The Piercing FAQ

What should I know before getting pierced?
How are piercings performed?
What jewelry should you use?
What type of needles should be used?
How do they heal?
What about placement?
Can minors be pierced?
Can I remove my jewelry?
How do I clean my piercing?
What do I use to clean my piercing?
What should I avoid cleaning my piercing with?
General Guidelines

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What should I know before getting pierced?

Getting a piercing is a serious decision. It is important to arm yourself with as much information as possible. Our goal at Lucky Rabbit is to provide you with the safest body modification experience.The following are brief descriptions of what takes place in a professional studio and a few basic guideline of what to look for when choosing a studio or piercer. This is not to be considered a substitute for medical advice from a doctor. Be aware, however, that many doctors have no specific training or experience regarding body piercing and may not be educated on how to best assist you.

How are piercings performed?
Before a body piercing is performed, the skin should be cleaned with a germicidal soap. Then the piercer pierces the skin with a very sharp needle. In a single motion, the piercer places the jewelry to be inserted behind the needle and as the needle passes through the skin, the jewelry follows. The needle is then disposed of in a sharps container and the piercer adjusts the jewelry to the piercing.

What jewelry should you use?
Always insist on internally threaded jewelry. Externally threaded jewelry is NOT acceptable for piercing. Externally threaded jewelry is typically made of commercial grade stainless steel that can cause problems if used in new piercings. Acceptable material for body piercings include high quality stainless steel (316LVM F-138)and dense, low-prosity plastic such as Tygon or PTFE. Appropriate jewelry has no nicks, scratches, burrs or irregular surfaces that might endanger the tissue. Safety pins and other household objects are not put into piercings by professional body piercers. Unfortunately, some piercers use inferior jewelry that contains too much nickel or other irritating alloy resulting in ³metal allergies.² This condition is characterized by the appearance of the tissue retreating from the offending metal. The client may present complaints of itching, burning and/or tenderness or they may feel virtually no discomfort even though the piercing seems highly inflamed. In addition to localized dermatitis, the opening to the piercing will appear significantly larger than the size of the jewelry, and granulation tissue will be visible. This can be remedied by changing to an appropriate bio-compatible jewelry, Tygon or PTFE.

What type of needles should be used?
True professional piercers use needles specifically designed for body piercing. Look out for piercers that use I.V. needles. These needles are not made for body piercing. Additionally, if these needles are not properly cleaned, they can leave debris inside the piercing which can lead to infection.

How do they heal?
Most normally healing piercings can become discolored in the immediate vicinity of the piercing. This can be a reddish, brownish, pinkish or purplish discoloration. In certain piercings this can remain for many months and be perfectly normal. Since a piercing involves the body healing around a foreign object, rather than the usual process of restoring the body back to a pre-trauma state, discoloration may remain for a period of time. Some localized swelling or induration is not uncommon during healing stages and is not necessarily indicative of complications. Oral piercings such as tongue and lip often swell significantly for several days following the piercing. Healing piercings normally excrete a small amount of plasma, lymph, and/or dead cells. It should not be excessive in quantity, malodorous or green. It dries on the ring at the openings of the piercing forming a small amount of crystalline-appearing crust.

What about placement?
Piercings must be placed at a certain depth in order to be accepted and successfully healed by the body to remain long term. Those that are placed too close to the surface (or with jewelry that is too small or thin) may be perceived by the body as a splinter, worked towards the surface, and eventually ejected. If a piercing is shallow enough that the jewelry can easily be seen right through the tissue, or if it encompasses less than 1/4² 5/16² of tissue, the jewelry may require removal. If the tissue is red and hardened across the entirety of the piercing and it is very superficial, this generally indicates that the piercing is being rejected.

Can minors be pierced?
You must be at least 16 years of age, and have a parent present. Additionally, the consent form must indicate the part of the body that may be pierced and TWO forms of proper identification is required by BOTH the parent/guardian and the minor being pierced.

Can I remove my jewelry?
It depends; even momentary removal of jewelry from a healing piercing can result in amazingly rapid closure of the piercing, and make reinsertion difficult or impossible. Additionally, removal of jewelry in the presence of an infection may result in an abscess.(infection that is trapped under the skin)

How do I clean my piercing?
Before handling or cleaning your piercing you should wash your hands. To wash your hands, use warm (not hot) water. Warm water is not as irritating to the skin. Chapped skin harbors more bacteria. Make sure all sides of each finger get friction and lather. Use paper towels to dry hands at home. After drying your hands, use the paper towel to turn the water off .

What do I use to clean my piercing?
A medical grade soap such as Satin, will promote faster healing and is safe enough to use on sensitive tissue.

Chemicals and cleaning agents to avoid:
Alcohol - drys out tissue, kills white blood cells, and breaks down proteins
Hydrogen Peroxide -drys out tissue, kills white blood cells, inhibits new cell growth and does not kill all bacteria
Triclosan (Lever 2000) - disrupts the microbial cell wall and can dry out tissue
Hexachlorophene (Phisohex, Phisoderm) - can cause hypertrophic scarring and photo allergy (sensitivity to the sunlight)
Iodine and Iodophors (Betadine) - causes skin irritation, must be removed from skin after drying and can implodes or explodes tissue cells
Benzylkonium Chloride (Bactine, Ear Care Solutions) - harbors and grows Pseudomonas Aeruginosa.
Bactine - it contains an analgesic which can cause allergic reactions
Petroleum Based Products (Neosporin, Bacitracin and Triple Antibiotics) - clogs pores, is not water soluble, and harbors bacteria
Oral Piercing Aftercare
Rinse mouth out with a diluted antiseptic mouthwash after eating, drinking or smoking. Rinse 6-8 times daily. (Smoking is not recommended during the healing process of your piercing.) Use ice, ibuprofen, or cold drinks on your new piercing to reduce swelling.
For more extensive information on aftercare, click here.
Body Piercing Aftercare
Remove all dry discharge from the jewelry. Clean piercing with suggested soap 2 to 3 times daily. Lather the soap and work it into your piercing then move the jewelry back and forth. Thoroughly rinse your piercing. Don¹t touch your piercing, other than to clean it. For at least two weeks, minimize exposure to the sun and avoid swimming in fresh, salt, or chlorinated water.

General guidelines
During the healing period, a piercing should be cleaned no more than 3 times a day, and otherwise left alone.
A healing piercing should only be handled by the person with the piercing, and only with washed hands. Other people's hands, mouths, and genitals should not come in contact with a healing piercing. A healing piercing should not be exposed to rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, antibacterial ointments, bandages, etc. A piercing is vulnerable to irritation, infection, scarring and migration most especially during the healing period. Tight clothing, rough handling, friction, and pressure can cause a new piercing to heal slowly or not at all. Avoid tanning with a fresh piercing, 4 to 6 weeks. Avoid swimming or soaking a healing piercing in any body of water, i.e. The pool, lake, etc. Please be aware that there are potential risks and dangers associated with piercing, including the possibility of discomfort or pain, the possibility of scarring, bleeding, swelling and or nerve damage. Please understand that there is increased risk for adolescents during certain stages of development and be aware of the risk of infection and the possibility of allergic reaction to some or all materials used.

Please, always treat your piercing gently. Don't move the jewelry in the piercing while it's dry. Don't tug on it, pick at it, or hang anything from it while it's healing. Don't let anyone else, no matter how well you know them, touch your piercing while it is healing. It is your responsibility to check the tightness of beads/balls on your jewelry and please understand that any beads/balls lost one week from the piercing time is not the responsibility of Lucky Rabbit.

Piercing aftercare is extremely vital to the piercing process.
How your piercing looks and heals depends on how YOU treat it.