercer pierced the left side under less skin than the right and i feel as though it may be rejecting.

• 106 Curt // Jul 22, 2009 at 3:36 pm

  Gisele,

  You are going to have to make a very important decision. If your piercing is in fact migrating out of your body, you must take it out. The longer you wait the more potential damage you will cause.

  If you have caught the piercing and ripped the sides slightly, you are a good candidate for rejection or simply just growing out. Your body’s natural reaction to a foreign object is to push it out of the skin.

  The worst case scenario would be having the entire barbel rip through the skin once it gets close enough to the surface. This would create a good deal of scar tissue that will remain for life.

  If you take it out now and let it heal you should have decent results at a second chance. If you wait and your piercing gets infected or rips out completely, you will have some serious scar tissue to deal with.

• 107 Gisele // Jul 22, 2009 at 3:44 pm

  ok thankyou,
  i have decided that removing it now is the best option to ensure minimal scarring,
  i will then get it re-pierced at a later date, with a better more expierianced piercer to ensure that it lasts longer.
  how long would i have to wait to get it re-pierced?

• 108 Curt // Jul 22, 2009 at 6:52 pm

  Gisele,

  I would wait at least 3 months, but as long as 6 months may not be out of the question. You must make sure the area is completely healed before trying to repierce it.

  The time it takes for your existing piercing to heal can vary depending on the current damage to the tissue and your body’s natural ability to heal which is individual to each person.

  Good luck and keep us updated when you do decide to repierce it.

• 109 beca // Jul 26, 2009 at 2:32 am

  i got a sternum surface piercing about two and a half weeks ago and all seemed to be going well until the other night i took a hit to the chest. its almost two days later and my piercing is turning red, its very sore, and i think i notice some puss trying to form now. is it too late to save? i have been keeping it clean with bactine and showers but i’m starting to think its only going to get worse. it also might be forming some dead skin that wants to peal around the holes. i don’t know if its just bruised or if its trying to reject at this point.

  help..please!!

• 110 Curt // Jul 26, 2009 at 9:00 am

  beca,

  Blunt trauma is one of the worst things a piercing of any type can experience. While a single event shouldn’t hurt a piercing much, that does depend on the severity of the impact.

  I would give your piercing 2 weeks and if nothing is better, it’s probably time to remove it. If things heal or start to look better, you may have a chance at saving it.

• 111 Gisele // Jul 26, 2009 at 5:16 pm

  …I removed my left hip piercing but recently i’ve been partying a lot and i’ve been getting my right hip piercing caught on accident and knocking it…
  the area around the holes is quite a dark red and theres some white dead skin and crust around it, also its started oozing.
  it isnt painfull but i feel as though all of these bumps may have forced it to start rejecting,
  are these a normal part of the healing process?
  or is it infact rejecting and should i take it out and let them both heal properly before getting them re-pierced with a more experianced piercer?

• 112 Anna // Jul 26, 2009 at 8:07 pm

  hai,

  my hips have been pierced now for about a week. they have gone from a flaming red to a much softer pinkish tone which i take to be a very good sign. only thing is, there is slight scabbing. I know not to pick…but….should i do anything?

  thanks!

• 113 Brooke // Jul 28, 2009 at 5:24 pm

  Hey!
  About two months ago I got my nape peirced with a surface bar. I’m pretty sure it’s healing fine. I was wondering if the inside will ever heal around the bar or will it stay fleshy?

• 114 Curt // Jul 29, 2009 at 5:21 pm

  Brooke,

  You don’t really ever heal a surface piercing, you just freeze the rejection process. So that tissue is going to stay the same.

• 115 haley // Jul 30, 2009 at 5:35 am

  Hey, my surface piercing just fell out and I didn’t know if I should clean it the same way I did when the jewelry was in, or if its different now that there’s nothing there….?

• 116 Curt // Jul 30, 2009 at 7:22 am

  haley,

  Without jewelry you can clean it just as you would any other wound. Bacatracin or neosporin will do it good along with a bandage for a few days.

  That should heal it up pretty quick.

• 117 Anna // Jul 30, 2009 at 10:33 am

  hey, Curt. my hips have been pierced now for about a week and a half now. they have gone from a flaming red to a much softer pinkish tone which i take to be a very good sign. only thing is, there is slight scabbing. Should i do anything?

  thanks!

• 118 Curt // Jul 30, 2009 at 11:06 am

  Anna,

  Allow those scabs to fall off on their own. Don’t pick at them or remove them prematurely.

• 119 Brionna // Aug 3, 2009 at 11:31 pm

  Okay, so I’ve had my vertical tragus since friday (3 days ago) I haven’t seen any redness or swelling, but it is somewhat tender.. especially if I accidentally sleep on it. I currently use the saltspray and witch hazel twice a day (which helped my industrial piercing to heal) to clean my piercings.
  I currently have all the help that I need if it starts rejecting.. but I’m going to a boarding school next month, and am worried about not having the proper information I need if it starts to reject.. so is there any way to take care of it more than I already am? And will it be more sensitive and susceptible to frost bite/ cold weather injuries? (I live in Alaska)

• 120 Anna // Aug 5, 2009 at 8:16 pm

  Curt, my hips aren’t tender, at all. There is no gooey discharge, or swelling like the article above says. They are still scanning, but much less. The only thing I am worried about is the mostly pinkish/sometime redness around the holes. What (if anything) can I do to make this go down if not away. I have very very pale skin naturally, so the red doesn’t look very lovely. Help, please?

• 121 AMANDA // Aug 5, 2009 at 11:49 pm

  hey curt!

  my name’s amanda, and i’ve had my hips pierced for about a month and a half, and they are doing great.

  my piercer did them with straight barbells, and i replaced them with the flexible plastic bars that are slightly curved (www.bodyartforms.com).

  i’m a very active person, and they do tend to rub against things, but i’m glad to say (so far) i’m a success story, haha. they ‘healed’ and don’t hurt at all. there is no redness, puss, or dead skin at all.

  even though my piercer didn’t use surface staples (like i said, she used straight barbells), you still can’t see the bars underneath, because they plastic bar is curved, so it isn’t raised.

  i was just wondering if i could replace the plastic bars with the staples to further insure the ‘permanence’ (i know, i know … they are never permanent) of the piercing. or would replacing them now, while they’re ‘healed’ with the staples, be too risky and irritate them too much and make them more prone to rejection?

  and would my piercer have to go deeper into the skin with the staples? like, pierce even further into my body? (i’m not worried about it, or anything, just curious.)

  if you could respond, that’d be great!
  thanks!

  you can see a bunch of pictures on my facebook: http://www.facebook.com/amandapapnemes, and on my myspace: http://www.myspace.com/ohmgitsamanda.

• 122 Curt // Aug 6, 2009 at 2:06 pm

  Brionna,

  Everyone is different and your own body will dictate if your new piercing will stay intact. All you can do is take good care of it.

  I don’t believe that cold weather adversely affects piercings. Of course, if you did get frostbite on a pierced area there would be issues, but that would be the same if it were un-pierced.

  AMANDA,

  Of course you could replace them with surface staples. You will need to take care in choosing the appropriate staple dimensions which could be tedious.

  As far as irritating the skin when they are replaced… this is always a possibility and one that can not be avoided when changing surface piercing jewelry.

• 123 Curt // Aug 6, 2009 at 2:08 pm

  Anna,

  The only thing that will make that redness go away is proper healing. If your surface piercing rejects, that redness won’t get better… it will get worse.

  When and if the piercing heals the redness should subside.

• 124 Lisette // Aug 14, 2009 at 3:03 am

  Hey Curt!
  I have 4 surface piercings, 2 on my wrist and 2 by my collar bones. I got the ones by my collar bone 3 weeks ago, they are still red and swollen at the end of the piercings is this a sign of rejection? Can it be the shirts that irritate them? Also my left wrist surface piercing feels like it has a bump under the skin, if I touch the bump it’s very painful. This is starting to worry me a lot.. PLEASE HELP!

• 125 Rosh // Aug 18, 2009 at 9:11 am

  Hi there Curt!
  i got my hip [couldn't afford two atm! :(] pierced today, after wanting it for a year! And i love it (:

  i’m just wondering the best way to keep it clean/how often to clean it?

  Thanks!

• 126 Andrya // Aug 20, 2009 at 1:18 am

  Hey Curt!

  you probably get this a lot, but, I weigh around 130 pounds and I’m 5’3, is that a good weight for a hip piercing? and also, what should I do to take care of it so it won’t reject?

• 127 josie // Aug 20, 2009 at 9:38 pm

  hi curt. i am really wanting to get 2 surface piercings, one on the left side of my v cut and the other one on the right side of my v cut. will this be a problem spot for me? i am very active and i play volleyball and run track. the work outs that come with that include crunches and bending over and all sorts of movement. can ya help out here?

• 128 Kayla // Aug 21, 2009 at 6:02 pm

  Hey Curt.

  I just got my clavicles pierced, so I have two surface piercings. Can you change the balls on the ends after the healing period like you would a belly button or eyebrow? Thanks.

• 129 Curt // Aug 24, 2009 at 4:26 pm

  Lisette,

  The issues you speak of should be looked at by a professional piercer. Shirts can definitely irritate a piercing.

  Rosh,

  2-3 times a day should be plenty. Use a sea salt and water mixture. Be careful not to bump the piercing while cleaning it.

  Andrya,

  Everyone’s body is different and I can not give you an exact answer.

  josie,

  Trauma and pressure are the worst things for a surface piercing. If you think you can keep them from getting caught or in the way you could give them a try. I fear that your active lifestyle would not lend well to surface piercings.

  Kayla,

  I see no reason why you couldn’t, as long as the surface studs have removable balls.

• 130 juan // Aug 30, 2009 at 12:10 am

  hii
  i wanna get hip microdermal anchors now i know they don’t have a big rejection possibilty but i wanted to know what the thing that goes inside the body (i think its called an anchor) should be made out? steel? titanium? & what can i do so that to keep it clean & healthy?

• 131 lauren // Sep 5, 2009 at 2:05 am

  i want hip piercings and ive been doing a lot of research. i currently have 8 piercings and 3 tattoos. i exercise quite a bit and i was wondering if placing it higher on my hip or lower would be better

• 132 lola // Sep 5, 2009 at 11:18 am

  So about a week ago my friend and I went to go get our nipples pierced. Hers are healing up very nicely, while mine on the other hand are still sore to the touch, kind of swollen, red around the holes and has started to puss a little. Is this normal or should I be worried about infection or rejection? Ive been cleaning it with ivory soap and rinsing it with epson salts. is there anything else I should be doing?

• 133 cristin // Oct 8, 2009 at 6:47 pm

  I just got anchors on sept. 26 and its been about 3 weeks. There doing good I just want to know the signs of rejection. I made the mistake of wearing bandaids for to lonng so the sticky stuff from it have irritated my skin. They don’t hurt unless I press hard on them. Which I rarely do. There’s no red ness. I just get paranoid . I got my cheeeks pierced and they got infected due to the piercer giving me short barebell the balls wwent into my cheeks

• 134 Shaina // Oct 11, 2009 at 11:55 pm

  HI, I have gotten the sides of my bellybutton pierced twice on one side and 3 times on the other side. They keep rejecting though. I was told that this is a surface piercing and the first piercer that did it would only do one at a time and also pierced ( i dont remember the exact measurements) something like an iinch of skin with a 1/2 inch hoop or something and it started ripping itself out. I had to go to another piercer to have it removed. I waited about 4 months and had both sides done at the piercer that took the old one out, and they both rejected and almost immedietly started puching out, it was like the skin was dying. They weren’t infected or anything the skin was turning sort of gray in areas and flaking off really bad. I asked the piercer what to do and he said to take it out, let it heal and try again, i tried again a few months and it did the same thing as before. The piercer told me to let it heal and try again….AGAIN!! I spoke to a guy i went to highschool with who is a piercer/tatoo artist who also previously worked at the same shop as the piercer who kept telling me top try again, and he told me to just stop. Dont get it done again because it would just keep rejecting and that the other guy was just telling me to try again and again and again because he knew i really wanted it done and would keep paying for it over and over. So should I just forget the piercing? Or is there a way to make it work? keep in mind I now have scar tissue pretty badley on the sides of my belly button especially on the side that was done in the very beginning and screwed up.

• 135 Bri // Oct 12, 2009 at 12:12 am

  Hi,
  Alright so I’m the idiot that didnt do my research and got a surface hip piercing with a curved barbel, i know i dont have enough skin in it and im worried about rejection. It is a little red and i dont know if im paranoid or if its really loosing skin already. : ( but i love it and really dont want to take it out yet. I’m wondering if theres a possibility that a piercer could change the bar before it heals ( or rejects in my case ) I obviously would not go to the original place again …. any advice ?

• 136 richard // Oct 13, 2009 at 2:18 pm

  i have a nape surface piercing and have had it since at least june, the jewelry is a staple shaped surface bar and is the same as was put in wen it was pierced. i have recently noticed over the last couple of weeks the bar is close to the skin and the balls stick out more than prievously, yet its not angry, gooey, or painful. is it rejecting? and if so should i remove it?

• 137 Tiger-Lily // Oct 14, 2009 at 3:32 am

  I got my hand pierced nearly two weeks ago, the fleshy bit on the side, under my little finger. the bar is curved and the guy that pierced it had experience in surface piercings but had never pierced the hand before. It seems to be healing well but it’s a bit red around the balls, also its very itchy is that good or bad? i have kept it covered with a plaster since i had it done but have ran out and took it off yesterday, should i keep it covered? i am now very worried about it growing out and cannot find many people with a hand piercing in the same place to ask for advice what should i do ?

• 138 Alexandrea // Oct 14, 2009 at 1:08 pm

  Hello,
  I got a nape piercing done about 3 months and 2 weeks ago. The redness and swelling went away after about two or three days and it has been perfect ever since. I hadn’t had any problems up until yesterday when I noticed the left side of the piercing was a little red. It’s slightly swollen now and a tiny bit sore. I don’t know if it is rejecting or if it just got aggitated by my new work jacket. Is there anything I can do to reduce the redness and swelling? I don’t want to lose the piercing. I love it and would like to heal it instead of taking it out if at all possible. I’ve cleaned it a few times since I noticed the redness with H2Ocean so I’m hoping that will help. If you have any idea whats going on or what I can do to save my piercing please let me know! Thank you!
  -Ali

• 139 Missy // Nov 2, 2009 at 5:55 am

  Hey i just got my hips pierced liek last thursday, and i was just wondering, how can i clean it. Ive been gettin a cloth and using rock salt and stuff liek that,Is there any spray or stuff? And i deff dont want them leavin scars or rejecting. Get bak at me <3

• 140 Haley // Nov 9, 2009 at 3:06 am

  So I just got my hip pierced like 6 days ago…its super red around it and tender, and keeps pussing. Idk if I should just go get it removed or what?? I think it gets bumped tooo much for me too have it..idk what do you think??

• 141 Peg // Nov 22, 2009 at 11:41 am

  Hey im thinking about getting my sideburn pierced. good idea or bad? D: im pretty scared because that part moves alot when you talk and i talk ALOT!

• 142 Mary // Nov 23, 2009 at 8:19 pm

  i got my cleavage pierced about 9 months ago .. and theirs a bump growing under my skin.. what is that? should i be worried?

• 143 Cassie // Nov 28, 2009 at 4:49 pm

  I just got a skin piercing between my Cleavage n its just a barbell … Where i got it done they never told me any thing about a diff bar ….. Is there any chance it will heal ?

• 144 Angela // Dec 5, 2009 at 4:20 pm

  Hi, I am 17, and concidering getting hip or collar bone surface peircings, and am aware of the risks. I was wondering if all peircing reject eventually? If i take the peircing out once it starts to reject will the scar be bad? I also play the violin, wich requires a lot of movement in the collar bone area, where would be the best option for my peircings?

• 145 Katya // Dec 15, 2009 at 11:39 am

  Hi, I’m getting an anti-eyebrow piercing soon and although I’ve wanted it for quite some time, I’m beginning to have second thoughts. That’s mainly because every time this type of piercing is mentioned, it’s in connection with you being unable to have it for longer than a year or maybe two. Scarring isn’t a problem, as I’m already scarred enough, but to be honest, I don’t really want to give up a piercing after only a year or so. It would be a shame.
  Are surface piercings really that unreliable? Are there any tips that may help to prevent rejection, at least a little?

• 146 Yessi // Dec 16, 2009 at 12:09 am

  i got my bottom lip pierced about 3 weeks ago .. and theirs a bump growing on top of my skin.. what is that? should i be worried?

• 147 adellerosealee // Dec 16, 2009 at 11:18 am

  i got my hips pierced a week ago, my right one is healing quiet good, though my left one the ball has opened my piercing hole, and my ball sits slighty under my skin. i’ve very confussed as what to do. i don’t want to remove it unless it is the last resort. i clean them and attend to them properly. at the moment i have a bandaid under the ball so the ball can’t move into the hole. please help!

• 148 jordan // Dec 17, 2009 at 8:13 am

  curt
  i jus got the back of my neck periced and i like it alot but i dont no the proper way to clean it what should i use? and another thing is the percer used a straight plastic bar is that ok

• 149 gregg3ra // Dec 22, 2009 at 11:09 am

  I have had my eyebrows pierced 4 times,2 on each side ha,well I did them myself,I was highh,and all of them came out fine but I streched them out and one of them ripped and it didn’t hurt,coz I woke up and it was ripped and it has a lil scar but its chill still,I only have 1 on my right side now,but I pierced my brigde to days ago,with a safety pin and then now I have a curved piercing in it and I think its a lil tight ha,and its still swallen,yuu think that alright?

• 150 Alex // Dec 28, 2009 at 9:06 pm

  Hi!
  I just got my belly button pierced ( i know its not a surface piercing)
  but i was surfing the web looking for info because i was scared it was infected. Could yhou help me out anyway?
  I got it pierced about a week ago and on maybe the second day it began emitting a white/pale yellow discharge and crusting over
  it’s also red and tender.
  Some sites said this was a very bad sign and i should see a doctor and one said it was normal, whats your take?

  Thanks!

• 151 Kaleigh // Dec 31, 2009 at 6:49 pm

  Hello all,
  I actually was pleased to find this website
  Curt your advice would have been nice to have about five years ago for me when i started my body mod faze,
  Now on surface bars
  I have had My clavical pierced twice once with the bars and once with microdermals
  and hade better luck with the bars as the dermals regected in a couple of months I had my bars for over a year with a little regection in the last couple of months and caved in and took them out and had them re done with microdermals. Now Im on my way and looking to get my Sideburn pierced whats the likely hood of that regecting and in how long?

• 152 Adelle // Jan 3, 2010 at 2:02 am

  Hello Alex, I recently got my hips pierced, and the same thing has been happening lately. It is normal for all piercings too scab, make sure you are not taking the scabs off, and clean it twice a day. I clean mine with Sophomore Soap, its a type of detol soap. But salt water works fine. Make sure your not under cleaning, or over cleaning so usually morning and after noon. Be sure not too knock it as that will cause more irritation, and try not to sleep on your stomach, thats actually what has inflamed my piercings. But as for the discharge, thats just your bodys way off cleaning out your stomach, as at the moment theres obviciously a little infection. Good luck.

• 153 Kaleigh // Jan 3, 2010 at 4:52 pm

  Okay so I bit the bullet and got my sideburn done yesterday and Im pleasently suprised to find that whithin a few hours they were only just slightly red and didnt hurt at all it also didnt hurt to much to do the actual piercing Im going to take this as a good sign :)

• 154 Tamara // Jan 7, 2010 at 3:39 am

  Hey Curt,
  I had a cleavage surface piercing done with a barbell about 6 months ago. The healing took a long time, but once it finally healed I absolutely loved it. About two months ago, I suspected that it might be rejecting slightly and I was preparing to say goodbye to my new friend. Before I could take it out, the bar ripped through my skin. I could tell it hadn’t rejected much due to the length of the rip on my piercing. My problem is that I now have a huge red scar almost an inch long on my sternum. It’s really noticeable and I was wondering if you had any ideas to cover up the scar. I really miss the piercing and contemplated having a microdermal placed on the scar, but I know that’s a bad idea and would draw more attention to the scar. Please help!

• 155 Kaleigh // Jan 7, 2010 at 3:30 pm

  Tamara,
  Just a suggestion and I know Im not an expert But there are products out there for scar reducing and while they wont get rid of the scar completely they will help to fade that red or dark coloring down to something closer to your natural skin color. one of these products is called scarfade< I used it for a scar on my leg ( i got pushed into a barbed wire fence) and had great results with it. You can find these products at any drug store. :) just a suggestion

• 156 Raven // Jan 11, 2010 at 12:59 pm

  hey,
  I wana get my dimples pierced on my lower back! but im really scared its going to hurt? and i dont want it to get rejected! will they still use a surface bar? because the distance between the dimples…

• 157 Jessi // Jan 16, 2010 at 8:21 pm

  hi,
  so i got an anti eyebrow piercing yesterday and im a little concerned about it over all. its very bruised right now a dark purple color. is that normal? and i woke up this morning (total mayb 18 hours after getting the piercing) and there was some blood, is that normal? someone mentioned to me it might have been pierced to deep and im wondering if i wouldn’t just b better off taking it out. please let me know what u think. thx.

• 158 Kate // Jan 19, 2010 at 12:44 pm

  hi, i got my nape done about two weeks ago. its red around the edges but i saw a piercer and she said it’s normal, the piercer used a plastic striaght barbell because he said it allows more movement, is this the same as using the bent barbell you suggested??

• 159 timberley // Jan 22, 2010 at 1:04 pm

  hi, i’ve been doing tons of research on hip piercings and have wanted them since summer of ’09. the problem is i cheer, so i have to wait for basketball season to be over, i’m planning on getting them done on my 18th birthday, march 6th. two questions, should I get one first and see how i like it then get the other? aaaand spring break starts for us on the 27th of march, would 21 days be enough time for it to heal so i’d be able to swim in pool/be in a hot tub a bit. and wouldn’t it be okay for me to get in the ocean because sea wter would help it?

• 160 josie // Jan 29, 2010 at 7:42 pm

  hi curt its josie again. i still havent gotten the piercing done on my hips i think im going to wait to schools out to avoid athletic practices, will i be able to swim when i get them pierced or will i have to wait till they heal? also i talked to someone about getting implants instead of getting surface piercings? apparently they are less likely to be rejected and are just all around a better idea for me. do you think you could fill me in on what implants are exactly? and will the scaring be worse with implants than with surface piercings if i want to get them out?

• 161 josie // Jan 30, 2010 at 11:07 pm

  ok so i was doing some more research and i found that they are also called skindivers

• 162 Haileyy // Feb 4, 2010 at 10:49 am

  Okayy you people a very paranoid. I got my hips first pierced a year ago and the second set a month ago. I also have three friends who have their nape pierced. It’s not as complicated as people make it seem. Piercers are responsible for telling you all that scary stuff that they do and it definitely does not mean it’s going to happen. One, it’s going to get infected and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. You can clean it twice a day with the saline solution (contact solution- which I recommend) or whatever you use, but it’s still going to happen so don’t worry about it so much. Two, bumping it is not going to bother it that much. If it’s happening very frequently or hard bumps or something getting caught and pulling on it then that’s where you run into problems. Three, DO NOT TOUCH IT. Keep fingers away. No squeezing or playing with the jewelry or anything. Believe me this makes a big difference. Four, swimming is not going to mess with it that much as long as your not swimming in some nasty river or pond. Both chlorine and salt water will help clean it, but I would clean it with whatever you have after sometime. Having the piercing reject differs from person to person. If your body doesn’t like the piercing then it’s going to come out no matter what you do and some people don’t have any problem at all. AND I strongly recommend going to a shop that does the piercing with tygon. It’s a lot more comfortable than a bar when you have piercing in a “high motion” place. Oh and to all of you that think it’s like a normal piercing and it’s going to heal within a few months, I’m sorry to burst your bubble. It takes up to a year or more to heal. Also, before you get anything done, realize that’s it not a piercing that’s going to be there forever. A year on hip piercings surprises a lot of piercers. Eventually they are going to reject it just varies in time for people. Just decide whether you want to do it and don’t worry so much.

  xoHailey

• 163 Sarah! // Feb 4, 2010 at 12:40 pm

  Heya! Curt is amazing never fails to give advice even if he’s the same advice 20 times before!
  I had my wrist pierce about two weeks ago and I have been so amazed by how little pain I have experienced. Especially since I had my tongue pierced and have had numerous problems with it!
  I am worried though because I think I have stormy times ahead. It is a tiny bit read around the holes now, with white almost graze-like flakes (I assume this is dead skin) do any of you reckon those are signs of it already starting to migrate or reject?
  I notice there is only one person on this entire post with a wrist piercing and they mentioned problems with another surface piercing not the wrist. Anybody know how long my piercing will most probably last for? As I love it so and don’t want it to go. It is pierced with a very flexible almost shag band like plastic material, (the piercer said it was surgical grade) and in a staple shape.
  I have enjoyed reading this post it’s been great and very educational. Any answers to my questions would be great also hope people who want they wrist pierced read this as my experience was a completely painless low maintence one (for now) thanks. :) xxx

• 164 alexandra // Feb 4, 2010 at 8:50 pm

  I got my bottom belly button pierced. It still has puss and its red around the piercing its been a month already is that normal?

• 165 Tarn // Feb 9, 2010 at 2:15 pm

  hi… I got my anti navel pierced two days ago and have since been worried about rejection. can rejection happen in a small time period of 2 weeks etc or does it take months? what are the ‘early’ signs of rejection and how can you distinguish them from normal healing redness? if I see any signs i’m going to take the bar out straight away!

• 166 Kat // Feb 17, 2010 at 2:07 am

  Hey
  I am at that time again where I really want to add some more body jewelry. My friend suggested a hip piercing. I haven’t thought about it long, but when I looked at some info it seems like ANY contact with the pierced surface is considered trauma. Does this include movement like in sex and exercise?

• 167 ashlee // Feb 28, 2010 at 6:41 pm

  im thinking about having the surface hip piercing. I know they will likely reject i still want it, but should i get it pierced with tygon, ptfe, or a staple shaped barbell thing? is there anywhere on my hip that i could have it pierced and its a lesser chance of rejection?

• 168 ambe007 // Mar 7, 2010 at 11:48 pm

  okay my wrist surface piercing is like leaking alot like water. i got it a week ago and its leaking alot. is that natural?

• 169 Kimberly Ahh // Mar 18, 2010 at 12:34 am

  Well, I got a surface piercing on the bottom of my navel on Monday, and its great im in absolute LOVE with it… so far my skin has felt a bit tender and sensitive but its been going away… Now I am going on vacation on the 31st and theyre will be beach fun so i want to know if its okay to enjoy my vacation and get into the salty water and play in the sand…or will the beach water/sand cause irritation? and also I like working out so can I continue to work out and get fit before vacation? or will this cause to much movement to m piercing and create a rejection process? HELP PLEASE :D Thank you.

• 170 Tara // Mar 21, 2010 at 10:20 am

  hey I got a surface piercing, like the one in the picture of the girl who has 2 of them on the back of her neck. Anyway, It’s kinda behind and slightly below my right earlobe. My story is, when I had it done I knew instantly the guy made the incision site too big, it bled a lot and the jewelry was kinda sagging, to add to it I choose a larger diamond stud which didn’t help. Well It popped half way out about 4 weeks later and I gently pulled the rest out. It had no signs of rejecting and looked great so I was supper bummed when This happened. I waited about another 6 weeks and went to a different piercer and she put another one in right next to the first sight, which looked like it had healed great. It has now been 4 months since I had the second one in and it is infected and pusses and bleeds quite a bit. I put warm water and the salt they gave me on it and it will look good for a few days then it gets pissed again…….. Should I still try to stick with it ( I really love the thought of having it and how it looks when its nice), keeping it clean with a loose band-aid on it so my hair wont get caught until it completely weals whenever that will be or try to have it removed? ( Part of the reason I have not gone and seen someone is cause I left the states about 3 weeks after I got it done again and don’t speak the language where I’m at ) – Any thoughts would help thx!

• 171 Helen // Apr 6, 2010 at 10:32 am

  Hi, i got my collar bones pierced last friday and they were looking fine-obviously a bit red after i had them done-untill now, now they’re really red around them, tender and there seems to be like blistering near to one of them, now i dont know if thats cause of the piercing or the plastr or anything so i was wondering if you might be able to shed some light on it.
  Thanks

• 172 neen // Apr 12, 2010 at 7:37 pm

  I got my hip done around 3 weeks ago, I was told mine probably wont last long as im quite thin and their isnt much to grab. I clean them every day and night with warm boiled water and sea salt, and occasionally a couple of squirts of savlon. Ive baught two new balls, and they’re on and it looks great! I love it! All im concerned about is that around one of the balls the skins really dry and scabby, it doesn’t hurt though? and on the other ball its a little dry and scabby but not as much? Is this just part of the healing process, infection or migrating? I dont have a clue! HELP! Thankyou xxx

• 173 haileyy // Apr 24, 2010 at 2:22 pm

  hey , my birthday is comming up in about 20 days & i was thinkingg about getting my hips pierced . ive read alot about them & done alot of resarch , i was wondering if it would be better to gett a surface piercing bar or a tygon ? & also i was going to get my hips & belly button at the same time , is that a bad idea ? thankss !

• 174 Eddie // Apr 27, 2010 at 3:29 am

  I really want to get the top of both of my wrists done. But now that I see all these warnings about rejection and longevity being short I don’t know. I want these piercings to last forever (or about 30 years) and I don’t wanna end up with bad scars in the process. How do I EXACTLY stop rejection?

• 175 Carrie // May 1, 2010 at 11:09 am

  Hi,
  Just last night I pierced my hip, just one side to see if I like it and whatnot. This isn’t my first piercing, nor is it my first unprofessionally done. I realize that this probably wasnt the best choice, and that surface piercings are very serious and have a high rejection rate. I made sure everything was as clean as possible and did my research before hand. At the time all I had was a curved barbell, which I know has a pretty high rejection rate. By now I’ve changed it to a flexible straight bar, but I’m wondering, how long should I wait to switch back, because I really liked the barbell I first had in and feel that the straight bar looks silly.

• 176 Lizzy // May 1, 2010 at 12:24 pm

  Hey so I got my hips pierced about a week ago now. They seem to be healing fine which is good :]
  Anyway my question: I go to quite a lot of gigs where I hang around in the pits usually. Do you recomend putting plasters on my piercings to reduce the chance that they get knocked? And should I put plasters on just the balls or across the skin where the bar is too? (I found some cushioned plasters in Boots and was going to get them for a bit of extra protection)

• 177 victoria // May 2, 2010 at 3:35 pm

  hi, i just got my hip pierced yesterday it hurts a little but the piercer did it with a straight barbell….. i know not good im going to a diffrent place to get the curved one put in but it s sunday and i will not be able to do that until friday will i be ok? or should i try to do it sooner

• 178 Janaye // May 10, 2010 at 6:53 pm

  I got my nape pierced 6 months ago and it seems to be doing fine, but every once and a while the skin around the holes will get hard. I don’t know what the explanation is and I was wondering if this was a sign of rejection?

• 179 Isabella // May 10, 2010 at 9:24 pm

  I’m getting vampire bites and I was wondering what is the risk of it getting rejected and would there be any permanant damage?

• 180 Jennifer // May 23, 2010 at 8:04 pm

  Im 14. I just got 2 clavicle surface piercings 4 days ago and i have been cleaning them with multi-purpose solution. i was recently told not to use that soo i was wondering if that solution could cause me to have an infection?

• 181 Daisy // Jun 1, 2010 at 1:31 pm

  I got a hand peircing on friday, its now tuesday and its still red, my brother hit it and im worried its rejecting now?

• 182 Tina // Jun 2, 2010 at 7:00 pm

  Im interested in having my lower back done and the person at the shop gave me 2 options: transdermal implant or surface piercing; she advised me on each and recommended I do my own research. I am slim. I’m still indecisive as 2 which procedure is best or most suitable. Was wondering if you could help. Thank you!

• 183 Katherine // Feb 4, 2011 at 12:34 pm

  I just got my hips done 6 days ago. I’m not too worried about rejection yet but one is redder than the other. There’s no pressure or stretching feelings. I was just wondering what signs to look out for other than those two.

• 184 Judy // Feb 12, 2011 at 12:31 am

  I was thinking about getting a corset on my back. How long do these usually last and do I have to get a bunch of the piercings or can I just get a few. And, will it be hard to care for by myself, i.e without help :)

• 185 Claire // Feb 26, 2011 at 4:22 am

  hey i got my hips pirsed n the top ball has sunken into the skin i push it up but it gose back down im realy worried help?…

• 186 Darcy // Mar 14, 2011 at 3:52 pm

  I want to get a piercing on the back side of my hands .. But I’m not sure if there is a point .. I think it looks wicked cool , and I know I can take the pain , but I don’t want to get a piercing If it’s just going to have to come out .. HELP !

• 187 Danielle // Mar 15, 2011 at 3:18 am

  I just had my neck pierced with a staple shaped surface bar five days ago. It isn’t red anymore, but it does itch from time to time. Is this normal? Also, I am training to be an EMT and I have to wear a cervical collar sometimes when training; will this overly irritate my neck?

• 188 Amanda // Mar 15, 2011 at 7:45 pm

  I’ve had my bridge done for well over a year but it goes through phases of being really gross and irritated to perfectly fine it recently started oozing which it’s never really done, it’s always crusty in the morning and throughout the day but lately it’s been getting really red and gross more often, any suggestions?

• 189 Felicia // Mar 24, 2011 at 9:13 am

  hi I just got my wrist periced .. n im kinda of worried .. i gotten it done about a week ago its veery red around it .. my skin is pelling around the balls n im getting a lil bit of puss .. someone please help me .. i dont know what to do or even if i should just take it out

• 190 Tara // Mar 26, 2011 at 8:57 pm

  i really want to get surface hip piercings wat is some good advise on having them and i also in tumbling so does that affect me having them

• 191 Sasha // Mar 30, 2011 at 10:42 pm

  i have had a surface piercing below my belly button horizontally for about 1 year. i wanted to know if it would be safe and/or okay for me to take it out for a doctors appointment because i cant have any type of jewelry on

• 192 Krista // Apr 1, 2011 at 9:44 am

  FYI i’ve gotten a surface under my belly button TWICE. both times it rejected QUICKLY with surface bars. Now I just did my vertical tragus and i’m pretty positive this will reject too. The surfaces on my belly left big nasty scars after only having them in for a few days. High motion are, not a bright idea.

  Sasha – I wouldn’t take it out because they close quickly!! Tell your doctor too bad and it’s not removable.

• 193 jamila // Apr 4, 2011 at 5:57 pm

  hi i just got my chest pierced witha titainium surface bar and it seem to be doing well but i wanted to get a double piercing just above outer my wrist. i was going today but now i’m thinking should i wait a few months before i get my 2nd 1s don’t to see how my body reacts to the 1 i’ve got or does it react differently in different areas of the body.

• 194 ashley // Apr 6, 2011 at 12:51 am

  hi i got my sternum pierced 4 days ago it does not look bad but i feel sore and hurt uncomfortabilty around what seems to be the bone? could u please tell me what is this i am feeling and if it is normal

• 195 Krista // Apr 6, 2011 at 8:15 am

  “Now I just did my vertical tragus and i’m pretty positive this will reject too.” ..It DID reject and I have a horrible scab that will scar..

• 196 Sara D // Apr 9, 2011 at 5:46 pm

  Ok I got a Dermal on my upper chesta week ago. I rarely feel anything as fa r as pain. However it is still red around the jewel is this normal? Also my artist never said to cover it with anything,should I be?

• 197 makaila // Apr 10, 2011 at 1:45 pm

  hi um i was wondering if i get a surface piercing under my collar bone if it will easily be rejected?

• 198 Rebecca // Apr 11, 2011 at 5:17 pm

  Hello, I was considering getting a surface clavicle piercing. How high is the rejection rate really? I’ve heard people say it is 99% but I think that might be a bit unrealistic… What are good ways to help it heal? What are signs that it is healing well? Tips? Etc.

  Thanks in advance.

• 199 Kaleigh // Apr 12, 2011 at 4:46 pm

  Makaila, I had the surface bars under my collar bones and they lasted for a little more than a year and then they rejected. If you want to spend the money to get them thats your call but they wont be perminant. When I got mine the peircer told me they would only last for 6 months and mine lasted a year. they dont have a long lifespand but if you really want them then spend the money go for it as long as your okay with the fact that if they last a year that’ll be it. They look soo cute though I say go for it

• 200 Kaleigh // Apr 12, 2011 at 4:54 pm

  Rebecca,
  The rejection rate on any surface piercing is high, not 99% but high. Depending on where you get them will depend on how well they will heal if its on a place that has less skin and fat (no offence) its willl make it harder to heal and Tip wise use saline, NOT contact solution its not the same. To get the right stuff go to the first aid section of your local drugstore they will have the right stuff. Also you might be told that if they are not healing well to use tee tree oil, Dont its too strong an antiseptic. Stick with saline and for the first little while be very gentile with it covering it with gauze when your sleeping may be a good Idea but be careful not to get any of the sticky parts of the tape on the because when you go to take it off i will pull on the piercing and that might speed up the rejection process

• 201 tracy // Apr 15, 2011 at 8:27 am

  hi i have just had a surface piercing on the top of my arm using a surface bar 1.6 20mm, there isnt much redness etc although a little sore when touched,ive been cleaning with normal salt and warm water,my concern is that the bar ends are quite high and the balls are large and im afraid of catching them or knocking them.

• 202 Sasha // Apr 18, 2011 at 7:18 pm

  I’m thinking about getting the surface sideburn piercing the vertical one next to the tragus, what procedure or bar should I use so it won’t reject or migrate?

• 203 Meka // Apr 19, 2011 at 10:03 am

  I Pierced my belly on march 6.. A month & sum change ago.. 2 weeks ago i noticed a bump next to each hole. The top bump went away no problem but the bottom bump is still here not trying to go anywhere.. I been doin warm sea salt soaks 10 minutes long twice sumtimes three times a day. & i bout tea tree oil yesterday. Help ?!

• 204 karolina // Apr 22, 2011 at 6:31 am

  hey, i got my right hip pierced like a week ago, and its kind of swolen and abit red, and is bruised and also has scabbing on it, is that normal ? im kinda scared xx

• 205 Gabby // Apr 22, 2011 at 5:33 pm

  I’ve had my hips pierced for over 3 months, and they are great! I have taken great care of them, and I’ve had no rejection at all..(:

• 206 Alex // Apr 22, 2011 at 8:07 pm

  I got a microdermal in my chest about a month ago, and it’s a little wobbly when I touch it. Is this normal?

• 207 Kimberly // Apr 26, 2011 at 7:07 pm

  I really want to get a surface piercing under my belly button. I’m getting it in probably September. Can anyone with one tell me how much it hurt? And in how long yours rejected? Would you recommend it? Oh and how much it cost?
  Thank you so much(:

• 208 Sierra // May 7, 2011 at 11:46 pm

  So i’ve been wanting to get a surface piercing on my left ring finger. I have my lip pierced so this is different. I’m afraid it will reject. Is it likely?

• 209 Nancy // May 10, 2011 at 1:40 pm

  Is there a place I can get a piercing on my rib cage below my breast that is a real diamond?

• 210 Charlottje // May 15, 2011 at 8:19 am

  Hey i got a corset (3 rows / 6 rings) done a cuple days ago. It feels pretty comfortable and i barely ever feel preasure on it when i move. still, im really worried that it will reject after like a few weeks because it is rings… is there any way to keep it, even though its rings? could you actually get it to heal that well that you could take the rings in and out like with other not surface piercings?

• 211 Kat // May 20, 2011 at 1:01 pm

  hi i had my hand pierced (webbing on near thumb and index finger… i am just wondering how long it will stay swollen for….?

• 212 Katie // May 24, 2011 at 10:37 am

  i had my surface tragus (side burn) piercing done about three and a half months ago. i can start to see the legs of the bar bell, but it doesnt hurt at all. the skin is pealing a little bit in between the balls. is it being rejected? or do they use longer bars until the swelling goes down? i really LOVE this piercing and do not want to take it out:( please help!

• 213 Steven // May 28, 2011 at 4:09 pm

  Hey steven here, I plan on getting a pubic piercing, but not the tradition at the base of the penis one. One at the top of the pubic area I guess u can almost call it the lower waist (Curved/Surface barbell) like where the waist and pubic area start to meet. Anyway I was wondering if that spot would be considered a high motion spot and how much it would generally cost? My activites includes working out at the gym so would it be bad to workout while having a piercing there?

• 214 Amy // May 31, 2011 at 12:57 pm

  hey :) i got a sternum piercing 3 months ago with plastic bar, it got shortened after the 8 weeks weeks (at that time the bar was so long it moved a lot and started to be really painful) i got it shortened at the same place i got it pierced, but a different person did it, and this dude was really rough shortening it, when he put the bar back in, it got stuck so he shoved it, i heard a pop and it is still bleeding, its really swollen now which is making the bar fall down, and the top ball hit my skin and ripping it, is this rejection? my ankle piercing rejected but that was a horizontal bar and my sternum is vertical, but they dont look anything the same as my ankle rejection??

• 215 kyra // May 31, 2011 at 3:20 pm

  hi i had surface bar in the side of my neck for almost a year no problem at all healed up really nice and looooved the way it looked but recently it became sore and i noticed a lump around front hole went to my piercer and they said not to worry but the lump is getting bigger and they mentioned keloid scarring now im worried what to do

• 216 Jasmine // Jun 2, 2011 at 10:56 pm

  Hi,
  I got a surface piercing like where my sideburn would be basically, and it has a red little bump I got it about 3 months ago and the artist said that I could change jewerly after 3 months. I def don’t think I willl do that now. But I want to know if the starting of this rejection is reversible with sea salt solution (h2o stuff.) I did not do my homework before I got this piercing but I like it & am willing to take care of it but if this damage startiing is irreversiblable I want to know so I can take it out now before it gets too bad. Thanks for your advice the other comments helped as well. Nice website!

• 217 Daisy // Jun 3, 2011 at 7:19 am

  I got my hand pierced about a year ago, and knocked it a week ago so it’s starting to reject (I knew it would happen at some point), How do I go about removing it? Literally just slide it out? (I know there will be a scar (:)

• 218 Maeve // Jun 7, 2011 at 2:55 pm

  Hi! I was thinking of getting hip piercings using surface bars, but I realized through the nine piercings I already have that my skin is allergic to any metal but 14k gold. So, I was wondering if there was any place anyone knew of that sold 14k gold surface bars?

• 219 Chrysalis Jade // Jun 12, 2011 at 9:31 am

  I got a surface piercing 6 days ago. Its under my bellybutton and horizontal, and it looks really cool. There is redness around the holes though, is this normal? They told me to use aftercare as just washing it 2-3 times a day with antibacterial soap, no need to disinfect it or anything. I’ve been doing that.

• 220 Alex // Jun 12, 2011 at 5:09 pm

  I want to get my lower back pierced.
  1. What is safer? Microdermal or surface?
  2. Is it possible to take it out on my own?
  i don’t know if its a good idea to get it done

• 221 Sarah // Jun 14, 2011 at 10:16 am

  I got surface bar piercings on my hips over a month ago. i know now that the bar the piercer used isn’t the right bar. He used a straight bar instead of a staple bar. the skin is starting to tare. im going to take them out. but i was wondering if you can pierce over a scar? i really liked my hip piercings before they got red and a little disgusting looking.

• 222 Silvana // Jun 15, 2011 at 5:17 pm

  I am considering surface bar on my right hip. Is there a specific age tattoo shops require to do so?

• 223 danielle // Jun 27, 2011 at 6:52 pm

  I got my sternum pierced probably about 2 and a bit years ago. It lasted just short of a year so once i took it out and let the skin heal, i went and got it re pierced however it probably only lasted 2 months and it was very sore. Admittedly i didnt look after it how i should have. The piercing has been out since about octobet and its healed nicely, still a little scar but nothing majorly. I want to get ot re done again looking aftee if properl but i just wanted your opinion on whether you think you can just keep piercing it, leting it out and heal, and then getting it pierced again. Or after the first time thats it. Cheers

• 224 Allison // Jul 5, 2011 at 1:56 pm

  So I got underneath my belly button pierced (horizontally) about 2 weeks ago. I haven’t had too many problems with it, like it doesn’t hurt or anything, but it almost looks like its bruised around the wholes. I’m not sure if that because it’s new or because its infected/rejecting.

• 225 olivia // Jul 8, 2011 at 4:58 am

  I’m thinking about getting a a surface piercing just inside my bikini line almost vertical (a bit like a hip piercing exept lower) is this a place that is likely to get infected because of rubbing from underwear and clothing. also if I get it and do not like it or it is uncomfortable and take it out will there be bad scaring? (bearing in mind I am getting it done at an extremely good piercing place)

• 226 chelsey // Jul 14, 2011 at 10:11 pm

  hi, i had my eyebrow pierced two days ago and the guy who did it told me to use anti-bacterial soap. i did some research online and a lot of people were saying, “don’t use it”, because it can dry out the piercing area and irritate the piercing and also it would kill the good bacteria that my piercing needs to heal. is that true, should i use it or not ? also is it too soon to start soaking my eyebrow in sea salt water solution or just use a q-tip and wipe around it ?

• 227 Montanna // Jul 20, 2011 at 4:09 pm

  Hello!
  I have gotten 2 microdermals under my collars. One was completely rejected and the other one is still red. Is there a point in me trying to redo them? Or will they just reject again?
  Also, I’m considering getting surface piercings. I want one vertically near my tragus and the other horizontally under my belly button. Are these places high risk for rejection? Is there anything that I can do to help prevent this?

• 228 jenny // Jul 21, 2011 at 8:38 am

  Hey curt i have both sides of my hips done and i was just wondering can i change my staple barbels to medium ones?

• 229 Monica // Jul 24, 2011 at 7:06 pm

  hey, i got my hips pierced but i didnt get the bar i have the microdermals, and my left one keeps giving me trouble.. ive had to repierce it like 3times already. this time everything was going good until like 3days ago i woke up with it relly red i think ihit it while sleeping or something, but now is just red around the piercing and a little swollen and some puss at times, am freaking out idk what to do with it anymore and i dont want to have to take it out once again!! what should i do, HELP is desperately needed asap,??!!!

• 230 Terry // Jul 25, 2011 at 9:13 pm

  A few years ago I had got a belly piercing and I now remember that I had hit it on something which case it to come to the surface and look as it was going to rip so I had to take it out. Now I have a scar in place of it. All this time I thought it was me who didn’t care for it right but I did and now I fell better knowing more about it.

• 231 walter // Jul 27, 2011 at 8:31 am

  I dont understand this trend. If it is clinically stated that foreign objects are not good for your body then why do it? Just because it has become a trend does not make it a must do. Listen to your body, its telling you to stop mutilating it.

• 232 Sabrina // Jul 28, 2011 at 12:04 am

  Hey Curt, it doesn’t seem like you’ve been checking this page lately to view comments, so if you can’t help me out here, maybe someone else can..? I just got my belly button pierced yesterday. I had no idea that they could migrate out. Do you have any idea how long this takes? I’m only fifteen so in ten years or so if I were to have kids would it come out?
  thanks.

• 233 Huihana // Jul 29, 2011 at 4:13 am

  First of all, i would like to take my hat off to you for the committment made in answering all of these questions! Good man :)

  I enquired the other day about a corset piercing in the small of my back. The advice i was given was to get two done at a time and wait for 2-3 month intervals to get the other two sets done. He also advised on getting anchors implanted as i didn’t want normal rings, wanting it more to look like an eyelet rather than skin over the jewellery. What is your opinion? I’m from little old New Zealand, so we don’t have too many options here in regards to piercers, however the gentleman i have found has a fantastic reputation.

• 234 jolly // Jul 30, 2011 at 12:37 am

  Hi:)
  I was wondering If It’s possible to have a microdermal piercing on the surface of ur tragus instead of the actual piericing with the bar.. I’ve heard/read that that surface piercings reject easily so yeah I want to know your opinion about microdermal piercings!
  Thankkkks
  Jolly Deang

• 235 Celeste // Aug 1, 2011 at 8:03 am

  * Hi, around 3 days ago i got a surface piercing in the nape of my neck. It doesn’t really hurt that much, but around the whole area (not just around the balls but also around the bar) it is very red. Is this normal or should i got and get it checked out? I was thinking that it could be a reaction to the antiseptic spray i’m using, but i’m not sure. x

• 236 tawna // Aug 5, 2011 at 8:28 am

  I got my hips done a few days ago and they seem to be doing pretty good and I’ve been putting athletic tape over them to keep it from catching on stuff and getting dirty since I work construction and I was just wondering. If that was ok.

• 237 Vanessa // Aug 6, 2011 at 6:26 pm

  hey i have my lower back pierced about 8 months now but it doesnt look like its healing even though its pierced with a proper surface bar and u can almost see the bar through my skin,i cant open the balls because they are really tight and almost everyone has tried for me..and my skin feels thinner and thinner each week..what should i do?

• 238 rianna // Aug 11, 2011 at 6:49 pm

  curt..Hi, ive just been thinking about getting a clevage piercing..but reading all the comments about rejection i’d like to know if its actually worth it?? i would hate a nasty scar !! i play a lot of sports so im not quite sure if its going to be possible to heal?

• 239 Carla // Aug 18, 2011 at 10:41 pm

  I have been wanting a hip piercing for so long now, I love the look of them! I have done a lot of research so I know the risks of rejection. But I’ve just read some comments on here about moving as little as possible while the piercing heels?? Well my problem is that I’m a dancer, I train alot so I’m always moving, does that mean its impossible for me to get this piercing and keep it even if I take care by cleaning it? Carla x

• 240 Elle // Aug 19, 2011 at 3:12 pm

  Hi, I got my hips pierced with a surface bar about a week ago. This surface bar has a flat disk rather than a ball at the end of the angles.

  Its going great so far, but one corner (the 90 degree angle+the flat disk) of the surface bar is sticking out a little. And it sticks out more when I sit. The other side is completely tucked in, so only the disk is showing.

  Theres no pain when I sit, since it just slides out when I bend, then slides back in when I stand. I dont even notice it anymore unless something touches it but for the most part its not bothering me so Im thankful for that.

  Im afraid that the hole on that one side of the jewelry is going to heal with the 90 degree angle outside rather than inside. Do you think thatll happen? or is it cuz my skin is still tight from the new piercing?

  Do you have any suggestions to make sure my skin heals over the jewelry properly so that only the disks are showing?

  My piercer told me to put vitamin E over the opening of the piercing to loosen up the skin so the jewelry goes inside. Do you think that’s right?

• 241 kristy b // Aug 21, 2011 at 1:20 am

  I have had my nape for almost a year now, it has been fine but I get creen crusties around it? It is not red/swollen or painful at all, just green crust. Should I worry?

• 242 Hailey // Aug 21, 2011 at 6:50 pm

  Do hip piercings, (surface piercings) have to be surgically removed? Or can you take them out at any time you want?

• 243 Taylor // Aug 23, 2011 at 2:11 am

  Do they hurt when you have sexual intercourse?

• 244 Sarah // Aug 23, 2011 at 11:36 pm

  Hi I have had my neck pierced for 7 years now and after the first year I have had no problems with it at all other then the occasional snag from the hair. But now it has been really bothering me and it seems to have some discharge coming from it as it has been getting crusties and I just now realized that I have a very LARGE lump under it leading downward. Should I take it out?

• 245 Tegan G // Aug 24, 2011 at 1:30 am

  I got my cleavage pierced a few weeks ago and wanted to know if you have an approximate of how long I have till it grows out and if there is anything I can do to prevent scarring.
  Would dermals be better? Do they grow out??

• 246 Renee // Aug 24, 2011 at 9:24 am

  Hi,

  I’ve been thinking about getting the scoop piercing (horizontal surface piercing on top surface of the tongue) and i was just wandering if this area has just as much chance of rejection as anywhere else? Also, i’ve heard that piercings in the mouth heal alot quicker than other piercings. Would this also count for scoop piercings?
  Any other info would be sweet (:

• 247 Brynn // Aug 28, 2011 at 1:08 pm

  i have gotten my wrist pierced about 4 months ago,and it is infected.there was a bump that popped up by it the other day and after i washed it i got most of all the pus out of it,and today it looks a whole lot better.i was wondering what else should i do,do i just wait for it to heal or should i go see someone about it?

• 248 courtney // Aug 29, 2011 at 2:36 pm

  I’ve got a surface piercing in my hand and it is all red, and got a lump on it, which I think is a blister.. If I keep cleaning it will it eventually go okay? I’m also getting another in my hip on wednesday and worried if it will do the same.

• 249 chelsea // Aug 30, 2011 at 1:55 pm

  Hey, my birthdays coming up & I would really like to get the dimples in my back pierced. How ong is it likely to stay in for? & does rejection always leave scars?

• 250 anthony // Sep 2, 2011 at 12:27 am

  so im planning on getting my clavicle pierced and i was wondering once i get them is there any specific way to care for them like any antibiotics or anything to do with them? thank you.

• 251 Stephanie // Sep 3, 2011 at 1:54 pm

  Hey, I wanted to get the dip between my neck and collarbone peirced on both sides. The spot right above my collarbone. Is that a high risk spot and if it does get rejected and leave a scar can i just re peirce the spot and try again? Thanks sooo much !

  <33 Steph.

• 252 aly // Sep 4, 2011 at 12:42 am

  i got my septum done a few days ago… im worried that it might be crooked or is it just swollen i cant tell i also want to be able to hide it. when can i flip it up?

• 253 Toni // Sep 7, 2011 at 7:49 pm

  Hey, Im 14 and i had my surface nape piercing done today, It was about 6 hours ago i had it done and i got told to use savalon on it or salt and water although any other tips would be appreciated, thankyou.

• 254 Ayesha // Sep 9, 2011 at 5:57 pm

  Hi, I got my wrist pierced two weeks ago. I haven’t had any problems with it, however on one hole there’s a slightly hard lump around it. I just wanted to know if anyone else has this problem, is it part of the healing process, or the start of the migration?

• 255 Alison // Sep 12, 2011 at 6:46 pm

  Hello,

  So I am thinking about getting coller bone piercings, and I work at a fast food place is it good or bad idea to get them since i work at a greecy place?

• 256 Ben // Sep 13, 2011 at 4:11 pm

  Hey, im getting my collar bone perced this weekend i go to alot of metal shows n throw down alot.. ive already had my tragus torn n my streches.. my nipple percing has never been a problem do you think collar bone percings would be ok?

• 257 Marisol // Sep 16, 2011 at 7:32 pm

  If i get a finger piercing, will that mean i can never take it off?

• 258 satira // Sep 17, 2011 at 10:13 pm

  i pierced my nape almost 8 month now and sometimes it heals and then it gets worst right now its pretty bad and its still running liquid and 1 side has swollen really bad am getting pretty scared

• 259 satira // Sep 17, 2011 at 10:19 pm

  and also antibiotic and does shit don’t work on me it just gives me a serious itchy rash which gets it more sick because its really itchy

• 260 Alannah // Sep 19, 2011 at 7:03 pm

  I want my collar bones pierced (with surface piercings) i’m just concerned that they will reject and screw up all that area with scars and stuff,
  Surely not ALL surface piercings go disgusting and reject?!

• 261 Taylur // Sep 19, 2011 at 11:14 pm

  I got my anti eyebrow pierced about 3 months ago, it heeled just fine… until my boyfriend bumped it and now its starting to reject is there any way I can keep it or stop the rejection process from happening

• 262 Chelsie // Sep 24, 2011 at 5:58 pm

  I have three surface piercing. I have a dermal near my eye, my nape, and my anti tragus. I have had them all for nearly a year and have had no issues. My neck piercing has been ripped out twice from some drunken mistakes and is still perfectly fine, no redness, no oozing, nothing. I honestly believe that whether it rejects or not has to do with your own body. We are all different and react our bodies all react differently. Some people may have piercings that reject right away and some may never reject. I would highly recommend any of the piercings I have. I love them. Just be careful and keep them clean.

• 263 Kennedy // Sep 25, 2011 at 11:41 am

  Hey! I’ve been thinking… Well actually I’m going to get my Surface Collar bones and My Anti-Eyebrow…
  I’m kinda worried but Me and My Mother have good tendency with piercings…
  Never had one reject… And trust me.. She’s had EVERYTHING pierced…
  Does that count for anything… I also have my nose and tongue so far…
  But I want my Clavicles, Anti-Eyebrow, Nape/Dermal on the Back of my neck and maybe my Dimples…

• 264 Stephanie S. // Sep 27, 2011 at 11:34 pm

  Hi Curt,

  I just got my neck pierced about 5 days ago. Its my second time getting it done, the first time I had to take it out because of school.

  It feels like there is a bump in the middle of it ( I don’t know if it’s the bar or just a bump), and it itches at the ends. It has slight, redness and swelling…and feels a little tight. I don’t remember it feeling this way the first time.

  Is this normal?

• 265 Sarah // Sep 28, 2011 at 10:07 am

  Hi, I’d love to get my cleavage pierced. Is this a bad place to get a surface pierced and what are is likelyhood of rejection?

• 266 Halie // Oct 1, 2011 at 12:17 pm

  Ok I wanna get my hips pierced nd my fiancé said he thinks there sexy and says he wants to use them on me for pleasurement but is it ok or it bother them???

• 267 Israel // Oct 1, 2011 at 10:09 pm

  Hi curt, I’m a couple of days frOm getting a surface piercing on both of my collar bones using a surface bar…I have spider bites and have cleaned them with rubbing alcohol through the healing process ..and I’ve cleaned my snake eyes superficial tongue piercing with mouthwash and all my piercing have not rejected or been infected..is it a risk to clean my collar bone piercings with rubbing alcohol ??

• 268 Israel // Oct 1, 2011 at 10:20 pm

  Hows it going curt,
  Hey quick question …so Im a few days away from getting madisons on my collar bones using a 14g surface bar…and I’ve cleaned all my piercings with rubbing alcohol throughout the healing process and it’s worked out great…will it work the same way with these madisons or will I be at risk of speeding the process of rejection..

• 269 Cassie // Oct 3, 2011 at 12:14 am

  hey,
  so im seriously thinking of getting a clavicle suface piercing and i was just wondering if its a good idea i LOVE how it looks im just not trying to have huge scars later on in life…
  i take great care of the multiple piercings i already have so thats not a concern of mine i just dont want to wake up one morning with blood everywhere and a big hole in my skin

• 270 israel // Oct 3, 2011 at 7:09 am

  hey.. im a few days away from getting two surface bars on my chollar bones and i was wondering if cleaning them with rubbing alcohol would be an option..

• 271 Anna // Oct 5, 2011 at 10:55 pm

  Hi Curt,
  I had gotten my hips pierced about a month ago and im wondering what i should expect at this stage of the game. At the moment I still cover and clean up, purely for “better safe then sorry” situation. There is still very slight discharge and the bars are begining to look a bit too ling for the piercing. Its not red anymore, just slightly dark color around the openings. Should i go to a piercer and have them change the piercing to a smaller length?

  Thanks,
  Anna

• 272 elsi // Oct 13, 2011 at 1:30 am

  ok, so i’ve had my nape pierced for that past year and a half but lately it’s really tense and it’s hard to turn my neck without noticing the pressure on the bar. i know i should take it out, i’m just wondering if there are any precautions to do after removing the bar? any specific tips for the healing process?

• 273 Hayley // Oct 15, 2011 at 7:43 am

  I just had the back of my neck pierced yesterday, great experience getting it and dont regret it at all. How long roughly does this piercing take to heal as i have medium-ish length hair (that i put back because of the piercing).

• 274 Tej // Oct 15, 2011 at 5:27 pm

  I’ve had my hips done for a week and I think I know have a reaction it’s gone really red and it’s sore but what I’m more worried about is that the bottom ball looks like the skin will over grow it, I’m able to push it put but it gos back to the same spot
  I went to the doctor and he said it should be fine and put mw on antibiotics but I was wondering is this normal ?

• 275 Larry // Oct 18, 2011 at 12:57 am

  Helloo
  I just got both of my hips pierced 4 days ago wth a 16 gauge surface barbell. They are still very sore and sensitive when i get up or sit down or walk, and even while sleeping. Its like a VERY sore pain. Is this normal since they are very fresh?

• 276 Ivy // Oct 18, 2011 at 1:16 pm

  So I just got my hips pierced 4 days ago, they are surface piercings and they seem to be doing fine. I know that you said that it’s not completely the best idea to go tanning, but what about a spray tan? I feel like this is a really dumb question hah but I just want to make sure if it’s okay or not to get a spray tan before I actually do it.

• 277 Nini // Oct 19, 2011 at 2:05 pm

  I have my surface piercing in the back of my neck over a year now. I’m really encouraging people who want one to get one. Yes they hurt sometimes and you really have to take care of them but to me it’s still one of the nicest piercings to have. Recently he start to really hurt as he was migrating a bit and the piercer replaced my “staple” shaped barbell with a curved one, and all the tension was gone instantly, so that might be a good tip if you’re having trouble (he did told me you can only do it after a long period of “healing” ) ^^ Also, one of the best tips I ever had is to rub eyecream around the edges to help the “healing” when it’s infected/red/painfull. Hope this tip helps ^^

• 278 Kimberly // Oct 20, 2011 at 10:10 pm

  I got my eyebrow pierced about two months ago, then a week after I got another piercing right next to my first one. The first one is doing great. The second one seems to be collected this ear-wax type goo around the ends. It does not hurt to the touch, or in general. And it’s not red. What’s going on?

• 279 gerg // Oct 22, 2011 at 11:40 am

  hi my girl friend pieced her navel about 7 months now an she hit it a god few times in those months now its swelling and hurting her what do u recommend she do. Also her lower back is pieced with a straight barbel bout 4 months now it was going good till about a month ago when it hooked in bed while sleeping, an last week while getting up it hooked on a chair an now it swollen an pusing an the middle of the rod has a whole now an is pusing to i know she cant take it out so what should we do? (URGENT)

• 280 claire // Oct 26, 2011 at 11:09 am

  hi,
  I got my wrist pierced roughly a month ago. I had already researched the precautions of having it done, and I know it can scar, but I heard it can only scar badly if you don’t have the right bar, but I know I do, it matches the one above. And I wondered if it still might scar even though I have the right bar in, and if it is one day rejected *touch wood*, will it leave to holes where the bar went through?
  thanks

• 281 becky // Oct 27, 2011 at 2:02 pm

  hi , i’ve recently got my clitoris pierced, and its really sore and bright red , it makes me itch, the more i itch the more it goes all pusy,
  please give me some advice on how to get rid of this
  thank you for your time
  becky marsden

• 282 nicole // Nov 1, 2011 at 3:37 pm

  hi, i just got my lip pierced and everything was fine, but i woke up one morning and my piercing hole was ripped a little like a cut or something, its not noticeable or anything but is there anything i can do?

• 283 lizeth // Nov 4, 2011 at 4:45 pm

  Im thinking of getting a throat/clavicle piercing (like right in the center of the “v” shape where both clavicles connect). I was wondering, does the “staple shape” jewelry still apply and what is the rejection rate of this type of piercing?

• 284 Missy' // Nov 5, 2011 at 7:35 am

  Hey Curt . I Got My Hips Pierced About 6 Days Ago. &’ There Is White Pus Coming Outta It &’ Red 24/7 ! What Does This Mean? I Clean It Like 6 Times A Day. I Clean It Will Sea Salt and Warm Water. &’ Every Once In a While Soap and Warm Water. I Have My Lip , Nose and Anti Eye Brow Done, and This NEVER Happen To Them . This Didnt Happen When I Had My Navel Done. Im REALLY Scared That Its Infected or Its Going To Reject . Please Help Me! This Is My Favorite Piercing . Thanks Curt?
  - Xoxo Misssy(:

• 285 Missy' // Nov 5, 2011 at 7:36 am

  Hey Curt . I Got My Hips Pierced About 6 Days Ago. &’ There Is White Pus Coming Outta It &’ Red 24/7 ! What Does This Mean? I Clean It Like 6 Times A Day. I Clean It Will Sea Salt and Warm Water. &’ Every Once In a While Soap and Warm Water. I Have My Lip , Nose and Anti Eye Brow Done, and This NEVER Happen To Them . This Didnt Happen When I Had My Navel Done. Im REALLY Scared That Its Infected or Its Going To Reject . Please Help Me! This Is My Favorite Piercing . &’ I Do Touch It Sometimes So It DONT Hit My Pants Even Though I Keep My Pants Rolled Down . Please Help Me ! |: Im Scared Im Going To Loose Them !<\3
  Thanks Curt?
  -Xoxo Missy (:

• 286 lauren // Nov 9, 2011 at 1:42 am

  I got my belly button pierced a few days ago and the piercing is sore as normal, however I can can feel the barbell through my skin. (Im afraid its protruding too much) and I’m afraid its going to get rejected, ive had my belly button pierced and rejected before and I don’t know if it will happen again, should I take pictures to show or do you know that I am healing fine and I’m just worrying? Please help I’m terrified and dont know what to do

• 287 Mics // Nov 20, 2011 at 10:20 am

  I got my hips pierced 5 days ago,, its red by the holes, a lot of the swelling has gone down but its not like excreting anything. Is that normal? I don’t know whether its gonna heal or not :\

• 288 Casey // Nov 26, 2011 at 11:26 am

  Hi. I am really thinking about getting double hip surface piercings and i’ve been doing my h0mework. but what i dont understand, is can you take it out and change the ring to other pretty designs or does the original stay in forever? im confused

• 289 Katie // Nov 26, 2011 at 7:23 pm

  Hay, I have had a surface piercing just bellow my belly button for about 3 years now. I love it. The bar is a proper surface piercing bar and its about an inch in length. About 6 months after having it done, about 1/2 cm bellow one of the balls I got a weird infection, which was like a reddy/purple circle. Nothing shifted it, antibiotics (tablets & cream) didn’t work, salt & water wash didn’t work. The only thing that cleared it up was a powder given to me by the piercer. The direction was to wet a cotton bud and add a little bit of powder twice a day – after having the infection for about 1 year!!! – this cleared it up within about 2weeks! I was extremely happy! I know have the same thing again, this time in between the two balls (I think this was bought on by a holiday – swimming in the pool everyday). It doesn’t really irritate me as its not getting worse – I wash it everyday with warm water with a bit of rock salt and a bit of antibacterial hand wash. It just looks un-sitley and does produce puss if squeezed. My problem is, the piercer will not provide the powder any more, nor give me the name of it (apparently it was from America and I will not be able to get hold of it – so I see that possibly they weren’t supposed to have it to give out in the first place!!) However as nothing else seems to work, I am a bit stuck!! That powder was amazing – what would you suggest? Any help would be much appreciated! Many thanks! :o)

• 290 Molly // Nov 27, 2011 at 10:59 am

  Hey, I had my vertical tragus pierced yesterday with no knowlege that they grow out, didn’t do my research and i feel so stupid now because i love it. It’s not sore, red or hurting at all anymore.. already, is there still a high chance of rejection? Or can I get a different type of jewlerry to give it more of a chance of healing? (I have a curved bar at the mo)
  Thank you!

• 291 Molly // Nov 27, 2011 at 11:48 am

  Hey, I had my vertical tragus pierced yesterday without knowlege of it having high possibility of rejection. didn’t do my homework and now i feel stupid because i love it and dont want it to grow out! Is there any type of jewlerry i should get that might help for it to heal? (I have a curved one right now) or anything else i could possibly do to make sure it is okay?
  thank you

• 292 Aimee Jo // Nov 30, 2011 at 11:06 pm

  I got my nape done in the middle of September, September 10th 2011, to be exact.
  I am pretty sure it is infected, but I really don’t want to have to take it out because I really enjoy it.
  So I’m wondering if there is anything I can do to nurse it back to health.

  It is a surface piercing, not a dermal. Both sides seem to be irritated with bubbles, or blisters, kind of purplish.
  I spray sea salt water on it, but also use Q-tips with piercing alcohol that you get when you pierce your ears. Today I used hydrogen peroxide because I tried to push put any puss there may have been, but got more blood than puss. Not much though.

• 293 NikaM // Dec 3, 2011 at 9:31 am

  i have had my neck done since july 2011 its now december and its beenf ine, i ahvent had any trouble with it at all, when i first got it done it was painful, but just as i was getting it done, but about 5 mins after it just felt weird it wasnt swore, the cleaning with the salt water at first was stingy but thats normal, the stinginess isnt painful its just uncomfortable, but u get over it after a bout a month its perfect, i still get the odd dryed in pus around the balls, but u can just clean around that, other then that i love it and i wud recomed it! x

• 294 Jessica H // Dec 8, 2011 at 12:20 pm

  I’ve had my neck surface piercing for almost 3 years now sometimes it shows rejection but i need to know how long will it continue to last & what do i need to do to continue to keep clean & healing well

• 295 baylie // Dec 9, 2011 at 2:28 am

  So today I got my left hip pierced. It was not professionally done, none of my piercings have been, but we pierced it kinda like you would a belly button, we took the clamp and got enough skin and pushed the 14g hollow needle through then put a belly ring in,I was wondering if this was a bad idea,or after it heals can I take the barbell out and put a diffrent barbell in.

• 296 Andy // Dec 13, 2011 at 12:17 pm

  Hi there

  I got my chest pierced 16 months ago, and its never really felt right. within a few months, my piercing became VERY sensitive, but i left it and let nature take its course. I still have this piercing and it is no longer sensitive, the only issue I have is that around both piercing holes it is very red and has been for months. There is a little migration but the red marks around the piercing are annoying and people think its infected/migrating, or just freshly done. Have you any advice in how to get rid of this redness or minimixing the redness?

  thanks

• 297 Gio // Dec 15, 2011 at 1:30 am

  So I just got my micro dermal on my wrist , my problem is that my stud fell out ! And I can’t find one that I can buy anywhere but online , so now I have to wait like a week and a half for it to arrive . Would my skin grow over my micro dermal with the stud being on top ?

• 298 chrizzy // Dec 21, 2011 at 12:39 pm

  Ok. so I really want a piercing. I want a surface piercing. I know that you should use a surface bar, but after the piercing has healed, you can’t take it out at all even though it has an entrance and an exit spot? Also on average, how much would two cost on the chest area? You also said that it was a good idea to get them somewhere where it has little to no motion, my chest area does but you said that it was high in motion. What do you suggest?

• 299 Priscilla // Jan 3, 2012 at 7:35 pm

  Hi, Ive been having two vertical tragus piercings for a few months now, but I know for certain its infected…
  Im really lost on what I should do… I know I should take the piercings out but what can I do to treat the infection?

• 300 cindi // Jan 7, 2012 at 1:43 pm

  hey, so i wanted to get my collar bone pierced but I’m not sure weather or not i really want it due to the fact of rejection. would you get a clavicle piercing or would you say pass.? i really want this but I’m not 100 yet.

• 301 Aleesha // Jan 9, 2012 at 6:40 am

  I have a hip piercing and I’ve only had it for a day, but it’s been done with a straight bar. Is there any possible way that I can change it to a surface bar without it rejecting?
  And, I’ve had it done before and the last time it rejected. Does that mean that this one will too?

• 302 Sara // Jan 12, 2012 at 1:44 am

  I just had one of my hips pierced with a tygon bar. What is the rejection rate for tygon? Also, is tanning really bad with fresh piercings?

• 303 Kaci // Jan 12, 2012 at 1:04 pm

  if i have had my hips peirced for 6 months now and after 2 months, the right diamond got rejected (but not the anchor) should i get the diamond put back in it after not having it for 4 months or should i just get the other side removed (anchors also) or should i get it re-peirced?

• 304 Kyrsten // Jan 13, 2012 at 7:15 pm

  Hey Curt,

  I’m thinking of getting a collar bone piercing with one of those surface bars and was wondering about the pain associated with them. I would also like to know exactly how easily this area will reject and if it is possible for these piercings to last forever if I take care of them really really well. I’m great at taking care of piercings and tattoos (if I’m paying, I like to get my money’s worth) but I need to know if the money and the time I’m going to spend on these will be worth it in the long run.

  Thank you!

• 305 Brea // Jan 17, 2012 at 1:31 am

  Hi, im planning on getting ma hips pierced on ma eighteenth birthday on the 22 of february and i want them soo bad i have looked forward to them for a veryy long time but reading this blog i hear they are very scary are there much success stories with them ? im scared but i dont want to back out ? what excatly do i need to know before i do this i have many scars from things in my life i dont want any more…I Love these piercing..HELP ?

• 306 Madison // Jan 20, 2012 at 5:33 am

  So I got a 3 point spiral on my ear 6 months ago, the healing started out fine, I cleaned it twice a day with non scented soap like I was told and I did a sea salt soak once a day, its healed well until I moved back to Alaska a month after I got it, it has grown two bumps on the top and bottom piercings, they are sore and slowly dry and peel off. I have found nothing I can do to get them to go away, I was told they are from all the pressure on my ear and that they are just scar tissue build ups. Living in Alaska my ears are exposed to the cold a lot and I cant really cover up my ear because of the piercings. Any ideas?

• 307 Ky // Jan 21, 2012 at 4:53 pm

  Hi im Ky i was thinking of getting right under my belly button pierced or getting my bellybutton pierced it self? iWas wondering how likly is a ssurface piercing under my belly button to reject. Idk if its a really active area, but i do dance alot and i was trying to see would that have any impact on rejection ! Please help thnkx ^_^.

• 308 Nadege // Jan 22, 2012 at 10:52 pm

  About a week and a half ago i pierced my lower back. im not sure of the name of my piercing but me and my friends call it the butt crack piercing since its about less then half an inch close to my butt crack. i dont have a surface bar. my piercer used a cruved bar bell. im not sure if im allergic to the jewelery but its itchy around my piercing. im not gonna lie i scratched it a few times. now i have scabs around the ends of the piercing. idk wat to do. i’ve contacted my piercer and she said it looks fine but i dont want my piercing to reject after all the pain i went through to getting it done. im not sure how to clean it either. or to even tell wether or not its starting the rejection process. pleasee help

• 309 Morgan // Jan 24, 2012 at 6:55 pm

  hey guys i was wondering if anybody could help me determine how long it usually takes for most people’s hip surface piercing to heal. thanks

• 310 Kristina // Jan 26, 2012 at 9:35 pm

  Hey.
  I want to get my eyebrow pierced, but after reading this I’m kinda scared to. Is the chance of rejection big? Sorry if I sound stupid, but I’m only 12. Thanks.

• 311 Zinnia // Jan 27, 2012 at 6:33 pm

  Hi there, I wasnt thinking of getting my hips pierced but i wanted to do some research beforehand, Is it possible to remove the bars for things like swimming or running (Or just general activities) and then put them back in? Also if the bars are removed for a certain amount of time will the skin just re-heal or will i have holes in my hips forever….Cheers! <3

• 312 Jayda // Jan 31, 2012 at 5:49 pm

  Im getting my hips pierced on Saturday. I know all piercings hurt but i got my belly button pierced and everyone says that it would hurt a little but when i got it done i didnt feel anything at all. And i was just wondering if the hip piercings hurt like really bad or does it just sting a little ?

• 313 georgina // Feb 4, 2012 at 1:22 pm

  , i wanted to get my microdermal back dimples
  peirced , ive done quite a bit of research
  except no one has been able to answer these few questions . can i exsersize with them? (run,jump,) ect… can i get them wet while in the shower ?

• 314 liz // Feb 5, 2012 at 11:58 pm

  I really want my hips pierced, with the microdermals. I’ve been doing a lot of research about them, but no one has answered the question of can you tumble with hip piercings. Such as flip flops (or back flips) with these piercings? I’m a cheerleader, and I know its a lot of streching of the stomach is why I’m so concerned. Would they pop out, or reject if I continue tumbling? Please help! Thanks!

• 315 Conn // Feb 6, 2012 at 8:35 am

  Hi, I got my neck pierced in august last and it was healing ok i think, bit red at times n a bit crusty but Ive been washin with a salt water mix. about 3 weeks ago it got caught in my girlfriends watch strap and ripped out a small bit at one side. now the skin the lenght of the bar is a dark purple and its a wee it sore and fairly irritable most of the time. Obviously cos it was ripped out a bit there is more bar showing than should but I dunno what to do now. Should I just take it out altogether? is it rejecting now? can you give me some advice. Cheers.

• 316 Conn // Feb 6, 2012 at 8:35 am

  Hi, I got my neck pierced in august last and it was healing ok i think, bit red at times n a bit crusty but Ive been washin with a salt water mix. about 3 weeks ago it got caught in my girlfriends watch strap and ripped out a small bit at one side. now the skin the length of the bar is a dark purple and its a wee bit sore and fairly irritable most of the time. Obviously cos it was ripped out a bit there is more bar showing than should but I dunno what to do now. Should I just take it out altogether? is it rejecting now? can you give me some advice. Cheers.

• 317 Ashley M // Feb 10, 2012 at 6:28 pm

  I got my belly button pierced about a month ago and I am afraid of it rejecting. It is a little red around the top but does not hurt or itch. I don’t know if this is normal or not. Also I can slightly feel the bar through my skin. Thanks so much for reading(:

• 318 Cassidy // Feb 12, 2012 at 10:41 pm

  Ive had my clavicles (collar bones) surface pierced for quite some time and I have never had a surface bar put it. I have an extreme allergy to metal, including high grade sergical steel, etc. I instead have a high grade plastic known as bioplast. In many ways it’s much better for the healing of a surface piercing, as it can move and bend with the body unlike a surface bar. The length and gauge can be changed and they are much more painless to get pierced. I strongly suggest bioplast to anyone getting a surface piercing in a place that has a lot of moving.

• 319 liz // Feb 14, 2012 at 12:24 pm

  Heyy, I’m seriously considering having a surface piercing on my tongue, or possibly a normal tongue piercing… I am wondering which is safer?

• 320 Eliza // Feb 24, 2012 at 3:40 am

  Hi, so I got my hips pierced, and they guy used a straight barbell :/ i’ve got many other piercings but these are my first surface piercings. one is healing just fine. you can now see some of the bar on either side of the holes (since he left space for swelling) it’s got some scabbing similar to what i had on my bellybutton ring when it healed… the other one has been having more problems. when i got it pierced, this one bled (the other didn’t) and it’s been swollen and sore. i’ve been cleaning it regularly with salt water solution. but now one of the ends of the barbell is like receeding into the swelling (if that makes sense) i have to put light pressure on the opposite end to push it out. and i can feel a kind of raised hardening under the skin near that hole. what should i do? i’ve read that taking out the jewelry is bad because the holes will close and trap the infection… it’s just kinda painful and i don’t know what will happen if i take pressure off the top end of the barbell and let the other end sink in for too long :(

• 321 Amanda // Feb 24, 2012 at 7:02 am

  So I got my hips pierced two days ago when I was in Hawaii, it was pretty legit there and all sanitized and stuff, I know it was just two days ago but I was wondering if it’s okay for me to just use Equate brand anti-bacterial soap once or twice a day. Also it’s all red and sore, but my best guess would it just be because my shorts and pants keep bumping the newly pierced hips.
  Thank you so much if you can answer my questions

• 322 michelle // Mar 1, 2012 at 7:56 pm

  Hi I’ve had my nape piercing for a few days now is it normal for it to feel sore and tight when I move my head or does this mean is rejecting? I don’t want to be left with a scar

• 323 michelle // Mar 1, 2012 at 7:57 pm

  Hi I’ve had my nape piercing for a few days now is it normal for it to feel sore and tight when I move my head or does this mean is rejecting? I don’t want to be left with a scar and not sure whether to take it out

• 324 Alex // Mar 1, 2012 at 11:24 pm

  I want to get my neck pierced :) and i have been deciding on micro or a “surface bar”which jewlery is better? the bar is $100 and micro is $100 each and i would need two….the bar seems like a better deal, but i heared it regects easy compared to a micro?? and i had my belly button pierced b4 & it regected, i tried to get it pierced 3 times, and it regects…should i get my neck pierced since my bully buttons regects? :s

• 325 alexa // Mar 2, 2012 at 1:03 pm

  okay im thinking about getting skin divers but im scared that they will fall out easy or reject the healing process and i like really want them… i just need some help or advice as what type of barbell or something to put in it…

• 326 karina // Mar 3, 2012 at 5:35 am

  hey, I have a surface between the breasts, I made two months, and he is in a process of rejection, 1/4 of it is already out of the body, this very red .. , I take it? how can I treat it? still likely to stop rejection? Thank you

• 327 Stephanie // Mar 3, 2012 at 3:38 pm

  I’ve been doing thinking and since I’m only 16 I can’t go a lone just yet but when I can I was going to get my hips done then at 19 get my wrist then at 21 get a corset and when I get married I want my finger pierced what one is the hardest? Now that I’ve seen your site I’m starting to think different
  .

• 328 Ashlee // Mar 6, 2012 at 9:34 pm

  I got my nape done about 4 years ago, I have
  surgical plastic not metal, but after I had a baby 18 months ago I started having really bad headaches, they are horrible, my doctor said they were caused by my epidural, it didn’t take and I experienced numbness only in my burt and only after delivery. So I continued to have headaches for about 6 months they stayed the same pain wise but got longer but came less often. I had another baby 2 weeks ago and have had horrible headaches every day since, but this time I didn’t get an epidural so I have been wondering what could be causing them and I wondered if any one had experiences headaches our if I should look for my source elsewher. Please help I am desperate.also there are no signs of infection

• 329 Dishon Taylor // Mar 7, 2012 at 12:18 am

  Hey Im considering getting my clavicles done, soon? i dont know know later? maybe. reading all of this stuff is making want to get and to not get it too lol but it has helped in educating. I also looked into microdermal piercings but im not too up for ripping skin out of a hole to get them out.

• 330 Rae // Mar 10, 2012 at 3:06 pm

  I had my bellybutton pierced a year ago and I’m pretty sure it rejected or they didn’t pierce enough skin. I’m looking into getting the dimples in my back pierced, do you think it’s more likely to reject seeing as one of my other piercings did or do different surfaces react differently.

• 331 Hayley // Mar 11, 2012 at 11:57 am

  Hiya,

  I have had the top of my wrist pierced for just over 6 months now. But if i knock it slightly it will go red and possibly bruised. It’s really quite annoying, and doesn’t look good at all.

  Is there any way i could take it out, or do i wait until it grows out?

• 332 a person // Mar 15, 2012 at 11:07 pm

  hey! so i’ve been wanting to get my hips pierced for a while and my mom finally agreed to let me get them done! (yay!) only issue is I wanted to get them done on my birthday (June 2nd) but thats exam week in my school and I dont want to be in pain during exams (do you think it would hurt enough to distract me?). So I was thinking I’d get it done the last day of school which is June 12th. The issue with that is I also want to train for cross country (a long distance running sport) all summer and I’m afraid I’ll irritate the area and cause rejection if I run too hard (do you think It would be a problem if I ran with the hip piercings?). what do you think? Would it be okay to get them pierced the last day of school or should I wait for a while or even have them done earlier?

• 333 donise // Mar 19, 2012 at 4:42 pm

  Hey, I was thinking about getting the teardrop piercing & I was wondering if I decided to take it out will it leave a scar?

• 334 LeaLynn // Mar 23, 2012 at 12:27 pm

  I am debating on getting my hips done. So far the only thing I have pierced is my belly button. It wasn’t that bad with the healing process there, just took awhile because it got bumped a few times. I have decided I want to go get my hips done and Just wear lose pants and be as careful as possible. And clean them. I am just interested in how it all works with getting your hips pierced and exactly the best way to get them done. Any info?

• 335 Alyssa // Mar 29, 2012 at 1:42 pm

  I am considering getting two surface piercings on my chest, not quite a sternum and not a clavicle. More of a cleavage piercing. I only have one lobe piercing in each ear, and a conch in my left ear. I do just fine with pain, and time isn’t an issue for healing.
  The only thing I am worried about is rejection. I don’t want permanent scars on my chest if it end up getting rejected.
  I did put hydrogen peroxide on my conch while it was healing, and that helped it heal beautifully!
  I was wondering if I do get the cleavage done, if I could use the hydrogen peroxide as well to help it heal better or if I should just stick to H2Ocean. Keep in mind that H2Ocean did almost nothing to help the healing process and protect infection from my conch piercing.

• 336 Ivy // Mar 30, 2012 at 7:50 pm

  So I got surface hips piercings about 6 months ago. They seem to be doing fine except one gets a little agitated at times. But next fall, I was planning on trying out for my college cheerleading team, where we will be building and tumbling pretty often, and since I am a very small girl, I will be a flyer. Will my hip piercings be okay if I cheer and if I keep them bandaged?

• 337 Mehea // Mar 31, 2012 at 12:46 am

  I’m getting hip piercings on Friday and I take hiphop, there’s a lot of stress on my abbs. Im still going to get the piercings but is there a way to get them pierced and still dance and are sit ups a bad idea.

• 338 madi // Mar 31, 2012 at 6:32 am

  Hey,
  Im going for a MRI scan in a month. I have had my surface piercing on the back of my neck for just over three years now. Is there such a thing as a plastic surface bar. I dont want to take it out but im not allowed to go for the scan with a titanium one :/ please help me??
  thanks

• 339 Louise // Mar 31, 2012 at 4:39 pm

  I got a surface piercing. My wrist with a staple bar. I went to the best most popular place in town. He has pictures so I knew what everyone’s had and they looked perfect.
  Someone has told me its a bad piercing but I don’t see why? It was done 3 days ago. Looks like its healing ok. I clean it every day and leave it alone and try very hard to keep clothing away from the area I wear t shirts or roll my sleeves up to stop any catching.
  My problem is the bar looks slightly too big for the actual piering rather than the balls Sitting into my skin as I was told it should be. It’s got very tiny showing of the bar if you look real close.
  It’s no longer sore and feels very comfy
  What should I do?
  I also have very skinny wrists but there was plenty of skin to grab hold of which is why I had the small staple bar rather than a longer one

• 340 leah // Mar 31, 2012 at 4:57 pm

  I got the front of my neck(madison) pierced two days ago with a stainless steel, inch long, curved bar. I’ve been keeping it clean with saline soloution. It’s red around the holes and very itchy. Is this part of the normal healing process? It hasnt been painful but the itching is driving me crazy.

• 341 Brittany // Apr 10, 2012 at 12:18 am

  So ive had my collarbone (clavical) for a few weeks now. Its done perfectly well(for it is not my first serface piercing) and surprisingly healing well for its condition. The piercer slipped up and didnt get as deep as i had hoped. My only problem is the skin on top is getting dry and flakey(a tad red at some times too). Im truely hoping this isnt a sign of rejection but i wouldnt be surprised. Is there a way to keep it hydrated without using materials like neosporn. I put a little on today for lack of materials. Is there a type of tea i could soak it in possibly? Theres allso no pain when moving around the placement is perfect. Or when cleaning the only pain is salt but thats normal.

• 342 Jordan // Apr 10, 2012 at 1:10 pm

  okay i got my belly button pierced, its been a week now, well i can feel the piercing threw my skin..is that normal?

• 343 Laurie // Apr 12, 2012 at 3:57 am

  I got a vertical tragus surface piercing yesterday..so nothing too major compared to other surface piercings! I’m keeping my hair up and away from the area and cleaning with saline solution twice a day. Any other specific suggestions to get the best results when it’s healing :) Thanks

• 344 Ashleigh // Apr 16, 2012 at 9:09 am

  Curt, Im not sure if you are still answering questions because it seems like the last one asked was in November of 2011, but I will try anyway. I just got my hips pierced 3 days ago and they seem to be healing fine. The swelling has gone down, not completely, and the redness is pretty much non existent. On my right hip though, the one hole is not really red but redder than the others. Is this a bad thing? Also, the jewelry the piercer used are 90 degree bent surface barbells, but they are long so the bent part is completely showing. Is this a bad thing as well? Should I get them changed? He said he put in longer ones so the skin had room to swell and heal. Let me know if you can help! Thanks! – Ashleigh

• 345 Bethany // Apr 16, 2012 at 11:25 pm

  I just got my hips done and I love them! They are healing so well and don’t hurt at all, I only got them done like two days ago though… is that normal? I hear all these horror stories about them rejecting…. I do NOT want that to happen and how easily do they get ripped out? I am so scared for that to happen..

• 346 kacee // Apr 20, 2012 at 7:59 pm

  Hey, I was just wondering about my hip piercings. I just got them hmm.. about a week ago, and she put in a bendy sort of plastic rubber bar, and my skin usually heals only with titanium bars or surgical steal. My piercings are a little red around the balls but not super bad or gross!!.. i changed my bars to titanium because i just knew they wouldnt heal around the rubber. It didnt hurt to change them and they dont hurt me while i walk or sit down or anything. but i get really nervous about infections and what not. so i was wondering if you could help. my skin has not rejected any of my piercings before so im trying to keep on the calm side, there is no bruising around the area or major redness. Yes you can see the bar but the professional piercing didnt seem to have enough skin as it is. I HOPE I CAN KEEP THEM!! thanks for your help (:

• 347 kacee // Apr 20, 2012 at 8:00 pm

  also there is no puss!!

• 348 Zara // Apr 26, 2012 at 1:33 am

  hi there,
  i’m thinking about getting my hips pierced in the next few weeks. if i have any trouble with them or any signs of rejection, how would i take the piercing out considering the surface bar is usually not able to be removed?

• 349 tabetha // Apr 27, 2012 at 12:36 pm

  I had my hips pierced about a month ago, and ive noticed that one of the piercing is becoming looser and there isnt as much skin inbetween as the other hip, does that mean it is being rejected? The other hip is totally fine and i was just wondering if there was anything i could do?

• 350 Selina // Apr 27, 2012 at 5:32 pm

  Well igot my anti-eyebrow done about 7 months ago, and its still not healed. I know it takes a loong time for these to heal.. Buuttheres this big buble around it and i can stick the jewly thru it , but thats not that hole i wanted it to go thru . This is a problem right ? But if its infected i thouldnt take it out, i have to get the infection out first right?

• 351 Katie // May 1, 2012 at 5:23 pm

  I have a few comments just about any piercings.
  1. Do you work to learn about the piercing and think about the risks.
  2. Make sure it is something you want. Many people think that I’m just getting it for a little bit and if anything happens I’ll take it out. They don’t really think about the scars that can come with it.
  3. Make sure the professional that is piercing knows how to do that piercing. Also if they can’t answer all the questions you have about the piercing don’t get it pierced by them.
  4. Don’t play around with a new piercing you can irrated it a lot and it can get infected or can get rejected by your body.
  5. Never use hydrogen peroxide because hydrogen peroxide killed bad germ cells but it also kills the good fresh cells that are healing.

  N0w about surface piercings. Use the correct jewelry because less chance of rejection. If you get one in a high traffic area, an area that is in a lot of motion, it has a higher chance of rejecting but it’s not a 100% chance that it will reject though. Some high traffic areas are the neck, wrists, hands, hips and by the mouth. Surface piercings do have a high rejection rate but any piercing can if you think about it. If you bump into a piercing you can rip the skin by the piercing and the piercing can move. Soreness and redness is common for about a month and redness can last for about two months. Depending on the piercing some piercings take 6 weeks to 1 year to heal. So just keep a watch on your piercings if you feel like something is wrong go to a piercer to get it checked. Listen to your body it will tell you when something is wrong. Also puss is normal if it is white during the healing proccess, the white color is all the dead skin cells and crusty stuff on your piercing is apart of the healing process just keep the jewelry clean. If you have green or yellow puss it’s infected and don’t take it out go to a doctor or a piercer and see what they say. Why you don’t want to take it out is if you have an infection and you take the jewelry out the area where the puss is will get covered by the healed skin and you’ll have an infection under the skin where you can’t get to it and if you leave it, it can spread.

• 352 Hayley // May 4, 2012 at 12:09 am

  im planning on getting both sides of my collar bones pierced tommorrow and im just wondering if it is a good idea and how hight the rejection rate is for this type ?

• 353 jaylee // May 6, 2012 at 10:55 am

  igor my hips peirced 1week 4days ago. iwas told its rejecting. wen ifirst got it ifelt no bar inbetween the balls nd now i do. myskin was peeling nd i think its already scarrd cus its dark where the bar is. i sed alchol bcus my mom sed itll help nd table salt nd water plus i imoved it gently to clean under the balls. is there a way i can stop the rejection process im already using h2ocean. pls dnt say ima needa repeirce them ir take them out :(

• 354 Amanda // May 8, 2012 at 6:06 pm

  I had my lower naval pierced about five years ago. It has been slowly migrating for awhile now and I know the time may be coming to remove the piercing. I definitely want to have the area repierced but I’m curious as to how long I should wait? Thanks for your time :)

• 355 Juana // May 10, 2012 at 8:16 pm

  Hi, curt I jsut got my dermals peirced under my colar bone for about a month. Just a couple of days ago my right piercing is getting red, swolen and alittle tender but no pusses. Is this normal?

• 356 Caela // May 11, 2012 at 10:57 am

  I want to get my hips pierced, I just would like to know what size you would personally recommend? And is ? surface piercing always going to reject? -like is it possible that you can keep it as long as your earrings?

• 357 Emma // May 16, 2012 at 9:24 am

  Hey, so I have had a few piercings, all done by myself consisting of the bellybutton, nipples, septum, smiley, I have the inside of my ear pierced, which I am not sure what that is called, and gauges.I had my finger done by a friend a few weeks ago. This is the second time I have had my finger pierced, the first time the piercing got infected ( I believe it was due to the fact that the ring I used was far too small) I am using a larger eyebrow ring now and it has been pierced for a few weeks, I wash it twice a day and there seems to be no problems. There is no puss and on most days no redness, whereas last time I had it pierced there was a lot of irritation and I knew there was something wrong. I don’t think that getting your finger pierced is a bad idea if you take a lot of care and make sure that you use good jewelry. Also, after I took the jewelry out the first time it healed easily and there were no scars left.

• 358 Laura // May 16, 2012 at 3:59 pm

  I have had a stud on my wrist for the past 4 years. Mostly it’s been fine, but recently it’s been quite red and I can feel the plate under my skin and even actually make out the outline of it visually.
  Is there anything that I can do (apart from trying to be careful not to knock it) to prevent rejection?
  Thank you.

• 359 Taylor // May 22, 2012 at 12:15 pm

  So I got my navle priced a month ago and it’s purple around the pricing holes I don’t know of it because I’m black and it brushed me or it’s enfeacted.i do have a hopped pricing the pricer said it would be easier to heal and move Round.But is does not hurt anymore and how would I change it to take it out to a regular navle pricing

• 360 Shaina Elizabeth // May 27, 2012 at 5:50 pm

  I have a surface piercing on the back of my neck. I’ve had it for a year and a half and it’s started to get swollen and puffy, but nothing comes out of it. Is that a sign of rejection, even a year and a half later, or is it an infection? And how can I prevent it from completely rejecting it? What could I use to clean it, and would it help?? Thanks so much!

• 361 Elizabeth // Jun 5, 2012 at 6:19 pm

  i Got My wrist pierced about a month ago ad it has red oin the middle of it but no discharge of any kind . Its turning kind of purple what can i do for it to cha ge yo my skin color

• 362 Cole // Jun 14, 2012 at 9:24 pm

  Hey!

  So I was wondering about horizontal surface tongue piercings. I see it usually is done with a small curved barbell. Is it more acceptable to be done with this type of jewelry or do you still think it should be done with a surface bar? Can a surface bar even go through the tongue? Do you know how long these piercings usually last or are they even more prone to rejection? Thanks for your help.

• 363 Sarah // Jun 19, 2012 at 2:27 pm

  so i really want to get my hips pierced. i wear low rise jeans and everything but im a runner. is it a bad idea to have done because its so high motion?

• 364 Demi // Jul 5, 2012 at 8:20 pm

  i had a surface piercing done since march 24th, iv had it since 5th july, as it rejected through the skin the weird thing is i didnt feel it at all, but when it heels will i be able to get enouger surface piercing there and will it reject again?

• 365 Gaby // Jul 6, 2012 at 8:48 am

  so basically, I got my nape pierced two weeks a go today. i’ve been keeping it really clean by spraying it around three or more times a day with this anti-bacterial spray the piercing shop gave me. but the only downfall is one side of the piercing is quite red whereas the other side is fine no problems at all. the one that is really red is where the needle exited my skin so im not sure if it just because of that or its just that my body is rejecting that one side? its also when i wake up of a morning before i clean it i get this discharge out of it? what do you suggest?

  Many Thanks!

• 366 Lana // Jul 11, 2012 at 9:14 am

  Hey I really want to get a surface tragus piercing just wanted your opinion on what you think the chances are that i can keep it from rejecting?
  (My piercings usually heal with no problems but i don’t have any surface piercings yet and my head is shaved so no hair will get caught in it.)

• 367 Rossmary // Jul 12, 2012 at 3:21 am

  Hey there,
  I’m getting my surface tragus piercing (sideburn) done soon & I’m so scared ! I don’t have any exotic piercings, just my ears & I just wanna know the chances of it getting rejected & if it can cause any type of trauma to the piercing cause I don’t want it to get rejected :/ please help & what should I use to heal it?

• 368 Farrah // Jul 13, 2012 at 10:03 am

  i got my hip pierced about three weeks ago . it doesnt hurt at all but it itches a TON and the holes are a little scabby . im not sure if this is just healing process or rejection process.

• 369 Erica // Jul 13, 2012 at 8:56 pm

  Hey there, I was planning on getting my hip pierced. After reading some of the comments on here about rejection, I was wondering how great of an idea that would be for someone who runs 50+ minutes every day. What do you think? Would the motion of running irritate it so much that it wouldn’t be worth it?

• 370 andria // Jul 27, 2012 at 2:16 pm

  i got my chest pierced a few weeks ago. but instead of using the normal surface bars i had them put in a bioflex bar. iv had multiple piercers tell me that it heals a little bit quicker then with metal and because its flexible it wont put as much pressure and wont be forced out. for the most part it has been my least rejected piercing yet. it does itch, but i clean it at least 3 times a day and iv been taking low dose ammox to fight off any infection tht may occur. i would never suggest anyone get any surface piercings unless u kno the way ur body heals and wut irritates ur skin. 2 of my 12 piercings have rejected one was a belly ring and the other a cartilage piercing. the reason they rejected was the fact i played with them and used scented products. DONT TOUCH UNLESS UR CLEANING IT! if u have crustiness than u need to clean it and be gentile dont pick at it .

• 371 Nuala // Jul 30, 2012 at 6:04 am

  I had my chest pierced about 2 weeks ago and it’s still pretty sore especially when I lie on my side because my boobs squash it and it is a horizontal bar. I have been using salt water but it is red around the piercing and there is also a little pus. Is it infected and if so do I take it out? It doesn’t appear to be fully rejecting because it hasn’t risen to the surface. Any help would be appreciated. x

• 372 Quinna // Jul 30, 2012 at 11:35 pm

  Hello curt I have my hips pierced one of them fell out because she pierced it under a thin layer of my skin rather than the other one she pierced under thick skin. My questions are when younger your lower back pierced is rejection high . And also my hip piercing is loose is that a sign of rejection. And they put a plastic bar to with swelling when I first got them done it’s been a few months now so should swith out the plastic bar thing. And should I get my other hip pierced if theother one fellnout and left a scar. And how can you get away scaring form piercings.

• 373 Hank-McCoy // Aug 3, 2012 at 9:15 am

  I got an eyebrow piercing about 2 weeks ago and an anti-eyebrow piercing 5 days ago, neither have become swollen at all, all redness has gone and they are both no longer tender. The only thing that has happened is slight bruising. I was wondering whether this might suggest that regection -ignoring trauma- will be unlikely in the short term?

• 374 kala // Aug 7, 2012 at 1:45 pm

  I just got a surface piercing on my middle finger and I know the curved barbel is too long but I’m scared that it wasn’t pierced with enough skin and I’m scared it will reject easily, what should I do?

• 375 lacey // Aug 20, 2012 at 11:27 am

  namaste all,
  i had the space under my belly button pierced. this is my second time, the first time the guy used a straight barbell and i really think he didnt have a clue. but this guy got it right this time, used he right bar, put it a bit lower, and didnt stop half way. dude was smooth. any who my first one obviously rejected and now im trying to not repeat history. its been 2 weeks and its looking much better (not tender, a bit red), but my skin is slightly flaking. is there any ointment i could put on it to decrease the chance of it rejecting? like vasoline or something. and it said somewhere that even after it is completely healed the body can still reject, is that true?

• 376 Chris // Aug 22, 2012 at 12:52 am

  Ok so I’m not a piercer or anything just speaking from my own experience with surface piercings of which I have 4 (none of which have rejected) and my own research about surface piercings.

  Lacey,
  First of the guy that did your first piercing sounds like he had no clue as to what he was doing I seriously think there should be more regulations when it comes to those who do surface piercings but because there isn’t it’s why it’s stressed that you research for a decent piercer who know’s what they’re doing. Glad the second guy seemed to know his stuff.
  Anyway, my surface piercings did the exact same thing the skin got really dry and a bit flaky there’s a couple of things you could try and see if they help.
  I’m guessing you do salt soaks (as its generally the best thing to do for surface piercings) so try reducing the amount of salt you use (say halving it) you may just be using to much salt so try that and give it a few days see if that helps. You could also try alternating salt soaks with the likes or camomile soaks too. If neither of these things help you can use a unscented moisturiser but you need to be really careful that this doesn’t get in or on the piercing itself just on the dry skin around it or it can cause complications and a lot of irritation.

  And yes unfortunately surface piercings can still rejected after they’ve healed all it takes is you bumping it, it snagging on something or something similar and they can start the rejection process.
  So really the bottom line is that you need to take really good care of your piercing, the better you care for it the longer it will last.
  Also remember surface piercings are not permanent so even if you avoid rejection it will eventually migrate out anyway.

• 377 faith mason // Aug 24, 2012 at 7:31 pm

  ive just got surface peircings on both hips and there doing fine,im a bit scared abiut them rejecting so is it best to tske them out now or whe i feel like there rejecting?

• 378 Chris // Aug 28, 2012 at 8:28 am

  Faith,
  If there doing fine then there’s no reason to worry or take them out you just need be careful, take good care of them and look out for sighs that may tell you they’re rejecting. Excessive redness that spreads or wont go away (after an extended amount of time) can be a sign but not always and of course look out for swelling, infection or the bar becoming longer (after the initial swelling has gone down that is) because that is almost certainly a sigh that its rejecting.
  If you’re really unsure whether they are rejecting go back to your piercer and get them to take a look.
  The main thing is to take them out if you know they are definitely rejecting to reduce scarring and healing time.

• 379 samantha // Aug 28, 2012 at 10:20 am

  Hi i just got my anti eyebrow piercing about 5 days ago i was wondering how long do i have to wait until i can start wearing makeup again where it wont be a bother to my piercing also when will the bruise from my piercing go away

• 380 Chris // Sep 4, 2012 at 8:22 am

  Samantha,
  Thats kind of a tough one you shouldn’t put anything whether it be make up or just plain moisturiser too close to the piercing even when its fully healed because it can set of a bad reaction. (for example i got just unscented moisturiser in my wrist piercing yesterday and it ended up swelling and blotching)
  If you’re going to start wearing make up again be very careful how close you apply it to the piercing, clean it off as soon as you get home and take really good care of the piercing, clean it after you’ve worn make up to prevent problems (with warm water or a salt solution not make up remover!).
  And if you do get make up to close to your piercing and it has a bad reaction best thing i’ve found is to soak it in a salt solution for a good 15min and the swelling should go down. (I know anti eyebrows are hard to soak so even if you apply cotton wool to it then change it every minute or so)
  If by the next day it’s still swollen and looking bad get to a doctor or even your piercer so they can look at it. Its not worth putting it off and dealing with a bad infection.
  Unfortunately make up may always bother your piercing because surface piercings never really heal fully because of the way your body sees them as a foreign object.
  Bruising can differ, depending on how well you take care of it, and how your own body reacts to injury. Some people never lose the redness or bruising, for some its gone within weeks, it can also be depended on the area of the body/how active that area is (aka neck verses anti-eyebrow) and how often you touch the piercing (not a good idea).

• 381 Tabi // Sep 4, 2012 at 4:09 pm

  I just took my anti-eyebrow piercing out after almost two years of having it due to rejection. About how long will it take to heal? I was looking into getting a dermal anchor in the same area.

• 382 Chris // Sep 8, 2012 at 8:52 am

  Tabi,
  Healing time will all depend on the size of the piercing (is it half a cm or 2cm in length for example) what sort of condition it’s in (how bad the rejection was before you took it out) and of course how well you take care of the healing holes, just because there’s no bar there now doesn’t mean you should stop looking after it.
  In general if you take good care of it it shouldn’t take more than a few weeks to heal.
  Remember the better you take care of it the quicker it will heal and the less it will scar (I’m referring to any new scars, not scarring from the initial piercing if you have any your stuck with them), the less it scars the more likely you can get dermal’s in the same place .

• 383 Katie // Sep 20, 2012 at 6:23 am

  i just got my anti eyebrow pierced 5 days ago. its red and soar today. one day it will look normal and not hurt then the next it will be red and tender, does anyone else think its just becuase i might have accidentaly slept on it at night may have bumped it?

• 384 Sarah // Sep 23, 2012 at 4:50 pm

  I had my hips pierced a few months ago and I think one of them is rejecting. It’s really sore and the bar is real close to the surface. Is it ok to take it out on my own? I never actually got round to getting the downsize so i’m not sure if it’d be safe to do so. Thanks.

• 385 Jazzmon // Sep 27, 2012 at 8:53 am

  I have surface bars on my hips, I’ve had them for about nine months and they’ve been perfectly fine and not showing any sign of rejection. As of last night at work I noticed that the one on my right side is really swollen. It almost looks like how your head would after you hit it on something really hard. It’s huge, but doesn’t hurt. And when I try to see if anything will come out, nothing does and it just becomes more inflammed. Any idea what could be wrong with it?

• 386 Robyn // Oct 2, 2012 at 6:07 pm

  I have had my anti-eyebrow piercing for about three months. I am so terrified of it rejecting. It’s doing good so far though. I’m treating it like as though it’s a new born child.

• 387 Alethea // Oct 3, 2012 at 8:02 pm

  I have a surface bar on the nape of my neck. I’ve had it for about 3 months. My piercer told me that I would need to get a shorter bar once the piecing has healed. I have yet to do that and I’m worried because around the entry points is becoming red. What should I do?

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