Piercing at Ancient Arts

Piercing at Ancient Arts

In addition to fine tattooing and funky art, Ancient Arts offers basic piercing six days a week, Monday through Saturday. Damien has been piercing for over 15 years but does not perform surface piercing or dermal implants.

Ancient Arts uses only the highest quality materials and highest standards of sanitation in piercing. Damien only pierces with high quality surgical grade stainless steel body jewelry. Piercing needles are used once, and safely disposed of in an approved sharps container. All clamps and instruments are sterilized in an autoclave. He does NOT use a piercing gun. You must be aged 18 or over and present valid ID (driver's license or passport) to get pierced at Ancient Arts.

Ancient Arts now offers a flat rate for piercings: All piercings are $30 plus the cost of the jewelry, which ranges from $5 to $10. Damien can pierce you with your own jewelry if the jewelry is suitable and in excellent condition; please bring in your jewelry for assessment. You can double a up a piercing for only $10 more, plus jewelry.

Ancient Arts also carries a variety of high-quality jewelry in various gauges at great prices. If you are looking to stretch or "gauge" a piercing (see "Stretching a Piercing" below), re-open a piercing that is closing, or need assistance changing your jewelry, Damien can also assist you. Jewelry changes (removal or insertion) and stretching are $5.

Piercing Aftercare

Every piercer/studio develops their own aftercare instructions; if you were pierced at another studio than Ancient Arts, please respect and follow your piercer's recommendations. Our piercing aftercare incorporates some of those developed by the Association of Professional Piercers. We are posting these online for referral purposes; be advised that everyone heals at their own rate and that not every practice or every product is right for every person.

If you feel that your piercing may be infected, consult a medical professional immediately! Piercers cannot diagnose or treat medical conditions. If you were pierced at Ancient Arts and have some concern about your piercing, please feel free to come in and talk to us.

No matter how professional or skilled your piercer, your piercing's ultimate outcome will depend on how well YOU take care of it.

The following are suggestions only, gleaned from common sense, research, and experience. In simple terms: Keep your piercing clean; don't play with it, and let it have fresh air.

Hand Washing

ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE AND AFTER TOUCHING YOUR NEW PIERCING! Thoroughly washing your hands means scrubbing them front and back and each finger and thumb individually, as well as around your wrists with soap and hot water. At a minimum, you should be able to sing the "alphabet song" all the way through at least once while scrubbing. Carry hand sanitizer with you and use it on your hands if you will be away from hand-washing facilities. Keep your hands off your piercing unless you have thoroughly washed them first. This is especially true if you have been touching money, doorknobs, or other people.

Don't let other people touch your piercing with their dirty hands. You would be surprised how people just want to reach out and touch a fresh piercing. Remember, a piercing is an open wound. Even once your piercing is fully healed, touching it with unwashed hands or playing with it may cause irritation or infection. Leave your piercing alone!

Healing Times

The time in takes to heal your piercing will depend on your state of health, on the placement of the piercing, and on how well you take care of it. Many people expect their piercing to heal in a week or two; if yours heals that fast, congratulations! Most people, however, will have to be more patient that that. Just because piercing is ubiquitous, it doesn't mean that it is care-free. Keep in mind that everyone heals at a different rate, so these healing times are very general. You can't rush healing!

An eyebrow or ear lobe piercing usually heals in 8 to 12 weeks.

A piercing of the nostril, septum, tragus, ear cartilage or nipple can take 3 to 6 months to heal.

A navel piercing may require 6 months to 1 year to fully heal.

An oral piercing, such as a lip, labret, or tongue, can heal in as little as a month. See Oral Piercing Aftercare below.

Be patient and diligent in your aftercare.

Cleaning And Protecting Your Piercing

In the beginning, wash your piercing with MILD liquid soap (Dr. Bronner's liquid soap is what Ancient Arts recommends), and running water twice a day, every day. It is much better to do this in the shower; avoid taking baths or submerging your piercing in any water during the healing period. There may be a clear or reddish "crust" around your piercing or on your jewelry. Don't pick it off; just moisten it with soap and warm water, wait a minute until it softens, and gently wash it off. Apply a little soap to the jewelry and the pierced area, then gently push your jewelry through the piercing to clean the inside. Leave the soap on for another minute, then gently but thoroughly rinse it off, again gently rotating your jewelry to make sure it is all rinsed off. Don't irritate your piercing by washing it more than twice a day. Gently pat your piercing dry with a disposable paper towel.

Do NOT use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Betadine or Hibiclens as these are much too harsh for a new piercing. Do NOT apply any ointment, such as Bacitracin, Neosporin, Polysporin, etc., to a piercing, as this will block oxygen, attract dirt and bacteria and inhibit healing.

There are many aftercare products on the market for piercing, such as pre-mixed sea salt solutions and other enzymatic formulas. If you feel the need to use any of these, please consult your piercer.

Keep makeup and hair products away from facial and ear piercings. For body piercings, wear loose clothing, and keep clothing from rubbing on the piercing.

Don't submerge your piercing in water - no baths, hot tubs, ponds, swimming pools, lakes, rivers or oceans. Water-borne bacteria can cause infection, and chlorine can irritate your piercing.

Avoid oral contact and contact with bodily fluids--yours or anyone else's--during the healing time.

Make sure that you have clean bedding, and avoid sleeping directly on your piercing during the healing time.

Don't bandage your piercing; this will only interfere with your healing.

If you were pierced with a piece of threaded jewelry, such as a barbell or a horseshoe ring, tighten the balls (clockwise) on your jewelry at least once a day to avoid losing one. Of course, thoroughly was your hands before and after doing this!

Swelling, Soreness and Redness

Whereas tattoos usually start to feel better right after that tattooing is finished, the opposite often is true for piercings. The piercing procedure itself may have been relatively painless, but you will most likely experience swelling and soreness from your piercing for a week or two afterward. The skin around your piercing may be also reddish for a week or so. This is normal. If swelling or soreness persist beyond two weeks, or if redness spreads, contact your piercer.

Maintenance

You have introduced a foreign object in your body, so you will need to commit to maintaining your piercing. Once your piercing has healed, you will still need to wash it when you shower, always making sure to rinse any soap, makeup, or hair products off your jewelry.

If you accidentally hit or pull on your jewelry, even once it has healed, you may experience some soreness, redness or irritation. We have found that a little spritz of Bactine once a day can help stop any irritation.

Some people develop a nervous habit of playing with their body jewelry. Don't.

Changing Your Jewelry

When you were pierced, your piercer used a longer or larger piece of jewelry to accommodate expected swelling. Once your piercing has healed, you should replace your jewelry with a more fitted piece. Your piercer can help you with selection of new jewelry and replacement, especially with captive bead rings, which can be tricky.

Don't remove or change your jewelry until your piercing has fully healed. Changing your jewelry prematurely may irritate your piercing and set back your healing. Also, do not dangle anything from your piercing until it has fully healed, as this will also irritate your new piercing.

Always use high quality body jewelry. Do not use any jewelry that is scratched or nicked.

Don't leave a piercing without jewelry, as even a piercing that is years old can close in a matter of hours.

If You Have Questions or Concerns

Feel free to call your piercer or drop by the studio.

My Friend/the Internet/the Guy I Met in the Bar Says...

Sigh. Please follow the advice of your professional piercer, not that of amateur "piercing experts" you may meet in bars, over the internet, or even in your own home!

Once Your Piercing Has Healed

Please come by and let your piercer see the end result of his work. Thanks!

Oral Piercing Aftercare

Oral piercings require specialized aftercare. If your piercing has a skin side and an oral side (such as a lip piercing, monroe, or labret), the follow the aftercare instructions above on the skin side ONLY. You must also follow these instructions for any oral piercing, and ONLY these instructions for a tongue piercing.

No matter how professional or skilled your piercer, your piercing's ultimate outcome will depend on how well YOU take care of it.

The following are suggestions only, gleaned from common sense, research, and experience. In simple terms: Keep your piercing clean; don't play with it, and let it have fresh air.

Hand Washing

Healing Times

An oral piercing, such as a lip, labret, or tongue, can heal in as little as a month. Be patient and diligent in your aftercare.

Cleaning And Protecting Your Piercing

For the next two weeks, you must rinse your mouth after you smoke, eat, or drink anything other than water. After eating anything (up to five times a day), rinse your mouth with an alcohol-free mouthwash (such as Biotene), which you can dilute 50/50 with water. Rinse with water after smoking or drinking anything.

For the first few days, avoid spicy foods, gum and candy. Avoid kissing and oral sexual contact for one month. Do not chew on pens, fingernails, or tobacco. Ice chips and cold drinks can help reduce swelling and soreness. Avoid drinking alcohol.

Swelling, Soreness and Redness

Whereas tattoos usually start to feel better right after that tattooing is finished, the opposite often is true for piercings. The piercing procedure itself may have been relatively painless, but you will most likely experience swelling and soreness from your piercing for a week or two afterward. If your oral piercing is still swelled up two weeks after it was pierced, consult your piercer.

Maintenance

You have introduced a foreign object in your body, so you will need to commit to maintaining your piercing. Once your piercing has healed, you will still need to keep it clean. Oral body jewelry, especially tongue piercings, can accumulate tartar (the hard yellow deposit that your dentist removed from your gum line). We recommend removing your jewelry and soaking it in denture cleaner very few weeks to remove tartar. Do not remove jewelry until your piercing has healed! Scraping tartar off your jewelry may cause microscopic scratches and nicks that will irritate your piercing.

If you accidentally hit or pull on your jewelry, even once it has healed, you may experience some soreness, redness or irritation. If that happens, just resume your aftercare regimen, rinsing with alcohol-free mouthwash until the irritation subsides.

Do not play with your jewelry! Some people develop a nervous habit of playing with their oral piercing jewelry, sucking on it or running it along their teeth. This can cause scarring of your piercing during healing and in the long term can damage your gums or teeth.

Changing Your Jewelry

Oral piercings swell, so you were pierced with a longer/larger piece of jewelry than you will ultimately need. Don't remove or change your jewelry until your piercing has fully healed, but once your piercing has healed, come to the studio and have the piercer change your jewelry to a more fitted piece. Wearing the wrong size jewelry can damage your teeth or gums!

Don't remove or change your jewelry until your piercing has fully healed. Changing your jewelry prematurely may irritate your piercing and set back your healing.

Avoid having dental work until your piercing has healed, as you may have to remove your jewelry when you go to the dentist. Don't leave a piercing without jewelry, as even an oral piercing that is years old can close in a matter of hours.

Always use high quality body jewelry. Do not use any jewelry that is scratched or nicked.

If You Have Questions or Concerns

Feel free to call your piercer or drop by the studio.

My Friend/the Internet/the Guy I Met in the Bar Says...

Sigh. Please follow the advice of your professional piercer, not that of amateur "piercing experts" you may meet in bars, over the internet, or even in your own home!

Once Your Piercing Has Healed

Please come by and let your piercer see the end result of his work. Thanks!

Stretching a Piercing

Some friendly advice on stretching your piercing:

1. Make sure you’re ready to commit. Any piercing, even one that has been stretched, can shrink back to a smaller size—or even close up—if you leave jewelry out of it for some time. However, a stretched piercing is unlikely to ever fully close up, or if it does, may leave a scar. Before you stretch, make sure you want to commit to a larger gauge for the rest of your life!

2. Make sure you have enough tissue. A piercing that is too close to the surface or that lacks sufficient tissue to support the stretching may tear or reject. Consult your piercer if you are unsure whether your piercing is a good candidate for stretching.

3. Decide how big you want to go. It’s better to start small and go big than to try to get a stretched piercing to shrink down to the size you want.

4. Start small. Some piercers use dermal punches to poke large gauge holes in people. This is not the best way to get a large gauge piercing, as a dermal punch removes some of the tissue that you will need to support your larger jewelry. It’s usually best to start off with a 14 gauge piercing and stretch up.

5. Go slow. To avoid tearing, scarring, or otherwise traumatizing your piercing, take your time stretching. Never begin stretching until your initial piercing has fully healed. Once you are ready, there are a variety of methods you can use:

Gravity: If you have had your piercing for a while, it may have already stretched, especially if you wear heavy jewelry in it. It may already be a larger size than it was originally pierced! You can also use gravity to stretch your piercing by purposely wearing heavier jewelry. Don’t apply too much weight, as this may cause tearing. Remember to go slow!

Your Piercer: If you are only going up one or two sizes (let’s say from 14 gauge to 12 gauge or from 14 gauge to 10 gauge), your piercer may be able to install your new larger jewelry using a taper. This will be a process much like getting the original piercing, and there will be a minimal fee.

Tapers: If you plan to go more than one or two sizes larger, you can purchase a taper and stretch your piercing at your own pace. There are different types and sizes of tapers. Some are claw-shaped, and others are straight cones. If you are planning big changes, you may need more that one set of tapers. You may have to stretch from 14 gauge to 6 gauge with one taper, and then from 6 gauge to, let’s say, 00 gauge with another. Here’s some advice on using a taper:

a. Make sure you thoroughly wash your hands before and after handling your piercing. Always wash new jewelry or tapers with soap and water before inserting.

b. Even before you start stretching, prepare the tissue around your piercing by moisturizing it. ‘Ohana Organics Tattoo Butter is great for this.

c. It can help to stretch your piercing in the shower; the warm water will soften and relax the tissue around your piercing and the water will lube your taper. You can also lube it with a smidge of Tattoo Butter.

d. Don’t jam your taper into your piercing. Slide it in gently until you encounter resistance or until you feel a little sting. Once you have gone as deep as is comfortable—or a little uncomfortable—put the o-ring on the taper to hold it in place.

e. Your piercing may produce a little lymph fluid like it did when it was freshly pierced, but you shouldn’t be pushing your taper in so much that your piercing bleeds.

f. Before pushing your taper deeper into your piercing, make sure to wash off any lymph fluid that might have dried on it.

g. Throughout the day, wash your hands and check your o-ring to make sure it’s not falling off.

h. You can leave your taper in overnight, but if you find that it keeps you from resting, you can take it out and reinsert in the morning. This will slow down your stretching as your piercing will shrink a little at night. Make sure you wash your taper with soap and water before re-inserting it.

i. If you are stretching two piercings at once, let’s say both earlobes, you may find that one stretches more easily than the other. This is normal. Be patient.

j. If your piercing becomes sore or red, back off a little with the taper, and use a little spritz of Bactine (available at most drug stores) once or twice a day. Let your piercing relax until it is no longer sore or red, then resume stretching.

k. You may feel that progress is going very slowly, but then one day—pop!—your taper will just slide right in!

l. Once you have reached your goal, give your piercing a couple of days to stabilize before switching from the taper to your new jewelry.

m. Rejoice!

Ancient Arts Tattoo Studio & Art Gallery 1065 K Street, Arcata, California, 95521 707-825-TAT2 (8282)