Piercing FAQ

Here at Revelation Studios we offer a variety of initial choices for jewelry, all of which are titanium or surgical steel. We do not carry sterling silver or other materials for initial piercings due to the potential to be allergic to them or have sensitive skin reactions. We do NOT start with any form of acrylic material, including ends for our jewelry. Acrylic can contain toxins harmful to the body and we do not recommend it for any extended wear.

NO! Piercing guns are made primarily of plastic and this cannot be sterilized properly in an autoclave. Blood Bourne pathogens and other diseases can live in bodily fluids which means they can end up on a piercing gun very easily. Since those guns are impossible to sterilize, it carries with it a very high risk of infection to other clients. Here at Revelation Studios all our piercings are performed with sterile single-use needles, which are then safely disposed in a secure Sharps container.

We do preform Surface Anchors, but please understand that these are temporary piercings, and you won’t have them forever. Surface Anchors can last anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 years, but they will not last you forever. Some placements are worse than others for Surface Anchors and for this reason we do not offer them on hands or below the knee.

Visit a doctor immediately if you have problems with your piercing and you:

Experience severe redness, swelling, or pain from the piercing
Have a large amount of discharge that is thick, green, yellow, or gray and smells bad
Have red streaks coming from the piercing site
Take steroids or have a chronic illness or other health condition
Have symptoms that last for a week or get worse
Experience fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or disorientation
However, if you don’t have these symptoms, it is likely not an infection. Infections in piercings are more rare then you may think, typically a piercing is just irritated.

Inappropriate Aftercare is One of the Most Common Causes of a Distressed Piercing:

Alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Betadine, Hibiclens, harsh soaps, and/or ointment(s) are not appropriate products for the care of a healing ear or body piercing.

Over-cleaning and using strong products can irritate piercings and delay healing.

Mild, non-iodized sea-salt or normal saline soaks and/or cleaning with a liquid anti-microbial or germicidal soap once or twice a day is suggested for body piercings.

Rinsing with mild non-iodized sea salt and/or antimicrobial or antibacterial alcohol-free mouthwash, 4-5 times a day is suggested for oral piercings.

Normal Healing Piercings May Have the Following Characteristics:

Discoloration: reddish, brownish, pinkish, or purplish; can remain for many months on navel, surface, and other piercings.

Swelling/Induration: localized; may be significant with oral piercings such as the lip or tongue, and usually lasts for several days following the initial piercing.

Excretion: exudate of interstitial fluid, dead cells, etc. that forms a small amount of crystalline-appearing crust at the openings of the piercing; should not be copious, malodorous, or green.

Ointments are Not Preferred for Topical Treatment of Piercings:

They are occlusive and limit oxygen circulation to the area, which can delay healing of this type of wound.

They leave a sticky residue that makes cleaning the healing tissue more difficult.

If necessary, gels, creams, or other water-soluble products are preferred for topical application.

Migration/Rejection

If the jewelry moves closer to the surface or the tissue gets narrower between the openings of a piercing, this is termed “migration.” If the piercing migrates past a point of remaining viable or comes all the way to the surface, this is termed “rejection.” For safety and longevity, a piercing should have at least 5/16” inch (almost 8 mm) of tissue between the entrance and exit holes.
A body piercing should be abandoned if the tissue between the entry and exit progressively gets smaller or thinner over time plus any of the following:

The skin between the openings is flaking or peeling, red or inflamed, and/or hard and calloused-looking

There is 1/4” of tissue or less between the openings

Just a thin filament of nearly transparent tissue is left, and the jewelry can be seen through the skin

It is likely not a keloid, and this is one of the most over diagnosed or mis-diagnosed issues in the piercing community. More likely is that your little bump is due to some kind of irritation. Possible causes could be improper after care, chemical irritation due to getting harsh products in it like shampoo or harsh cleaners, low quality jewelry with a high nickel content, a cut or nick on your jewelry irritating the piercing, trauma such as the piercing snagging or catching on something and getting pulled, or the piercing was simply preformed at an improper angle for your anatomy. If you are concerned go to see your local professional piercer to get their advice. But with this information it should be easy to figure out the cause of irritation, remove it, and with regular saline or salt water soaks and adjustments of your aftercare this should go away.

We’d like to point you to this guide, written for the ‘ask a professional piercer’ Facebook group by two skilled piercers AJ Goldman and Sarah Wooten.

Here is a little guide to help you along while stretching your piercings. The majority of these tips will especially help while stretching earlobes in particular, and the advice or time frames may be different for different piercings. This guide is a collection of suggestions from reputable body piercers, this should not be construed as, or used as a substitution for, medical advice. Things may be different in your circumstance because everyone’s body is different!

First things first is jewelry quality. Stick with implant grade materials such as 316LVM ASTM F-138 steel or ASTM F-136 titanium, glass, and also certain stones have proven to be safe to stretch with. Avoid lower quality metals (especially ones sold in common mall chain stores), avoid stretching or even wearing acrylic jewelry, avoid stretching with organics such as woods, and avoid stretching with silicone! All jewelry for initial stretches should be single flared or no flared. DON’T STRETCH WITH DOUBLE FLARED JEWELRY!!

Second thing would be time frame in between stretches because so many people get this part wrong. We generally recommend waiting a minimum of 6-8 weeks in between each stretch although you might find yourself having to wait 3 months or longer. The big thing here is to listen to your body. If you’re noticing pain or any sort of bleeding, you’re stretching too quickly. If this happens, stop, downsize to your previous size and just wait longer.

A common mistake when stretching is the use of tapers. You shouldn’t need tapers to stretch your earlobes so avoid stretching kits, chances are they’re coming with low quality jewelry anyway. Tapers are a tool used by professional body piercers to assist with jewelry insertions. Stretching piercings at home with tapers can often lead to stretching too quickly which will likely cause tearing, excess scar tissue and/or blowouts. Also, keep in mind that tapers are not jewelry. Wearing a taper as a piece of jewelry will cause a lot of pressure on the back and bottom of your lobe and can cause it to thin out.

Another method for stretching would be the “taping” method. This method involves wrapping a thin layer of PTFE or bondage tape around the jewelry every so often to help slowly increase the size of the jewelry and thus, your piercing. In most cases, this can be completely unnecessary and should be avoided. There is no known documentation that states that any type of tape is safe to be worn inside of the body. It should also be noted that using any sort of tape as a method of stretching is going against manufacturer’s instructions.

Some tips along the way include frequent massaging. When your piercing has healed enough after your most recent stretch to the point where you can comfortably remove your jewelry for at least a few minutes at a time, it is greatly beneficial to gently massage the tissue. Holey Butt’r is a great product to use for massaging. Other alternatives would be jojoba oil, coconut oil, etc. Be sure to avoid oils which you may have an allergy to. If you are unsure, consult with your doctor or dermatologist before using any of these products. Massaging works so well because it helps increase blood flow to the area and helps promote new cell growth. Another great tip is to not be afraid to purposely downsize. Although you’re probably eager to get to your goal size, downsizing can be a great option to keep your lobes thick and healthy. Once the piercing is healed, wearing heavier jewelry such as stone or glass plugs can also help the stretching process. However, it should also be noted that wearing heavier hanging jewelry can lead to uneven stretching or thinning of the tissue at the bottom of the lobe.

Overall, the best method for stretching we’ve found is time. The longer you wait in between stretches, the easier it should be and the healthier your piercings will be in the long run. Stretching should be a long and slow process. Enjoy the ride, no need to rush. Each size has its benefits and different types of jewelry selections. If you should have any questions regarding stretching your piercing, feel free to ask in this group or of course you could ask your local reputable body piercer. https://www.facebook.com/groups/AskAProfessionalPiercer