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Blog Masterpost!

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Inner Labia and Fourchette Aftercare

Inner Labia and Fourchette piercing and variations thereof are not super common, but we love them anyway! Although we go through genital aftercare advice multiple times before your appointment, we know it can be quite a nerve-wracking time and so it’s always handy to have a written aftercare advice to refer back to. The aftercare leaflets we provide are pretty bare-bones, as each intimate piercing can have very different care requirements! So how does Inner Labia or Fourchette piercing aftercare work?

What To Expect After The Piercing

Bleeding – You may expect bleeding from the Inner labia or Fourchette piercing for 3-5 days afterwards. This is totally normal! The most important thing is to keep calm. It will stop on its own. We recommend purchasing a pack of fragrance free sanitary towels to wear to protect your underwear. Please ensure that you are changing them regularly – At least once every 6 hours!

Urination – We recommend over-hydrating for the first few weeks. This means drinking plenty of water! As urine is slightly acidic, it can be a little bit stingy to go to the bathroom for the first couple of days. Staying super hydrated dilutes your urine and makes urinating much more comfortable. It also helps keep the inside of your piercing nice and clean!

Adrenaline – Having a rush of adrenaline is part and parcel of having any piercing, but this rush can be a little bit more intense with intimate work. We always recommend leaving your schedule free for the day of your piercing, so that you can take your time and take any rest you might need. You may feel a little tired or drained afterwards – Make sure to bring a carby, sugary snack and a sugary drink to sip on after your piercing.

Cleaning

It is super important to keep your new piercing clean, whilst not causing irritation by over-cleaning what is quite a delicate area of your body. Soft tissue intimate piercing aftercare is minimal and neutral.

We recommend cleaning twice daily, in the morning and evening. It can be quite handy to tie this in with when you brush your teeth, so that you get a good routine going.

To clean your piercing, first wash your hands. Spray a small amount of Neilmed Saline Aftercare on the entrance and exit points of the piercing. Wait 30 seconds to allow this to fully soak in.

Once any crusties or buildup on the jewellery have softened, gently wipe them away with a clean piece of folded kitchen roll. Be extra gentle during the first 3-5 days, as cleaning too aggressively may cause you to experience a spot of bleeding.

Once you have cleaned the piercing, dry the area to remove any excess moisture.

Keeping the Piercing Dry

We recommend avoiding soaking and submerging the piercing in still or stagnant water for 4 weeks after getting pierced. This means no swimming, bathing in bathtubs, or other water-based activities.

It is highly recommended you shower as normal – Clean running water is a great way to rinse away any buildup in a very gentle way. VCH aftercare requires little in the way of active cleaning. The only thing to keep in mind is that you want to avoid any harsh or strongly scented shower gels – These can cause irritation. Some people use fragrance-free washes to clean the vulva. You can continue as normal. Just make sure you are rinsing well afterwards to remove any remaining soap suds. We do not recommend douching at any stage!

When you are finished in the shower, it is best practice to dry the piercing site with paper towel. Avoid the area with your bath towel – Snagging the jewellery on a fresh piercing is not fun!

Did you know that a single litre of pool or sea water can contain up to 1 million bacterial cells?

Leave It Alone!

This rule is the cover-all that prevents undue damage to your new piercing.

Clothing, Lifestyle and Bad Habits

  1. Do not touch, fiddle with, or twist the jewellery.
  2. Do not pick at, itch or scratch the piercing!
  3. Wear loose, comfortable underwear and outer clothing. You may want to change your underwear twice a day for the first week to maintain extra cleanliness.
  4. Do not touch your piercing with dirty hands!

Sex and Masturbation

In order to heal well and last a lifetime, it is vital to avoid mistreating your new piercing in its first few weeks of life. Even if the piercing feels good and comfortable, it is not fully healed yet! Having sex or masturbating can cause serious damage to the piercing.

Do not have sex or masturbate for at least 4 weeks after getting pierced.

After four weeks, you may feel comfortable and ready to have sex. Please, take it slow. Wear a condom or use a dental dam to prevent sharing body fluids, and listen to your body. If it hurts or is uncomfortable in any way – Stop!

And most importantly… COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR PARTNER(S). What might feel good for you might not feel good for them, and vice versa. Be a considerate partner.

Healing Times

Checkup – 2 Weeks

We recommend booking a checkup 2 weeks after your piercing. At this stage, any swelling you have will have come down and you may need a smaller diameter ring. At this stage, we may also like some feedback on the style of jewellery and we can make any adjustments that you think will make the piercing more comfortable! This includes having larger captive balls, smaller captive balls, etc.

Fully Healed – 8-12 weeks

After 8-12 weeks, you can expect your piercing to be fully healed. This is obviously just an estimate, as many things can impact your unique healing journey.

Ready to Stretch – 6 months

Some people aim to stretch their intimate piercings to a larger size, especially inner labia piercings. We recommend waiting 6 months to allow any scar tissue inside the piercing to heal, soften, and become more elastic. You may even notice that after 6 months, your piercing has naturally stretched and the next size up can simply slot in without any problems at all!

Maturation and Rejection

It’s important to note that the Fourchette piercing especially, can carry a relatively high risk of rejection. This is because the tissue it is pierced through is very thin and very elastic. The area also receives a lot more mechanical stress than any other vulva piercing, especially during penetrative sex. This means that the Fourchette piercing can migrate over time!

It is important to keep an eye on the piercing, and book in for a checkup if you notice any movement. We can assess the piercing, and let you know when it is time to remove.

Keep In Contact

Keeping in touch with your studio is so important! We are open 7 days a week and always have an intimate piercing specialist available on the team. If you have any issues with your piercing, any problems or anything isn’t looking quite how you expected, then you are always welcome to contact us or book in for a checkup.

No matter how far along your healing journey you are, we are always there to support you. That’s what makes Rogue such a great studio!

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White Gemstones – So Much Choice!

Today we’re going to give an overview of some of the most popular gemstones within the most popular colour category. The White Gemstone, or Clear gemstones, are probably the most common choice from the whole rainbow. They are crisp, sparkly, and match any colour scheme. So what choices do you have within the White category?

If you see anything you like, or want to explore the infinite jewellery options available to you, then definitely look into custom ordering!

White Diamonds

Amazing BVLA Inside-Out Eden Pear set with Genuine Diamonds.

White Diamonds are potentially the most well-known white gemstone. Crisp, intensely shiny and very long-wearing, Diamonds have a reputation as the perfect gemstone for body jewellery! Diamonds are composed of pure carbon – The fewer inclusions (dots of non-Diamond), the higher the quality. Diamonds are rated on Clarity and Size. Clarity is graded on a number and letter system (from Fl to I). Most smaller diamonds, such as those used in body jewellery, rate at VVS1 or VS1 which means that they contain very few inclusions. The less inclusions, the clearer and sparklier the gemstone is!

White Diamonds are available in body jewellery from a number of brands, however we love BVLA for our diamond collection.

White Sapphire

BVLA ‘Mini Marquise Fan’ End

White Sapphires are another classic white gemstone – We use a lot of White Sapphire in our jewellery curations! The main benefit of White Sapphire is that it is a lot more affordable than White Diamonds whilst still being a genuine gemstone! When it comes to bespoke Gold jewellery, we always aim to use genuine gemstones to be in keeping with how special these pieces are to our clients. Interestingly, a White Sapphire is often only 5% more expensive than a White CZ – So why not, right?

Rainbow Moonstone

Yellow Gold – Rainbow Moonstone

Rainbow Moonstone is a really fun alternative to traditional white gemstones, and is the perfect way to branch out whilst still ‘playing it safe,’ so to speak! Rainbow Moonstone has a really subtle blue flash to it – It can be hard to catch in photographs, but is really obvious in natural light!

Pearls

Cosmic BVLA Pearl cabochons.

Pearls are relatively rare in body jewellery – Currently only BVLA works with genuine White Pearls! This is because they are a very fragile naturally occurring material which is not suited for permanent wear in many positions. We recommend White Pearl in special pieces, like wedding curations!

Despite being high maintenance, White Pearls are STUNNING when it comes to jewellery. There truly is nothing like it!

White Opals

Yellow Gold – Genuine White Opal

White Opals are another classic option. These can be purchased in both Genuine and Synthetic options, however genuine White Opals are by far the more interesting and aesthetically pleasing of the two!

White Opals are again, relatively soft and fragile in comparison to other gemstones. You need to exercise common sense when wearing them – Don’t let your hairdresser douse them in peroxide, for example!

Mercury Mist Topaz

Mercury Mist Topaz is a treated gemstone with an opalescent, rainbow flash! It’s a really fun way to add a pop of colour whilst keeping with a natural gemstone.

The main thing to note with Mercury Mist is that it is a coating, which can wear away over time. Keep this in mind, however BVLA will replace worn gemstones!

So there you have it, some fabulous white gemstone options! What colour of the rainbow should we cover next?

Make sure to follow us on social media for more awesome jewellery and piercing content!

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Birthstones – March

March is full to the brim this year with both a very early Easter weekend and mothers day happening. And what better way to celebrate than gifting a very beautiful shiny gemstone. This month we are specifically looking at the gemstone Aquamarine, which is March’s birthstone.

Now technically, March does have two birthstones: Aquamarine and Bloodstone, however bloodstone isn’t typically used in body jewellery so we wont be going into great depths this blog post. 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 – Miel

Aquamarine is a gorgeous light toned crystal, often seen in pale blues but can range between greenish-blues and blue/greens. It typically doesn’t achieve dark tones or deep saturations, but the few that do can be compared to that of Sapphire, but still being lighter. The intensity of the colour is determined by the size of the stone, typically being the larger the stone the deeper the tones and saturations.

It is a pale/lighter version of Beryl, and the colour can be changed through heat treatment. This actually means it is a close cousin of Emerald!

The Brazilian state of Minas Gerais has been a predominant root of sourcing aquamarine for the last two centuries. Aquamarine is found in hard rock and weathered pegmatite deposits in the eastern portion of the state. Pegmatite is the host rock for many rare mineral deposits. Often composed of quartz , mica and feldspar. More often than not, the mining processes is quite small with less than a dozen employees.
 
Aquamarine can also be found in the Karakorum foothills of Pakistan. To reach the deposits, miners must climb steep paths to elevations, around 3,000 to more than 4,000 meters, and work the sides of forbidding cliffs. Below this uninviting rocky world lay valleys, rivers and small towns. Aquamarine from this area has been described as “water clear” due to their incredibly pale colour.

There is also many other sources of Aquamarine though, including Kenya, Madagascar, Zambia and many more countries.

This ocean coloured stone has some beautiful history behind it. Often thought to protect sailors at sea and calm the waves for a smooth journey, the stones name is a direct reference to its colour. Originating from Latin, “Aqua” meaning water, and “Marina” meaning “of the sea”, there’s no question on why there is much ocean lore surrounding the beauty of a gem. This March birthstone was also believed to have brought happiness into marriage, which is no surprise that while also celebrating march births, it is the gem is also given as a present for the 19th year of marriage.

It also has some famous history as well! In 1963, the First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt received a deep blue, rectangular cut piece of Aquamarine that weighed in at 1’298 Carats. This was gifted by the government of Brazil when both the president and the first lady stopped in Rio De Janeiro where they met Brazilian President Getúlio Vargas. The gift was actually the larger of two pieces that had been faceted from a much larger piece of aquamarine rough that and weighed 1.3kg! The stone is now held at the ‘Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum’ in Hyde Park, New York.

Lady Roosevelts Aquamarine gift.

This sea tone stone scores a hardness of 7.5-8 on the Moh’s Hardness scale, meaning it is durable for everyday wear. The cleaning of this stone is easy too, with mild and warm soapy water, and a toothbrush. This will also help clean out dirt from those tricky to reach places. And as long as there isn’t any fractures in the gem, both ultrasonic and steam cleaners are absolutely fine to be used!

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!

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Moving into Spring!

As the evenings slowly start to get lighter again, and that frosty chill is starting a steady exit, we begin to make our way into the spring season, which i’m sure we’re all ready for. However, before we say our goodbyes just yet to the winter months I thought we’d have a quick look at how 2024 has started for Rogue, from piercings to jewellery it’s definitely been a fun one.

Aiden started his year with a nice long break from the studio, using his annual leave for a fun adventure. Upon return to the studio though, you guys definitely didn’t make it easy for him! From 2g cheeks to intimate projects Aiden’s been working hard to fulfil all the piercing dreams you guys have given him!

A fresh set of 2g Cheek Piercings.

Breo is another one who has been taking some plentiful time away from the studio, and taking a much needed trip back to his home town in Spain. He was definitely missed though, upon arrival back in the studio his first day back was busy with rooks and helix piercings, and even a large gauge set of lobes chucked in there.

A forehead surface piercing for Phebe!

Gemma’s had a an interesting start to 2024, and has begun to take on more responsibility within the studio! She has been putting out some excellent work, from a classic helix’s, lower navels and fun intimate projects. Next month is Gemma’s turn away from the studio as she embarks on a week long journey to visit Andre in Germany, and progress her body modification journey.

Lower Navel Piericing!

Jay’s 2024 has started off with lots of training, from tongue piercings and septum’s, to VCH and Prince Albert piercings, Jay has started the ‘weird and wonderful’ and has been producing some amazing work. She also put some of her own training into practice when Kade shadowed in the studio, and helped pass on knowledge of bevel theory and blade needles.

A fresh set of paired central eyebrows!

Kat has been working alongside clients to continue to bring their jewellery dreams alive! From placing custom orders and helping put together that one unique piece, to helping curate ears, Kat has been kept on their toes. They’ve also taken a further step into the jewellery side of piercing and is now assisting FLUX Jewelellry!

A Custom BVLA Septum Jewellery

We’ve also had a few guests and shadows join us this year!

We ended January with a two day visit from Phebe, who came up to shadow septum piercings! Phebe is an absolute delight to work with, and we can’t wait to have her back, hopefully to guest next time and put her skills into practice. While she was here, Breo pierced her and gave Phebe a gorgeous forehead surface piercing which suited her set up brilliantly.

A sweet forehead piercing for Phebe!

February started with a week long visit from the wonderful Hika, who came and guested while Breo was travelling to Spain. She helped assist Jay on apprentice piercings and fed her some new knowledge, while also producing her own amazing work. She also got pierced by Aiden and left with a shiny new tragus and lobe duo.

Hika in action! Marking a bridge piercing!

Last but not least, we had Kade come and stay for a week too. He came to do some shadowing, and was an absolute delight to have in the studio, and we can’t wait for him to return. He left with some knew found knowledge and a new best friend (Jay). Not only did he get pierced while he visited, but Jay, Aiden and Gemma all pierced him as part of an ear project consisting of 5 vertical helix’s around his ear. Between them, they pierced three, leaving four and five for his next visit.

Kade putting knowledge into practice with Jay’s help.

Overall it has been an absolute whirlwind of a start to 2024, and hopefully we will see this continue through the warmer months! With two more guests planned in March and a conference, the Rogues are definitely going to be kept on their toes. Don’t forget you can book your own appointment with us here, and discuss anything from piercings to jewellery with us and fulfil your own dreams.

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Piercings and Skin Conditions

Hello everyone! Today we’re taking a bit of a deep-dive into something that is very important to know about – How your skin impacts on your piercings, and how your piercings impact on your skin! We’re going to talk about eczema and psoriasis, and getting a piercing on Accutane.

The British Skin Foundation has found that 60% of Britons have a skin condition, or have experienced a skin condition in the past at some stage of their life. That is a lot of people! These skin conditions can range from mild to severe, but the most common are eczema, psoriasis, and cystic acne.

Eczema

Eczema is an incredibly common skin condition, affecting up to 25% of the population. Most common in childhood, eczema can follow us into our adult life where it is more common to impact on your piercings.

Eczema can cause itching and flaky skin. It tends to go through phases of flare-ups, punctuated by periods of healing and normal skin. This can be really annoying!

This is a good example of what an eczema flare-up can look like on an ear. There are lots of things that can trigger a flare-up, but the most common causes are the introduction of new cleaning products and stress – Both of these things can be experienced after a piercing!

So how do you work with eczema? The most important thing to do is to wait until you are not in a flare-up before getting a piercing. Piercing irritated skin will only cause more irritation, and can make your flare-up more intense and last longer. We promise we will still be here when your skin is healthy.

Taking care of piercings when you have an eczema flare-up can be tricky. Depending on the treatment you choose, it can irritate your piercings whilst soothing your skin. Both emollients and steroid creams can be harmful to a piercing. Steroids especially can cause some grumpiness! We recommend avoiding putting any creams or lotions directly onto your piercings, and leaving a good 10mm gap around them. Topical steroids especially can have long-term impacts on the skin that they are applied to. Most commonly, skin can become thinner and more fragile. This can slow down the healing process quite significantly.

Cleaning your piercings is very important when you are having a flare-up. Excessive skin buildup is common, and this can cause irritation when it accumulates on and around your piercings. We recommend moving to a once-daily cleaning routine. Be mindful of sterile saline, as although it is isotonic and non-irritating, it may be an eczema trigger for some people. If you find that saline is a little too harsh, cleaning your piercings after you have had a warm shower to soften the buildup with plain water is perfectly acceptable.

We like to stay in contact with clients who have eczema and other skin conditions, so that we can monitor the progress of their piercings and give them advice if necessary.

Important Takeaways

  • Avoid getting piercings during a flareup.
  • Ensure you are removing any skin buildup with gentle cleaning.
  • Do not apply emollients or steroids near your piercings.

Piercing on Accutane

Acne is a very common skin condition! Approximately 85% of the population will experience acne at some stage of their lives, most commonly between the ages of 16 and 25. Of course, the severity can vary wildly! Acne is only a consideration if we are aiming to pierce the affected skin, or if you are taking acne medication. It is really important to let us know if you are taking any medications! So can you get a piercing on accutane?

Accutane is a very strong medication that works by affecting the cell cycle. Although its method of action is not precisely known, its anti-acne effects are achieved by the drug triggering apoptosis (cell death) of sebaceous oil gland cells. These mechanisms can slow down the blockage of pores, and makes the skin more inhospitable to acne-worsening bacteria. Sounds great, right?

Unfortunately, Accutane is also pretty terrible for your skin! It has a lot of side-effects, many of which affect wound healing. The most common side-effects are intensely dry and fragile skin, UV sensitivity, rashes, and slower healing of wounds. This is pretty nasty, and definitely will impact on your piercings!

Piercings are not the same as a standard wound – The introduction of jewellery means that your body is already dealing with something abnormal. Piercings take months, and sometimes up to a year or two to heal. Introducing Accutane to the picture means this healing process may fail entirely.

So how should you work around it? The bottom line is that you should not be getting a piercing on Accutane. The medical community even recommends avoiding being waxed, never mind being pierced! It is recommended to finish your Accutane course, and then wait a further six months to allow your skin to normalise again before getting a piercing.

Accutane can also impact on piercings that you may have had for a long time. As Accutane damages the cell cycle, you may notice that existing piercings may get irritated easily. It’s important to remember that this irritation will not go away until your treatment is finished – Talk to your piercer, and we can formulate a plan on how to move forward. Depending on the piercing, it may be best to retire severely irritated piercings and repierce them at a later date. In the meantime, go right back to basics with them – Cleaning once a day, ensuring your jewellery fits appropriately, and is of a suitable style.

Intensely dry skin can definitely cause discomfort – Keep your skin protected by applying an appropriately thick and luscious moisturiser. Invest in a good lip balm!

Important Takeaways

  • Do not get a piercing on Accutane, or for 6 months after your treatment is finished.
  • Be mindful that even healed piercings can get very irritated – Keep in contact with your piercer for personalised advice.
  • Go back to basics with caring for your piercings. Clean gently with warm warm water, keep your piercings dry, and do not touch them!

So in summary, we require a lot of communication between piercer and client. What may have worked for you in the past in terms of healing, may not work for you depending on your flare up and medication. We like to take a cautious approach, and start with one or two easier healing piercings before moving onto more complicated work, just so we can observe and discuss how healing impacts you.

If you have any questions, definitely drop us an email! Make sure to follow us on social media as well, to stay updated with all of our work.

See you next Friday for a new blog!

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An Interview with X – Pierced Professional

When it comes to learning how to perform intimate piercings, finding people who trust your ability as a trainee can be a challenge. Thankfully, I met a client who not only trusted me to perform my first ever horizontal clitoral hood (HCH) piercing but then added two more! After many discussions and consultations, I was able to sit down and chat on record about how this project came to be and why they put their trust in Rogue and myself. 
*For anonymity, I have changed names and locations. 

G: Let’s start at your beginning.

X: I grew up in the 1980s in rural East England. As a kid, I would get on the bus, go to school, get on the bus, come back from school. And that’s it. I lived so far from everything, I was stuck at home. I was very quiet and just kept to my own company.

I had my ears pierced when I was about 11 and it was really, really painful. I had butterfly back earrings, as was the norm. Laying on those earrings was painful so I’d take them out at night and then, when I had to put them in the next day, it was like re-piercing my ear all over again.

After school I joined the Armed Forces so I couldn’t have any piercings. Most of us went off and got a tattoo, secretly. I just remember going out one night and we were like “let’s get tattooed!” So we went to the pub and then on the way home we stopped at this tattoo studio. It was a case of looking at flash pieces and deciding what to have based on what I could hide. I had the predictable small rose done on my hip!

The first tattoo I saw was when my brother came home from the army. He had a piece on the top of his arm. I just kind of thought, “oh, you can do stuff like that when you leave home, when you’re a grownup.” 

When I left the Forces, I started collecting piercings all the way up my ear. I had my nipples pierced when I was 22 and it was a sort of, “I’m free of your clutches, Mr. Government man, and I’m gonna stamp my own identity on myself!” moment. 

G: How was that?

X: I went along to Birmingham for a tattoo and asked the artist if he could pierce my nipples. He said yes and did I mind if the other guys there watched. There wasn’t a private room or anything. And I remember thinking, you know, I’ve been in the Forces, I can be tough! So, I was laid on a bench and had my piercing and I remember looking at these four guys and being amused at how they were so impressed that I didn’t scream while being pierced. Now I was out of the Forces, I felt this was me being independent and stating my own identity in a way.

A lot of life happened, and over the years I’ve had various tattoos but when I hit 50, a long relationship ended, I was diagnosed with diabetes and I kind of just felt a bit adrift.

I wanted to move away from what had been “we and us” and move into marking myself as an “I” again. I’ve always viewed tattooing as a way to anchor my identity but using piercing in the same way was more recent and more empowering.

So I’d hit 50 and I was talking to one of my friends about how I used to have my nipples pierced. And I got home that night and I thought, “I wish I still had my nipples pierced. Why haven’t I got my nipples pierced?” I went online and looked at repiercings and I was so excited when I saw that there were all these stories of people who’d had their nipples repierced. 

A couple of years later I was talking to a nurse and saying I thought I had a high pain tolerance because I’d had my nipples pierced – and, now,  repierced. She told me she had “down there” pierced. It was like an epiphany. I’d known for a long time that you can have “down there” pierced and I’d always wondered what exactly because I figured there wasn’t much to pierce through! But as soon as she said it, my brain just exploded. I’ve got to have this done. I’ve got to go and have this done right now. About a week later I got in touch with Rogue Piercing.

I couldn’t stop thinking, why have I never had this done before? Why have I never felt like I need to have this done before? All those feelings that came with it were really sort of weird and new but in a positive way.

Illustration by Jennifer Klepacki in “The Piercing Bible—The Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing” by Elayne Angel

G: What made you decide to come to Rogue for your intimate consultation?

X: I looked at a range of studios and there wasn’t anywhere local doing intimate piercings. I wanted somewhere that was experienced. I researched a lot of studios and I came across a blog post by Rogue. That’s how I ended up reading about the studio and the team and decided to book a consultation.

I knew I wanted a HCH (horizontal clitoral hood) piercing because I know my anatomy well and thought that it would be more aesthetically pleasing than a VCH (vertical clitoral hood). There’s a YouTube channel I watched a lot of, where they talked about the pros and cons of intimate piercings and it was one of few places I found information about the HCH. 

G: You came very prepared for your consultation with me! How did you find the experience?

X: The consultation was great because I was able to bring any questions that I had from watching the videos and reading about the piercing. A lot of what you said during the consultation was reinforced by my own research so that made me feel confident in the process.

It was really nice to meet and chat with the team, get to know you all and feel welcomed. Gemma gave me lots of information and Aiden would chime in with little facts and knowledge. At the end of the consultation we talked about you doing the piercing as part of your training. It would be one of your first HCH piercings and Aiden had been doing them for over a decade so he would be supervising. 

G: I really appreciate the trust you put in me and the studio to perform an intimate piercing that is a first for both of us. It means a lot. And I’m so grateful to have been able to work with you since then on expanding your project! What was the piercing experience like for you?

X: I felt quite comfortable because I’d already met you at the consultation and I trusted that it would go well. I was still very nervous because although I have a high pain tolerance, I didn’t know what to expect. I just thought “I’m gonna have a needle stuck through my clit hood. This is gonna hurt. And I’m going to do it.” And I did! 

I think I already knew I wanted lots more straight away. It seemed like if I’m gonna be in for a penny, I’ll be in for a pound. I was just waiting to see what the first one went like, I didn’t know how the healing would go or whether I’d have problems.

Healing was absolutely fine and so I decided, well if I have the anatomy then I’m going to get more! 

X always brings the good music vibes to the studio!

G: We’d briefly discussed it during your anatomy check as part of the intimate consultation and we decided to add two more HCH piercings to create a triple of BCRs. As a piercer, I was very excited about this project because it’s very rare to find a) a person with the anatomy for 3 HCH piercings and b) for that person to actually want to get and heal 3 HCH piercings!

X: I don’t understand why anybody who has the anatomy to, doesn’t want more than one piercing! If you want one, surely you want two or three or four, whatever you can have. The first one was painful and then when we added the others, the pain was barely comparable, It’s a little pinch.

I like the secret nature of intimate piercings. No one knows you have them unless you decide to tell them. 

G: You work in the education system, are visible tattoos and piercings viewed as unprofessional in your workplace?

X: So you’d think it might be fairly traditional, especially in the private sector, but some of my colleagues do have visible tattoos and to date they’ve not been officially commented on as ‘unacceptable’.

I was having a conversation with a colleague friend about the visibility of tattoos, piercings or just self expression in general. The main thing that came up was that we wanted students to see that this is what ordinary people do. This is just as usual and acceptable and part of the fabric of life as anything else.

I think back to my upbringing in the 80s… there were tattoos, there were piercings, but I never got to see anything of them. If just one person in a profession like education or medical or whatever, had visible piercings or tattoos, it might have felt more normalised and not “othered” or “taboo” to a lot of people. 

Instead, it again can be that act of rebelling against the institution. It’s a way of saying to the institution, “you don’t own me, I’m not yours, I’m mine.” 

G: Is body modification your rebellion?

X: There’s an addictiveness about it as well. You get a little buzz, not necessarily a physical buzz but a mental buzz.  I’d be tattooed and pierced all over my body if I could, for the buzz of it.

But you see, for me, it’s about going through the entire process to have the end result [of a modification]. I want something solid. I want something tangible where I go “that’s mine, I chose it and I’m really proud of that”. 

It is such a privilege to be part of someone’s journey of self expression and I cannot thank my clients enough for helping me to learn and grow. Rebel well!

If you would like more information on intimate piercings you can view our blogs here

If you would like to book for an intimate consultation, you can do that here

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Birthstones – February

Love is in the air this month with Valentines day quickly and surely approaching. We’re also celebrating another birthday at Rogue (Hi Gemma!). And what better way to show off your birth month than with the February birthstone: Amethyst! (Possibly the studio’s favourite genuine gemstone).

Following on from January and Garnet, February is one of the few months that only has one birthstone, rather than two or three. 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). So what about the February birthstone?

With a great contrast to the colder and short lived month of February, the February birthstone Amethyst is a gorgeous and rich-coloured gemstone that should be enjoyed for an eternity. Being a purple variety of Quartz, it comes in all sorts of hues including lilac to deep purples. For Amethyst to get its colour, the quartz needs to have trace amounts of iron. This iron has tiny impurities which are then exposed to natural radiation (irradiation) which results in oxidation of the impurities. This process changes the absorption spectrum of the Quartz, resulting in the beautiful purple shades we see.

Russia was the main source of Amethyst until the 19th century, when large deposits were found in Brazil. Originally being super rare, this new found discovery led amethyst to suddenly become quite common . Today, the most important sources of amethyst are in Africa and South America however Brazil is still a major supplier, especially in Rio Grande do Sul, although the amethyst mined there tends to have a lighter colour than most found in other countries. .

In Africa, Zambia’s Kariba mine is one of the largest amethyst producers in the world. The Amethyst that is mined here typically tends to have excellent quality with richly saturated colours. There is also the ‘Four Peaks Amethyst Mine’ located just outside of Phoenix is the United States. This mine is is in a remote location, with extremely challenging conditions for Amethyst to form, yet somehow forms some of the deepest purple, and purplish red crystals.

This purple stone also has a great history behind it, often being found in collections of royal families across Europe and Asia. Because of the original rarity of Amethyst, it was held as high as a diamond, and was incredibly favoured royalty, or the Clergy as a symbol for the deity of Christ. It wasn’t until the discovery in Brazil that made Amethyst more available to a wide range of wearers.

Amethyst lore is just as great as its history. The lore includes many claims of bringing personal empowerment or inner strength if worn, as well as it’s claims to mystical powers. Leonardi Da Vinci once wrote that this stone has the power to protect against evil thoughts and quicken intelligence. Apparently he was well known for making use of this stone. Throughout time Amethyst has been ground down and ingested for medicine, or been used to make drinking goblets due to the reports of preventing intoxication. Although Amethyst is not toxic, it is no longer recommended to ingest through eating or drinking. So please do not try this at home!

In the modern day, Amethyst is the stone that is traditionally given to celebrate the 6th year of a marriage!

This purple quartz scored a 7 on the Moh’s scale of hardness, making it appropriate for daily wear in jewellery, although over time may show wear and need a repolish. As it is more susceptible to damage than harder stones (such as rubies and diamonds), it should be stored away safely from anything harder to avoid it being scratched or damaged. As always, the safest way to clean this stone is with a soft toothbrush and some mild soap, but it is also safe in an ultrasonic. However, steam cleaning should be avoided. This is because extreme treat (or some heat treatments) can change the shades of purple , or make it more brittle.

BVLA TRIO
Afghan, Mini Kandy, Mini Reema.

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!

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Secrets of the Prince Albert Piercing

Welcome back to another blog from Rogue! This week we are revisiting one of our most popular blogs of all time, our Mythbusters post about the Prince Albert piercing.

When it comes to intimate piercings, Prince Albert piercings are probably the most common, and most popular option. For example, we performed over 40 of them in 2023! Placed on the underside of the head of the penis and exiting through the urethra, the Prince Albert or PA is notorious in the piercing and body modification industry for having super quick healing times and purportedly desirable results. The Prince Albert was popularised in modern piercing in the early 70’s by Jim Ward, the most influential body piercer of the modern age . But where did it get its infamous name?

Why the Prince Albert?

It all goes back to the 70s and 80s, and the group of friends that Jim Ward collected. Doug Malloy, a friend of Ward’s, was one of the most famous. You know elevator music? That entire genre is the brainchild of Doug Malloy. And what did Mr Malloy invest his money in? The burgeoning body piercing industry. To help popularise piercings in the days before viral social media, it is said that Malloy created a scandalous pamphlet in which he wrote tales of the piercings they performed. One of these stories was about the origins of the ever-popular Prince Albert piercing. To look further into this, we must ask – who was Prince Albert, anyway?

Who knows, maybe there WAS a ring hidden under those very sensible trousers! What a sex icon.

Albert, Prince Consort to Queen Victoria, was born in 1819 and was married to Queen Vic on the 10th of February, 1840. Together they had 9 children and he tirelessly supported the Queen throughout her reign. Initially reluctant towards the role of Prince Consort and the lack of power he held (remind you of anyone?), Albert became known for supporting public causes such as educational reform and the abolishment of slavery! One of the rumours that Malloy wrote in his pamphlets was that Prince Albert invented the legendary PA piercing. It was said that Prince Albert was incredibly well endowed, but it was uncouth in that day and age to display that publicly. So in order to hide his large penis in his tight trousers, he chose to have a ring installed so that he could tie his member down to one of his legs.

There are many stories about how the PA got its name, from the theory that Prince Albert himself had Peronei’s disease (a kink of the penis) and used the piercing to straighten his it out, to the general public tying down their penises to hide their erection from the Queen’s daughters. Legend also has it that Prince Albert used the piercing to pull back the foreskin to keep his member sweet-smelling so as to not offend the Queen. How considerate of him! 

The Prince Albert is clearly a historical piercing awash with myth and hearsay. It is difficult for anyone to nail down how exactly the piercing got its name, however the most likely theory is that Victorian haberdashers called it the “dressing ring” and used it to firmly secure male genitalia to the more comfortable leg in a method not unlike tucking for Drag Queens. It was very popular in those days for men to wear extremely tight trousers and the piercing helped minimize visible endowment. 

Either way, we now know that the Victorians were anything but shy – Many Victorians had tattoos and indeed piercings! It was quite common for young Victorian women to get their ears pierced, until it fell out of fashion at the turn of the 20th Century when it became seen as ‘barbaric…’ So although it is probably a myth, all the best myths carry a hint of truth behind them.

An English gentleman with Queen Victoria tattooed across his chest.

It is most certainly an interesting piercing that has been the subject of a lot of speculation throughout the years. But whatever the reason is, it is a timeless piercing that many people enjoy across the globe, and is just one of many intimate piercings that are available!

If you have any interest in getting an intimate piercing, you can find a whole host of modern-day information across our website – Click on any of the buttons below to take you to the places you want to go!

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The Trouble with Online Troubleshooting

Welcome back to the blog! Todays post will be a little bit of a casual opinion piece about the joys and dangers of online troubleshooting, and the issues that can arise from getting piercing problem advice on the interwebs.

Who Do You Trust?

The main issue we see with online piercing problem troubleshooting, especially in public forums, is a lack of accountability and expertise. Having moderated and been an expert on various high-profile forums, I can see the same advice being touted by dozens of people who may not be professionals themselves. It can be difficult to tell if the person you are taking advice from is a qualified piercer, or a piercing enthusiast, or a fellow novice! When there is little to no consequences to the advice-giver, it can be easy for standards to slip and for bad advice to be given.

Anecdotal evidence is rife – ‘It worked for me’ is a pretty common thing to read! The problem with this is that sometimes people will heal a piercing in spite of their poor habits, not because of them. At Rogue, we work from evidence-based information to give the best possible advice.

If you are going to get advice online, the best place to do so is through the inbox of a professional piercer who you trust.

Can you tell what the problem might be with this piercing? Hint: There was four issues that couldn’t be spotted from a picture.

A Picture is Worth About 10 Words

A common question that we get, and also see online on forums, is ‘Here’s a picture of my piercing – What is wrong with it?’ This is a difficult question to answer…

Although a photo can be incredibly valuable, it rarely gives us all the information that we need in order to find the cause of your irritation and solve it with you. The best way to troubleshoot a piercing is in-person, where we can look at the piercing as a three-dimensional object and take information from all angles. A single picture will rarely show a poor angle, or a build-up of crusties that is causing issues, or a snag or knock.

When online troubleshooting, it can be easy to be lead down one route when in fact there might be two or three issues that all need to be resolved before the piercing will heal.

Personal Issues and Impersonal Advice

In my opinion, the biggest issue with online troubleshooting forums is that the advice is very rarely tailored to the individual, and doesn’t take into account your lifestyle and piercing problems. Having worked on public forums, the advice that is given (no matter what the true problem is) is: ‘Change it to Titanium, and clean it with sterile saline!’

Although this is generally good advice, the issues arise when the advisor is not a piercer, is given limited information, and can only work from a very limited knowledge base.

When advice is not coming from a piercer, it can be tricky to navigate piercing problem troubleshooting. A lack of professional experience means that non-piercers cannot digest and make the information that they learn their own. It can be quite common for the piercers at Rogue and myself to read comments, and be able to tell exactly which one of our blogs the advisor has recently read and is currently regurgitating!

When you book in with an experienced piercer for an in-person consultation and troubleshooting session, we work holistically. We look at everything that could be impacting your piercing and give you personalised advice that is aimed at you. And yes, sometimes that means changing your jewellery to Titanium and cleaning it with sterile saline! However there is a lot more to troubleshooting than just that.

Benefits of Online Troubleshooting

It’s not all bad news! During the pandemic, a lot of quality studios had to move to online-only troubleshooting for their clients as they could not be open to work in person. This included Rogue! We spent many, many (many) months working via email and Instagram to help our clients. This means that there are many good piercers like ourselves that can give good advice from photos and descriptions. That being said, the best way to work through problems with piercings is still to book in with ourselves to be assessed in person.

Online troubleshooting can be handy if your piercer is closed for the weekend, or is otherwise unable to respond to your messages. As a short-term stand-in, online advice can help, but should always be backed up with a trip to your piercer!

Teaching moment!

Our staff are highly trained and super experienced, which means that you can trust us to give you the best possible result from your appointment. You can see in the photo above a moment captured during my recent Wound Healing class at the UKAPP Annual Conference, where I teach piercers about the science behind wound healing and troubleshooting!

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Make sure to follow us on social media for the latest updates.

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Birthstones – January

We’re officially into the new year, with Christmas gone and passed, but it’s not all doom and gloom in the studio. This month we’re celebrating the birthday of our apprentice, and this weeks blog is all about the January birthstone (well not just theirs). Garnet! Mostly known for it’s very intense red that will surely keep that fire going in the cold long days of January.

January is one of the few months that only has one stone, rather than two or three. 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).

But don’t worry, if that brilliant Red of Garnet isn’t your personal choice of colour, you’ll be happy to know that the January Birthstone comes in a whole rainbow of colours; green, blue, oranges, pinky/oranges, and purplish reds. There are even Garnets that have a colour-change effect when under different lighting or Star Garnets, which is where the stone displays a ‘multi-rayed’ light reflection on its surface that resembles a 4 or 6 pointed star. However, despite the wide range of colours available, this stone is well known for for their deep red varieties, that often are compared to fruit seeds of pomegranates.

Star garnets are found in India, the U.S. state of Idaho as well as Sri Lanka. Green garnet ranges in location. For example, Tsavorite is mined in Kenya and was named after the Tsavo National Park where it is mined nearby, while Demantoid garnet is hugely sourced in Russia. Yellowish/orange, or bright orange Garnet is named after Spessart in Germany where it was discovered but Namibia and Tanzania are also key sources for Spessart Garnets. The colour changing Garnets are found in Kenya, Sri Lanka and Madagascar. Garnets are also found and mined in many other countries. So many different ways to celebrate the january birthstone!

According to Indian astrology, Garnet helps eliminate negative feelings (such as depression or guilt) while improving self-confidence and mental clarity which helps promote creative thinking and peace of mind. In ancient and medieval times, gems like garnet were also thought to be remedies for inflammatory diseases and to soothe the angry heart. Garnets are also a symbol of eternal love thought to held protective healing powers, which makes it another good reason to gift Garnet to your loved one to celebrate your second wedding anniversary.

The different types of Garnet which change where it sits on the Moh’s Scale of Hardness, but it typically ranges between 6.5 and 7.5, making it more susceptible to damage than diamonds or rubies. Be careful on storage for Garnets, because it can be scratched by other stones. While Garnet is not ideal for everyday wear, it is ideal for earrings (including body jewellery), brooches and pendants. Most garnet stones are not treated except in rare instances where they might be fracture filled. However, the best way to clean your garnets is with a soft toothbrush (we always recommend baby tooth brushes the bristles are always softer) and warm soapy water. If you have an ultrasonic at home, you’ll be happy to know that you can give your garnets a quick whizz about in there, unless they are fractured, or fracture-filled. Steam cleaning is not recommended.

BVLA – Round Prong

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!