Debunking 13 Mind-Blowing Body Piercing Myths: Unveiling the Truth
Valerie S
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It's time to bust some of the most common body piercing myths! Even though body piercing has been around for a long time, myths still surface. Often spread through the internet and word-of-mouth, let's shatter some of these piercing myths.
1. Dermal piercings must be surgically removed. False.
Surface piercings are a unique type of body piercing. Involving the creation of a "pocket" in the skin to house the jewelry itself, there is no exit point like a traditional piercing. A skilled body piercer creates the pocket and then inserts the base of the dermal jewelry. The end result is a gemstone, flat disc or design that looks like it is floating on top of your skin. This type of body piercing cannot be removed by simply taking the jewelry out yourself, although the gem top easily unscrews. To remove a dermal piercing, a qualified and skilled body piercing can simply remove the base with the same method used to insert it. Unskilled piercers and medical professionals who are untrained and uneducated in dermal removal and insertion often spread this myth. Dermal piercings do not need to be surgically removed.
2. Twisting and moving your jewelry is helpful for healing and keeps your jewelry from getting stuck. False.
Twisting or moving your jewelry does not promote healing and may actually exacerbate a new piercing. Pulling or twisting jewelry that has buildup can introduce bacteria into the piercing channel, increasing the likelihood of irritation and infection. Moving the jewelry around can also disrupt the healing process by preventing the skin around the piercing from healing properly. The best approach is to thoroughly clean your jewelry with a damp Q-tip after showering to remove any buildup. Only after this should you touch the jewelry with clean hands to ensure all ends are securely tightened and all bodily fluids are removed.
3. Eyebrow piercings cause facial paralysis. False.
Eyebrow and tragus piercings do not go deep enough to affect the nerves. If this were the case, someone could pinch these areas hard enough and cause a response.
4. Cartilage piercings only take a few months to heal. False.
Cartilage piercings are notoriously slow to heal, and it can take anywhere from 6 to 9 months for them to heal completely. If you get two or more cartilage piercings at once, the healing process will take longer than 9 months, as your body has to heal multiple piercings at the same time. The healing time may vary depending on the order of piercing, with the first piercing healing more quickly than the third, for example. However, additional factors such as snagging or trauma can impede healing. After about two months or more, you may feel like your piercings are not healing, but they are. The outside of the piercing may appear healed, but the inner channel is still healing.
5. Short tongues can't be pierced. False.
Having a long tongue is not a prerequisite for getting a tongue piercing. Even if you have a short tongue, it is still possible to get one. A professional piercer will be able to assess the proper placement for your piercing, regardless of the length of your tongue. Although it requires a bit more skill to pierce a shorter tongue, it is achievable and can be an enjoyable piercing if done correctly.
6. Piercing guns are an acceptable method of piercing. False.
Piercing guns cannot be properly sanitized. Talk about an infection and Blood Borne Pathogen nightmare! On top of that hazard, the jewelry used is sharp at the end, but not as sharp as a hollow needle. Piercing guns use blunt force to shove a sharpened earring into your ear. Yikes! The length and clasp on the back also are often not long enough to allow enough room for swelling, dooming your piercing from the start. Just say no to piercing guns. Visit a professional body piercing studio for your earlobe piercings.
7. Clean your piercing with alcohol and peroxide. False.
Alcohol and hydrogen peroxide are drying and can cause damage to the delicate tissues you're trying to heal. Avoid using anything other than what is suggested for piercing aftercare. Applying alcohol and peroxide to healing piercings may lead to issues and delayed healing. Clean your piercings with warm water and small bit of fragrance free soap. Use a preservative free saline solution provided by your piercing studio.
8. Nipple piercings affect breastfeeding.
False.
While it is a common myth, nipple piercings do not affect breast feeding negatively unless you keep your jewelry in during a feeding. In some cases, the extra holes have been suggested to increase lactation flow. However, this is unproven but many of our clients have reported this as being helpful. It is not advised to get your nipples pierced during breastfeeding due to the risk of infection. If you have healed nipple piercings and you are breastfeeding, the best thing to do is to remove your jewelry when breast feeding. Clean your nipple and jewelry well before removing and inserting to keep the area clean and healthy.
9. Getting pierced is an invitation to infection. False.
To avoid the risk of infection, proper aftercare is necessary for piercings. In most cases, inadequate aftercare is the leading cause of infection. Your piercing studio must take all necessary precautions to prevent the risk of infection, which includes proper cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing of all instruments and body jewelry used during the procedure. Regular hand washing and changing of gloves also help to reduce the risk of contamination. Body piercers receive comprehensive training in cross-contamination, BBP, and cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilization methods to ensure safety.
10. Piercing is too painful. False.
While there is some level of discomfort in all body piercing procedures, it is nothing you can't handle. The number one question asked before a piercing is, "Will it hurt?" The answer to this question is highly subjective as every person has their own pain tolerance levels and all piercings have their own levels of discomfort. The best this to do is to go to a professional body piercer who will coach you through the procedure with ease. Often times after the piercing is performed, our clients remark as to how it wasn't as bad as they thought. It's our favorite part of the job. Helping people through the piercing process.
11. Numbing helps the piercing procedure. False
The application of topical numbing creams is not suitable for use in the piercing room. They do not reduce or eliminate pressure or discomfort. It is best to avoid any piercing shop that claims to numb the area before the procedure. Skilled body piercers will not endorse the use of numbing creams or topical anesthetics for body piercing procedures.
12. Piercings always affect X rays. False.
While many clinics and hospitals ask you to remove body jewelry prior to X rays, they do not directly affect X rays. Medical implants, pins and body jewelry will shop up in the X ray clearly. The only issue they might have with jewelry in is a possible obstruction of view for a very small injury. It is a standard practice for mammograms for jewelry removal due to the way they measure the center of the nipple. In that case, removal is wise and necessary.
13. MRI machines rip out piercings. False.
Although MRI machines are incredibly powerful, they cannot remove body jewelry. Non-magnetic high-quality body jewelry should not be affected by the machine. However, during the MRI procedure, some discomfort may be felt as the metal heats up. If you would like to remove your body piercing jewelry, we suggest using our body piercing retainers.
