Thursday June 19th, 2008 @ 9:17 AM
Hey there,
It seems that piercers almost universally say that the black PVD coated steel is total crap and shouldn’t be worn in piercings at all, especially not in fresh ones - I’ve worn this in my ears and septum for a long time with no problems - but if you could shed any light on why this is regarded to be crap, I’d greatly appreciate it.
ec
A while back I talked to Tom Brazda about this, and the alternative seems to be Niobium jewellery, which is high-quality and safe for fresh piercings (he pierced my lip with a quality black niobium piece he made and my head hasn’t fallen off.. yet), but this presents a problem - it’s pretty much impossible to get a hold of this stuff, even the most simple CBRs, let alone labret posts or anything less common.
So my question is - where the hell can I get a hold of good black niobium jewellery? Any other material that’s high-quality and black would suffice. None of the respted companies like Anatometal seem to carry it, but maybe I just don’t know where to look - can anyone on AskBME help me out?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
Ah yes Tom Brazda…All blessings be to he of immense knowledge….For without him I know not where I would be today lol
The issue is this with the jewelry you’re mentioning, its PVD coated. Essentially what this means in long form is: Physical vapor deposition. Essentially that is how the material is created to look black and the major issue with the material is that it can chip quite easily in your mouth, if you change the jewelry often,etc. I’ve seen the jewelry chipped damaged, I’ve seen the integrity of the black coating compromised and slight variance in coloring,etc.
In fresh piercings you have to consider wether the jewelry is Implant Grade specifications or not, which the pvd coated material is not. Now it has Bio-Compatible ratings on it, but still ideally in fresh piercings you should either obtain Implant Grade 316LVM Stainless Steel or Implant Grade Titanium.
Niobium is unfortunately not “Implant Grade” but its used often among the piercing community with alright results….Personally I’m of the mindset though that I’d rather use implant grade materials then anything that’s simply “bio-compatible”…Another issue with Niobium is that its a rather brittle metal from what I recall, so it’s rather hard to work with.
Also just pointing it out here, Anatometal DOES work with Niobium although its set limitations on what sizes,etc it uses. I believe mainly it has to do with the creation of internal threading being an issue within the 14ga and 16ga realm and how brittle/hard Niobium is to work with. If it was external threading its not an issue, but high quality companies that are going to make the jewelry correctly, don’t do external threading. But I’m pretty positive Anatometal works with 12ga and larger niobium barbells,etc. They also make CBR’s in 14ga if I remember correctly,etc.
Since you said Tom made/got/pierced you, are you still in the Toronto area? If so I’d say pay him a visit and he can easily track down what exactly you’re looking for.
But yeah simply put I’m not a fan of the black pvd coated jewelry, at least in piercings that are under a year old. And even then you’ll want to wear them as costume jewelry and not regularly. A Niobium piece of jewelry with a perfect polish is ideally what you’ll want to be looking for.
3 / 3 votes 
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Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | 1 Comment
Wednesday June 18th, 2008 @ 7:02 PM
Filed under: Navel
I had a standard navel piercing done about 5 years ago now. Last year, after a little while of not loving it and repeatedly losing jewelry out of it, I took it as a sign and stopped putting jewelry back in. Both the top and bottom holes closed up very quickly, probably because of a bit of irritation it had at the time due to jewelry falling out, the hole shrinking a bit before I replaced it, and therefore stretching the piercing as I forced it back it. Anyways my question is about the fistula. I can still feel it there under the skin. Like I have a tunnel of flesh there that’s sealed on both sides. Will that ever go away? It’s been about a year since I took the jewelry out and it still feels just as ‘there’ as it did in the beginning. It’s not a huge deal, but for some some reason it being there just irks me. I almost want to get it pierced again just to give it a purpose, haha.
Thank you!
Yes it will. It may become softer over time and you may be able to aid that process by massaging with a nourishing product like vitamin E oil, but I’m afraid it is a part of you now.
4 / 4 votes
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Posted by Tiff Badhairdo | Permalink | Comments
Tuesday June 17th, 2008 @ 8:20 PM
I’ve had a 10 gauge apadravya for about 4 years now, and it’s been healed up with pretty much no problems (on my end) since about 4 or 5 months in. I have replaced the bar going through this piercing with shorter bars three times now (the first two were in an effort to make this piercing a bit more comfortable for my partner) and have never had a problem until a few months ago when I downsized the bar for the last time in an effort to stop some leakage I was experiencing when urinating.
In the past when downsizing, my anatomy accommodated the shorter bar by allowing the balls on the ends to sit further into my glans, and after this last downsize both balls pretty much sat about half-way into the skin, until I would get an erection and the bottom ball would kind of pop under the skin, not into the urethra, but just under the skin - it was a little uncomfortable to pop out, but it came out just fine and I didn’t think much of it. At some point I started getting less vigilant about popping the bottom ball out, and when I did it got harder and harder to do until I just couldn’t pop it out anymore.
Now I have an apadravya where the top ball sits just where it ought to, but the bottom ball is harder to find. The hole in the bottom of my glans is about one third the diameter of the ball and you can see it if you push down on the top of the piercing, but it won’t ever pop out. I’ve even acquired some emla cream and numbed the area so that pain is no longer a factor when trying to get the ball to pop out, but I still can’t force it out!
What should I do?! the piercer did this for me is long gone and I don’t really want to go to the other piercers in my area. Should I suck it up and get a scalpel? Is there something I haven’t tried? Help me please!
Thanks!
I’d say that your only option is to have it incised. If you are not a fan of the other local piercers then do some research and travel to a trusted practitioner. We are talking about your old fella here - you don’t really want to be taking uneccessary risks!
3 / 7 votes 
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Posted by Tiff Badhairdo | Permalink | Comments
Tuesday June 17th, 2008 @ 9:40 AM
Filed under: Nipple
I had my nipples pierced for about four years now. Last month, I had a pimple looking thing by the hole of one of the piercings (I have straight barbells). It cleared after soaking it in sea salt. Recently, I’ve been getting more pimple looking bumps under my nipple and near the holes. Also, the tips of my nipples are covered in a yellow green dry scab looking thing. There is also always dried blood and pus around the holes. I never had a problem until recently. My nipples have went through biting, pulling, pinching, you name it, and nothing ever bothered them. Now, I dont do anything to them and they’re becoming a mess. I don’t know what I can do. I’d hate to take the jewelry out, but I don’t know if I have an infection or what?
You stated that you haven’t done anything to them and that they were well healed. As it is affecting both piercings I’m inclined to think that this is something systemic and that your acting up nipple piercings are indicative of something else going on here. Green is never a good colour for discharge. I would suggest leaving the jewellery in situ for now seeking the advice of your doctor.
2 / 8 votes
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Posted by Tiff Badhairdo | Permalink | Comments
Tuesday June 17th, 2008 @ 3:08 AM
Filed under: Ear
Which oil is that you use to massage the blow out, so that it may retract into the body?
And is reducing the size to 3mm enough?
There’s many oils that work for people, all depending on their body and how it reacts to the oil. You can try Neem oil, Jojoba Oil, even Emu Oil has been known to help people.
Essentially with blow outs you will want to completely remove the jewelry and massage the lobes with one of said oils to use. From there you will need to wait for the blow out to be re-absorbed into the lobe and then put whatever jewelry fits comfortably and easily into the piercing. Then wait 1-2 years before actively attempting to stretch that piercing to a larger gauge size.
2 / 4 votes
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Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | 1 Comment
Tuesday June 17th, 2008 @ 3:05 AM
Filed under: Navel
I can’t get my jewelry back in…. I had surgery 6 weeks ago and the ring has been out since then.. it’s an 8 year old piering. I know the hole isn’t closed, due to being able to get a regular earring in and I’ve been trying to ‘work’ and ’stretch’ the hole but it doesn’t seem to help. I’ve worn a 14 guage ring since it was originally pierced, should I try a 16? Any other suggestions?
Thanks!
This does tend to happen when people go in for surgery and leave their jewelry out, even after 8 years of having the piercing.
What you most likely need to do is bring your jewelry to a piercing studio and have them taper the pierced pathway to a 14ga. Basically they will simply lube the 14ga insertion taper up and slide it through properly so not to cause too much trauma to the body, and then follow through with the jewelry.
This is a much safer/easier way of jewelry insertion, instead of trying to cram a piece of dry jewelry through a dry fistula.
3 / 5 votes
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Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | Comments
Monday June 16th, 2008 @ 11:44 AM
Filed under: Ear
ok i had gauged my ears to 5/8 inch the right ear does fine and the left i dono whats wrong with it but it didnt wanna go so after hours of messing with it i finally got it and this wee lil piece of skin came out of my ear not like a blow out or anything but like just a piece of skin and this white stuff would come out of my lobe like around the plug so i switched from wood to opals and it cleared up and was fine but when i took out my plugs i noticed a purple mark inside the lobe so i thought maybe it was just a bit of bruising or something and went up to 3/4s inch didnt have to use a taper or anything just a bit of vitamin E oil and they went right in and now the lobe is doing the same thing again… is there any way to like get that to go away?
Try stretching properly from the get-go. Prevention is better than cure and let’s face it, knarly, chewed-up stretched lobes do not look attractive. There is a wealth of information on the internet and on BME on how to stretch correctly. Also organics are not meant to be used in fresh stretches due to their porous nature and ability to harbour bacteria, which can become an issue if you damage your lobe during the process. As in your case.
By rushing the process and damaging your lobes all you will gain is a thinned out lobe with a poor blood supply and a build up of scar tissue. It will look unsightly, hinder any future stretching and could even lead to necrosis and subsequent splitting. Not nice, eh?
For immediate treatment, remove the jewellery and wait until your earlobes have calmed down before commencing stretching at a size whereby the jewellery pops in comfortably and massage your vitamin E oil into the lobe to soften it and stimulate the blood supply in the meantime. Whilst you are waiting for your lobes to rectify themselves, do a little research so that you might stretch safely next time.
10 / 12 votes
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Posted by Tiff Badhairdo | Permalink | 6 Comments
Monday June 16th, 2008 @ 11:28 AM
Dear BME,
I have recently been diagnosed with a gut disease called ulcerative colitis (similar to Crohn’s disease), and I’m currently in recovery. Though this is a chronic disease where my body attacks my colon and gets inflamed, it can be suppressed (not cured) with medicine. Now when I recover I will have to keep taking some form of medicine (probably anti-inflammatory agents such as mesalazine, possibly others, I’m going to confer with my doctor), and I would like to know; what sort of medicine has an effect on the aftercare and healing of a piercing? I would really like to get pierced someday but I want to know if my body isn’t going to protest because of what I’m dealing with here.
Cheers in advance,
Altmer
My understanding of Crohns disease is that it is effectively managed with immuno-supressants, which puts the person at a greater risk of infection. I also know that there are some instances whereby doctors will prescribe a prophylactic course of antibiotics for those suffering weakened immune systems, usually before surgery or dentistry. It is worth discussing this at length with your specialist. Unfortunately, the treatment for your condition will increase the risk factor associated with getting pierced and healing a piercing. I would, however, be interested to hear what your specialist has to say on the subject.
1 / 5 votes 
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Posted by Tiff Badhairdo | Permalink | Comments
Sunday June 15th, 2008 @ 11:22 PM
Filed under: Navel
I have wanted my Navel pierced for a while, but my parents will not let me. I went out and bought a 14g hollow needle and a ring to fit. I want to do the piercing myself or with the help of friends, but I was told I need a clamp or the bleeding would be really bad. Could I possibly get a step-by-step walk through of how to properly do it yourself? (I will not go to a parlor, so I don’t want any of that.) Thank you.
I can’t speak for the other ASKBME volunteers, but I’ll say you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone who calls themselves professional who’s willing to do a step by step walk through on a piercing, particularly in a public forum on someone who refuses to go to a professional.
29 / 35 votes
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Posted by Shawn Porter | Permalink | 6 Comments
Sunday June 15th, 2008 @ 7:13 AM
Filed under: Nipple
Can you use a retainer for a nipple piercing while it’s still healing?
I was just wondering. The reason I ask is that I may well be going on a long, intercontinental flight soon. I’m worried about metal detectors at airports and while I am well aware it’s a question that’s been asked zillions of times and that the consensus seems to be “no, they won’t go off”, I’m worried there will always be one that will. Being the generally shy person I am I’d rather people didn’t find out about my “secret” i.e. piercing (I have no other piercings).
Thank you.
Too keep those “secrets” a secret from airport security I would suggest if you absolutely want to wear something non-metallic, then to find a studio that sells Pyrex Glass jewelry. You can usually find an assortment in retainer type jewelry.
The pyrex jewlery can be autoclaved/sterilized and used in fresh piercings. But you definitely will not want to be constantly changing in between jewelry while it’s still healing. After you get the pyrex in you’ll either want to keep that in or immediately have them changed when you touch down to the steel jewelry and leave those in until they are completely healed. As the more you switch between the two, the more irritation can occur in piercings that are still healing.
4 / 6 votes
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Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | 2 Comments
