If you have ever visited Rogue, you will have needed to make an appointment via our website. Since day one, we have been an appointment-only studio – Even before COVID! So why is that?
For You
We find that clients who are willing to make an appointment are less rushed and aren’t getting pierced as an impulse decision. These are the clients who are more thoughtful about their piercings, take better care of them, and have a really good experience!
Booking appointments allows you to organise your day, so you don’t have to queue for a piercing or wait a long time to be seen! If you have ever attended a busy walk-in studio, you’ll know that it can hype you up even further if you have to wait a long time for your piercing. When you have everything planned out, your piercing experience is much more relaxing.
For Us
As a small studio, our time is valuable. With a walk-in studio situation, it is difficult for us to find the time to organise the paperwork, business and general run-around time! When working to appointments, we can control our calendar and the behind-the-scenes running of the studio works much more smoothly.
We also enjoy working to appointment as each client has their own dedicated time- We don’t feel rushed, or like we have to prioritise one client over another. Your booked time is your booked time!
No Shows
As an appointment only studio, there are many reasons why no-shows or appointments that cannot go ahead can be an issue for us as a business. The pre-paid piercing fee covers the piercing itself and all the equipment involved. The most important thing is that it covers our time. When you book a 30 minute appointment, you in effect block that time out so that no other customers can attend our studio. This is awesome for you as a client when you attend the appointment as planned, as you get our undivided attention. However, this can be problematic when you no-show, or attend the appointment without all the prerequisite paperwork, or are late to your appointment. We cannot pierce you safely if the above policies are not followed.
If this happens, we are often asked if you can get your money back. Unfortunately, we can’t offer refunds as we cannot fill appointments with zero notice and if we refund you then we lose a full 30 minutes of work and income. As a small business still recovering from the effects of COVID, we simply cannot lose hours of our day to no-shows and incorrect attendance. We know this is not ideal, but if we have one 30 minute no show a day, that’s 2.5 hours of missed appointments a week. That works out at 10 hours of lost work a month! When we have some days with 2-4 30 minute no shows, you can see how that is untenable for us. This is especially tricky on days where we are fully booked, and we know that we have turned away legitimate clients due to a lack of available appointments.
We love piercing, and we love our clients. You guys are the reason we do this. Working to appointment only improves our service and makes everything run so much smoother.
Tongue piercings are very popular piercings – One of our most popular oral piercings aside from philtrum piercings! In today’s blog I will give an overview of the tongue piercing, the anatomy of the tongue, the anatomical limitations of this piercing and some of the red flag tongue piercing options which should absolutely be avoided.
Tongue Anatomy
The tongue is an incredibly mobile and active collection of muscles. There are a few major parts to note that are important to piercing.
The Two Major Muscle Groupings
All the muscles of the tongue are paired structures, split in the middle by the lingual septum. The intrinsic muscles are responsible for changing the shape of the tongue and controlling its movement. Working together, the longitudinal, transverse and vertical intrinsic muscles control the movement of your tongue. They can do this by working in isolation, or by working together depending on the motion required. These muscles should not be impeded by a piercing, or there can be serious consequences for the mobility of your tongue and your ability to eat and speak. We will get to that later…
The Median Lingual Septum
The Lingual Septum is the thin, fibrous membrane that separates the paired muscles either side. Although this is an internal structure, you can locate it by looking out for the longitudinal midline groove that runs down the middle of your tongue. A traditional tongue piercing sits somewhere along this midline groove, and passes through the lingual septum. Like with a nasal septum, piercing through the thinnest section of membrane makes your tongue piercing much easier to heal and reduces your risk of problems. The existence of this lingual septum is what makes traditional center-line tongue piercings so safe.
Major Blood Vessels
The major blood vessel feeding the tongue is called the Lingual Artery. Because the tongue is such a thirsty and active muscle grouping, the lingual artery is large and branches out into lots of smaller vessels which make sure the tongue is always well fed with oxygen. The most important branch of the lingual artery is the Deep Lingual Branch. This is the largest branch of the lingual artery, and passes through the base of the body of the tongue. If you lift your tongue, you may be able to see it sitting just behind your lingual frenulum (where a tongue web piercing would go). Sometimes you will have one central branch, however some people have two either side. Some people have two that cross over in the middle. This is all really important information that a piercer should be looking for before they pierce your tongue. If we cannot see it, or it crosses over itself base of the tongue, we will normally discourage you from getting this piercing. The Lingual Artery feeds directly from the Carotid Artery – That’s a direct bloodflow from your heart. This is a serious business!
The Healing Process
Tongue piercings are incredibly low-maintenance and heal very quickly. Here you can find an overview of their aftercare.
You want to clean your tongue piercing a maximum of 5 times a day with an alcohol-free mouthwash for the first 4 weeks. These 5 times are generally after brushing your teeth in the morning and evening, and after your three main meals. If you need to snack, smoke, or have sexual contact using your mouth (including kissing!) try and group those in with these 5 mouthwashes, however if you need to do them at other times of the day we recommend simply rinsing your mouth out with water afterwards.
Aside from this cleaning, we recommend leaving your new piercing alone entirely! No touching or fiddling, or fidgeting with your jewellery. Don’t get in the habit of playing with it! It’s best to avoid super spicy or hot foods for the first 4 weeks, but aside from this you are welcome to eat whatever you find appetising and is most comfortable for you.
Downsizing is the most important part of maintaining your oral health. After your swelling goes down, you need a shorter bar installing to avoid harming your mouth. This is usually after the first 7-10 days. After this downsize, you may need another at the 3 month mark so do keep in touch with your piercer. If you do nothing else with your tongue piercing, get it downsized!
Types of Tongue Piercing
The Traditional Tongue Piercing
You can’t miss this one! You can stretch most piercings, including the tongue. This is a great example of a central, midline tongue piercing though, even if it a bit more nontraditional!
The traditional tongue piercing is the classic tongue piercing everybody thinks about when the words ‘tongue piercing’ are mentioned. It’s placed along the midline of the tongue, behind the apex or ‘tip’ of the tongue. The most important part of this placement is that it should not be so close to the tip of the tongue that it risks coming in contact with your teeth, or the gum-line on the back of your teeth. On the other hand, it should not be so far back that it irritates the lingual frenulum or digs into the bottom of the tongue. You can have one midline tongue piercing, or multiple one behind the other depending on your anatomy.
These tongue piercings are relatively simple to have and heal – You are fully healed within 8 weeks!
Paired Vertical Tongue Piercings
The second most popular type of tongue piercing are the paired vertical tongue piercings. Otherwise known as ‘venom’ piercings, these are sets of two tongue piercings that sit either side of the midline of the tongue. These are super anatomy dependent and are much more complex piercings to get than the standard, so pick your piercer very carefully. Paired tongue piercings take slightly longer to fully heal as they do pass through the actual muscles of the tongue as opposed to just the lingual septum. You are fully healed within 12 weeks, which is still relatively quick for the human body! Paired tongue piercings are the best way to get the look of the piercings mentioned below in a safe way.
Paired Vertical tongue piercings are both adorable and very safe. They are anatomy dependent though, so do have your anatomy checked by a skilled piercer. This set was done by the wonderful Kitty of Holier Than Thou – We cannot recommend their studio enough if you are in the Manchester region.
Unsafe Tongue Piercings
For some reason, tongues seem to be the current place to get unsafe piercings. There are two major styles of tongue piercing to avoid, and they will be discussed below. Please bear in mind that some of the photos below may be graphic, but it is important to know how seriously dangerous these piercings can be and appreciate the immense damage they can cause to your body.
As discussed above, tongue piercings are no joke. The tongue is highly innervated and has large blood supplies to it which means any issue can soon become medically critical. So why are some piercers still offering these two styles of piercing?
Snake Eye Piercings
You can already see the pressure this snake-eyes piercing is putting on the tongue. Rejection is unfortunately a matter of time.
Snake eye piercings are piercings that pass horizontally through the apex, or tip of the tongue. They either use a straight or curved barbell. Neither style of jewellery makes this a safe, sane or sensible piercing. As previously discussed, the tongue is made of paired symmetrical muscles that need to be able to work independently in order for you to have full movement of your tongue.
A piercing passing through both sides of your tongue horizontally binds these two muscle groupings together and can cause serious damage. Every time you eat, move your tongue or speak, these two muscle groups are fighting against and pulling on your jewellery. This means it is only a matter of time before the jewellery is rejected, causing permanent splitting and scarring of the tissue.
The other major issue with Snake Eye piercings is that the tip of your tongue is constantly touching your teeth or gums. Pay attention to wear your tongue is sat at rest – it is tucked up behind your front teeth. Try talking for a second – the tip of your tongue flicks against the back of your teeth to form the ‘dental’ and ‘interdental’ phonetic sounds. Imagine having a piece of jewellery in that part of your tongue! It spells disaster for the health of your teeth and gums. Gum recession and tooth loss are irreparable so keep this in mind before choosing to have this unsafe piercing.
Surface Tongue Piercings
It’s ridiculous to choose such a dangerous piercing, when paired vertical tongue piercings look identical.
Surface tongue piercings, or tongue ‘scoop’ piercings, are just as bad as they sound. These are piercings that pass horizontally through the surface of the tongue in the same way as a surface tragus or other surface piercing. The main issues with tongue scoop piercings are the same as with snake-eyes. Rejection, splitting, and scarring.
Surface piercings can be successful in areas of low movement if you understand that the definition of a ‘successful’ surface piercing is 6-12 months. The tongue is not a low moment area. It is one of the most motile parts of your body. This, along with the binding of two muscle groups together, means that rejection is guaranteed in as little as a week.
The body of the tongue is full of nerves – that is what allows you to control your tongue alongside tasting food. Surface tongue piercings risk severing these nerves, leaving you with loss of sensation at best, and paralysis at worst. It is simply not worth the risk.
It is not often we take such a strong stance on ‘good vs bad’ piercers. We would like to believe that all piercers are working for the common good of their clients, however in this case we take a very black-and-white stance. There is no such thing as a good piercer who offers these two types of tongue piercing. If your piercer offers these piercings, they are neither good piercers, nor safe piercers, nor do they have your safety and quality of life in mind.
So there you have it! A good overview of tongue piercings. We love them here at Rogue, and are proud to offer them in a safe and skilled way.
If you have any questions, then you are welcome to contact us via our instagram, or email us!
Now that school is back in session and everyone is back in work, we are being asked ‘what is the best way to hide my piercing?’ We also frequently get asked what to wear when undertaking medical procedures such as MRIs and surgery. There are a few different options to consider in terms of piercing retainer, and we will discuss them today.
The MRI Machine was invented in Nottingham. One of our little claims to fame!
Do I Even Need a Retainer?
The biggest thing to consider is, do I actually need a retainer in the first place? There are a few things to consider in this case. Firstly, how old is your piercing? A well-healed piercing can usually sustain itself without jewellery for a short while, such as for the duration of an MRI which usually lasts between 15 and 90 minutes. For MRIs and other short procedures, it is recommended to remove your jewellery just before the procedure, and reinsert it as promptly as possible afterwards. You may need an insertion tool or taper to help you do this, which we recommend buying in advance. If you are not confident in changing or reinserting your jewellery yourself and have a medical procedure coming up then please get in touch! We are more than happy to help you remove and reinsert your jewellery absolutely free of charge in the case of medical procedures. You do need to book this, so give us a phone call to avoid paying the checkup fee.
If your piercing is still relatively young, or is in a placement that closes more quickly such as an oral piercing, it is best to choose a retainer in advance of when you need it.
The Gold Standard Retainer
Even though our jewellery is ASTM F-136 Titanium or solid 14k and 18k Gold which are all totally MRI safe, a lot of medical practitioners will ask you to remove your jewellery before procedures regardless. If you feel confident in doing so, you can self-advocate to your MRI technician and medical team. We are happy to provide you with the paperwork required to prove your jewellery is MRI safe if you need it. However if you do need to remove your jewellery, for example if your procedure is on your head or face, then do consider a retainer. If your procedure is longer than an hour, we’d recommend purchasing glass jewellery as a retainer. Glass is the perfect retainer piece, being inert and transparent so as not to leave an afterimage on any x-rays or imaging work you have done. Lead-free Borosilicate Glass is also totally nonporous and body safe – It is truly the gold standard. If you have a procedure coming up, we highly recommend contacting us to organise ordering glass retainers for any piercings that you are worried may close.
Glass is one of the best materials for body piercing and is usually the material of choice for stretching amongst professional piercers, although you do not need to stretch your piercings to wear it. Glass jewellery is available in every size and thickness! One of the biggest advantages of glass for piercing jewellery is its non-porous, extremely smooth surface. This allows for easy and frictionless insertion and removal of the jewellery. It also means that the jewellery can be easily cleaned and will not collect bacteria as with a porous structure such as acrylic, plastic or wood.
Aside from being great for medical reasons, glass is also a handy way of concealing piercings for work or school. Glass is shiny though, so do consider Neometal ‘Freckle’ Discs if you want something extremely subtle.
Glass jewellery is not only beautiful, but a perfect material to wear as a retainer.
The Unsafe Piercing Retainer
Retainers, although intended for short term wear, should still be implant-grade and body safe. Anything that is inserted into the body needs to be safe to wear. So where does plastic jewellery stand? Plastic jewellery is pervasive in the piercing industry. Whether that be under specific brand names, in the form of flexible a plastic ‘retainer’ or classic acrylic jewellery, plastic jewellery is everywhere. So why do we not stock it here at Rogue? What is the issue with flexible plastic jewellery?
Here you can see a plastic retainer under an SEM electron microscope. Bacteria will live and grow very quickly in this cozy matrix of holes. Your body will be permanently irritated by the rough texture, too.
The main issue with plastic jewellery is that plastic is porous and rough in texture, and made from unregulated mystery polymers. When something is porous, it means that it is covered in small holes that allow liquids to pass through. This means that bacteria and other nasties have crevices in which to grow. This biofilm can cause severe irritation to a piercing, alongside causing nasty odours and excessive crusting. The roughness of the texture of plastic also means that it is constantly rubbing the inside of your piercing like sandpaper. This can cause irritation bumps, scar tissue formation, and can significantly damage the inside of your piercing. There is little research into plastics that act as an implant such as in piercings, however a study performed in 2016 showed that plastic or teflon jewellery was found to carry up to ten times more bacteria and biofilm than the same type of jewellery made from highly-polished Titanium, (Borges et al, 2016). This study also viewed the different jewellery under a microscope to visualise the difference in surface finish and bacterial buildup (yummy!).
There is so much more biofilm present on the plastic jewellery – This porous surface allows buildup and irritation.
All this aside, the number one reason why Rogue does not stock plastic jewellery is because we simply do not know what it is made from. There are seven main categories of plastic, however there are thousands of different plastic polymers with their own composition and characteristics. No plastic jewellery manufacturer is willing to divulge the exact plastics they use. With every single piece of jewellery we stock, we receive certification that it is A) What it says it is, and B) Made from a material proven to be implant-grade and safe to wear. We simply do not have this information for plastic jewellery. Some plastics have been shown to release carcinogenic or toxic compounds at body temperature, such as when ingested. All plastic jewellery degrades over time, and can cause issues at any point. It’s our prerogative to provide our clients with safe jewellery that can last a lifetime, which is why plastic is not offered at Rogue. If you do have plastic jewellery as a piercing retainer, do use it as a last resort and remember that it is only recommended to wear for a maximum of 8 hours before being discarded. Plastic is not at all made for long-term wear.
The main takeaways from this are that we are here to help! If you cannot get jewellery back in after a procedure, we can help you. If you need a piercing retainer for long-term wear then we can order items in for you too. We just want to see happy and healthy piercings out there!
Borges, L.P., Ferreira-Filho, J.C.C., Martins, J.M., Alves, C.V., Santiago, B.M. and Valença, A.M.G. (2016). In VitroAdherence of Oral Bacteria to Different Types of Tongue Piercings. The Scientific World Journal, [online] 2016, pp.1–6. Available at: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/2016/7349371/ [Accessed 23 Sep. 2021].
Nose piercings are incredibly popular amongst all ages, all genders, all walks of life. They can be part of self expression, cultural tradition, or self-discovery. We absolutely adore a nose piercing. Here you’ll find an overview of nose piercings, their aftercare, and what to expect in terms of healing and jewellery options!
Placement
There are many places on the nose that can be pierced. Not all are easy, not all are to everyone’s taste, but we love how much of a blank canvas the nose is.
Traditional nose piercings are exactly what most people imagine when thinking about a nose piercing. They sit about 8mm from the edge of the nose, below the nasal crease. Some people will want their nose piercings directly on the nasal crease, but we do not recommend this as it is the thickest part of the cartilage, where two cartilage plates meet. This means that ‘nasal crease’ piercings can be very tricky to heal. Traditional nose piercings are the most common type, and have the largest range of jewellery choices once healed.
High Nostril piercings are their own subset of nose piercings, and are easily the most tricky to heal. High nostril piercings are defined as any nose piercing placed above the nasal crease. Some piercers will split them into two secondary categories depending on their height. For example, we would define my (Kat) nostrils as ‘mid-nostrils’ even though technically by our own definition they are high nostrils. High nostrils, when done correctly by a skilled piercer, can be practically against the bone of the nose bridge. High nostrils are not to be taken on lightly and can take upwards of 9-12 months to fully heal. Aiden is incredibly experienced with high nostrils, and has done many sets for other piercers too!
This set of high nostrils was done on the lovely Gemma of Pierce of Art! You can see them in comparison to a set of traditional nostrils below with the black jewellery.
Mantis piercings are a relatively new trend in nose piercings. Otherwise known as ‘forward facing nostrils,’ these are nose piercings that pass through the front or tip of the nose. Mantis piercings can be a trickier heal and are complex to mark and pierce. It is so easy for a tiny discrepancy in angle or placement to throw the whole thing. We would love to do more forward facing nostril piercings if the right client chose them!
Jewellery Choices
Nose piercings have a few options in terms of jewellery. Some are good for fresh piercings, some are good for healed piercings, and some are not great for piercings in general!
Studs
Studs, or flat-back labrets, are the perfect style of jewellery to start nose piercings with. The straight bar means than any excess length for swelling is neatly tucked away, and the healing piercing can drain easily and without issue. Flat-back labrets are very comfortable to wear and look unobtrusive even with extra room for swelling!
Labrets are incredibly secure, and do not carry the same risk of loss that a nostril screw or nose bone do. We will talk about those guys in a minute! Labrets are comfortable, and do not give you that big ‘metal bogey’ sensation. You also can’t see them sticking out of your nose. Winner!
All of our threadless ends are compatible with these labrets, which means you have a huge amount of jewellery to choose from for your initial piercing. You can see our full range of jewellery in-studio, or on our webstore.
Rings are a really classic look for nose piercings. It’s usually the end-goal style, and are incredibly popular! However, they are only really suitable for healed piercings. Healed nose piercings do not need extra room for swelling and drainage, and do not need a stopper ‘design’ to avoid irritating your fresh piercing with a seam or hinge. We highly recommend waiting a minimum of three months before swapping to a ring, so your piercing has a chance to heal and settle before changing to this slightly more irritating style of jewellery.
If you chose to start with a ring, it would usually not be the style of ring you imagine! This ring would have to be much thicker in gauge, and larger in diameter, to allow for your initial swelling and drainage of fluids (yummy!). This ring would also mean you are much more likely to snag your piercing, knock it, or rotate and twist it to introduce bacteria. All of these can irritate your piercing and extend your healing time. If you are set on a ring, it’s important to know what you are getting yourself into!
Left: Dainty ring for healed piercings. Right: The style of ring suitable for a fresh nose piercing!
Nostril Screws and Nose Bones
Nostril screws, nose bones and other styles of jewellery are easily lost and made of poor quality materials.
The other options for nostril piercings are nostril screws and nose bones. Nostril screws are those classic ‘corkscrew’ type pieces which you spiral into the piercing and are held in place via the curvature of the post. Nose bones are straight posts with a sharp point or small ball on the inside, so when inserted the ball is pushed through and holds the jewellery in place. We do not recommend either style of jewellery for long term wear, especially nose bones as they can damage your piercing! The main reason these types of jewellery are used is because they are incredibly cheap to manufacture in comparison to high quality threaded or threadless jewellery. There is no real benefit to you as the final customer.
These styles of jewellery lack security, and are the most common cause of lost piercings! They are often made from mystery metals and are cheaply manufactured. We only recommend nostrils screws for well-healed piercings, and only for temporary wear. If your nose piercing is irritated, it is best to swap to a high-quality flat-back labret as a first port of call.
The Piercing Process
Nose piercings are incredibly easy to get, and are not that uncomfortable to get! They do make your eyes water, but this is simply because your eyes don’t need an excuse to water.
The most uncomfortable part of the piercing is usually any clamps and tools that are used. Luckily, we do not use any clamps or tools for nose piercings so they are much more comfortable process for you. For each piercing, we use a single sterile tri-bevel needle, our hands, and your jewellery. Nothing else! This freehand technique is both easier for you, and produces less waste to go to landfill or be incinerated.
Once your nose has been cleaned, marked, disinfected and you are happy with the position, we ask you to lie down. We find that being pierced lying down is much less intimidating for you! Once you are ready, you are asked to take a nice calm breath in. On your exhale is when we pierce you. Once you have been pierced, we pause to insert the jewellery and then you are done! The whole process takes about 5-10 seconds.
For nose piercings, you want to clean the outside only. The inside of your nose is a self-cleaning location, so you really don’t need to do too much to it at all! The outside of your nose needs to be cleaned just twice a day in the morning and evening, using a sterile saline spray. You want to spritz a little bit onto your piercing, let it soak into any crusties for about thirty seconds, then gently remove any buildup using a piece of folded kitchen roll or nonwoven gauze. Then just pat dry to wick away any excess moisture.
All piercings should be kept dry, which means no bathtubs, hot tubs or swimming for 4-6 weeks. Showers are totally fine though – Just ensure you have some kitchen roll or nonwoven gauze to hand to dry with afterwards!
The final and most important rule is to leave your new piercing alone! You should not be twisting or turning your jewellery, touching your piercing, fiddling with the jewellery or any other action that can disturb your piercing or introduce bacteria.
The Healing Process
Noses are relatively straightforward to heal! We strongly recommend booking a check-up after roughly 4-6 weeks in order for us to downsize the length of your jewellery and check your healing is going well!
You can change the jewellery yourself at home after about 12 weeks if you have been healing well, and you can expect a full heal in about 6 months!
The main cause of issues on nose piercings is overcleaning your piercing and snagging your jewellery, so do just be careful with it and let your body do it’s thing! Getting your downsize at 4-6 weeks is super important to the health of your piercing.
So there you go, an easy overview of nose piercings! There are so many ways to wear them so you can really make them your own. If you have any issues with your nose piercings, please do book a checkup or get in contact so we can help you troubleshoot.
It’s pretty common to stretch your lobes – It’s difficult to walk into a tattoo or piercing studio without seeing at least a few people with stretched lobes! However did you know it’s possible to stretch most piercings? Today we will talk about another piercing that can be stretched: Your septum. So lets talk septum stretching!
Firstly, we should talk about the anatomy involved in a septum piercing. Septum piercings are through the ‘sweet spot.’ This sweet spot is a thin, membranous section of the nasal vestibule which is often high and tight to the tip of the nose. This means that a correctly performed septum piercing does not pass through any thick cartilage. However, this thin section of tissue is still not soft and elastic like lobe tissue is! The septum is quite a robust area of anatomy, which makes stretching a unique challenge.
A 3.2mm or 8g septum suits this gentleman perfectly. Sometimes larger jewellery is just the better choice, especially if it is complimenting stronger or more masculine facial features.
Septum Stretching: How to Stretch
We highly recommend finding a reputable piercer to help you stretch your septum. It can be a sore process, so it’s best to let a professional make the experience as smooth as possible. Find your nearest UKAPP or APP member studio and enquire as to wether this is a service they offer! Septum stretching is difficult, and not something that is ideally done at home.
Septums should be stretched using a taper and plenty of water-based lubricant. Ideally, your insertion taper should be exactly the same thickness as your jewellery to avoid discomfort during the jewellery installation process. Your piercer will be able to order and install implant-grade or body safe jewellery in the correct size and design for you, using safe and sterile tools to do so. Please note that not all jewellery is created equally, so ensure you are wearing safe materials!
Your piercer may ask you to lie down or sit up for the stretch itself. As with a piercing, you will be asked to take a slow breath in, and a long breath out while the taper and jewellery are inserted. The stretch itself takes mere seconds, and then jewellery is installed immediately.
Here is a standard Anatometal 16g ring in comparison to a 6g ring! It would take roughly 18 months to stretch between the two sizes. Patience is a virtue when it comes to stretching!
How Often Can You Stretch?
As mentioned above, this is not like stretching an elastic lobe piercing. Septum piercings are more similar to cartilage piercings, and as such cannot be safely stretched relatively quickly. We recommend waiting at least 6-8 months between stretches and only stretching by 0.5mm at a time to avoid seriously damaging your piercing. Stretching septum piercings can take a lifetime if you want it to!
If you know you want to go large, you want to jump-start the process and save yourself a bit of time, then it is definitely worth getting a large-gauge initial septum piercing. We can comfortably pierce septums up to 4mm or 6g if your anatomy is suitable. To stretch from 16g to 6g, leaving the recommended 6-8 months in between, can take roughly two and a half to three years. To have a fully healed initial 6g septum, it can take just 6 months from your initial piercing!
Septum Stretching vs Stacking
Stacked Septum
There are two main ways of stretching – Traditional stretching and stacking! Traditional stretching means inserting a single, larger piece of jewellery. Stacking is the process of inserting more and more small rings into your piercing. This does make a difference! The main difference between the two is that the end shape of your piercing will be dramatically different. When stretching with a single piece of jewellery, you are stretching in every direction with equal pressure so you end up with a perfectly round hole. When stacking with rings, each ring will want to sit behind the one in front and so the pressure will only extend to one direction. This means you end up with a shape more akin to a slot than a circle. You can see some excellent, highly artistic diagrams that I have drawn to illustrate this point.
Traditional Septum
Stretching a septum with a single piece means that you have a perfectly circular hole, whereas a stack gives you in effect a septum coinslot. There is no real benefit to either style, but it does make it trickier to switch between styles. If you try and stack lots of rings into a circular hole then it is tricky to fit as many rings in as you would in a stack as they will all jumble together. If you try and wear a single large piece in a septum stretched using the stacking method, then you can experience discomfort as you distort the inevitable scar tissue caused by the uneven pressure of this method.
Jewellery
The jewellery options for stretched septums is pretty much the same as a standard septum piercing, with some fun additional extras! We love wearing glass in large-gauge piercings. Kat has quite the collection of Gorilla Glass septum pincers, which are the perfect everyday items as they are smooth, comfortable and not super obtrusive.
How Big Can You Go?
There really isn’t a hard and fast upper limit for septum piercings. It really depends on your anatomy, the placement of your existing piercing, and how much time and effort you are willing to invest! Some septums can be stretched to 15-20mm, some are happier around 5mm. If your piercing is poorly placed or your anatomy is not ideal, then a smaller stretch is probably a better idea. This is something that can be assessed by your piercer as you start or continue your stretching journey.
One thing to keep in mind is that the ‘sweet spot’ is only so large. This means that as you stretch, you will eventually run out of space within the sweet spot and begin stretching in to true cartilage. Cartilage doesn’t stretch, so septum stretching does become a war of attrition. This stage of stretching can be very uncomfortable and extends the time needed between stretches! I have now personally reaching that point at 4mm, but everyone is different. The best thing to do is stay in contact with your piercer! This stage of stretching is definitely best left to the professionals.
Septum stretching is a long but rewarding process. It’s cool to see the jewellery you used to wear in comparison to what you wear now.
Shadowing and Guesting might seem like a piercer jolly but it is much more important than you may realise. You may have noticed that over the last month there have been some friendly new faces around Rogue. All of these lovely piercers have been here to guest spot or to shadow.
Guest Spots
Guest spots are when a piercer goes to work in a different studio than their usual resident studio. These piercers can sometimes be permanent travelers or just heading to a single studio. Guest spots can be helpful to a studio for multiple reasons, with the most common reasons including holiday cover, illness cover and studio growth. Aiden was a permanent travelling artist before setting up Rogue and had spent 2.5 years globetrotting across the UK and Europe. Guesting and working in new studios can really push you to try new techniques to fit with that studio’s style, and increases the speed at which you learn. Guest spots are often well-paid and you are expected to be piercing the entire time. It’s a great way to earn money and travel across the world! Guest spots are often for highly-skilled piercers who have the flexibility to work in whatever situation they find themselves in.
Shadowing
Shadowing is the process by which piercers will attend another experienced piercers’ studio in order to specifically learn a new technique. It’s like a mini-apprenticeship! For example, Rae has been with us for the past three days to learn new techniques for forward helixes, tragus and daith piercings. Shadowing means that the learner watches everything the experienced piercer is doing, and the new techniques are explained in detail. This is a great way to brush up on new skills and confirm your own knowledge. It’s so important to realise that most piercers work alone and do not often have the chance to share knowledge or improve their techniques without visiting other studios.
We welcome piercers of all experience levels to shadow at Rogue. Get in touch via aiden@roguepiercing.co.uk if you would like to shadow us!
Who’s visiting?
Marianne has been our main guest this last month, and has been spending her Fridays and Saturdays working alongside us in our second piercing room. It’s been lovely to see her confidence grow! Marianne has been piercing for 9 years. She was trained just down the road from Rogue in Pierce of Art in Alfreton, so that’s the necessary Nottingham connection. Mari is currently in the process of opening her own studio in Bangor, North Wales!
Rae has been spending much of this week shadowing Aiden to hone her skills. She has been piercing just south of Cardiff for 7 years, but felt it was valuable to come and see another experienced piercer work. While she was here, we happily pierced a set of supremely high nostrils on her! We are looking forward to seeing these heal over the coming months.
We used a set of princess-cut London Blue Topaz ends from BVLA for these high nostrils for Rae. What a treat!
Childrens piercings are one of the most rewarding things that we offer here at Rogue. We think almost every person in the UK has had a negative experience with piercings they received as kids, so to be able to change that narrative and provide safe, hygienic piercings to under-16s is incredibly gratifying.
Our age policies allow us to perform childrens piercings pierce earlobes from the age of 8. We feel this is a great age to begin to pierce from as older kids are more aware of the process, more easily educated on proper care, and are often genuinely excited about the process! You can read our full age policies here. We require photographic ID for both the parent and child to prove legal guardianship. This is not a policy we will bend, so please arrive prepared to your appointment!
We do not, and never will use, a piercing gun. We use sterile, single-use blade needles for each and every piercing. Piercing guns are unhygienic and cause excessive trauma to the lobe. You often also end up with wonky piercings that are incredibly difficult to heal! You can read more about piercing guns here.
Is your child ready?
Childrens piercing poses a few technical challenges. Firstly we want to make sure your child is absolutely ready for the responsibility involved with getting piercings. This is a permanent change to your child and so we do like for the parent to pop in and allow their child to ask any questions they might have in order to make them more confident and comfortable in the process! Parents are always welcome to send us emails, or book consultations with us if they feel they need to.
It is worth asking your child a few questions to gauge if they are ready.
Do you want your ears pierced? – This may be an obvious question, but a child who is not 100% sure they want the piercing is less likely to invest the care and attention required to heal them.
Do you know this process might hurt? – This is often the bit that is tricky to talk about. No piercing is totally pain free, so it is worth talking to your child about how it might feel a little pinchy.
Do you know that piercings require daily cleaning? – You will need to talk to your child about the commitment of twice daily cleaning. Depending on the age of your child, you may also need to commit to helping your child clean their piercings!
Do you know that it takes about 6 months to heal? – Older children over the age of 8 are often a lot more prepared to take care of their piercings and invest the time and effort into healing them. Patience is required, and your child needs to know that these piercings will not heal overnight!
It’s so important for us to introduce children to the concept of bodily autonomy and consent at a really early age. Even if you are sure your child is ready for a piercing, the final decision is up to your child. If at any point they say no, or express that they don’t want to continue, we will stop. If this means that at your childrens piercings appointment they decide not to go ahead, we will 100% respect their choice.
Jewellery
We stock a huge range of jewellery, however our Titanium ranges are incredibly popular with younger people for childrens piercing! Our most popular items are the Neometal Prong-Set Swarovskis and synthetic Opal Cabochons. These items are high-quality, implant-grade ASTM F-136 Titanium pieces set with genuine Swarovski stones that come in a myriad of different colours and sizes- Something for everyone! They can also be anodised, where we change the colour of the Titanium to make something totally unique! We do offer jewellery to every budget.
Often metal sensitivities are a common issue brought to us – Both ASTM F-136 Titanium and solid 14k/18k Gold are totally safe to wear permanently. You can read more about implant standards here, and how to spot quality jewellery here.
Our Neometal Opals are so colourful! We have so many to choose from in many different colours.
Healing Times
4 Weeks: 4 weeks after getting the piercings, we recommend you book a free 10 minute checkup so that we can evaluate how your child is healing, and potentially downsize the length of the jewellery once any swelling has diminished. You need to book this online through our website, and can select any time that suits you!
3 Months: After 3 months/12 weeks, the piercings are considered half-way healed. At this point you have the option to gently begin changing the jewellery out at home. This is not considered a full heal as the inside of the piercing channel can still be quite fragile at this point. Any piercer who promises fully healed piercings after 6 weeks is simply not being accurate – Read more on that here.
6 Months: Lobe piercings are fully healed after 6 months – This allows plenty of time for the inside of the piercing channel to heal and strengthen into normal tissue.
So there you have it – An introduction to childrens piercings! If you would like to know more, or see more of our jewellery in action, then head to our instagram. We aim for this to be a relaxed and comfortable experience for your child, and do everything in our power to make sure your child has the best possible experience. Good piercings last a lifetime.
Hi everyone! Today we’ll be talking about some exciting stuff that will be happening at Rogue in the coming weeks. We are pleased to announce a rota of guest artists who will be calling Rogue home between now and Autumn. We hope you look forward to meeting them as much as we are looking forward to hosting them!
In August we will have two new guest artists! You will be able to meet Marianne, and the wonderful David Angeles of Talisman Tattoo.
David will be our main piercer on the week of August the 17th to 21st.
How long have you been piercing?
I’ve been piercing full-time for five years, and running my own show for two. I currently work out of Talisman Tattoo. I’ve always pierced in Devon (Exeter, Ashburton, and now Plymouth) except for a few guest spots elsewhere. Really excited to add Nottingham to the list!
What’s your favourite piercings to do?
Nostrils! Bring me all your nostrils. Especially the paired ones! Daiths and kids lobes are a close second. Whilst I’m at Rogue, I’d also be absolutely gassed to do some large gauge lobes as there isn’t so much call for this in Devon.
What’s your favourite piece of jewellery at the moment?
Ah, I’m not wearing most of my jewellery at the moment. I took most of my piercings out a few years ago to “start again” and I’ve got loads of jewellery waiting to go in fresh piercings that haven’t gone in yet! I’m currently only wearing the Jolly Roger from Tsar, and three Junipurr seam rings stacked in my conch! I’ve got a Body Gems Spider, and a Buddha Jewellery Kite Shaped Bezel waiting for me that I can’t wait to install! I’m sticking with a yellow gold with black stones theme so; Onyx, Black Swarovskis, and Black Diamonds! On the market in general, my favourite piece of jewellery is (and very likely always will be!) the BVLA mini-olympus! I’ve literally just got a BVLA account, so that piece will 1000% be in my first order. And it will be going directly into my septum.
Mari will be guesting with us every Friday and Saturday in August – Some of you have already met her!
How long have you been piercing?
I’ve been piercing for 9 years as of the first of August! I was trained just down the road from Rogue in Pierce of Art in Alfreton, so that’s my Nottingham connection. I’m currently in the process of opening my own studio in Bangor, North Wales!
What’s your favourite piercings to do?
My current favourite is any ear curation. It’s great to take the time with my clients and get creative with them! Especially with clients who haven’t got many piercings, it’s fun to work out a full plan with them and start the process of arranging a well thought out selection of piercings and jewellery that all work well together.
What’s your favourite piece of jewellery at the moment?
I think my favourite thing right now is the first piece of BVLA I ever used! Today I got the pleasure of piercing a long-term Rogue client with a BVLA Mini Kandy, set with genuine Chrysoprase. It’s absolutely stunning.
The next few months will be an exciting time for Rogue, and we are really looking forward to sharing this new direction with you all. We feel that having many talented artists work with us can only be a good thing as we share techniques, teaching experiences and meet other good piercings from around the UK. We will be confirming new additions to our permanent team soon, but in the meantime we hope you enjoy these new faces at Rogue!
When performed correctly, a primary infection is incredibly rare. But what is an infection, and when should you see your doctor? Piercings should be performed in a clean environment by an experienced and hygienic practitioner.
To a layperson, it is very easy to see totally normal parts of a healing piercing as signs of an infection. Let’s start by describing what a normal, healing piercing might look like!
We know we use this photo all the time, but it is a perfect example of a piercing that is only a few days old. This is totally normal!
What is Normal
It is totally normal for a healing piercing to drain a clear, yellow or pale green fluid. This liquid can dry into a crust. The liquid itself is lymph – a mixture of plasma, immune cells, serous fluid, platelets and red blood cells. This lymph is a positive part of the healing process, and is often seen in the first few weeks of a new piercing as the initial swelling floods the piercing site with fluids and immune cells. You can read more on that here!
A healing piercing is also expected to be red, and swollen. We have just made a new hole in you, after all! This swelling can be uncomfortable, but will go down in time. This swelling can be exacerbated by your lifestyle. You might be increasing your swelling by playing with the piercing, eating a low-nutrient or high salt diet, or by taking certain medications. Swelling can also be a little more intense during very hot weather!
Pain, although not fun, is part of a healing piercing. You may expect a throbbing sensation for a few days afterwards, and depending on the piercing you may experience pain or discomfort for a few weeks. This pain is totally normal!
Here is a great example of what a fresh or healing piercing can look like. Swelling is totally normal, along with discharge and warmth.
We cannot stress how rare it is for an infection to be caused by a competent piercer using an aseptic technique. Here at Rogue we specialise in infection control and aseptic techniques. Each stage of the sterilisation process is carefully controlled, verified, and logged to prove your jewellery has been handled safely and sterilised correctly. Each piece of jewellery undergoes a three-step sterilisation process, and we wear sterile gloves when piercing. The piercing itself is performed using entirely sterilised needles and tools. You can ask to see our sterilisation logs, where each sterilisation cycle is timed, dated, logged and stored alongside the chemical integrator that proves the cycle was successful in sterilising. Each Statim or other autoclave undergoes rigorous daily testing to make sure it is working perfectly! All of our equipment undergoes annual third-party testing, and the certification of this can be seen in each room. We are confident in these protocols and in our ability to perform an aseptic piercing.
Infections can be caused by a number of things, including submerging the piercing in stagnant water, touching your piercing with unwashed hands, working in a dirty or contaminated environment, wearing dirty clothing or using unclean headphones or stethoscopes. Secondary infections like this are the most common form – An infection introduced after the piercing has been performed, not by the piercing process itself. What does an actual infection look like, and what should you do about it?
What Can a Piercing Infection Look Like?
Infections can look different depending on the causative bacterium or fungus. An infection commonly looks like:
Intense swelling and spreading redness across the ear, neck and face (or relevant body area).
A thick, cottage-cheese textured liquid that may be white, yellow or brown, oozing from the piercing. This discharge is often foul-smelling.
Flu-like symptoms including sweating, shivering, clamminess, and feeling unwell.
A fever of 38 degrees or above.
Swollen glands in your neck, armpits and groin.
An infection will be obvious – You will know what it looks like as an infection is a serious medical issue.
Infections are dramatic – You will be acutely aware of it. Irritations are much more common, and easily solved with the help of your piercer!
What to do about a potential infection?
Go to your doctor. A genuine infection can be solved with a round of antibiotics. However, it must be noted that doctors are not piercers, and will often prescribe antibiotics for any redness and swelling that a fresh piercing can commonly have. Doctors may not be educated on what a healing or irritated piercing looks like, and will jump to ‘infection’ as a knee-jerk response. They will often diagnose you with an infection whether it is an infection or not! It is vital that you ask your doctor to take a swab sample to send off to the lab. Only this lab testing can prove an infection exists, and gives your doctor the information they need to accurately prescribe suitable medication. You may need to argue this with your doctor, but it is vital you make sure they do their job properly. The overprescription of antibiotics is a major global problem, so do ensure your doctor actually confirms it is an infection first! Once the infection is confirmed, your doctor can prescribe antibiotics in order to solve the issue. We recommend not removing jewellery during this time, as this can trap the infection inside the body and the piercing channel will quickly seal at both ends. Head to your piercer and they can fit longer jewellery as required to allow for your swelling.
Contact your piercer. Regardless of if it is an infection or not, it is important to contact your piercer with any issues you may have. If it is a genuine infection, your piercer should be informed so that they can check their sterilisation and aseptic protocols. If it isn’t an infection, they can help troubleshoot the cause of your irritation and make sure your piercing is happy and healthy.
Do not try at-home remedies. It is very important that you follow safe aftercare advice – DIY cures can only make things worse.
Infections are rare, but with speedy diagnosis and treatment they can be solved and you can keep your piercing. We are always working at the highest levels of cleanliness and are always willing to help you, whether you were pierced by us or not.
Healing a piercing is a delicate balance, and due to the general stresses of life sometimes this balance is disrupted and an issue arises. We receive dozens of messages a week from distance clients who cannot troubleshoot their piercings in person, so here you can find a general troubleshooting piercing FAQ!
When an issue arises with a piercing, there are generally 4 reasons. We will cover each here, and link to other blogs we have written which can go into more detail. To troubleshoot, start with the first point and move through. If anything jumps out at you that it could be the issue causing your irritation, start there with your solution.
What is Normal
Piercings can take upwards of 6 months to fully heal, depending on placement. You may have times in this healing period where they feel totally fine. Sometimes they will be more irritated through your lifestyle and have minor flare-ups. Troubleshoot them using this piercing FAQ.
Within the first 4-8 weeks it is totally normal to have swelling, redness, and clear or slightly yellowed discharge. This is lymph fluid, which is an essential part of the healing process. You will experience some discomfort if the jewellery is touched or moved, and during the cleaning process.
Within the first 3 months, it is totally normal to have redness around the piercing and discomfort when pressure is applied. You will still have minor crusting around the piercing which will need to be cleaned away as and when it appears. At this point, your cleaning routine can be reduced to once daily, or once every other day depending on your lifestyle and judgement. Small bumps can appear at this time if you experience a snag or knock, or through prolonged pressure overnight. These small bumps can go away in time!
After 6-8 months, you should have a nicely healed piercing. At this point, discomfort should only arise during a snag or knock.
What May Need Attention
It is important to keep in mind that if you have gone to an accredited and high-quality studio, your piercer has done everything in their power to produce a high-quality, safe piercing using a completely aseptic technique.
Unusual signs would be spreading heat and redness around the piercing, thick and creamy discharge, and prolonged burning discomfort. Infections in piercings are incredibly rare, but this is something to keep an eye out for. If you think you may have an infection, then head to your GP or pharmacy. Your piercer is not a doctor, but can often tell the difference between a simple irritation and a genuine infection.
Common causes of irritation include snags and knocks. If you have had an incident where you have caught your jewellery and caused a touch of damage, you may experience redness and swelling, and have the potential for your body to produce small bumps in response. This is totally normal, and is just your body’s way of protecting you! With gentle care and cleaning, this issue will resolve by itself. It is always important to check in with your piercer though, as we can guide you through the healing process.
We have discussed keloids and irritation bumps in their own dedicated post which can be read here! Keloids are a very rare medical condition, and will not go down on their own. Irritation bumps can change in size and shape, and can shrink or grow. Keloids will only ever increase in size.
Troubleshooting Issues
Angle
In order to heal correctly, a piercing must enter and exit the tissue at a perpendicular angle. It must be straight. This is the foundation of a good heal, and without the piercing starting as straight then it will have issues no matter the quality of the jewellery or your aftercare.
There are two ways that angle issues can arise.
The first would be a poor angle from the start. Your piercer should be competent and skilled in producing a straight piercing before they pierce you. If your piercing is poorly angled from the get-go, then this is not a good sign that you will have an uneventful and easy heal.
The second way of a poor angle arising is through prolonged pressure. If you are sleeping on your piercing overnight, then this can distort the angle of your piercing. This is an unfortunate side-effect, and not something that can be easily corrected. To avoid this, we recommend a travel pillow at night and seeing your piercer after 2-4 weeks for a downsize once your swelling has diminished. Long bars are the most common cause of your piercing angle becoming distorted.
Below you can see examples of straight piercings.
Here you can see a straight piercing. It sits perpendicular to the tissue and is not too close to the edge of the ear!
If yours looks more like the poorly angled piercing then unfortunately there is little that can be done for that piercing. The best option would be to remove the piercing and let it heal for 6 months before getting re-pierced by a more experienced and skilled piercer and carefully following the recommended aftercare routine and downsizing protocol.
If your piercing is straight, then you can move to the next point!
Aftercare
How you take care of your piercing is very important. This is the part that trips up most clients as there is such a huge amount of misinformation and well-meaning but incorrect advice floating around.
Keep it clean – Clean twice daily with a sterile saline solution. Spray the solution onto the piercing and let it soak in for 30 seconds. Gently clean away any crusties or skin buildup with a clean piece of nonwoven gauze or kitchen roll. Pat dry to ensure the piercing does not have any excess moisture surrounding it.
Ensure you are not overcleaning, as this can be a source of irritation. Cleaning more than twice a day is not recommended, unless you have introduced significant and visible dirt.
Keep it dry – This means you must not submerge or soak your piercing in any bodies of water including bathtubs, swimming pools, oceans, or homemade saltwater. This soaking action can introduce bacteria from dirty water, and prevent your piercing from draining correctly. This soaking can produce circular ‘donut’ bumps around your piercing fistula.
Do not move your jewellery – High quality jewellery does not need to be twisted, turned or played with. This constant movement can very easily irritate your piercing and slow down your healing process.
The most important thing to avoid with any piercing is prolonged pressure. This could be you sleeping directly on your piercing, or wearing tight clothing over the piercing. To avoid this, wear loose comfortable clothing for the first 12 weeks or use a donut-shaped travel pillow at night. Prolonged pressure can change the angle of your piercing, and a poorly angled piercing will produce bumps on both the front and back to return the entrance and exit points to a perpendicular angle.
You should avoid harsh or outdated aftercare advice such as DIY hot salt water soaks, antiseptics, oils and pastes which can cause contact dermatitis and damage your piercing. Sterile saline solution is the only aftercare product that we recommend. Avoid saline with added ingredients – 0.9% NaCl and distilled water should be the only ingredients. These products often cause more problems than they solve, and don’t have a place in the modern piercing industry!
If you’re using gentle aftercare as described, you can move to the next section of the piercing FAQ.
Safe metals – Your jewellery should be verified implant-grade ASTM F-136 Titanium, or solid 14k or 18k God, lead-free borosilicate Glass or 99.99% solid Niobium. Your jewellery should not be plated, coated or coloured with unsafe paints or platings.
Sizing – Your jewellery should be of the correct length and gauge for your piercing. We will discuss length and downsizing below! The gauge or thickness of your jewellery is very important. If it is too thin, then it will be causing irritation through adding pressure over a small surface area.
For lobe piercings, nose piercings and forward helix piercings, the thinnest acceptable gauge is 18g or 1mm. For cartilage piercings including conches, helixes, daiths and other piercings, the thinnest acceptable gauge is 16g or 1.2mm. 14g or 1.6mm is also totally acceptable and often preferred in certain placements.
For most piercings, we recommend ASTM F-136 Titanium labrets. These flat-back pieces are smooth, comfortable and easy to clean. For daiths, we recommend 16g or 14g BCRs. Curved barbells are not appropriate for this placement! Butterfly back costume jewellery should not be worn in any piercing.
If you are unsure if your jewellery is appropriate, then send us an email or DM us on instagram with some clear photographs. The best way to guarantee quality jewellery is to buy from trusted studios who stock recognised brands such as BVLA, Neometal, Industrial Strength and Anatometal.
Downsizing
High-quality studios will give you excess room on the labret or barbell to allow for your initial swelling. This length should not be extreme – 2mm of extra space is often more than enough. Your piercer should advise you to return in 2-4 weeks for a checkup, where they can downsize the length of your jewellery to be snug front and back. Excessive length on your jewellery can cause added irritation by acting as a lever. This length also increases your risk of snagging or pulling on your jewellery!
If you see excess length may be your issue, then head back to your nearest quality studio to have snug jewellery installed.
Irritation is a part of life – We are all only human after all! Your piercer has the knowledge to spot the problem and work through solutions with you. This post covers the basics of what we would ask you, so is a great place to start when looking for what might be the source of your issue. If you have worked through all of the above points and cannot see any obvious points which may be the cause of your irritation, then you are always more than welcome to book an in-person checkup with us and discuss your piercings. For distance clients, we require multiple clear photos of your piercing and a description of it’s history. We are always more than happy to help!
Often once the source of irritation is gone, the irritation quickly goes away and you can enjoy a beautiful piercing again!
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