Easily the most popular vulva piercings we perform at Rogue are those that pass through the hood. In this blog we will break down the differences between the Vertical and Horizontal placement as well as how to look after the piercings and what to expect in terms of jewellery and healing times. Huge thank you to Jenny at Holier Than Thou for providing beautifully edited images of intimate piercings that we can share online!
Anatomy
Did you know that the anatomy of the clitoris wasn’t fully anatomically described until 2005. Yep, you read that right. 2005! Thanks to Professor Helen O’Connell, Australia’s leading female urologist, we finally have a medical map of the clitoris. Luckily, we’ve had 2,000 years to study it’s penile counterpart as this has been described, documented and detailed since 35BC.
Vertical Clitoral Hood
The VCH passes vertically (as the name suggests) through the hood tissue. These piercings are performed with a curved barbell so that one ball sits at the apex of the hood tissue and the other ball sits just below/on top of the clitoris glans. In order to check if your anatomy is viable for this piercing, during your Intimate Consultation, we will use a sterile single-use cotton bud and some water-based lubricant to gently lift the tissue of the hood and check the depth. Usually, if most of the cotton tip can be covered then we can perform the piercing. The ‘standard’ placement for a VCH is nice and central, following the natural folds of the tissue. At Rogue, we pierce from a minimum of 14g (1.6mm) to ensure stability. Depending on the desired result of our client, we can pierce up to 8g (3.2mm) if the anatomy allows for it. Due to the nature of the tissue, these piercings can be stretched up fairly easily. The tissue of the hood is fairly elastic which means over time, the piercing channel can stretch itself slightly fairly naturally so being pierced at a smaller gauge and stretching up later is not a problem at all. Some clients prefer have larger attachments (threaded balls or cabochons) and a thicker bar to give some weight to the piercing.
Although it is standard practice to pierce central to the clitoral shaft so that the curved bar sits on top of the glans, some people prefer to have the piercing placed by the side of the glans instead and generally performed in pairs. These piercings are commonly referred to as Dukes/Dianas and are a popular alternative if there is not space on top of the glans. When the glans are aroused and filled with blood, the two bars will create light pressure on either side of the glans which can be desirable for some clients. The use of hormones can increase the original size of the clitoral glans which means that the hood may feel tight over the area, in this case, Dukes/Dianas are a great alternative as they sit comfortable by the sides.
A pair of ‘Duke/Diana’ piercings alongside paired outer labia. The Dukes were pierced elsewhere, outer labia pierced by Jenny. Photographed & edited by Jenny
Horizontal Clitoral Hood
Performed using a Ball Closure Ring, the HCH is ideally placed so that the ball of the ring sits central to the glans and has contact with the clitoris. The hood tissue needs to be prominent enough that it can be lifted in order for the piercing to be performed and also substantial enough to support the ring. We generally perform these piercings at 14g (1.6mm) and 12g (2mm), using BCRs although some clients may wish to wear a circular barbell once healed.
In this case, the HCH is paired with a VCH. The HCH wears a captive bead ring with a white opal to compliment the opal sitting atop the VCH. There are many jewellery choices available for Hood piercings!
HCH piercings do not pass through the clitoral gland. Aesthetically they can look similar to the Triangle piercing, this passes behind the clitoris and is a very advanced piercing that we do not currently offer at Rogue but we can highly recommend our wonderful friends at Holier Than Thou in Manchester if you are interested in Triangle piercings,
Although uncommon, some people do have the anatomy for multiple HCH piercings. In fact, we had the pleasure of completing a triple HCH project and interviewing our amazing client about it! You can read all about that here.
Consultation
As always, we require a consultation to take place at least 24 hours prior to any intimate piercings. At this consultation we will discuss all options available, provide you will a mountain of information regarding the history, process and after care of your piercing before performing a check of your anatomy to assess the tissue and discuss placements and desired results. For more information on intimate piercings and the consultation process, please visit our other blog pages. https://roguepiercing.co.uk/2023/04/07/intimate-consultation-what-to-expect/ https://roguepiercing.co.uk/2021/06/11/female-intimate-piercings/
You can book your consultation any time here: https://roguepiercing.co.uk/book-now/ Please be sure to bring valid, government issued, photographic ID such as a passport, driving license or citizenship card. You will need this at your consultation and your piercing appointment.
Healing Times
As we said previously, the tissue of the hood is fairly thin, elasticated and has good blood flow – meaning that you should be in for a nice, easy heal! After every intimate piercing, we request that clients come back for a check up after 2 – 4 weeks. At this appointment we will check up on the piercing and perform any downsizes as needed. A full heal for most Hood piercings is around 10 – 12 weeks and you should feel nice and settled after 4 – 6 weeks.
We ask all clients to refrain from any sexual activity, including masturbation for the first 4 weeks following your piercing. This is to reduce the spread of bacteria and unnecessary stress on the piercing channel while it gets through that initial healing period.
Stop apologising to your piercer about things outside of your control! Every day I come into the studio, and especially on days I am piercing, at least one client will apologise for something they don’t need to apologise for. There is a million reasons why people may over-apologise, including being nervous, concerned or overthinking. But I am here to help calm those nerves, and tell you things not to apologise for and why you shouldn’t apologise!
Things not being in your budget!
When I talk you through pricing and jewellery selection, I like to break down the cabinets we have and what jewellery is in each one. Sometimes, I’ll have a client fall in love with a piece that is out of their budget, and apologise! I even had someone say “I hope you don’t think i’m being tight!’ And I don’t! It’s okay to have a budget and stick to it!
At Rogue we offer a range of jewellery, from simple plain balls to the most extravagant gold, because we WANT to cater for everyone’s budget and personal needs. We are not here to judge you based on how deep your pockets are, and we want you to leave the studio feeling happy and comfortable with whatever you choose!
A Vertical Labret Infinite ‘Amethyst’ Claw Inari ‘Sleepy Lavender’ Opal
Changing the placement of your piercings!
As your piercer, we can only advise you of placement. We are not the ones who have to look at it every day, and as long as it’s a safe placement, we don’t care! We always start with the *ideal* placement that we think would be the most suitable, but if you don’t like it that’s okay, we won’t be offended. If you choose a placement that we think might not fit your needs, we will discuss that with you. For example, some people’s final goal for a nostril piercing is a ring, but they want that initial placement to be quite high up, and so we will discuss that the higher you go the bigger the ring.
I’ve also marked multiple placements for a client when they’ve been unsure, and still settled on my original marking. You don’t need to apologise for that neither. We’d rather you be 100% certain about the placement, because it is easier to change the mark than to change a whole piercing channel!
A full piercing curation by Jay
Taking your time in decisions!
Quite often I have clients that may spend 5-10 minutes choosing jewellery, and asking to see individual pieces and how they’d sit. This is also okay, and if anything we encourage it. Our aim during your appointment is to make sure that when you leave you are happy and content with your choices. Some people are also indecisive! When clients apologise, I like to make a joke that “they should see me in the chocolate aisle in Tesco!” I don’t want you to feel rushed or forced into a decision. The same way that I want to make sure I am going to enjoy whatever chocolate bar I choose, I want to make sure you are going to be happy with the jewellery that you are going to wear!
We have such a wide selection of jewellery! BVLA Chrysoprase Set 2x Round Prong Sunray
“Wasting” our time!
Especially if you have an appointment, there is no such thing as wasting our time. When you book an appointment with us, that is our time. If that is a 10 minute appointment for a quick check-up, a 30 minute appointment for a pair of lobes, or even halfway with a 20 minute consultation, that is our time. If we spend most of the appointment browsing jewellery or remarking or even discussing further piercing plans, that is time well spent.
Too often I have clients apologising because they feel like they’ve wasted my time. As long as you leave the studio satisfied or at-ease, then my job is done and I am happy.
We’re here to help!
This isn’t a comprehensive list of everything you shouldn’t apologise for, but I hope it makes some of you feel more at ease about your appointments with us. I think it’s really important to remember that we are just regular people too! Piercing may be our jobs, and we may be passionate about it, but at the end of the day our main focus is always providing the best experience for you, from start to finish.
Check out our Instagram for more information and what we get up to in and out of the studio!
Hi, it’s Gwen! For my first ever blog post it seemed like a no-brainer for me to talk about my amazing experience and my classes I took at BMXNet in Berlin, Germany earlier this month.
I’d been wanting to head to BMXNet pretty much since I started piercing a couple of years ago, and this year I finally got the chance! I travelled over with Aiden and Anna, and the goal was to get as much learning in as I possibly could.
From the start I knew things were going to get super overwhelming super fast, so I tried my best to be prepared. Thankfully the travelling went smoothly and between the hotels, hunt for food and a quick night’s sleep, we were at the venue before we knew it!
All I can say is, thank goodness for breakfast! At BMX there was a constant, steady supply of food and drink throughout the day, which made everything so much simpler and massively minimised my stress, because it meant we didn’t have to venture out into Berlin in search of food! It’s so much easier to focus on your classes and have a good, productive time on a full stomach, and sometimes you just get so swept up in the day that you forget to eat unless food is right there in front of you. Also – constant coffee is a must.
Photos by Babs
Thankfully, I had decided on most of my classes ahead of time and I had a decent schedule set out in my head for how the day was going to play out – which is really helpful for me in a new environment with a lot of people around. That said, I did make a few last minute changes, like attending Shawn Porter’s class on the last slot of the day, where he talked about the history of ModCon in the 2000s. It’s funny looking back on it because beforehand, I had wanted to take a break and decompress – and now I’m so glad that I didn’t, because that class was just insane in the best way possible. The thing I’ve found with conferences now is that while it is super important to find some time for yourself so you don’t burn out, sometimes it’s worth giving yourself an extra push because you’ll be mad at yourself if you don’t. Just make sure you remember to drink some water in the process!
I took so many amazing classes, mainly technique (particularly transitioning from cannula needles to blades, freehand piercing and needle bending, with some intimate fundamentals thrown in) but some really interesting history classes as well. I finally got to take one of Paul King’s classes, which was huge for me as I had missed the ones he taught at UKAPP last year when I was volunteering! As piercers we’re always learning, but especially for me as a junior piercer it’s vital. Having access to such a massive wealth of information, from so many talented and knowledgable piercers, is something I’m incredibly grateful for. It felt extremely validating for me, to be able to learn surrounded by other people who want to do the same. In case you didn’t know, we are massive nerds!
On a small break in between classes me and Elly (who recently guested with us at Rogue!) went up to the jewellery expo to take a look around. I loved that this expo was divided up into smaller rooms that you could move in and out of, as opposed to one big room that was swamped with people. This meant I could actually take the time to appreciate some of the amazing jewellery there, and I even got some cute gold pieces from Anatometal for my healing high nostrils (that had decided to become super angry thanks to the heat)!
Elly, Anna, Aiden & Gwen
One of my favourite things at BMX was being able to sit outside in the sun and watch live hook suspensions in between classes. The concept of being able to get a coffee and sit on a bench and watch someone have an amazing suspension experience at 3 in the afternoon might seem a bit wild, but it was something that made me feel like I was with my people. I’m really thankful to have been a part of so many of these experiences, even just as a bystander.
I almost forgot to mention the best thing about the trip, which was getting to meet so many new people and make some great friends, as well as some familiar faces! As someone who is very anxious by default, it’s a relief for me to be able to say that everyone I met was kind, welcoming and just generally amazing. So basically what I’m trying to say is, BMXNet was awesome and I am so full of knowledge after this experience, and I love this industry with all my heart.
Spinel, Sardonyx and Peridot. A various array of different stones to represent the summer month of August, which is one of three months that have three different birthstones. (the others being December and August). With a variety of options, August definitely brings a solid group of choices to suit everyone’s style and budget. However, for this blog we will mainly be focusing on Spinel and Peridot!
The months that are lucky enough to have more than a singular birthstone, these are separated into two lists: Modern and Traditional. The more common of the two is the modern birthstones, which were defined in 1912 by the Jewelers of America in an attempt to standardise (and commercialise) birthstones. This was further updated in the 1950s, to include gemstones such as Citrine for November, or Alexandrite for June. Modern stones are based on what’s easier to sell in large quantities (making it the more affordable choice).
Peridot
Peridot is the Modern gemstone for August, rather than the the Traditional, and is also known as the “Sun-Gem”. Peridot is the yellowish-green to greenish-yellow gem variety of the mineral olivine. Alongside Olivine, it also is made up of Magnesium and Iron. The amount of iron present in peridot is what gives it its brilliant shine, the more the iron, the more the green glow. The origin of the name Peridot is unclear, but we do know that it is infamous for its lime green glow. It has quite often been mistaken for other green stones, such as Emerald and Topaz. It even earned itself the nickname as the ‘Evening Emerald’ because of it’s unique capability to sparkle under both natural and artificial light. But don’t be fooled, this gemstone is absolutely gorgeous evening or day.
BVLA Quad Prong Cluster – Alternating Peridot and Green Tourmaline, Alongside BVLA Round Cab Prong with Emerald.
Despite its unknown origin, many scholars have agreed that the word “peridot” is derived from the Arabic “Faridat”, which means “gem” and “unique”. However, some believe that it’s rooted in the Greek word “Peridona”, meaning “giving plenty.” This is maybe that’s why peridot was, according to lore, associated with prosperity and good fortune. Some historians even speculate that Cleopatra’s famous emerald collection may have been comprised of peridot! Now, Peridot is used to celebrate 16th wedding anniversaries.
This August birthstone has an amazing history behind it. The oldest recorded source of this stone is the Egyptian island of Zabargad (the name now given to Topazios), and it is theorised that mining of Peridot may have been as early as 340–279 BCE. Peridot sourced from Zabargad is highly desirable, and has been prized for centuries. It has even been displayed in various prestigious museums around the world. Another incredibly important source for peridot is Myanmar (formerly Burma) which has produced some of the finest quality peridot, with deep colour and superb transparency. In modern times, most peridot on the market is sourced from China, Tanzania, Vietnam and the United States, some have even journeyed to Earth on meteorites!
Peridot scores a 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale of hardness, meaning it is softer than most gems. It is also damaged by some acids, making the cleaning process a delicate one. Neither a steamer, or ultrasonic should be used to clean this stone. The safest method is a soft bristled toothbrush, and a mild soapy water!
Spinel
Spinel is the other modern birthstone for August, often mistaken for a ruby or pink sapphire due to it strong resemblance to both. It is also often found in the same locations! The main difference between them is chemical, but despite their differences, some of histories well known “ruby” gems have turned out to be spinel, which is often known for its wide variety of colours, such as orange, pink, purple, and even black! Pink spinel has became a perfect choice for those seeking hot pink or even bubble gum pink tones. For any colour choice of spinel, the price point is dependant on the saturation of those colours, meaning the richer, brighter and deeper those colours, the more expensive it will be. In rare instances, Spinel can also be colour-changing under iridescent lighting.
It is believed that the word Spinel is derived from the Latin word “Spina” – translated to thorn, in reference to the shape that spinel crystals form in. Unfortunately, due to its long history of confusion with the Ruby, Spinel does not have some of the great traditions ands beliefs as most birthstones. Despite its lack of history, it is often associated with joy and is believed to bring great energy to its wearer. Today, Spinel is now creating its own history by being set into the Great Britains Imperial State Crown, just above a diamond! Alongside Spinel setting its own history it is now given as the 22nd wedding anniversary!
The August birthstone is now set with more than 3000 diamonds, sapphires and emeralds. It can now be seen in the tower of London.
Today, Spinel can be found in several locations across the world. The most common sources for this stone are Tajikistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Tanzania and Pakistan. Myanmar is very well known for producing some of the most striking spinel gems, such as hot pinks and the infamous ruby red. These are more rarer than a diamond, and thus the price is severely influenced. The Spinel gems that have been sourced there are so shiny that the locals call them “spirit polished”.
Spinel is typically a durable stone, scoring an 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness, making it a perfect choice for every day wear. Steam cleaners and ultrasonics can be used to clean this stone, but any fractures may cause a problem. As for any stone, warm soapy water is the safest way to clean your jewellery!
We stock jewellery from brands from across the world, and can source items in all birthstones imaginable! If you would like to treat yourself to some meaningful pieces, just get in contact with us.
Make sure to follow us on social media for regular updates, and keep an eye out as we post new blogs every single Friday!
My travel companion was Gemma, which made this adventure much more pleasant and entertaining. At the airport we met Jason Heeney and Jess Farrar, who were also attending the conference and had the same flight as us.
We started with a direct flight from Manchester to Las Vegas that lasted ten and a half hours. They gave us food, drinks and even a cocktail! We had blankets, pillows and a screen with movies, music and series to keep you entertained throughout the trip. Once we arrived we could feel the heat blast, a sensation like opening the oven door on your face, but constant. It made me realize how far away I was from home and I got a little nervous, but I don’t think anyone noticed haha.
When we arrived, there were already two piercers at the casino spot that will become the meeting point for hundreds of piercers over the next week. One of them was Zakk, a person who has become very dear to me. Zakk guided us to the area where I finally met Caitlin, Jacob and Marina, the main conference managers and volunteers, in person. At times there were too many of us and we were tired and jet-lagged, so I had a hard time learning names and recognizing faces. After helping with some tasks for the grand opening, a few volunteers went for a walk around and saw the city at night, and went to rest.
The next day, all the volunteers left the hotel to have a luxurious breakfast at the Bouchon, in the Venetia hotel (courtesy of the APP). It was amazing! We had free time to socialize and get to know the surroundings.
And then the day of the grand opening arrived! The conference space was huge, but it quickly filled up with 1,704 piercers in a matter of a couple of hours, all getting their credentials and certificates. I’ve been to many piercing conferences throughout my life, but I’ve never seen so many piercers together in one space, and I was so impressed by the number of people in attendance.
2024 VEGAS
The first class I attended was on forward facing nostrils (aka mantis piercings), taught by Sala. It was a very interesting class and I learned a couple of important keys to doing them better.
After leaving the class I met Joeltron in person, an icon!
The next class was on stretching. I learned a ton in this class, especially what not to do and the consequences of doing it wrong, all very useful to be able to implement in my work.
In the evening we had an opening party at the private pool of the famous Flamingo hotel, with tacos and drinks and a giant, beautiful pool, full of hundreds of piercers having a good time. It was memorable.
The next 3 days were spent almost exclusively volunteering and taking classes. I learned a ton about anxiety management, how to be a boss in the piercing studio, Guich piercings, troubleshooting, genital piercings, trauma informed piercings.
Breo’s certificate of class attendance
I also had the great honor of meeting Jim Ward in person, it was a moment I will cherish for a lifetime. I attended a lecture by him about the beginnings of Gauntlet and modern piercing. It was amazing to be able to hear the stories of our beginnings from the main character. Without Jim, none of us would be here. Thank you Jim!
And with that, we have arrived at the big closing dinner of the event. Everyone in attendance looked very elegant and fancy! The all-you-can-eat buffet was very rich and varied. After dinner we celebrated Jim Ward’s birthday (which of course is also International Body Piercing Day).
After dinner we had a private disco for all the piercers, and I know I’m repeating myself, but it was amazing!
I have to say that this experience has changed my perspective on how I see the piercing industry and the community I am eternally grateful for having given me all these memorable moments, having met so many beautiful people, and meeting all my idols in person. I am eternally grateful for having been chosen among thousands of piercers to volunteer, I would do it again a million times without hesitation!
Thanks APP.
Kind regards,
Breo Hoek (he/him/his) | Professional Body Piercer
Jonathan is a piercer in South Carolina, we met in 2023 when we both received the Legacy Scholarship for the APP. We talked prior to this year’s conference about growing up in the church, falling in love with piercing and the experience of volunteering in Vegas.You can find his work here.
Gemma: I wanted to talk a bit about your background
Jonathan: So I’m actually from Vermont, which is a state much more north than South Carolina where I am now. I moved to South Carolina when I was 16 and it was a big difference because Vermont’s a much more liberal state. South Carolina is the Bible Belt, much more conservative. I’ve been living here since 2004.
G: What was it like growing up in Vermont?
Jonathan at APP 2023, photographed by John Balk
J: I’ve always been a weird kid but I grew up in what they called an independent fundamental Baptist church which is very conservative. Girls couldn’t wear pants, they had to wear skirts. No tattoos, no piercings. I couldn’t have facial hair. I wasn’t allowed to listen to any of the music I like to listen to. They made Harry Potter evil. They made Pokemon evil. If it wasn’t written by a Christian, it was evil.
I liked Pokemon. I liked Anime, I liked metal music. I liked pop punk music, but I really wasn’t allowed to be open about it. I always had to hide it and only talk to certain people about what I enjoyed. I couldn’t talk to my parents, couldn’t really talk to my brothers because they’d get me in trouble so I used to hide it. I used to listen to the radio, and then when I could get a CD, I’d burn CDs. I always wanted to go to concerts, but I definitely couldn’t go until I was much older.
Because I wasn’t allowed to listen to the music I enjoyed, I used to sneak it through video games. There’d be bands like The Offspring and Bad Religion on the game soundtrack and I’d get to listen to it through there.
G: What was your first exposure to body modification?
J: I remember going to the mall and seeing people with septum rings, I think that’s probably my first real memory of body mods but I never really noticed until I was much older. For me, piercing was definitely not a possibility until I was 18. My parents always told me that tattoos and piercings would mean getting kicked out of the house. So I didn’t play with that, I very much didn’t want to be homeless.
I got my first piercing at 26. I really wanted an industrial piercing for some reason but my ex-wife wasn’t supportive of piercings at all. And a lot of people in my life at the time thought piercings were “gay”. It’s that conservative belief structure of being anti LGBTQIA. Growing up, I had similar thoughts until I started working in an office and this one girl I was working with randomly mentioned that she never found the penis attractive. And I thought to myself “well, neither have I, so how can I be upset with somebody who thinks the same way I do.”
At the time I was really into Rise Against and they had a song called Make It Stop that helped me change my perception. Punk rock music really helped me get over some of my outdated beliefs from my upbringing.
G: When did you move from Vermont and when was your first piercing?
J: My dad was in the Air Force and he got a job in South Carolina so we moved down here and I finished up high school.
Around 2014, I was going through a divorce and I remember looking at a magazine and seeing wooden octopus plugs and I thought they were so cool. I remember being in the car with somebody and they were like, “Oh you don’t want to do that, everyone who gets their ears stretched is going to regret it.” Now I make a living stretching people’s ears, so this is wild.
So I was going through my divorce, I was single, I just was trying to more or less find myself or just be okay with myself at 26. I’d always wanted my ears pierced and I’ve had some friends take me to a place to do them. It wasn’t the best but I just wanted to have pierced ears.
You know sometimes you go through breakups and you’ve been in a relationship for so long that you kind of lose parts of yourself. It’s not always their fault, it tends to be more your fault because you’re trying to fit in or trying to make them happy – especially when you’re getting married so young. I got married at 19, I was so young and was still developing myself and my own personal interests.
G: And once you start with piercings, it’s hard to stop right?
J: Tattoos were my go-to body mod for a while because I was working a plant job where piercings weren’t allowed for safety reasons. Then in 2019, I started at a warehouse, and I was finally allowed to have piercings. So I eventually got my nose pierced.
Money was really tight because I was trying to get caught up on bills and in early 2020 I was looking for part time work to fill my days off. I ended up eventually getting a job at the piercing shop I work at as their Front of House. At the time I didn’t want to pierce, I just wanted to make some extra money so I could keep my family afloat. I started the week when COVID shut everything down.
It was very hard at the time because I had my daughter and as a parent you have to make difficult decisions and I didn’t know if I could put everything I needed to into piercing as a career, but I had been given the opportunity to learn how to pierce. So I ended up working both jobs for a while and then I found that I really liked the client interaction at the piercing studio. I don’t think I was good at it at first, I kind of sucked at it a lot. But I found myself getting better, pushing through my own hurdles, and just really starting to enjoy piercing.
Before I had actually started piercing, a friend of mine from another piercing shop showed me the Piercing Wizard podcast and APP. I had been reading the Piercing Wizard Bible and subscribed to Ryan’s Patreon. He had a lot of good information on there that helped me a lot. That year the APP offered online classes because they weren’t doing the conference, so I paid for some of their online classes to learn a little bit more. I was trying to learn as much as possible, from my mentor and other Piercers in the shop and as many external resources as I could get my hands on.
G: What was it that drove your passion for education and improvement?
J: A lot of it is the clients. There’s the art to it that I eventually kind of loved and got into, but it was the clients initially. The Piercing Wizard podcast taught me about understanding your clients and learning to read their energy and work with that.
I’m a very empathetic person and once I leaned into that and learned to control my reaction to their feelings, it helped me a lot to be able to keep a calm and supportive environment. I love helping my clients overcome their fears and get through their own anxiety.
I’m a very introverted person outside of work, I usually just stay to myself and my family. We’re a very busy shop and when you meet all these people, you start having these interactions and I learned eventually that’s what I like more about piercing. It is very powerful stuff that you don’t get at a lot of jobs.
G: We met in 2023 because we both received the Legacy Scholarship to the APP conference, when did you first hear about the scholarship program?
J: So I first actually heard about it in through my friend Carl in August 2020. I put it on the back burner because I never thought it would be something I’d ever receive. I didn’t think I’d qualify but then I heard the Piercing Wizard podcast about it in 2022 and I thought maybe I shouldn’t limit myself by my own ideas. Maybe I should just take a chance and apply. It’s kind of embarrassing to put yourself out there but I feel like my clients deserved a better me.
G: I don’t think many people realise how big America is, how was it traveling to Vegas?
J: It was very nerve wracking but at that point I was like, okay I got the scholarship, I did the work, I just have to get over myself. I’m not a huge fan of flying and I had all the anxiety of what if I do something wrong? The social awkwardness of it all. It was about 22,000 miles from where I live so it’s the farthest west I’ve ever been. Probably the furthest I’ve ever flown
Between growing up conservative, not being much of a gambler and never really seeing myself as somebody who would really do anything big – going to Vegas was never really on my radar. It was very crazy, like wow, I’m actually here, I never thought I’d actually be in Vegas.
G: How did you find the balance of volunteering, learning, and existing inVegas?
J: I loved volunteering. I said this in my interview, I really like the idea of volunteering so that I could give back. I felt like I owed a lot to the piercing community, between people just helping me out, and me having an opportunity to get away from working a warehouse job. I didn’t finish college, so I was kind of just floating from job to job trying to make it work. And, so with this opportunity to volunteer, I can give back to these people who changed my life.
What I really enjoyed was it gave me an in to help with all my anxiety about being around people and being somewhere by myself. It helped me be friendly with people and then knowing some of the behind the scenes things as a volunteer, I was able to help the attendees which I loved.
G: Were there any particularly important moments for you at APP 2023?
J: I just felt at home, it sounds weird, but being a weird kid all my life, it felt like I fit in really well and there was a such a sense of community. I didn’t know any of these people who were volunteering but we just fit together so well. Everybody was so friendly and they treated me like I’m normal, like I’m as cool as them.
I do want to say my other favorite part of Vegas has to be when we went to the Punk Rock Museum. That was so cool. I got to introduce Fat Mike to you which was amazing.
Jonathan introduced me (Gemma) to Fat Mike because I was too star-struck at the Punk Rock Museum, Las Vegas
I definitely feel like being an APP scholar has opened some doors and some opportunities. People know that you’re passionate about what you do, because no one’s going to do all that effort if they don’t care.
G: Outside of piercing, you have your family, which is really lovely. Are your children interested in piercings?
J: My oldest daughter, she’s 13. I pierced her second lobes, which is really cool because Ihe’s always been like a little bit more scared. But the best part was she said she wanted to get her second lobes done and she actually practiced my little breathing technique and she listened and the piercing went really well. That felt very good. My youngest is 5, she’s not really there yet. I have a feeling that my oldest will come to me later and probably want something which will be exciting
G: I think it’s important that you’re teaching your children that you can look whatever way you want and still be a good person.
J: My eldest said “all my friends are the weird kids and we like it that way.” That’s how it’s supposed to be.Last year she came to me and said “I like to wear hoodies and boys wear hoodies.” I told her that you just have to do what you want. I don’t usually curse in front of my kids, but I said, “fuck the people that don’t fuck with you”. She’s at that age where she’s trying to figure out who she is and I’m just letting her know it’s okay to be the weird kid.
Jonathan is such a wonderful family man
Helping my daughter understand that if you’re happy, you’re good with your friends, your friends are kind to you, then it doesn’t matter what other people think. Growing up pretty conservative, I was taught to be homophobic by the church and the community so I really encourage my children to know that I’d rather you have a kind friend that’s gay than a mean friend that’s straight. I want my kids to be themselves and be kind and to accept others for who they are.
G: Can we touch on your poetry?
J: I’ve always written, I never developed the skill or the talent for drawing and so I found the way I could express myself was through writing. In high school, I used to write song lyrics and music was always a big part of my life. I started writing a lot of poetry and eventually I got to perform some of it live. Before COVID hit, there was a place I went to once a month to start getting over my nervousness and start performing. Going on stage and really writing and sharing my feelings and my emotions was really powerful.
It’s a good way of letting it out and then helping to connect with people.
G: Is there anything you want to add for people reading this?
J: For any piercer that is interested in the scholarship, just apply for it. Don’t limit yourself by your own ideas of, ‘I’m not good enough, I’m not financially able to do this, I’m not an APP shop.’ Just go for it and don’t limit yourself. Let other people do that and let them decide if you’re the right fit.
The 2023 APP Legacy Scholars
I had the privilege of volunteering with Jonathan again this year and it is such an honour to know someone so caring and kind. A gentle soul who is making the world a better place, one piercing and one conversation at a time. Can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you friend!
So, you’ve decided to get a piercing! Whether it be a classic nose piercing, a large gauge piercing or intimate work you should always research your piercer and/or piercing studio. This is to make sure that they are the right fit for you as a client and that they can provide the work you are looking for at a higher quality level. Your piercer should be able to demonstrate their knowledge and skills to a strong standard that can gain your trust and ensure their credibility. But how do you research your piercer, what should you be looking for? It can be a really overwhelming task if you’re not entirely sure what to look for, which is why I’ve put together this guid for you to use and share.
This is mainly based for the UK, so may be slightly inaccurate across different countries, due to their own laws and regulations surrounding body piercing. This is only meant to be a guide, and it is encouraged that you do your own research for things that may differ in your local region.
Education – Your piercer should be able to demonstrate and show off their knowledge and skills and the education they have and are continuing to ensure they are providing the best quality service they can. You may look for certificates on the wall of conferences and classes they have attended, as well as first aid training. They may be showing off their education and own research through social media posts or blogs on their websites, they may even talk about it in the studio with you. You can ask about their training and education too!
Aiden’s wall of certificates from attending and speaking at conferences across the world.
Hygiene – Hygiene is such a huge factor when it comes to body piercing. There should be no drinking alcohol or smoking encouraged or practiced inside the studio, and clients should never be permitted to ‘try on’ jewellery. (A safe alternative you may find is piercers using ‘piercing sticks’ or tools to hold up jewellery near the clients skin.) The piercing itself should be performed in a separate room that allows for good ventilation and good lighting. A private bathroom should also be away from any jewellery handling or processing. Some studios (if they aren’t disposable) should have a separate room that isn’t accessible by the general public where they process and clean dirty tools (this is referred to as the sterilisation room). On top of the big things, the studio should look clean and organised when you walk in, hand sanitizer should be freely available, you may notice cleaning wipes/spray tucked away on shelving or cupboards. Hand-washing will be practiced and encouraged between each appointment, as well as cleaning down the room.
Sterilisation – All jewellery and tools should be completely sterilised for the appointment. Some piercers may choose to do this via pre-sterilising in pouches. When sterilised correctly their should be a colour indicator on the back, as well as the packet looking crinkled. These should be opened in your Prescence. Other pierces choose to sterilise everything at the time of the appointment via the statim. They will place the jewellery, gauze, and tools (such as needles) into a statim cassette and leave it to sterilise (this typically takes around 7-9 minutes). To prove the sterility of the items inside, a colour changing indicator should be in their to verify, which you can ask your piercer to see. Again, these cassettes should be open in your presence.
A steriliser strip atop of the statim.
Contaminated Waste – There should be at least two separate bins in the piercing room. One bin (that can be operated without hands, such as a push-pedal bin) that collects contaminated waste, such as aprons or gloves. The other one is a sharps container that is mounted on the wall. Both of these should be clearly labelled ‘biohazard’. The sharps been is similar to the ones you may see in a doctors office or in the hospital. It is important that there is a sharps been so that you can be certain that needles are being disposed of correctly, and aren’t being reused.
Licensesand Insurance – Each individual piercer and studio should have their own licence by the council (where applicable) that allows them to practice body piercing. Each studio will also have insurance that will protect them and you. (Insurances can differ from each company, which is why some studios may have different parameters to work under and may be insured for different things.) Please note that neither a license or insurance can guarantee that the piercer has had adequate trainer, you should check with your local department what their regulations are.
Aftercare – Aftercare instructions should be provided to you at each and every appointment, as well as easily accessible via their website. You may find that each studio’s aftercare may differ slightly, but they should still follow the most up-to-date guidelines. A good base to find appropriate aftercare and what to compare it to is the aftercare suggestions written out by the APP.
Rogues aftercare leaflets.
Single Use Needles – Every piercer will use a single needle for each piercing they perform on a client. These needles will never be re-used, especially amongst different clients. Piercing guns will also never be offered, suggested or even held by a quality piercer for any piercing.
Portfolio – Each piercer will have their own portfolio. In the modern day of technology, you easily find this via their social media pages, or websites. They may also have more private portfolio work that you can ask to see. It is important when vetting a piercer that you check their portfolio, especially if you are looking for specialist work, such as large gauge or intimate piercings. Keep your eyes out for their healed work too!
Jewellery – All jewellery should be of high quality, that is well polished with no external threads (such as threadless or internally threaded). There should also be a wide selection of jewellery available which will ensure a correct fit, and is suitable for an initial/healing piercing.
Age Requirements – Age requirements will differ for each studio, based on personal opinion and insurance, as well as legislation. No quality studio will be offering to pierce nipples or genital work to anybody under the age of 18 regardless of gender. Quality studios will also have a strict ID policy for all clients, and for underage clients the legal guardian will also be required to be present at the appointment.
These are some of the minimum standards you should be looking for when you research a piercer or piercing studio. As a bonus they may also have membership to either (or both) the APP/UKAPP. A membership to either of these organisations doesn’t mean that they will be perfect, or provide quality work. It means that they are working to a minimum standard that has been set up to ensure that standards of body piercing are improving. These includes things like (but not limited to) being first aid trained, having blood borne pathogen training, certain hygiene standards etc. You should be able to reach out to your piercer and ask questions about their practices and studio standards. Your piercer should gain your trust and make you feel safe and secure during your appointment. If there is something not quite right about a situation, and you aren’t 100%, maybe have another rethink before getting pierced! Always trust your gut and the facts from your own research.
At Rogue each member of the team has their own portfolio which you can see via our social media as well as having their own Instagram work accounts. You can also contact us to see more of our portfolio’s or if you have any questions about our standards. We also post a new blog weekly at 4pm on Friday which you can read.
Unfortunately, it is way too common in the UK to be able to walk into a piercing shop and have no idea what jewellery or metal you are being pierced with, how it works or is fitted, and if it is even safe to be worn permanently or even long term. Quite often at the piercing appointment at Rogue, we hear multiple variations of ‘so what jewellery can I wear today?” Typically, the client might mean: What is safe? What can I not wear? What in the cabinets should I avoid until my piercing is healed? And honestly, you are right in asking that question!
Any good piercing studio should be able to answer your questions about the jewellery they stock and why or why not it is suitable for initial use! For example, you may take a look in our titanium cabinet and as about the sparkly white flower. In response we can tell you:
“That is the Neometal Flower! It is made out of implant grade titanium, ASTFM-136 to be exact, which is the exact same grade they use for fake knees and hips. Therefore we know it is safe to be worn in the body for extended periods of time. It is also set with five genuine white Swarovski crystals, so they can keep that sparkle forever, with care and frequent but gentle cleaning. All of our jewellery comes with warranty against any manufacturer defects, so if one gemstone randomly falls out, you can bring it back into the studio so we can have it cleaned and fixed by the jewellery company.”
-Jay
This is all true! All of our jewellery comes with a warranty against any manufacturer defects. Unfortunately, not everything in life is 100% perfect, and this includes the jewellery we have in stock. Despite it being rare that pieces to break, it does happen. This is why we choose to work with companies that will accept responsibility for their mistakes, such as a loose setting, and help us fix that. They care about their clients the same way we do, and we want to provide you with an experience that is as good as possible.
All of our jewellery is completely certified and is 100% safe to be worn in the body for extended periods of time! (Gemma has once or twice said, you can be buried with them!) All of our jewellery meets the standards set out by both the UKAPP and the APP! And for all of our implant grade titanium, each of our manufacturers can also provide Mill Certificates!
Nearly every piece of jewellery we hold in stock we can use for initial piercing. There are of course a few exception! 1. Clicker and seam rings – We will never use clickers or seam rings in any initial piercing. The rotation will often irritate the open channel, and often because they involve a tiny gap can bring dirt and debris into the healing wound. Quite often these rings will be quite small in diameter, meaning there won’t be enough room for drainage. You can learn more about this here! 2. Chains and charms – When healing a new piercing there is often quite a lot of fluid that will drain from the piercing channel, this can then easily become built up around the jewellery. With chains and charms this can get stuck in-between the small gaps, meaning the jewellery cannot be adequately cleaned. 3. Genuine opals – Throughout our BVLA jewellery collection, we have one or two piercings of genuine opal which cannot be sterilised. This is because opals contain a high rate of water, and under extreme pressure and steam from the statim this can cause the piece to explode. Because they can’t be sterilised, this makes it unsuitable for initial use. However, we have lots of faux opals available for you!
Every member of the team at Rogue has a vast knowledge of our jewellery collection, and can tell you about each of our cabinets, the manufacturers and brands we use, as well as the individual pieces. They take class after class at different conferences across the world to ensure they are provide a safe and confident service to their best of their ability. These classes include safe and unsafe metals. Aiden himself (our head piercer) actually teaches his metal classes at some conferences, so you can place your trust that we are providing you the best quality jewellery we can.
July’s birthstone is the fiery red ruby, known for its incredibly deep rich red, and perfect for the blazing hot warmth that typically comes with the summer month of July, but not to be mistaken for Januarys warm and cosy red garnet!
July is a single birthstone month allowing Ruby to take centre stage. For the months that are lucky enough to have more than a singular birthstone, these are separated into two lists: Modern and Traditional. The more common of the two is the modern birthstones, which were defined in 1912 by the Jewelers of America in an attempt to standardise (and commercialise) birthstones. This was further updated in the 1950s, to include gemstones such as Citrine for November, or Alexandrite for June. Modern stones are based on what’s easier to sell in large quantities (making it the more affordable choice).
BVLA – Heart of Paul – Yellow gold + Ruby Photo courtesy of Chloe Victoria
Ruby is the red variety of the mineral corundum (a crystalline form of aluminium oxide which typically contains traces of iron, titanium, chromium, and vanadium), coloured by the element chromium. All other colours of gem-quality corundum are called sapphire! Ruby gets its red colour from chromium, which also caused fluorescence, making rubies glow deep and fiery. Rubies dominant hue is definitely the red we all know and love, however you can find rubies with undertones of orange and pink! Ironically, despite chromium given rubies it’s most important feature (the colour) it is also what makes it so rare as it can cause cracks in fissures. This makes it incredibly hard for rubies to grow large enough to become quality gems.
Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) is one of the oldest recorded sources of Rubies. For more then 500 years, Myanmar has produced the most wanted rubies. These are exceptionally known for providing a vibrant red, with a glowing fluorescence, and softened by light-scattering inclusions. Since the latter part of the 20th century, Vietnam has also been a major player in the mining of Rubies, producing this gem in a variety of red to purplish-red tones. The newest but still important source for this wonderful crystal is Mozambique in Africa, which is home to the prolific mines at Montepuez.
For many years in the very late 1900’s, the major source of rubies were sourced along the border between Thailand and Cambodia. Now, other important sources of Ruby include Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar.
In addition to being the July birthstone, ruby is traditionally given for the 15th and 40th wedding anniversaries! Dating back a little to ancient India, Ruby was called the “King of Precious Stones” due to its rarity, hardness and beauty. It’s also been known for it’s “mystical powers” and has long been seen as a symbol of power and youthful energy in Indian jewellery. In previous centuries, it has been believed to predict danger and misfortune, as well curing inflammatory diseases.
Following straight after Diamond, Ruby falls at a 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness, making it the second hardest natural stone. This means you should store this stone separately to others so it doesn’t cause any damage. Rubies are often heat treated to remove purplish colouration to improve it’s redness, some treatments can make a ruby more vulnerable to every day wear and tear. As usual, the best way to clean this stone is with warm and mild soapy water and a soft toothbrush! If your stone is untreated, heat treated or lattice-diffusion stones, then ultrasonics and steam cleaners are generally safe to use. However, glass filled and dyed stones should only be cleaned with a damp cloth.
Bvla – Live to Tell, Afghan, Muse Yellow Gold + Ruby Photo courtesy of Jess Farrar
We stock jewellery from brands from across the world, and can source items in all birthstones imaginable! If you would like to treat yourself to some meaningful pieces, just get in contact with us.
Make sure to follow us on social media for regular updates, and keep an eye out as we post new blogs every single Friday!
If you’ve been pierced at Rogue (or any other quality studio) you’ll often be told to come back in for a check-up and a downsize. But what is a downsize, and why is it so important?
Downsizing is shortening the length of your jewellery to make a nice snug and comfortable fit to your body. When we pierce you we always start with bigger jewellery, either longer in length or bigger in diameter. this is because during the first stage of healing, the piercing site will swell as a normal reaction to the wound we have created. We need to accommodate for this swell, thus meaning bigger/longer jewellery. (If you are interested in why we swell and the phases of healing check out this blog post.)
A fresh mid-helix piercing with ample room for swelling.
Why don’t we pierce with the short bar? Again it cycles back to the swelling. Without adequate room for the swelling, it can quickly become a problem. Often if there’s no room, the body will start to swell over the jewellery, which can cause it to be embedded or lost. This can quite often be very sore and painful. Depending on the severity of the swelling, we can pull the jewellery and replace it with a bigger pierce, or in very rare/severe circumstances we may have to refer you to urgent care.
A triple flat piercing embedded. The middle pierce of jewellery is starting to be ‘swallowed’.
How do we downsize? Downsizing is fairly easy. We don’t cut the jewellery down, and we don’t replace the entire piece. We just replace the wearable with something much comfier. For example: take a helix piercing, the swelling has come down and now it’s starting to move freely. We simply just remove the decorative end, take out the labret, fit a smaller labret, and put the end back on. Abracadabra its just that easy! For piercings with rings (such as a daith) we will simply just replace the ring for one with a smaller diameter!
When should I downsize? This varies for each piercing, but ultimately your piercer should let you know. However, for most oral piercings it will be between 7-14 days. Cartilage and other piercings (such as navels/nipples/eyebrows etc) it will be around 4-6 weeks. Intimate piercings can be either, depending on location!
How do I know if I’m ready to downsize? Typically the jewellery will start to feel and look longer. You may notice that it also starts to move around more freely by itself. Sometimes you may see that the jewellery is sticking up and out, or that it is getting caught more easily on clothes/hair/glasses. The best way to tell is definitely to pop in for a visit with your piercer! They’ll be able to assess it from all angles and swap that bar over for you.
Plenty of space = Downsize to smaller bar!
What happens if I don’t downsize? Now it’s not going to be the end of the world if you do not downsize your jewellery, and your ear or nose won’t fall off! However, once the swelling subsides and the fistula is less tight, the jewellery may start moving up and down or back and forth. This can cause irritation to a sensitive and healing channel, which may lead to irritation bumps and higher chances of knocks and snags. Over time, this can even create migration and rejection as well as wonky angles. Depending on the severity of the damage, this may result in you having to retire the piercing.
For oral piercings, such as tongues or labrets, you can cause serious teeth and gum damage with excess length in jewellery.
How many downsizes will I need? Well this depends on quite a few factors. For example, which piercing is it? Cheek piercings require multiple downsizes due to the rapid swell of the area, and how slow it returns back to normal. If you tend to be a ‘sweller’ you may require 2 downsizes for piercings such as a nose or helix, as you may need a ‘half-way’ size. Gaining or losing weight may also mean you might need to shorten or lengthen the jewellery, Certain medications, being ill, being in warmer climates can all effect how the piercing heals, swells, and settles, so it is never a definitive answer.
Sometimes you may not even need a downsize. Some piercings just don’t need it. For example, microdermals! Rook and daith piercings are definitely a choice, the aesthetic of these is often the longer curved bar, or the larger ring to show off decoration. Other piercings can be variable, such as nipple or industrial piercings. However, it is important to note that most piercings will need to be downsized.
A stunning fresh daith piercing – pierced with the desired jewellery, and no downsize is needed!
So there you have it! What is downsizing, why it is important and all things in between! If you think your piercing is ready for a downsize, book in for a check-up with us here! If you’re not local to Nottingham, check out the piercer map to find your closest UKAPP piercer to help assist you, or reach out to us for recommendations!
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