Tattoos and Piercings?

[Delicious]

no piercings for me. Other than a single hole in my lobe, I have none. I got my cartilage done last year, but I nearly threw up and the room spun when it was pierced. I'd rather get tattooed any day of the week. Plus, within a month I had to take it out because of the pus, my body fought it. If I ever got another ear piercing, I would want to go to the very best place instead of the shitty ghetto tattoo parlor I went to because the other place was closed.

[drewwerd13]

I love both. I have not been pierced in some time, but it all boils down to your own individual style. My friends and I have some of the same piercings but we wear them very differently: i.e placement, type of jewelry, guage. There is nothing more beautiful than a person who "owns" or wears their modifications well. I have stretched ears and wear huge semi precious stones that look great with the tattoos I have around my ears... The celebration of our expressive freedom is a gift and it would not be so wonderful if there weren't such strong feelings both positive and negative about modification.I believe piercing and tattooing share the same boat.

[taylorn]

I got piercings before I got my first (and currently only) tattoo. Nostril and I'm working on adding more ear piercings-- just two on each ear right now. The healing time for a tattoo was way less and way less involved I thought so it makes me more inclined to get more tattoos now-- but I still like getting piercings.:)

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[Tesseracts]

Tesseracts, you really don't want to use acrylic for long term use. Here is a great page with lots of info of different materials. Material information & care

And they have a huge selection of barbells and you can get them with gems and various other ends. I personally stick with titanium (I like the copper and teal colors the best). I get most of my jewelry there. :) They also have a calender you can get that has 20% off coupons each month.

Thanks.

Unrelated but... my cousin got a surface piercing right below her bellybutton. She is getting it removed because it's healing really weird... but I don't understand why she even got it in the first place. Why not just get a bellybutton piercing? What's the point of surface piercings? I feel like some people just want to look unique, and now that piercing is mainstream surface piercing is the only way they can stand out. Unfortunately the more unique the piercing is the more likely it's going to mess up your skin.

[Harlot]

Some people choose to get them near the belly button because they like the look of just the one stone or their anatomy prevents them from getting a traditional piercing there. As for scarring, they often leave similar or even smaller scars than piercings do.

[BLHellcat]

My question, was it actually a "surface" piercing? Because generally they are defined by barbells through areas of the skin that generally shouldn't be pierced and are almost imminently prone to rejecting (the amount of force and weight the piercing gives to the layers of skin above the barbell are much greater than the skin can generally handle. A regular belly button piercing is a surface piercing, as well as an eyebrow piercing how ever they have a much higher rate to scar/heal to a point in which it will be years before rejection is noticeable.)

Or was it an anchor?

[kimkong]

this thread reminded me of that guy:

[Harlot]

My question, was it actually a "surface" piercing? Because generally they are defined by barbells through areas of the skin that generally shouldn't be pierced and are almost imminently prone to rejecting (the amount of force and weight the piercing gives to the layers of skin above the barbell are much greater than the skin can generally handle. A regular belly button piercing is a surface piercing, as well as an eyebrow piercing how ever they have a much higher rate to scar/heal to a point in which it will be years before rejection is noticeable.)

Or was it an anchor?

Surface piercings are usually done with this sort of jewelry and really shouldn't be done with barbells (unlike navel and eyebrow piercings which usually are donw with curved barbells).

Done properly can surface piercings can last years, same with eyebrow and navel piercings.

[cltattooing]

I've been getting pierced from a very young age and plan to get other piercings in the future. I don't really understand the puritanism when it comes to the cross-over between tattooing and piercing. I mean I don't think that tattooers should pierce and that piercers should tattoo because they are both very specialized, attention-demanding, and separate crafts. I guess that I mean that the judgement directed toward piercing from tattoo culture is stupid and hypocritical. Conversely, I think that a lot of the holier-than-thou "contemporary shamanism ideal" that many piercers indulge is also fucking stupid. Live and let live and whatnot.

Anyway, I've been getting piercings from the ages of 6-21 and if it weren't for getting pierced, I wouldn't have landed my apprenticeship.

Currently I have both nostrils, my septum, conch, both ears at 9/16" and my labret which I don't wear jewelry in anymore due to dental health issues. My goal for my ears is 5/8", I'd like to do my other conch and second lobes, and probably nipples if I can ever get over the horrifying idea of putting a needle through my nipple. Twice. Fuck.

[Graeme]

I've been getting pierced from a very young age and plan to get other piercings in the future. I don't really understand the puritanism when it comes to the cross-over between tattooing and piercing. I mean I don't think that tattooers should pierce and that piercers should tattoo because they are both very specialized, attention-demanding, and separate crafts. I guess that I mean that the judgement directed toward piercing from tattoo culture is stupid and hypocritical. Conversely, I think that a lot of the holier-than-thou "contemporary shamanism ideal" that many piercers indulge is also fucking stupid. Live and let live and whatnot.

I'm going to say that piercing is totally not my thing, but I went with @Pugilist when she got her second set of lobes pierced and I was really impressed with the piercer and the level of professionalism, seriousness, and dedication he has towards his craft. It reminded me of tattooing in that way. I've been dismissive of piercing, and I'll admit that I don't really "get it", but you're right...live and let live. And don't go to the piercing equivalent of a scratcher.

[AverageJer]

I'm going to say that piercing is totally not my thing, but I went with @Pugilist when she got her second set of lobes pierced and I was really impressed with the piercer and the level of professionalism, seriousness, and dedication he has towards his craft. It reminded me of tattooing in that way. I've been dismissive of piercing, and I'll admit that I don't really "get it", but you're right...live and let live. And don't go to the piercing equivalent of a scratcher.

Yep, my wife, who has plenty of tattoos, just got her ears pierced for the first time. We went to our usual shop and made an appointment with the piercer, who we had seen around but didn't really know. He knew his craft and went about it in a very professional and serious way. All and all it was a great experience.

Also, how many 30 something women can say they have gotten more than 10 tattoos before even getting their ears pierced. It's just one of many ways that my wife is unique I suppose.

[HaydenRose]

I'm going to say that piercing is totally not my thing, but I went with @Pugilist when she got her second set of lobes pierced and I was really impressed with the piercer and the level of professionalism, seriousness, and dedication he has towards his craft. It reminded me of tattooing in that way. I've been dismissive of piercing, and I'll admit that I don't really "get it", but you're right...live and let live. And don't go to the piercing equivalent of a scratcher.

That is so true. When I was younger (I must have been 10.. 11?) and got my ears pierced for the first time we went to Claire's or an equivalent at the time. I don't know how they train their workers to give ear piercings, but... I was nervous, so my mom (who was trained to pierce) held one gun on my right ear and the woman working at Claire's held the other gun on my left ear. Let's just say my left earring hole is forever set significantly lower on my ear than my right. It bothered me a lot when I was younger, but I've since gotten over it. It's more noticeable when I wear dangle-y earrings that pull on my lobes.

F-in Scratchers... or Pokers? Haha

[cltattooing]

uffgghhfhghgnnnhggh

piercing guns are the equivalent of walkman tattoo machines

[CultExciter]

I pierced both of my ears at the mall ear piercing KIOSK!!! in Lynchburg, Virginia in 2000. I was 18. And thought I was cool. I wasn't.

[polliwog]

Yup, I have the teenaged mistake piercing gun business going on, too. (Thanks to my beloved aunt, who convinced me it was a good idea.) Makes me wonder if so many of the issues I've had with the piercings are down to that. Probably time to get re-pierced by a professional.

[OutOfIdeas]

My ears were stretched to 5/8",

I've taken them out at various times for long periods, but I've been stretching back up and should get back to 5/8" tommorrow.

That's where I stop, cause they still close up fairly well (cant see any gap through them once i take them out and take a warm shower) up to that. I tried one size above and they wouldn't fully close up, so I went back down right away.

I had one nipple pierced with a needle while drunk in high school, kept it for a while, and then someone partially ripped it out, and that was the end of that.

I definitely prefer the ease of tattoos, more initial pain but then much less hassle.

[Phenixone]

I'm about 3/4 covered with tattoos and I don't even have my ears pierced. I do however faint when having my blood drawn, I fainted after piercing my nape AND nearly fainted getting my septum pierced. You don't know how annoying it is trying to explain to your doctor that you WILL pass out right now, and they use the "you're covered in tattoos shut up" reply. So for me it's not so much that I'm against piercings, it's just the needle aspect.

And yes I'm aware that tattoos require needles. Lmao

- - - Updated - - -

Lmao! Couldn't be a more true statement !

I had a girl walk into the shop and asked about a navel piercing, she then ensured that we used a piercing gun. I was stunned. She refused to receive the piercing after I showed her our "equipment"... Yup

- - - Updated - - -

I can say that I've pierced my nape, septum, and private area ...and have never pierced my ears?!

[polliwog]

Even though I'd said earlier that piercings aren't my thing, I got a helix piercing earlier today with some friends in Northampton, MA. My friend also got a stud in her ear and her badass 15-year-old daughter got an industrial (and handled it with barely a sniffle). I appreciated that the shop was woman-owned and that the owner's very active in the Association of Professional Piercers and has helped to set the standard. Overall a really positive experience that gave me a respect for the profession and will always remind me of the time when I did this thing with 2 generations of amazing women.

[Pugilist]

Cool! I'd love to get a helix, but man, when I got a new set off holes in my lobes this winter it took SO LONG for them to properly heal that I think I am too lazy for any more piercings. They are so much work!!! Kudos to those who are less lazy than me. :)

[polliwog]

Yeah, I'm a little concerned about the healing. The sensations from accidentally brushing up against it while asleep were like being welcomed to a whole new world of stupid, distinct from getting tattooed. Hope the really tender part's over soon.

[sophistre]

Cartilage piercings are always a long heal, sadly. It depends on you, obviously, and the gauge you were pierced at, but, yeah. I was always tender for months.

I've taken out more piercings than I will likely ever have again, for professional reasons years ago, but I still have some. Philtrum, septum, just took my nostril out to get symmetrical nostril piercings in about a week from now! And ears, currently stretched up to a very modest 7g.

I probably would never have gotten my philtrum and septum pierced last year, but jewelry has come a looooooong way since the 90s. There's some gorgeous, classy stuff out there, these days. Jewelry-store quality stuff. Just take a gander at BVLA's catalogue sometime.

I got some pretty stuff recently. My face is so fancy. (Though not as fancy as it'll be once I get those nostrils redone.)

[Pugilist]

Lovely! It is true that what made me consider piercings again is the nice jewelry.

[TrixieFaux]

I got my tragus & rook back in March/April... the tragus seems to be 100% healed, fingers crossed... But the rook is still sore on-and-off. It's sore right now goddammit. But I am hanging in there. It is going to heal!

[pidjones]

I feel kind of a kink to say that I have a pierced nipple (my only hole). I had that done before I really considered a tattoo. Then the second tattoo. Ahah! Piercings lead to tattoo addiction! All this after age 61. Some would say mid-life crisis, and if that is the case - Yeah! that means I'll live to ~120!

BTW, absolutely no healing problems.

[OutOfIdeas]

I used to have my ears stretched moderately, too much of a pain in the ass.

I also had one nipple pierced a long time ago, that came out very suddenly and painfully.

Tattoos are so much easier.