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Piercings and Pregnancy

Becoming pregnant is probably one of the most exciting and daunting things you can do! Not only is it mentally intense, but physically it can take a toll on your body. So why should you think about piercing while pregnant? You might not even be thinking about your piercings, but read this blog and find out what to expect when you’re expecting as a pierced person!

Can I Get Pierced Whilst Pregnant?

The short answer is no! Absolutely not, with no exceptions! The longer answer is…

As you probably know, your growing foetus will be sharing everything with you – Your oxygen, your nutrients, and any bacteria or infections you may have. This means that there is a risk of transferring bacteria to your baby if you receive a piercing during your pregnancy.

This risk is small, especially when you are receiving high quality piercings from a safe studio such as Rogue, however this is not a risk we would ever want to take when there is a tiny human life involved! Not only is it a morally grey area, but no insurance policies in the UK will cover the piercing of a pregnant person, and no piercing licenses allow it either. It is simply not worth it.

Can I Get Pierced Whilst Breastfeeding?

Again, the best option is to avoid it. The chances of passing infections through breastmilk is pretty low but not impossible! Most licensing councils will not allow piercing studios to pierce people who are breastfeeding simply to turn this risk from small to zero.

The main reason that we do not want to pierce pregnant or breastfeeding people is because your body is already under a huge amount of strain! Whilst pregnant, you are growing an entirely new person! And when breastfeeding, you are probably going to be tired, sleep deprived, and physically drained. Your tiny new person is going to be taking up a large part of your time and brain-space, and it is always best to be able to focus on the new kid on the block as opposed to having to care for a new piercing.

We are open all year round, seven days a week. We will definitely still be here when your little one is weaned and you can sleep through the night!

Pregnancy and Your Existing Piercings

Something that few people consider is that your existing piercings might get a bit grumpy when you are pregnant! The reason for that is…

HORMONES.

Hormones play a huge role our bodies. From dictating when we wake up and fall to sleep, to our menstrual cycles, to our stress responses! Unsurprisingly, our hormones go absolutely nuts when we are pregnant.

The main hormone that will affect wound healing during pregnancy is oestrogen, or estrogen if you are a terrible American. Pregnancy causes oestrogen levels to skyrocket, which can negatively affect your natural wound healing process. This means that any minor knock, bump or snag to your piercings that under normal circumstances you may not even notice, can cause irritation!

Your immune system in general is dampened during pregnancy, meaning that you might experience irritation and general ‘grumpiness’ of your existing piercing while pregnant during those months. If you are experiencing this, definitely book a checkup appointment so that we can assess your piercings, and help you to make them as comfortable and happy as possible.

Navel and Nipple Piercings

Another really common question we get is: Can I wear a pregnancy navel bar and avoid having to take it out? Should I get nipple piercings if I am planning on breastfeeding later down the line? Will nipple piercings stop me from being able to breastfeed?

Lets answer these questions one by one!

Pregnancy Navel Bars

You can buy them pretty much anywhere. Extra long, often soft and flexible plastic barbells that will keep your navel piercing while pregnant open as your body expands. They are often a terrible idea for a few different reasons!

Firstly, we have covered the topic of plastic body jewellery time and time again on our blog. In short, there are no safe plastic jewellery options available on the market. Plastics are unsafe, can release toxic chemicals when exposed to heat and moisture, and can cause serious irritation to your piercing.

Secondly, it is never a good idea to wear jewellery in a piercing that is going to be placed under a huge amount of stress and expansion. As your pregnancy continues, the skin will stretch. Wearing jewellery in your piercing during this time will put a lot of pressure on the piercing channel, and seriously increases your risk of rejection or tissue splitting. Even if your piercing remains relatively healthy, there is a very high chance that it will be left very thin, fragile, and most likely off-centre or crooked in some way.

The best step to take is to remove your piercing in the early stages of pregnancy, and wait until you have finished breastfeeding. At this stage, you will be nice and ready to be repierced and have a beautiful, well-placed navel piercing!

Nipple Piercing While Pregnant and Breastfeeding

We cover this topic briefly in our Nipple Piercings 101 blog, however lets go deeper today!

Can I breastfeed if I have had nipple piercings? The answer is of course, yes! You can definitely still breastfeed if you have had nipple piercings. The common myth is that nipple piercings will damage your milk ducts, but this is simply untrue. You have hundreds of microscopic pores for milk to be expressed from, and a nipple piercing will only impact on a handful. You will still be able to breastfeed completely as normal.

That being said, should you breastfeed with jewellery? The answer is no, definitely not. Nipple barbells pose a significant risk to your infant. Not only are they a choking hazard and can damage your infants mouth, but having jewellery in the way might stress your infant out and discourage them from latching correctly. We always recommend removing jewellery during the breastfeeding process.

So do you have to retire your nipple piercings entirely during breastfeeding? Generally, yes… Hypothetically, you could definitely remove and reinsert your nipple jewellery every few hours for feeding time, but this is probably not going to be at the top of your list with a newborn baby in the house! Having spoken with breastfeeding parents before, the nipple can become chapped, irritated and very sore. Fiddling with nipple jewellery sounds like an added problem that I would not personally want to deal with…

So yes, we probably recommend retiring your nipple piercings and having them reopened or repierced once you have finished breastfeeding.

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Genital Piercings

Less commonly, we are asked by parents with intimate piercings what the jazz is – Are they ok to be left in? Will my Obstetrician be ok with them? Will I be judged for having intimate piercings? What do I do with my intimate piercing while pregnant?

It’s a tricky question to answer, and depends a lot on the intimate piercing in question. Most intimate piercings are totally fine to be left in place for your pregnancy, however some may pose a problem when it comes to delivery. Most piercings in the area such as Christina piercings, VCH and HCH piercings, and outer labia piercings, will not cause any issues during pregnancy. However, be prepared to answer innocent and/or curious questions from your Obs and Gyns team! It’s always best to mention the piercings beforehand, and have some jokes or one-liners prepped to make the process more entertaining.

In general, we would recommend removing inner labia piercings, fourchette piercings, and Princess Albertina piercings well in advance of your due date. These are the piercings that are closest to the vaginal canal, and are the piercings that are most likely going to get ‘in the way’ during the delivery! Given the huge physical demands of childbirth, your vulva and vaginal canal are going to be rearranged in ways that are a little intense, and having jewellery in place could increase risk of tearing. In addition, if you have to undergo any interventional procedures such as an episiotomy, your fourchette piercings and other vaginal-canal-adjacent piercings will need to be removed to allow the delivery procedure to continue.

The most important thing however, is to seek medical opinion. Depending on your piercings, and your birth plan, your team may recommend total removal of all piercings. It is better to know in advance as opposed to being surprised on the day!

Conclusions

So there you have it! A pretty good overview of what to expect from piercing while pregnant. Most of all, if you are pregnant and reading this, congratulations!

We hope this has helped you make informed decisions about your body, your piercings, and your pregnancy. It’s a big change for anyone, whether it is your first child or your fourth! If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us via email, or through our professional Instagram page.

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Neilmed: Piercing Aftercare

If you have ever been pierced at Rogue, or had your piercings troubleshooted, or even just asked for some help for your aftercare you may have noticed that we highly recommend Neilmed. But who are they and why do we recommend them so highly?

Who or what are they?

Neilmed Piercing Aftercare is a product from Neilmed Pharmaceuticals. You may have seen or recognise their other products from your local pharmacy, such as their Sinus Rinse Kits. After the company was founded in 2000 it wasn’t long before they became the largest manafacturer of saline nasal irrigation systems in the world, and that was when they realised they could make an easy and logical transition into the piercing world.

They realised there was a small gap in the market shining for a high quality product that helped make that cleaning process much smoother and easier for everyone involved. So they began talking to the professional piercing industry, and collaborated together to create their shining new product: Neilmed Piercing aftercare – FINE MIST.

They are also located in over 40 countries, from the UK to Hong Kong, or from Jersey to Finland, you can find Neilmed all over the world.

Why is their product so recommended to clients?

Neilmeds piercing aftercare is a highly recommended and sought after product for a vast variety of reasons.

  1. It’s sterile: Neilmed uses a ‘Bag-On-Valve’ technology which ensures your product stays sterile once opened and used. The solution itself is stored inside of a bag (in the can) which is directly attached to the nozzle to spray out. This means that when you use pressure to spray it onto your piercings (like a deodorant can), any air or bacteria entering the can, cannot mix with solution. This further means you are not spraying any potential dirt or harmful bacteria onto or into your healing piercings throughout the entire cleaning process.
  2. Quality and Recommended Ingredients: The piercing solution is made of two ingredients. Pharmaceutical grade water, and sodium chloride. Pharmaceutical grade water means the water used has no added substances and meets all the required testing for purified water. Sodium chloride is more commonly known as salt. And that is it, there is no added chemicals, or substances that may cause harm to the body. The reason it is difficult to home make salt solution though (despite being able to make and keep it sterile) is because it is incredibly hard to mix the right amount of each product to be beneficial. Too much salt can dry out the skin and cause flakiness and irritation. Too much water can cause excessive moisture, which can cause those pesky red and wet looking irritation bumps. Manufacturers have all the right equipment to ensure the product is perfect.
  3. Easy To Use: The bottle comes with a fine mist spray tip. This helps create a gentle stream of the solution from the bottle to the piercing. The fine mist allows a much more controlled and quicker way to directly clean your piercings. The bottle is also able to spray in any position, including upside down, which can make it easier to reach those trickier placements.
  4. PH Friendly: At Rogue we offer and perform many intimate piercings for our clients. This means we needed to be able to offer a product that was safe to use in those intimate places, especially four our clients with Vulvas (which are much more sensitive to products). Neilmed saline solution is very safe to spray onto any new piercing, including those in much more hidden places.
  5. Available in two sizes: The Neilmed saline fine mist is available in both 75mm and 177ml. The 75ml version was released in 2016, which allowed for clients to clean their piercings effectively while travelling without breaking their regime or changing products.

So why do piercers like Neilmed?

Over the years, there have been hundreds of different piercing aftercare products, from sprays to soaps, to natural herbal products, homemade salt solutions, lotions and potions. You name it, it’s been done. So why do we find Neilmed so important? Surely they’re not the only sterile saline solution on the market?

And that’s true. There are other reputable brands that we can also recommend, Neilmed however have a close relationship with their clients (us, the piercers), and they take the time out to listen to us.

Even from entering the piercing aftercare market, they have consistently made sure they had the best product available and that the quality remained high. They listened to consumer demands and shortly after releasing the fine mist spray, they came out with a full stream version which allowed that classic ‘full on’ application to clean your piercings. They persistently emphasise their commitment by listening to consumer feedback. Any problems, questions, concerns or idea are listened to and taken on board with immediate changes and improvements when needed.

As stated previously, they also released a smaller version of their product in 2016 which benefitted both client and piercer, followed by a brand new item in 2023: The Neilmed Sterile Saline Wipes. Piercers use saline wipes on a daily basis to help manage clean and pierce their clients. Having easier access to a higher quality product that has shown consistent loyalty to their clients was definitely appreciated.

Neilmed have also been frequent visitors and vendors at piercing conferences across the world. They make the annual trip every year to help support piercers during their education times and also take part in each conferences raffle. This year at the UKAPP conference they donated 2x full cases of their saline solution.

Their team of staff are also wonderful. They consistently go out of their way to be friendly and go above and beyond for their clients. The UK representative, Damien, is constantly in touch with his clients and establish and maintains good relationships with piercers both professionally and as friends. This year both him and his team member Terri were absolutely wonderful at the UKAPP conference, and even got some piercers together for a fun evening of karaoke. It’s small acts like this that makes Neilmed not just a great product, but a great business to work with.

So why should you care?

Overall, Neilmed is one of the greatest companies that piercers have ever worked with. They have repeatedly shown consistence with their products, as well as commitment and loyalty to their clients. Neilmed made changes in the world of piercing aftercare to benefit piercers and piercers clients (you!) Their piercing aftercare is truly one of the greatest aftercare products on the market while also being super affordable. Simply, we do not believe that you can get better.

I would also like to extend a thank you personally to Damien, the UK Neilmed Representative. You have have been an absolute pleasure to work with, talk to, and sing karaoke with. You always go above and beyond for all of us piercers across the UK, and further. You are truly a gem to both Neilmed and professional piercers.

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Anaesthetics – Where Do Piercers Fit In?

I think one of the most common questions we get, aside from ‘How much is a piercing?’ is… ‘Can you numb it?’ Piercing numbing is a common query.

It’s a fair question. Especially for those inexperienced with piercings, it might feel like a daunting experience! It’s completely understandable that you would want to make it as pain-free as possible. But what kind of piercing numbing is available? And why are they unsafe?

The History of Anaesthetics

Since the dawn of time, for as long as human beings have experienced pain, we have been looking for ways to avoid it. The ancient Babylonians may have been using anaesthetics up to 4,000 years ago. The earliest accounts of anaesthetics pop up in the early 1200s, where physicians would use sponges soaked in opium to relieve the pain of surgery. However, the first general anaesthesia was not implemented in a surgery until October, 1846!

Piercing numbing creams did not become popular in the tattoo and piercing scene until the late 90s and very early 2000s, with the rise of Emla cream. That means that piercing anaesthetic is still very much in it’s infancy.

“Now hold still while I perform your helix piercing…”

Anaesthetics and the Law

It’s very important to stress that piercers are not licensed or insured to provide any anaesthetics, including piercing numbing creams. Numbing creams are licensed, prescription-only medications that require a special license in order to use. Tattooists and piercers who are administering numbing creams to their clients are committing a crime, which can result in fines, jail time, and loss of license.

The administration of local anaesthetic injections by persons other than medically qualified practitioners (doctor/dentist) is illegal, and therefore not permitted. External application of topical anaesthetics (creams/gels/sprays) to clients can be deemed an offence under the Medicines Act 1968. The legislation stipulates that only persons who hold a product licence (generally pharmacists) may supply these products for use in medical applications. Their administration by Body Piercers, Tattooists or Therapists on clients for cosmetic purposes can therefore be deemed an offence.

– Gov.uk

Even with consent from the client, you are reminded that the use of any anaesthetic, be it by oral, injection or topical application, may leave the user open to prosecution under the Medicines Act 1968 or Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.

Piercing Anaesthetics – How Do They Work?

The most common ingredients in numbing creams are lidocaine, benzocaine and prilocaine. These are active ingredients that work by blocking Na+ (Sodium ion) and K+ (Potassium ion) channels in your nerves, preventing them from firing properly. This nerve effect can cause lidocaine toxicity when improperly used – For example, by an unlicensed piercer. Symptoms of lidocaine toxicity include:

  • Heart Palpitations
  • Hypotension
  • Dizziness
  • Shaking and tremors
  • Nausea

Of course, lidocaine toxicity from a piercing would be quite rare, however…

Lidocaine and it’s derivitives are common allergens. 2.5% of people may experience anaphylaxis from the introduction of lidocaine to their bloodstream – And you may not know about this allergy until it is too late.

Aside from anaphylaxis, allergic contact dermatitis and skin irritation are very common. This means that you may experience an angry rash, itching, or bleeding after applying a numbing cream. This can be exacerbated if numbing cream comes into contact with broken skin, such as a body piercing.

Freeze Sprays – A Bad Alternative

Another popular, and equally terrible, piercing numbing option are ‘freeze sprays.’ These are unlicensed, meaning that anyone can use them and it is not classed as an offence. You have probably seen them in youtube videos or instagram reels – They look like they are spraying deodorant onto the piercing spot.

Freeze Sprays work by spraying a liquified gas or chemical onto the skin – This is often ethyl chloride. As the gas evaporates, it rapidly cools the skin until the nerves are no longer able to fire properly. This gives a temporary numbness to the top layer of skin.

These sprays, although legal, are highly problematic. The freezing action can toughen the skin, causing excessive trauma to the piercing site. Secondly, if used on or near mucousal membranes, it can severely damage the skin. Finally, and most importantly, freeze sprays can (and do) cause chemical burns and tissue necrosis. Freeze sprays are unregulated and often used by piercers who have no idea what they are doing. This means that misuse is criminally common.

  • The product itself is not sterile and can therefore potentially cause an infection.
  • To have a good numbing effect, the spray must be applied in quite high doses to reach the nerve fibres below the skin. This presents the likelihood of burns being caused to the skin, particularly in cases of smokers and diabetics, which opens the way for infection.
    • The product has been shown to be a respiratory irritant, particularly when used on or near the face.
  • The product is highly flammable and must therefore be considered carefully in terms of health & safety during usage, storage etc.

We will attach an image below, taken at Rogue, of a navel piercing that we unfortunately had to remove due to a severe chemical burn from a freeze spray. This was of course not pierced at Rogue.

This client, who has given permission for this image to be shared, had to have their navel piercing removed by ourselves. This piercing was only 6 weeks old, but you can still see the scarring and damaged skin surrounding the navel that was caused by a freeze spray. This is a classic result of a chemical burn caused by a freeze spray. We hope that this piercing will heal, this scar will fade, and next year we will be able to give them the beautiful navel piercing they deserve!

Do They Even Work?

Ironically, even if you do take the risk and apply a numbing cream before a piercing without your piercers knowledge (we do not recommend doing this!!), you would hope that your risk would pay off by giving you the painless piercing you want. You may be disappointed in the results, as numbing creams are ineffective at numbing piercings! Why is this? It is because lidocaine can only act where it is applied, aka the thinnest surface layer of the skin. This means you may only get numbness for the first 0.00001 seconds of a piercing before we are piercing non-numbed skin!

What Should You Do Instead?

There are so many non-anaesthetic options for minimising the discomfort of a piercing.

Accept It.

To a certain extent, we can minimise the pain of a piercing through technique. We minimise the use of tools or clamps, we import the highest quality teflon-coated needles, and pierce using a smooth and gentle technique. That being said, all piercings naturally come with a certain level of discomfort. We are piercing you, after all.

Self Care

If you are stressed, tired, hungry, hungover, or generally not feeling your best, then a piercing is going to feel more uncomfortable. The best way to have the best experience is to look after yourself! Treat your piercing like a medical procedure – Ensure you are well-fed, hydrated, and coming in after a good nights rest. You will be amazed how much basic self-care can make a piercing more manageable.

Breathe It Out.

We are not a hippy studio. We don’t normally subscribe to breathing techniques! However, there is scientific evidence that slow, deep breathing can help patients with acute pain. A total of 11,968 studies were screened in this review, showing that deep breathing techniques significantly lowered pain scores. That is not to be sniffed at! This effect is called Respiratory Hypoalgesia. The baroreceptor system (The sensing system that includes the lungs) detects changes in blood pressure and heart rate during the respiratory cycle. Deep breathing changes the signals that are relayed to the brain by the vagus nerve, which then provides an analgesic effect through the parasympathetic nervous system.

At Rogue, we practice deep breathing techniques before, during, and after the piercing. As a piercee as well as piercers, we can absolutely tell the difference. It is magical.

Conclusions

So there you have it! Anaesthetics may sound like an excellent option, however they are unsafe and ineffective. Please never apply numbing creams without your piercers knowledge, and never attend a piercing studio that offers numbing as they are breaking the law.

Stay safe, stay healthy!

If you have any questions, please drop us an email or instagram message! Keep an eye on our blog as we post a new one every single Friday!

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Children’s Lobe Piercings

First piercings are an important rite of passage, and at Rogue we want to make sure that first experience is a positive one. We want all of our clients to feel comfortable, confident and safe no matter their age. So let’s take a look at what to expect when you bring your children for their lobe piercings at Rogue!

Age and ID

You must be 8 years old to have your ear lobes pierced at Rogue. Any client under the age of 16 must bring their own ID, plus a parent or legal guardian must be present also with their own ID. If your child does not have photographic ID, we cannot pierce them so please ensure they have ID in time for their appointment. This two-item ID system is needed as you must prove you are the parent or legal guardian in order to legally consent for them to be pierced. If you and your child do not share a surname, you must bring a third form of ID such as a birth certificate with your name on it. 

Read our full Age and ID policies here.

Accepted ID includes: Passport, Driving License, or valid UK Citizencard.

We do not accept: Library cards, school ID cards, bus passes etc. If in doubt about whether we would accept your ID, please contact us in advance of booking. We explicitly do NOT accept photographs, photocopies, or video calls of your ID. You must have the original document in your hand at your appointment.

At the Appointment

Anyone under the age of 16 should book in for a Children’s Lobe Piercing. So, what should you expect?

Children’s Lobe Piercing is it’s own option on our booking system, this appointment is 40 minutes long and allows plenty of time for you and your child to browse our jewellery collection, ask any questions and build themselves up to the piercing. It does not cost any more than a standard pair of earlobes, but that extra time is a bonus for our younger customers!

We will start by checking everyone’s ID and your consent form. The consent form is emailed out to you prior to the appointment, please ensure you read through each section carefully fill out your information correctly. We recommend waiting until the appointment to fill this one in, because we need to act as a notary for the consent form.

Lobe piercing with Industrial Strength paw print

We understand that first piercings are a really exciting time for everyone! We politely ask that we keep the energy in the studio calm and relaxed and suggest keeping additonal family members/friends to a minimum. In the piercing room, we have a chair set up for a single Parent/Guardian to sit. As much as we like to involve you in the process, the piercing appointment needs to be focused on the client (your child)! We may ask that you remain seated for the duration of the appointment. We can also set the room up so that you can hold your child’s hand during the process.

Safety is paramount for us. If we ask you to step away from the piercing area and take a seat, it is for the safety of yourself, your child and our piercers. As UKAPP members, we work to a high strandard of health, safety and hygeine. Please remember, we want you and your child to have a wonderful, positive experience!

Consent is our top priority. At every stage of the appointment, your child has the inalienable right to retract their consent to be pierced. If we feel that your child is not ready, or if your child says that they do not want to continue, then we will stop the appointment then and there! We will always offer to reschedule if necessary – At no stage do we want your child to feel pressured. Please keep this in mind when being a supportive guardian – Nothing sours the experience more for your child than feeling like a disappointment, or like they have failed you, by not getting their lobes pierced. You are their cheerleader, and they need to leave feeling like a little rockstar wether they get one lobe, both lobes, or no lobes at all pierced!

A Smooth Experience

When it comes to the piercing, there will be one piercer performing the piercings one at a time. All of our piercers are very experienced working with a variety of young clients. If you would prefer that the piercings are performed in tandem (two piercers performing both piercings at the same time), please email us at hello@roguepiercing.co.uk before booking the appointment so that we can discuss if this is possible. Bear in mind that there will be an additional fee to book out two piercers and it may only be possible on specific days.

NeoMetal threadless flower ends -perfect for first lobe piercings!

We use top quality blade needles to perform your child’s piercings. No guns in here! Each blade needle is pre-sterilised and single use. They are designed specfically for piercing to allow the smoothest, sharpest procedure. We will never intentionally show a client the needle but we are more than happy to demonstrate how the needles work and answer any questions you may have – just ask!

You can read more about blade needles here and we also wrote a blog about piercing guns and why we do not use them here

Aftercare

It is important to familiarise yourself with the aftercare instructions. At the appointment, we will explain them to yourself and your child and ensure you understand what to do to look after the new piercings.

  • Clean piercing twice daily with sterile saline.
  • TO CLEAN: First, wash hands with antibacterial soap and water. Spray a small amount of sterile saline onto both the front and back of your piercing to soak and soften crusties. Use a piece of non-woven gauze or clean, folded kitchen roll to gently remove any debris. Once the piercing is clean, gently dab away any remaining moisture.
  • Do not use any extra products, homemade remedies or chemicals.
  • Do not twist, turn or fiddle with your jewellery! This introduces bacteria, damages the healing piercing and can extend your healing time.
  • Do not soak or submerge your piercing in the first 4 weeks. This means you must avoid swimming, bathing in bathtubs, hot tubs, saunas etc. Please keep this in mind when booking your appointments.
  • Please follow downsize instructions and book a checkup when your piercing is 4-6 weeks old. See the bottom of the page for downsizing timeframes for your specific piercing.
  • If you’re unsure or have questions at any stage, then please don’t hesitate to contact us! We’re more than happy to help. Contact us via email or through our instagram.

See you soon!

At Rogue, we want to make every experience a great one. Children’s lobe piercings can be crucial moment to learn about autonomy, self expression, confidence and responsibility for taking care of yourself after a procedure. If you ever have any questions or if you would like to bring your child to view the studio and meet the team beforehand – please do not hesitate to get in touch!

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Aftercare 101 – Christina and Outer Labia Piercings

Although placed in slightly different areas of the vulva, the Christina and Outer Labia piercings have very similar aftercare routines! Both are anatomy dependent, and the appropriate size and style of jewellery differ depending on your unique body. So, what should you expect from the healing process? What Christina aftercare do we recommend?

What To Expect After The Piercing

Bleeding â€“ You may expect bleeding from the piercing for 3-5 days afterwards. This is totally normal! The most important thing is to stay relaxedIt 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. This isn’t as relevant for christina and outer labia piercings, but is still important.

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. Christina aftercare is really easy.

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. 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!

Clothing choices are especially important for christina aftercare, where they can interact directly with your clothing. It is vital to wear loose clothing for as long as possible after your piercing – At least 12 weeks. This minimises the chances of snagging your jewellery. Common culprits are lacy thongs, tight belts and skinny jeans!

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 – 4-6 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 shorter curved barbell. 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 balls, smaller balls, discs, or a mismatch of all of the above. Christina aftercare requires a downsize – Don’t skip it!

Fully Healed – 4-6 months

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 – 8-12 months

Some people aim to stretch their intimate piercings to a larger size. Outer labia piercings are a very popular choice for stretching! 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!

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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Aftercare 101 – VCH + HCH Piercings

Vertical and Horizontal Clitoral Hood piercings and variations thereof are one of the most common intimate piercings we offer – We often do 4-5 a week! Although we go through VCH aftercare advice multiple times beforehand, 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 VCH aftercare work?

What To Expect After The Piercing

Bleeding â€“ You may expect bleeding from the 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. VCH 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 shorter curved barbell. 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 balls, smaller balls, discs, or a mismatch of all of the above.

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. 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!

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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Aftercare 101 – Prince Albert + Reverse Prince Albert

Prince Albert piercings and variations thereof are one of the most common intimate piercings we offer – We often do 2-3 a week! Although we go through aftercare advice multiple times beforehand, we know it can be quite a nervewracking 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!

What To Expect After Your Prince Albert Piercing

Bleeding – You may expect bleeding from the 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

You need to clean your new Prince Albert piercing 2-3 times a day for the first 2 weeks. We recommend a warm saline soak twice a day – morning and evening, and an optional quick clean at midday with Neilmed saline spray.

To clean your piercings, we recommend a STERILE SALINE SOLUTION. Normally, we would recommend Neilmed specifically, however due to the nature of the piercing and the method of cleaning we advise it wouldn’t be the most effective option. For this piercing, we recommend a salt water soak using 4.5g of non-iodised sea salt to 500ml of boiling water. This will give you a 0.9% saline concentration. We recommend a warm soak to clean your piercing, due to the fact that part of the piercing is internal inside the urethra, and a warm soak is the best way to soften any crusties on the inside.

To clean your piercing, first wash your hands. Fill a clean cup with enough saline solution to cover your piercing. We recommend warming it in the microwave until it is warm – about bath temperature. Be careful that the saline is not too hot! It should not be uncomfortable!

Once the soak is prepared, soak your piercing in the warm saline for 3-5 minutes. This gives the saline time to soak in, soak up the urethra, and soften any crusting.

Once your soak is complete, you need to wipe away any crusties on the outside of the piercing and the jewellery with some clean paper towel. To flush the inside of your piercing, we recommend urinating immediately after soaking.

At midday, you may want to give the piercing a quick clean if there are any uncomfortable crusties forming on the jewellery. This won’t clean the inside of the piercing, but can help relieve any discomfort. Simply spray a small amount of Neilmed onto the piercing and the jewellery, wait for it to soften any crusties (30-60 seconds), and then gently wipe away any buildup and dab the piercing dry.

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. The only thing to keep in mind is that you want to avoid any harsh or strongly scented shower gels – These can cause irritation.

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 PA/RPA 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 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.

It’s super important to practice safe sex using a barrier. Sexual fluids (even if you have been with your partner for many years!) can cause irritation.

Healing Times

Checkup – 2 Weeks

We recommend booking a checkup 2 weeks after your Prince Albert piercing. At this stage, any swelling you have will have come down and you may need a smaller or larger diameter ring. We need your feedback on where the jewellery is touching the urethra. If the jewellery is rubbing the top edge of the urethra, you need a smaller diameter ring. If the jewellery is rubbing the underside of the urethra, you may need a larger diameter ring.

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

Many people aim to stretch their Prince Albert /RPA to a much thicker size. We can pierce (your anatomy allowing) up to 5mm thick. If you wish to stretch your PA, you must wait at least 6 months before doing so. This allows 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!

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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Keep Calm, and Carry on Healing!

Getting a new piercing can be quite a nervous time, and no matter how well your piercer might explain your aftercare to you, or how much they explain what can happen, it is super easy to forget everything you’ve been told in that moment! So here is a blog about everything you should and can expect after your brand new piercing and during the healing phase!

The First Few Days

The first thing you can expect from your new piercing is redness around the area, and it might feel sore and sensitive. We’ve just created a litte wound in your body, so there is going to be a rush of blood to the area to try and heal it! This redness and soreness can be expected for quite a few weeks (even a few months), but typically can start to settle in a matter of hours or days.

You might also experience a little spot of bleeding. Again, this might only happen for the first few days, but can happen at any point of the initial healing stage. As the body heals the wound it will form a protective layer, like a scab, around the jewellery. This should stop any bleeding, however when cleaning, this scab can be knocked or pulled away which may cause the bleeding to restart. If this happens the best thing to do is clean it very gently, and leave it alone. If you experience bleeding that keeps restarting when you clean your piercing, it is best to leave it completely alone and do not actively clean the piercing for 48 hours to allow it to fully settle and seal. Some piercings, such as nasal or genital piercings, may be prone to slightly heavier bleeding. This is because there is a lot of blood flow and vasculature in the area, which increases your chances of spotting.

The First Few Weeks

You’re also going to experience some swelling! Now, every body and every piercing can swell differently. Some piercings, such as oral piercings (think tongues and lips), can swell a little bit more than a helix piercing.

Swelling can differ for a number of reasons! These reasons consist but are not limited to: temperature, humidity, alcohol, medications, and hormones. Swelling typically lasts around 4-6 weeks, however it may last longer depending on your personal situation, lifestyle and immune state. We are not medical practitioners so cannot prescribe any medications, however certain anti-inflammatories such as Ibuprofen or Aspirin may be considered beneficial to take the edge off of the swelling. Cool compresses (with cold water, not ice) can also bring down swelling. For oral piercings, sipping cold water is definitely helpful to soothe that initial swelling! Your initial piercing should always have a longer bar to accomodate for swelling, which we recommend booking in for a checkup to downsize after a period of time.

The First Few Months

Drainage and crusties! Love them or hate them, the chances of you experiencing a build up of dried piercing discharge or ‘crusties’, is quite high. As your piercing heals you might notice some fluid (typically clear or a light yellowish colour) draining from the site. This is just lypmh fluid and is completely normal! You might notice some dry ‘scabs’ around the jewellery that can easily be wiped away after cleaning or showering. You can experience crusting around the piercings from day one, and some piercings can crust for up to a year! For the first 4-6 weeks you just want to clean with sterile saline solution twice a day. Once the crusting slows down you can drop to once a day, and when the crusting is minimal or has stopped, general shower hygiene is perfect to maintain your general piercing hygiene.

Troubleshooting

Sometimes, you may experience piercing bumps, irritation bumps, or fluid/drainage bumps. These can happen for a variety of reasons, and are quite normal! Things like snags, bumps and knocks can cause an irritation bump to appear. Poor angles, poor quality jewellery, and improper aftercare are also some (but not all) causes of these pesky bumps. Moisture is the biggest reason for a fluid bump. Typically we see this when piercings aren’t being dried properly after cleaning or showering, or when wet hair is left to dry over the area.

These common and easily resolved lumps and bumps are often mistaken for keloids or infections, which is why we have wrote quite a few handy dandy blogs about them. Both keloids and infections are incredibly rare – We always recommend booking a checkup with us to confirm the cause of your issues, and we can then direct you onto your GP or a Dermatologist if required.

If you are concerned that any of your healing, or any piercing is not feeling right, we’d recommend popping to your local piercer who can help troubleshoot in person. If you are struggling getting to a local piercer, we have a great guide all about troubleshooting your piercings!

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Intimate Consultations – What To Expect

Rogue is an intimate piercing speciaAt Rogue we require a consultation to take place at least 24 hours prior to performing any intimate piercing. This is so you have adequate time to process all the information regarding your piercing and make an informed decision. We also want you to feel comfortable in the studio and with our team because communication is key for any piercing.

So what can you expect when you book in for an intimate consultation? The first thing to note is that we will endevour to make sure the studio is clear of other clients so that we can speak openly and put you at ease. If you want a cup of tea or some water, just let us know! We do recommend that you bring a chaperone, but if you prefer to come by yourself, that’s absolutely fine too! We just want you to feel comfortable.

The first part of the consultation takes place on our (very comfortable) sofa where we will chat with you about a few different things. It’s important that we start by building trust, we know it can be intimidating and a little scary to even book for an intimate piercing so we want to ensure that you feel safe and confident at Rogue. Generally we will chat to you about:

  • What piercing you would like and how you became interested in it
  • Our experience with that piercing
  • Why we offer this piercing and some history around intimate piercings
  • Why we are passionate about intimate piercings and ensuring that we provide a safe setting for our clients

Once we’ve built some trust, we will explain the procedure for your piercing(s). This will differ for each placement and may also differ depending on the piercer or specific anatomy but we will provide you with all the information, step-by-step on how we generally perform the piercing(s) you are interested in.

At any point during the consultation, you are free to ask as many questions as you can think of!

After we cover the procedure, we will discuss aftercare. Again, this may differ slightly piercing to piercing but it essentially boils down to our Golden Rules.

  • Keep it clean! – use sterile saline twice a day to remove any build up
  • Keep it dry! – don’t soak your piercing in still water (baths/pools), pat dry with non-woven gauze or clean kitchen paper after cleaning with saline/showering
  • Leave it alone! – touching causes damage, don’t twist/turn/touch the jewellery and it’s very important to refrain from any sexual activity around the piercing (intercourse/oral sex) and any masturbation aswell for the first four weeks.

When you are ready to re-introduce your sexual life, please ensure that everyone’s hands are clean and that you are using condoms or dental dams for the first 4 weeks to ensure that we are not introducing bacteria into the piercing channel. This is important even if you have been with your partner(s) for a long time.

That’s a lot of information to take on but don’t worry! At your piercing appointment we will go over the aftercare information with you again as a refresher 🙂 You will also be given a a free can of Neilmed sterile saline for your aftercare.

Now we come to the anatomy check. As mentioned before, there will be a two member’s of staff in the room for all intimate appointments. We recommend bringing a chaperone with you if this is something you are comfortable with. We will ask you to step in to the piercing room and we will explain the next steps with you. To perform the anatomy check, we will request that you remove or pull down any clothing/underwear that is obstructing the area.

Before we go on, let’s re-iterate a few key points about the process:

  • Nothing will happen without your consent
  • At no point will you be pressured into removing clothing unneccassarily
  • Everything goes at your pace. Let us know at any point if you are feeling uncomfortable or not at ease.
  • Ask as many questions as you can think of! This is all about making sure you have informed consent

To perform the anatomy check, we may need to gently clean the area before hand using sterile saline or an anti-septic skin clenser (PurKlenz). We will let you know at each stage if we are using any equipment such as a sterile receiving tube or a sterile cotton bud. We will explain why we are using these and let you know prior to touching you in any way.

Once we have checked your anatomy, feel free to get dressed and comfortable. We will explain which piercings are viable (if you have asked for a few different options) and if we are happy to perform them for you. We will explain different jewellery sizes and options that are available to you and show you some examples.

We understand that while intimate consultations/piercings are part of our day-to-day at Rogue, we know that isn’t the case for all of clients. We’ve all been in the same position before and understand that it can feel a little daunting and vulnerable. Rest assured, we will do everything we can to make sure you feel at ease. You are in safe hands!

And that’s the consultation! We will have given you a lot of information to process. Feel free to contact us at any point if you have more questions or if you need clarification on anything. As long as our piercers have agreed that they are happy to perform the piercing for you, you can book in for the appointment any time after 24 hours from the consult. This gives you plenty of time to digest all of the information and to sleep on ythe decision. We take informed consent very seriously in the studio and we want to make sure you are making this decision for yourself.

We hope this puts you at ease and gives you an idea of how the intimate consultations go. If you are looking to book in, please do so here: https://roguepiercing.co.uk/book-now/

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Green flags for clients?

We always see a lot of ‘red flags’ posts, and what to not look for in a piercing studio, or how to not be a ‘Karen’ or ‘bad client’. But what do these mean? What should we be doing as clients? What are the green flags studios are looking for? We have previously spoken about what you should look for in studios aswell, which you can read here!

The first one is that we are looking for clients to be respectful. This doesn’t just mean we want you to not shout at us and swear at us when something doesn’t go the way you thought it might have, or if a mistake was made. But it also means you’re being respectful in the way you may phrase things. As a high standard studio we may understand that sometimes you may be shocked by our prices, or something is a little out of budget. Instead of saying ‘you’re too expensive’ or ‘I can get it for cheaper’, we are quite understanding if you simply state that it’s out of your budget tellingl us your budget. This means we can work with you to find something equally as amazing in your price bracket! We want to work with you, not against you.

Clients who aren’t afraid to ask questions are also a ‘green flag’. Wether its a question about aftercare, jewellery quality,or piercing possibilities we’re always happy to answer. Quality piercing studios would rather you ask too many questions and be happy and knowdlegable than walk away feeling unsatisfied and confused.

Respecting our time. This is a big one, and especially for studios that are appointment only. We want our clients to be on time to their appointment as we run a schedule. Missing half of your appointment might mean we won’t be able to continue, or run late into the next appointment. Being on time (or even a few minutes early) means your appointment will go smooth, and our piercers aren’t rushing or feeling stressed about time managment.

Understanding that this is our job, and not expecting us to work for free. This slightly follows on from respecting our time. We have set working hours, and it is absolutely fine to message us outside of those times, but please don’t expect a reply after we close. We have personal lives too! This also relates to in studio hours, wether it’s a ‘small jewellery change’, the piercing itself, us sitting with us to talk about curations or jewellery ideas, there may be a small fee! Even though these appointments might be short, it still takes up time in our calenders and our working hours. You woudn’t expect a lawyer to spend 20 minutes discussing work without payment, please don’t expect us to!

Listening to your aftercare advice! Clients who follow our aftercare advice, andcome back for their downsize are often less likely to come back with irritation bumps, or other issues. Please don’t touch, poke, fiddle or play with your piercings, use anything other than a sterile saline solution, or switch out your piercings to early. These are all ‘red flags’ and means your piercings are more likely to take longer to heal, or are more prone to lumps and bumps along your healing journey.

Not assuming we’re also tattoo artists. Now tattoo artists are amazing, and do some quite incredible work, but that doesn’t mean this is the end goal for everybody. Piercing and tattooing are completely seperate worlds, and the work is so different. Body piercers are piercers because they want to be piercers. They enjoy what they do, and they don’t see it as a gateway into tattooing. It’s really disheartening when clients assume we also tattoo, because our work is just as important. (However, if you are visiting Rogue and are interested in some amazing artwork for your skin, please check out Revenant Tattoo and pick up one of her leaflets or business cards.)

Rogue and Revenant Halloween Special!

We absolutely adore each and every one of ourt clients, wether you only come the once, or you come every single day. We couldn’t do it without you, and you are all very much part of Rogue as we are.