So, I'm thinking about nipple piercings...

[HEIST]

Hey! Someone that knows what they're talking about...

I think that the big thing is actually being willing to deal with an up sized barbell as well as the whole "push to one side, clean, push to the other, clean again" thing. Lots of people say they'll take care of a piercing, but compliance to aftercare instructions is probably far worse than one would like to believe.

I think that barbells are marginally more work/trouble than having a ring in place that you can just soak/clean and not really worry so much. It cuts out the longer barbell stage, and any issues that could arise from someone swelling more than was expected and not having much room for movement. Also, if they manage to get it infected, things can get pretty out of hand pretty quickly, and I personally think that a ring would keep management of that a little more controlled.

The people I know that are involved in tattooing/piercing people tend to assume that unless its someone they know will take care of it, the simplest aftercare is the best. I'd say that the (admitedly small) chance of complications makes a ring the easier choice. And, I've not really seen many serious situations from a ring catching on things. Minor or funny stuff yeah, but the only bad story I've seen with a piercing catching is definately not repeatable on this site.

I guess like anything else in the whole tattooing and piercing industry there's lots of personal opinion and arguments about which way is "right". In the end, I figure as long as you can give a decent reason for what you're doing and are going to keep things clean it all works out in the end.

So, if you thought you could ramble, I probably just topped ya there!

And, my personal opinion (feel free to stop reading here, we're well on our way into my thoughts on things... and since none of you really know me, there's not much reason to think I know what I'm talking about) on the ring/turning thing is that if its clean and a decent grade of metal then it shouldn't be a big deal... totally speculation, but I'd imagine that some movement of a clean piece of jewelry would stimulate a minor immune response and help keep things healthy. Also, I can't see how there'd be harm in exposing whatever was building up in there to air and sliding one's cleaning solution through a piercing, so I say that if its clean, a turn or two won't hurt anything. (and if you're moving a barbell through, how is that different?)

DUDE! You're in Vancouver!

Awesome.

"I guess like anything else in the whole tattooing and piercing industry there's lots of personal opinion and arguments about which way is "right". In the end, I figure as long as you can give a decent reason for what you're doing and are going to keep things clean it all works out in the end."

I agree with you. If it works for you I don't see why not. I just had a 316LVM vs. Titanium in the other thread, not that I think titanium is bad for initial healing jewellery. People heal fine with either 316LVM and Titanium, so go ahead. Personally I lean towards 316LVM but I wouldn't knock titanium as a good material.

Have you worn both the rings and the barbells during your nipple's healing stage where it's all crusty and lymphy? With barbells I find that most of it dries near the edges near the bead ends so if you push it slightly to one side to clean it, it doesn't enter the fistula at all whereas when I wore a CBR, the lymph dried alll around and I couldn't even move a millimeter of it to clean without draggins something in. You would think it should be about the same, but it wasn't. It really sucked.

To the OP, if you're going with barbells, find internally threaded barbells. Dragging those threadings on an externally threaded barbell through your piercing sucks as well.

 

[jucas]

Hey! You're in Vancouver too! Was it ever beautiful out today? Such a nice night...

Honestly, I did both the nipples with rings... (no offense intended) but I couldn't bring myself to do the barbell thing to start. I really had no problems with some salt water and a q-tip and a turn or two now and then, and that seemed to be the standard among the people I knew...

I dunno... the rings always cleaned pretty well for me, and I guess I just assumed that the barbell route wouldn't work as well although you seem to be on top of things so it looks pretty equal about now... I still think that an infection would be easier to deal with with a ring in (and I've seen more than a few infected lips/etc with barbells that looked really uncomfortable) though.

My thoughts on the titanium vs "implant grade" jewelry is that in reality its probably more academic than practical... once again, no evidence to back this up, but my experience/etc suggests that either way its more a matter of the person's aftercare than anything.

On the other hand, this thread has me wanting to go find some barbells to change too after a few years of rings in the nipples. So, definately worthwhile!

 

[John Deppel]

I've also had a few piercers tell me that barbells are better for the healing process for almost 100% body piercings. A ring, or even a curved barbell, can cause scar tissue to grow in various ways, which can cause both migration of the jewelry and/or the piercing not staying straight.

 

[HEIST]

Hey! You're in Vancouver too! Was it ever beautiful out today? Such a nice night...

Honestly, I did both the nipples with rings... (no offense intended) but I couldn't bring myself to do the barbell thing to start. I really had no problems with some salt water and a q-tip and a turn or two now and then, and that seemed to be the standard among the people I knew...

I dunno... the rings always cleaned pretty well for me, and I guess I just assumed that the barbell route wouldn't work as well although you seem to be on top of things so it looks pretty equal about now... I still think that an infection would be easier to deal with with a ring in (and I've seen more than a few infected lips/etc with barbells that looked really uncomfortable) though.

My thoughts on the titanium vs "implant grade" jewelry is that in reality its probably more academic than practical... once again, no evidence to back this up, but my experience/etc suggests that either way its more a matter of the person's aftercare than anything.

On the other hand, this thread has me wanting to go find some barbells to change too after a few years of rings in the nipples. So, definately worthwhile!

Tell me about it! I live two blocks away from English Bay and wanted so badly to just grab a case of beer, dig a hole, put beer in hole to keep cool, and sit on the beach with friends tonight but everyone's so busy.

Another thing I want to touch on is female nipples vs. male nipples. Female nipples tend to have more discharge and for longer as well during healing. On some women, healed nipple piercings may have some discharge from time to time (before their periods and such, they lactate).

Maybe that's why rings sucked so much for me and not so much for you. Hah.

 

[jucas]

I've also had a few piercers tell me that barbells are better for the healing process for almost 100% body piercings. A ring, or even a curved barbell, can cause scar tissue to grow in various ways, which can cause both migration of the jewelry and/or the piercing not staying straight.

So you say a straight bar is the best bet? Not totally consistant with what I've heard, and I wonder what they have to back that up, but as has been said here, you could go to 50 shops and get 50 opinions on the subject.

Tell me about it! I live two blocks away from English Bay and wanted so badly to just grab a case of beer, dig a hole, put beer in hole to keep cool, and sit on the beach with friends tonight but everyone's so busy.

Another thing I want to touch on is female nipples vs. male nipples. Female nipples tend to have more discharge and for longer as well during healing. On some women, healed nipple piercings may have some discharge from time to time (before their periods and such, they lactate).

Maybe that's why rings sucked so much for me and not so much for you. Hah.

Yep, spent most of the night (until I came on here and talked about piercings apparantly) at Locarno/Jericho with some tom colins's and a few friends.

I can't disagree about the piercings since I don't really have any female nipple rings to comment on right now... but that all sounds pretty resonable.

 

[HEIST]

I've also had a few piercers tell me that barbells are better for the healing process for almost 100% body piercings. A ring, or even a curved barbell, can cause scar tissue to grow in various ways, which can cause both migration of the jewelry and/or the piercing not staying straight.

So you say a straight bar is the best bet? Not totally consistant with what I've heard, and I wonder what they have to back that up, but as has been said here, you could go to 50 shops and get 50 opinions on the subject.

Yeah, it really has to do with anatomy.

Say if you put a straight barbell into a nape (typing that was hard) the pressure put on the piercing from improper jewellery is going to cause it to reject.

Here's a picture: http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Image:Surface_Bar-2.gif

Jewellery are shaped to fit. A straight barbell doesn't solve all problems.

 

[Deluge Of Sound]

Here's a picture: http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Image:Surface_Bar-2.gif

Biggest letdown of the thread.

 

[HEIST]

Biggest letdown of the thread.

What did you think I was going to post!!!

 

[soong]

The downside is it'd be awkward to lactate if the situation ever arised

 

[Jared Lash]

So you say a straight bar is the best bet? Not totally consistant with what I've heard.

I considered taking this completely out of context and sigging it . . .

My only experience with nipple rings was playing basketball at the RSF at Berkeley against a shirtless guy wearing two hoops. Why he didn't take them out before the game I don't know. In any event, during the game I went up for a rebound and on the way down my left pinky snagged in his right nipple hoop. From the amount of screaming I gather it was very painful.

 

[2Loud4You]

For the guys that say it didn't hurt I'm curious what guage you were pierced with? When I had mine done they were pierced with a 12 guage needle and I can assure you it HURT! A month later they were still tender and I decided it wasn't worth it so I took them out. I didn't pay for them as a fan of my band at the time did it so it was no loss. I LOVE them on girls but I won't be getting them done again.

 

[Rakie]

Get both nipples done and a light chain to go from one to the other. hahahah

 

[aikakone]

Been thinking about getting this done for a while now, and I'm wondering if it's some "In my 30s" crisis as I've never before thought it would look good on me. (My general opinion has been that nipple piercings look good on men or women with small and perky breasts. Otherwise, it's just a rather National Geographic kind of look.)


ANYHOW... to the posters on the thread with gathered knowledge, what do you know about taking the piercings out? See, I've always said of piercings that if I decided later I didn't like them, I could just take the jewelry out. My concern is that later if I change my mind and remove the jewelry, I'll have stretched-out flabby nipples. That is just so not attractive at all.

I can't find an answer to that question, but maybe someone here knows. Thanks!