Stop apologising to your piercer about things outside of your control! Every day I come into the studio, and especially on days I am piercing, at least one client will apologise for something they don’t need to apologise for. There is a million reasons why people may over-apologise, including being nervous, concerned or overthinking. But I am here to help calm those nerves, and tell you things not to apologise for and why you shouldn’t apologise!
Things not being in your budget!
When I talk you through pricing and jewellery selection, I like to break down the cabinets we have and what jewellery is in each one. Sometimes, I’ll have a client fall in love with a piece that is out of their budget, and apologise! I even had someone say “I hope you don’t think i’m being tight!’ And I don’t! It’s okay to have a budget and stick to it!
At Rogue we offer a range of jewellery, from simple plain balls to the most extravagant gold, because we WANT to cater for everyone’s budget and personal needs. We are not here to judge you based on how deep your pockets are, and we want you to leave the studio feeling happy and comfortable with whatever you choose!
A Vertical Labret Infinite ‘Amethyst’ Claw Inari ‘Sleepy Lavender’ Opal
Changing the placement of your piercings!
As your piercer, we can only advise you of placement. We are not the ones who have to look at it every day, and as long as it’s a safe placement, we don’t care! We always start with the *ideal* placement that we think would be the most suitable, but if you don’t like it that’s okay, we won’t be offended. If you choose a placement that we think might not fit your needs, we will discuss that with you. For example, some people’s final goal for a nostril piercing is a ring, but they want that initial placement to be quite high up, and so we will discuss that the higher you go the bigger the ring.
I’ve also marked multiple placements for a client when they’ve been unsure, and still settled on my original marking. You don’t need to apologise for that neither. We’d rather you be 100% certain about the placement, because it is easier to change the mark than to change a whole piercing channel!
A full piercing curation by Jay
Taking your time in decisions!
Quite often I have clients that may spend 5-10 minutes choosing jewellery, and asking to see individual pieces and how they’d sit. This is also okay, and if anything we encourage it. Our aim during your appointment is to make sure that when you leave you are happy and content with your choices. Some people are also indecisive! When clients apologise, I like to make a joke that “they should see me in the chocolate aisle in Tesco!” I don’t want you to feel rushed or forced into a decision. The same way that I want to make sure I am going to enjoy whatever chocolate bar I choose, I want to make sure you are going to be happy with the jewellery that you are going to wear!
We have such a wide selection of jewellery! BVLA Chrysoprase Set 2x Round Prong Sunray
“Wasting” our time!
Especially if you have an appointment, there is no such thing as wasting our time. When you book an appointment with us, that is our time. If that is a 10 minute appointment for a quick check-up, a 30 minute appointment for a pair of lobes, or even halfway with a 20 minute consultation, that is our time. If we spend most of the appointment browsing jewellery or remarking or even discussing further piercing plans, that is time well spent.
Too often I have clients apologising because they feel like they’ve wasted my time. As long as you leave the studio satisfied or at-ease, then my job is done and I am happy.
We’re here to help!
This isn’t a comprehensive list of everything you shouldn’t apologise for, but I hope it makes some of you feel more at ease about your appointments with us. I think it’s really important to remember that we are just regular people too! Piercing may be our jobs, and we may be passionate about it, but at the end of the day our main focus is always providing the best experience for you, from start to finish.
Check out our Instagram for more information and what we get up to in and out of the studio!
Hi, it’s Gwen! For my first ever blog post it seemed like a no-brainer for me to talk about my amazing experience and my classes I took at BMXNet in Berlin, Germany earlier this month.
I’d been wanting to head to BMXNet pretty much since I started piercing a couple of years ago, and this year I finally got the chance! I travelled over with Aiden and Anna, and the goal was to get as much learning in as I possibly could.
From the start I knew things were going to get super overwhelming super fast, so I tried my best to be prepared. Thankfully the travelling went smoothly and between the hotels, hunt for food and a quick night’s sleep, we were at the venue before we knew it!
All I can say is, thank goodness for breakfast! At BMX there was a constant, steady supply of food and drink throughout the day, which made everything so much simpler and massively minimised my stress, because it meant we didn’t have to venture out into Berlin in search of food! It’s so much easier to focus on your classes and have a good, productive time on a full stomach, and sometimes you just get so swept up in the day that you forget to eat unless food is right there in front of you. Also – constant coffee is a must.
Photos by Babs
Thankfully, I had decided on most of my classes ahead of time and I had a decent schedule set out in my head for how the day was going to play out – which is really helpful for me in a new environment with a lot of people around. That said, I did make a few last minute changes, like attending Shawn Porter’s class on the last slot of the day, where he talked about the history of ModCon in the 2000s. It’s funny looking back on it because beforehand, I had wanted to take a break and decompress – and now I’m so glad that I didn’t, because that class was just insane in the best way possible. The thing I’ve found with conferences now is that while it is super important to find some time for yourself so you don’t burn out, sometimes it’s worth giving yourself an extra push because you’ll be mad at yourself if you don’t. Just make sure you remember to drink some water in the process!
I took so many amazing classes, mainly technique (particularly transitioning from cannula needles to blades, freehand piercing and needle bending, with some intimate fundamentals thrown in) but some really interesting history classes as well. I finally got to take one of Paul King’s classes, which was huge for me as I had missed the ones he taught at UKAPP last year when I was volunteering! As piercers we’re always learning, but especially for me as a junior piercer it’s vital. Having access to such a massive wealth of information, from so many talented and knowledgable piercers, is something I’m incredibly grateful for. It felt extremely validating for me, to be able to learn surrounded by other people who want to do the same. In case you didn’t know, we are massive nerds!
On a small break in between classes me and Elly (who recently guested with us at Rogue!) went up to the jewellery expo to take a look around. I loved that this expo was divided up into smaller rooms that you could move in and out of, as opposed to one big room that was swamped with people. This meant I could actually take the time to appreciate some of the amazing jewellery there, and I even got some cute gold pieces from Anatometal for my healing high nostrils (that had decided to become super angry thanks to the heat)!
Elly, Anna, Aiden & Gwen
One of my favourite things at BMX was being able to sit outside in the sun and watch live hook suspensions in between classes. The concept of being able to get a coffee and sit on a bench and watch someone have an amazing suspension experience at 3 in the afternoon might seem a bit wild, but it was something that made me feel like I was with my people. I’m really thankful to have been a part of so many of these experiences, even just as a bystander.
I almost forgot to mention the best thing about the trip, which was getting to meet so many new people and make some great friends, as well as some familiar faces! As someone who is very anxious by default, it’s a relief for me to be able to say that everyone I met was kind, welcoming and just generally amazing. So basically what I’m trying to say is, BMXNet was awesome and I am so full of knowledge after this experience, and I love this industry with all my heart.
Spinel, Sardonyx and Peridot. A various array of different stones to represent the summer month of August, which is one of three months that have three different birthstones. (the others being December and August). With a variety of options, August definitely brings a solid group of choices to suit everyone’s style and budget. However, for this blog we will mainly be focusing on Spinel and Peridot!
The months that are lucky enough to have more than a singular birthstone, these are separated into two lists: Modern and Traditional. The more common of the two is the modern birthstones, which were defined in 1912 by the Jewelers of America in an attempt to standardise (and commercialise) birthstones. This was further updated in the 1950s, to include gemstones such as Citrine for November, or Alexandrite for June. Modern stones are based on what’s easier to sell in large quantities (making it the more affordable choice).
Peridot
Peridot is the Modern gemstone for August, rather than the the Traditional, and is also known as the “Sun-Gem”. Peridot is the yellowish-green to greenish-yellow gem variety of the mineral olivine. Alongside Olivine, it also is made up of Magnesium and Iron. The amount of iron present in peridot is what gives it its brilliant shine, the more the iron, the more the green glow. The origin of the name Peridot is unclear, but we do know that it is infamous for its lime green glow. It has quite often been mistaken for other green stones, such as Emerald and Topaz. It even earned itself the nickname as the ‘Evening Emerald’ because of it’s unique capability to sparkle under both natural and artificial light. But don’t be fooled, this gemstone is absolutely gorgeous evening or day.
BVLA Quad Prong Cluster – Alternating Peridot and Green Tourmaline, Alongside BVLA Round Cab Prong with Emerald.
Despite its unknown origin, many scholars have agreed that the word “peridot” is derived from the Arabic “Faridat”, which means “gem” and “unique”. However, some believe that it’s rooted in the Greek word “Peridona”, meaning “giving plenty.” This is maybe that’s why peridot was, according to lore, associated with prosperity and good fortune. Some historians even speculate that Cleopatra’s famous emerald collection may have been comprised of peridot! Now, Peridot is used to celebrate 16th wedding anniversaries.
This August birthstone has an amazing history behind it. The oldest recorded source of this stone is the Egyptian island of Zabargad (the name now given to Topazios), and it is theorised that mining of Peridot may have been as early as 340–279 BCE. Peridot sourced from Zabargad is highly desirable, and has been prized for centuries. It has even been displayed in various prestigious museums around the world. Another incredibly important source for peridot is Myanmar (formerly Burma) which has produced some of the finest quality peridot, with deep colour and superb transparency. In modern times, most peridot on the market is sourced from China, Tanzania, Vietnam and the United States, some have even journeyed to Earth on meteorites!
Peridot scores a 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale of hardness, meaning it is softer than most gems. It is also damaged by some acids, making the cleaning process a delicate one. Neither a steamer, or ultrasonic should be used to clean this stone. The safest method is a soft bristled toothbrush, and a mild soapy water!
Spinel
Spinel is the other modern birthstone for August, often mistaken for a ruby or pink sapphire due to it strong resemblance to both. It is also often found in the same locations! The main difference between them is chemical, but despite their differences, some of histories well known “ruby” gems have turned out to be spinel, which is often known for its wide variety of colours, such as orange, pink, purple, and even black! Pink spinel has became a perfect choice for those seeking hot pink or even bubble gum pink tones. For any colour choice of spinel, the price point is dependant on the saturation of those colours, meaning the richer, brighter and deeper those colours, the more expensive it will be. In rare instances, Spinel can also be colour-changing under iridescent lighting.
It is believed that the word Spinel is derived from the Latin word “Spina” – translated to thorn, in reference to the shape that spinel crystals form in. Unfortunately, due to its long history of confusion with the Ruby, Spinel does not have some of the great traditions ands beliefs as most birthstones. Despite its lack of history, it is often associated with joy and is believed to bring great energy to its wearer. Today, Spinel is now creating its own history by being set into the Great Britains Imperial State Crown, just above a diamond! Alongside Spinel setting its own history it is now given as the 22nd wedding anniversary!
The August birthstone is now set with more than 3000 diamonds, sapphires and emeralds. It can now be seen in the tower of London.
Today, Spinel can be found in several locations across the world. The most common sources for this stone are Tajikistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Tanzania and Pakistan. Myanmar is very well known for producing some of the most striking spinel gems, such as hot pinks and the infamous ruby red. These are more rarer than a diamond, and thus the price is severely influenced. The Spinel gems that have been sourced there are so shiny that the locals call them “spirit polished”.
Spinel is typically a durable stone, scoring an 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness, making it a perfect choice for every day wear. Steam cleaners and ultrasonics can be used to clean this stone, but any fractures may cause a problem. As for any stone, warm soapy water is the safest way to clean your jewellery!
We stock jewellery from brands from across the world, and can source items in all birthstones imaginable! If you would like to treat yourself to some meaningful pieces, just get in contact with us.
Make sure to follow us on social media for regular updates, and keep an eye out as we post new blogs every single Friday!
So, you’ve decided to get a piercing! Whether it be a classic nose piercing, a large gauge piercing or intimate work you should always research your piercer and/or piercing studio. This is to make sure that they are the right fit for you as a client and that they can provide the work you are looking for at a higher quality level. Your piercer should be able to demonstrate their knowledge and skills to a strong standard that can gain your trust and ensure their credibility. But how do you research your piercer, what should you be looking for? It can be a really overwhelming task if you’re not entirely sure what to look for, which is why I’ve put together this guid for you to use and share.
This is mainly based for the UK, so may be slightly inaccurate across different countries, due to their own laws and regulations surrounding body piercing. This is only meant to be a guide, and it is encouraged that you do your own research for things that may differ in your local region.
Education – Your piercer should be able to demonstrate and show off their knowledge and skills and the education they have and are continuing to ensure they are providing the best quality service they can. You may look for certificates on the wall of conferences and classes they have attended, as well as first aid training. They may be showing off their education and own research through social media posts or blogs on their websites, they may even talk about it in the studio with you. You can ask about their training and education too!
Aiden’s wall of certificates from attending and speaking at conferences across the world.
Hygiene – Hygiene is such a huge factor when it comes to body piercing. There should be no drinking alcohol or smoking encouraged or practiced inside the studio, and clients should never be permitted to ‘try on’ jewellery. (A safe alternative you may find is piercers using ‘piercing sticks’ or tools to hold up jewellery near the clients skin.) The piercing itself should be performed in a separate room that allows for good ventilation and good lighting. A private bathroom should also be away from any jewellery handling or processing. Some studios (if they aren’t disposable) should have a separate room that isn’t accessible by the general public where they process and clean dirty tools (this is referred to as the sterilisation room). On top of the big things, the studio should look clean and organised when you walk in, hand sanitizer should be freely available, you may notice cleaning wipes/spray tucked away on shelving or cupboards. Hand-washing will be practiced and encouraged between each appointment, as well as cleaning down the room.
Sterilisation – All jewellery and tools should be completely sterilised for the appointment. Some piercers may choose to do this via pre-sterilising in pouches. When sterilised correctly their should be a colour indicator on the back, as well as the packet looking crinkled. These should be opened in your Prescence. Other pierces choose to sterilise everything at the time of the appointment via the statim. They will place the jewellery, gauze, and tools (such as needles) into a statim cassette and leave it to sterilise (this typically takes around 7-9 minutes). To prove the sterility of the items inside, a colour changing indicator should be in their to verify, which you can ask your piercer to see. Again, these cassettes should be open in your presence.
A steriliser strip atop of the statim.
Contaminated Waste – There should be at least two separate bins in the piercing room. One bin (that can be operated without hands, such as a push-pedal bin) that collects contaminated waste, such as aprons or gloves. The other one is a sharps container that is mounted on the wall. Both of these should be clearly labelled ‘biohazard’. The sharps been is similar to the ones you may see in a doctors office or in the hospital. It is important that there is a sharps been so that you can be certain that needles are being disposed of correctly, and aren’t being reused.
Licensesand Insurance – Each individual piercer and studio should have their own licence by the council (where applicable) that allows them to practice body piercing. Each studio will also have insurance that will protect them and you. (Insurances can differ from each company, which is why some studios may have different parameters to work under and may be insured for different things.) Please note that neither a license or insurance can guarantee that the piercer has had adequate trainer, you should check with your local department what their regulations are.
Aftercare – Aftercare instructions should be provided to you at each and every appointment, as well as easily accessible via their website. You may find that each studio’s aftercare may differ slightly, but they should still follow the most up-to-date guidelines. A good base to find appropriate aftercare and what to compare it to is the aftercare suggestions written out by the APP.
Rogues aftercare leaflets.
Single Use Needles – Every piercer will use a single needle for each piercing they perform on a client. These needles will never be re-used, especially amongst different clients. Piercing guns will also never be offered, suggested or even held by a quality piercer for any piercing.
Portfolio – Each piercer will have their own portfolio. In the modern day of technology, you easily find this via their social media pages, or websites. They may also have more private portfolio work that you can ask to see. It is important when vetting a piercer that you check their portfolio, especially if you are looking for specialist work, such as large gauge or intimate piercings. Keep your eyes out for their healed work too!
Jewellery – All jewellery should be of high quality, that is well polished with no external threads (such as threadless or internally threaded). There should also be a wide selection of jewellery available which will ensure a correct fit, and is suitable for an initial/healing piercing.
Age Requirements – Age requirements will differ for each studio, based on personal opinion and insurance, as well as legislation. No quality studio will be offering to pierce nipples or genital work to anybody under the age of 18 regardless of gender. Quality studios will also have a strict ID policy for all clients, and for underage clients the legal guardian will also be required to be present at the appointment.
These are some of the minimum standards you should be looking for when you research a piercer or piercing studio. As a bonus they may also have membership to either (or both) the APP/UKAPP. A membership to either of these organisations doesn’t mean that they will be perfect, or provide quality work. It means that they are working to a minimum standard that has been set up to ensure that standards of body piercing are improving. These includes things like (but not limited to) being first aid trained, having blood borne pathogen training, certain hygiene standards etc. You should be able to reach out to your piercer and ask questions about their practices and studio standards. Your piercer should gain your trust and make you feel safe and secure during your appointment. If there is something not quite right about a situation, and you aren’t 100%, maybe have another rethink before getting pierced! Always trust your gut and the facts from your own research.
At Rogue each member of the team has their own portfolio which you can see via our social media as well as having their own Instagram work accounts. You can also contact us to see more of our portfolio’s or if you have any questions about our standards. We also post a new blog weekly at 4pm on Friday which you can read.
Unfortunately, it is way too common in the UK to be able to walk into a piercing shop and have no idea what jewellery or metal you are being pierced with, how it works or is fitted, and if it is even safe to be worn permanently or even long term. Quite often at the piercing appointment at Rogue, we hear multiple variations of ‘so what jewellery can I wear today?” Typically, the client might mean: What is safe? What can I not wear? What in the cabinets should I avoid until my piercing is healed? And honestly, you are right in asking that question!
Any good piercing studio should be able to answer your questions about the jewellery they stock and why or why not it is suitable for initial use! For example, you may take a look in our titanium cabinet and as about the sparkly white flower. In response we can tell you:
“That is the Neometal Flower! It is made out of implant grade titanium, ASTFM-136 to be exact, which is the exact same grade they use for fake knees and hips. Therefore we know it is safe to be worn in the body for extended periods of time. It is also set with five genuine white Swarovski crystals, so they can keep that sparkle forever, with care and frequent but gentle cleaning. All of our jewellery comes with warranty against any manufacturer defects, so if one gemstone randomly falls out, you can bring it back into the studio so we can have it cleaned and fixed by the jewellery company.”
-Jay
This is all true! All of our jewellery comes with a warranty against any manufacturer defects. Unfortunately, not everything in life is 100% perfect, and this includes the jewellery we have in stock. Despite it being rare that pieces to break, it does happen. This is why we choose to work with companies that will accept responsibility for their mistakes, such as a loose setting, and help us fix that. They care about their clients the same way we do, and we want to provide you with an experience that is as good as possible.
All of our jewellery is completely certified and is 100% safe to be worn in the body for extended periods of time! (Gemma has once or twice said, you can be buried with them!) All of our jewellery meets the standards set out by both the UKAPP and the APP! And for all of our implant grade titanium, each of our manufacturers can also provide Mill Certificates!
Nearly every piece of jewellery we hold in stock we can use for initial piercing. There are of course a few exception! 1. Clicker and seam rings – We will never use clickers or seam rings in any initial piercing. The rotation will often irritate the open channel, and often because they involve a tiny gap can bring dirt and debris into the healing wound. Quite often these rings will be quite small in diameter, meaning there won’t be enough room for drainage. You can learn more about this here! 2. Chains and charms – When healing a new piercing there is often quite a lot of fluid that will drain from the piercing channel, this can then easily become built up around the jewellery. With chains and charms this can get stuck in-between the small gaps, meaning the jewellery cannot be adequately cleaned. 3. Genuine opals – Throughout our BVLA jewellery collection, we have one or two piercings of genuine opal which cannot be sterilised. This is because opals contain a high rate of water, and under extreme pressure and steam from the statim this can cause the piece to explode. Because they can’t be sterilised, this makes it unsuitable for initial use. However, we have lots of faux opals available for you!
Every member of the team at Rogue has a vast knowledge of our jewellery collection, and can tell you about each of our cabinets, the manufacturers and brands we use, as well as the individual pieces. They take class after class at different conferences across the world to ensure they are provide a safe and confident service to their best of their ability. These classes include safe and unsafe metals. Aiden himself (our head piercer) actually teaches his metal classes at some conferences, so you can place your trust that we are providing you the best quality jewellery we can.
July’s birthstone is the fiery red ruby, known for its incredibly deep rich red, and perfect for the blazing hot warmth that typically comes with the summer month of July, but not to be mistaken for Januarys warm and cosy red garnet!
July is a single birthstone month allowing Ruby to take centre stage. For the months that are lucky enough to have more than a singular birthstone, these are separated into two lists: Modern and Traditional. The more common of the two is the modern birthstones, which were defined in 1912 by the Jewelers of America in an attempt to standardise (and commercialise) birthstones. This was further updated in the 1950s, to include gemstones such as Citrine for November, or Alexandrite for June. Modern stones are based on what’s easier to sell in large quantities (making it the more affordable choice).
BVLA – Heart of Paul – Yellow gold + Ruby Photo courtesy of Chloe Victoria
Ruby is the red variety of the mineral corundum (a crystalline form of aluminium oxide which typically contains traces of iron, titanium, chromium, and vanadium), coloured by the element chromium. All other colours of gem-quality corundum are called sapphire! Ruby gets its red colour from chromium, which also caused fluorescence, making rubies glow deep and fiery. Rubies dominant hue is definitely the red we all know and love, however you can find rubies with undertones of orange and pink! Ironically, despite chromium given rubies it’s most important feature (the colour) it is also what makes it so rare as it can cause cracks in fissures. This makes it incredibly hard for rubies to grow large enough to become quality gems.
Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) is one of the oldest recorded sources of Rubies. For more then 500 years, Myanmar has produced the most wanted rubies. These are exceptionally known for providing a vibrant red, with a glowing fluorescence, and softened by light-scattering inclusions. Since the latter part of the 20th century, Vietnam has also been a major player in the mining of Rubies, producing this gem in a variety of red to purplish-red tones. The newest but still important source for this wonderful crystal is Mozambique in Africa, which is home to the prolific mines at Montepuez.
For many years in the very late 1900’s, the major source of rubies were sourced along the border between Thailand and Cambodia. Now, other important sources of Ruby include Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar.
In addition to being the July birthstone, ruby is traditionally given for the 15th and 40th wedding anniversaries! Dating back a little to ancient India, Ruby was called the “King of Precious Stones” due to its rarity, hardness and beauty. It’s also been known for it’s “mystical powers” and has long been seen as a symbol of power and youthful energy in Indian jewellery. In previous centuries, it has been believed to predict danger and misfortune, as well curing inflammatory diseases.
Following straight after Diamond, Ruby falls at a 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness, making it the second hardest natural stone. This means you should store this stone separately to others so it doesn’t cause any damage. Rubies are often heat treated to remove purplish colouration to improve it’s redness, some treatments can make a ruby more vulnerable to every day wear and tear. As usual, the best way to clean this stone is with warm and mild soapy water and a soft toothbrush! If your stone is untreated, heat treated or lattice-diffusion stones, then ultrasonics and steam cleaners are generally safe to use. However, glass filled and dyed stones should only be cleaned with a damp cloth.
Bvla – Live to Tell, Afghan, Muse Yellow Gold + Ruby Photo courtesy of Jess Farrar
We stock jewellery from brands from across the world, and can source items in all birthstones imaginable! If you would like to treat yourself to some meaningful pieces, just get in contact with us.
Make sure to follow us on social media for regular updates, and keep an eye out as we post new blogs every single Friday!
If you’ve been pierced at Rogue (or any other quality studio) you’ll often be told to come back in for a check-up and a downsize. But what is a downsize, and why is it so important?
Downsizing is shortening the length of your jewellery to make a nice snug and comfortable fit to your body. When we pierce you we always start with bigger jewellery, either longer in length or bigger in diameter. this is because during the first stage of healing, the piercing site will swell as a normal reaction to the wound we have created. We need to accommodate for this swell, thus meaning bigger/longer jewellery. (If you are interested in why we swell and the phases of healing check out this blog post.)
A fresh mid-helix piercing with ample room for swelling.
Why don’t we pierce with the short bar? Again it cycles back to the swelling. Without adequate room for the swelling, it can quickly become a problem. Often if there’s no room, the body will start to swell over the jewellery, which can cause it to be embedded or lost. This can quite often be very sore and painful. Depending on the severity of the swelling, we can pull the jewellery and replace it with a bigger pierce, or in very rare/severe circumstances we may have to refer you to urgent care.
A triple flat piercing embedded. The middle pierce of jewellery is starting to be ‘swallowed’.
How do we downsize? Downsizing is fairly easy. We don’t cut the jewellery down, and we don’t replace the entire piece. We just replace the wearable with something much comfier. For example: take a helix piercing, the swelling has come down and now it’s starting to move freely. We simply just remove the decorative end, take out the labret, fit a smaller labret, and put the end back on. Abracadabra its just that easy! For piercings with rings (such as a daith) we will simply just replace the ring for one with a smaller diameter!
When should I downsize? This varies for each piercing, but ultimately your piercer should let you know. However, for most oral piercings it will be between 7-14 days. Cartilage and other piercings (such as navels/nipples/eyebrows etc) it will be around 4-6 weeks. Intimate piercings can be either, depending on location!
How do I know if I’m ready to downsize? Typically the jewellery will start to feel and look longer. You may notice that it also starts to move around more freely by itself. Sometimes you may see that the jewellery is sticking up and out, or that it is getting caught more easily on clothes/hair/glasses. The best way to tell is definitely to pop in for a visit with your piercer! They’ll be able to assess it from all angles and swap that bar over for you.
Plenty of space = Downsize to smaller bar!
What happens if I don’t downsize? Now it’s not going to be the end of the world if you do not downsize your jewellery, and your ear or nose won’t fall off! However, once the swelling subsides and the fistula is less tight, the jewellery may start moving up and down or back and forth. This can cause irritation to a sensitive and healing channel, which may lead to irritation bumps and higher chances of knocks and snags. Over time, this can even create migration and rejection as well as wonky angles. Depending on the severity of the damage, this may result in you having to retire the piercing.
For oral piercings, such as tongues or labrets, you can cause serious teeth and gum damage with excess length in jewellery.
How many downsizes will I need? Well this depends on quite a few factors. For example, which piercing is it? Cheek piercings require multiple downsizes due to the rapid swell of the area, and how slow it returns back to normal. If you tend to be a ‘sweller’ you may require 2 downsizes for piercings such as a nose or helix, as you may need a ‘half-way’ size. Gaining or losing weight may also mean you might need to shorten or lengthen the jewellery, Certain medications, being ill, being in warmer climates can all effect how the piercing heals, swells, and settles, so it is never a definitive answer.
Sometimes you may not even need a downsize. Some piercings just don’t need it. For example, microdermals! Rook and daith piercings are definitely a choice, the aesthetic of these is often the longer curved bar, or the larger ring to show off decoration. Other piercings can be variable, such as nipple or industrial piercings. However, it is important to note that most piercings will need to be downsized.
A stunning fresh daith piercing – pierced with the desired jewellery, and no downsize is needed!
So there you have it! What is downsizing, why it is important and all things in between! If you think your piercing is ready for a downsize, book in for a check-up with us here! If you’re not local to Nottingham, check out the piercer map to find your closest UKAPP piercer to help assist you, or reach out to us for recommendations!
The adrenaline response, also known the ‘fight or flight’ response, is a hormone (adrenaline) release from the adrenal glands in response to stressful or dangerous situations. This release of adrenalin gives us a boost to act quickly. It can also cause feelings of distress, anxiety and feeling unwell. The aim of this release is to help you face dangerous situations and be ready to “fight or flight”.
How does it affect piercing?
When preparing for your appointment, and actually waiting to get pierced, a lot of people can be worried or anxious thinking about the pain, especially when you don’t know what to expect. The adrenaline response can be triggered by these thoughts of anxiety or stress in response to physical harm of the body (even though we decided to do this, these thoughts are completely normal and valid). This response often has physical presenting symptoms on the body, including.
In this situation though, the release of adrenalin isn’t always helpful! Running away (fight) won’t necessarily help, and we definitely don’t recommend trying to fight your piercer! So we implement techniques during your time with us to help manage these symptoms. First of all, we learn what the signs and symptoms can be (see above diagram) and figure out the best way to help you. We have sweets on hand to help with blood sugars, as well as cool water and compresses on hand to help with body temperature. We also help prepare you for the piercing by focusing on breathing techniques. We get you to focus on the ‘in and out’ of breathing, slowing it down, and releasing on the ‘push’ of the needle. By doing this, we can shift the focus from the anxiety, and help ‘rebalance’ the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide we might have from the temporary imbalance we might have caused from shallower breathing.
Even though these feelings can be scary and unpleasant, they are not dangerous. You are also in the hands of safe professionals who are prepared for all of this! And despite how cool you may think your piercer is, we still get nervous too! Yes, even when we get pierced!
So why do I feel weird after the piercing?
This is the adrenaline rush to help you manage the pain. Because your body senses a heightened emotion, your adrenal glands create a quick release of adrenaline into your bloodstream to help manage the pain you are feeling. It is your own body’s way of creating it’s own distraction technique from the pain and sensations you are feeling by increasing mental stimulation. The adrenaline also dampens the pain response in your nervous system so you won’t get slowed down by your injuries (the fight or flight response!).
It’s not just fear and pain that can spike your adrenaline, it can also be excitement! For example, some people enjoy dangerous sports or rollercoasters because of the ‘thrill’ they get from it. This thrill is the adrenaline surging through your body, despite not being in danger. This can happen in piercing too. The excitement of being pierced or getting pierced can easily trigger this response. (This happened to Jay after their cheek piercings!)
It’s not always super fun though. Sometimes you may get light headed or dizzy, and feel a sense of irritability. This ‘rush’ can sometimes be stressful for some clients. As always, your piercer should be on hand and prepared for all outcomes! For example, everyone at Rogue is first aid trained, so if you do feel lightheaded or dizzy, let your piercer know! Often we will elevate your legs to bring the blood back to your head steadily, and grab you some sweets to bring your blood sugars back up! Sometimes you might just need a glass of water.
Why do I sometimes feel ‘bad’ later on?
After your piercing you may feel like you are invincible or on top of the world, this is super normal, however over the next few hours the body will slowly start to return to normal after the surge from the hormonal release. The adrenaline surge can last up to an hour, as it returns back to normal levels you may feel a ‘comedown’ effect. These symptoms can include low levels of energy or tiredness, as well as a drop in mood (also known as ‘post-adrenalin’ blues). There is absolutely nothing to worry about! We recommend doing something that you find helpful in terms of self care. Whether this is getting super cosy on the sofa with snacks and watching movies by yourself, or hanging out with friends, it is super important to look after yourself. We also recommend grabbing some good food, and something full of sugar (such as a full fat Coca-Cola) however you should avoid over-consumption on caffeine as this can increase the adrenaline in your body.
Breo showing off one of our sweet jars!
The adrenaline response is nothing to be scared about. It is a natural reaction that the body has been using to protect itself for thousands of years, and it is rare we see ‘bad’ reactions to the adrenaline response from piercings. However, if you are feeling super nervous our team are always on hand to help you out and make you feel better!
Quite often we hear the words, ‘I’m a fainter’ by clients when they come and get pierced with us, which can make the experience much more daunting and scarier than it needs to be. It can also be a scary idea for anyone who has never fainted before, but may have never had a piercing, or is quite queasy anyway! But there’s nothing to be worried about! While fainting can be quite common, and any professional piercer should be equipped to handle it, it really doesn’t happen as often as you think it might. But let’s discuss fainting, what it is, why it happens, and how we (at Rogue) minimise the chances of it happening to you!
Fainting is a short-term loss of consciousness. It happens because of a sudden drop in blood flow to your brain. A fainting episode usually lasts a few seconds or minutes. Then, you wake up and return to normal.1 It occurs when the body over reacts to certain triggers, causing that sudden drop in blood pressure and heart rate, making the blood flow to the brain slow down. These triggers can include (but are not limited to), standing or sitting for a long time, dehydration or extreme heat, stressful or emotional situations, and seeing blood or having an injection.
At your appointment, some of these things can be tied altogether! For example, it is very common for some people to be nervous about the pain or the procedure, which can cause feelings of anxiety causing stress levels to rise. Depending on your piercer, and the piercing you’re having, you may be sat or laid down for your piercing, so if you stand to quickly it can cause you to feel lightheaded or faint. You may not have had food before getting pierced, or not enough food, so during the piercing your blood sugar might be low, and then it can drop further due to the adrenalin response after being pierced. However, it is still very rare for us to have a fainter in the studio!
When you put a number of these factors together, and very quickly, it drastically increases your chances of feeling faint, or passing out, which is why we have a number of procedures to minimise this as much as possible.
Eating! On our consent form we ask if you have eaten in the last 4 hours prior to your appointment. Having a healthy amount of food in your system can stable your blood sugar and prepare it for the drop in blood sugar once the adrenalin response happens. If you have not eaten, we have a variety of snacks and sweets on hand that we will ask you to eat before you go onto the room. We also have sweets for after the appointment to give you that litlle boost of sugar back!
Lying you down! For most piercings at Rogue, we will have you laid down. This means that if the blood flow to your head slows down, it has less fight against gravity. And if you do feel faint, it is easier to bring your legs above your head laid down, than stood up or sat down!
Breathing techniques! When getting pierced at Rogue, we will get you to focus on your breathing, keeping it nice and steady, and taking breaths in and out to alleviate the pain on the ‘push’ of the needle. But alongside managing pain, breathing techniques are a really great grounding technique and can help reduce stress and anxiety before the hard bit.
Focusing on you! As the piercer and the person ‘in control’ of the room, it is really important that all of our attention is on you, even if you don’t notice it, we are always watching you and your reactions to pick up on any warning signals that you may feel faint. These signs can include going pale, or sweaty. If we pick up on it early enough, we can typically help you out by giving you some water and or sweets, a cool compress if needed.
Despite everything we can try and do to prevent fainting, it can definitely still happens. But there is still absolutely no need to worry. Every member of Rogue is First Aid trained, and we take annual courses to keep up to date with any changes. We have sweets and water on hand for when you come round, and we’ll always stay with you for a small time to make sure you’re feeling back to normal (or as much as possible) before you leave the studio. If you are prone to fainting, just let your piercer know, that way we can be as prepared as possible beforehand!
Feel free to book an appointment with us, and we’ll make you feel as comfortable as we can!
Pearl, Moonstone, and Alexandrite. A cute array of white, rainbow, and purples, June is one of only three months (the others being December and August). with three birthstones, creating a beautiful array of choice for every June babies style and budget. 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 – Raine Rainbow Moonstone
Pearl!
Pearl is the only birthstone that is organic, which means it is formed by a living organism instead of long periods over time in the earth. Pearls come from shelled Molluscs , where they deposit layers of calcium carbonate around microscopic irritants – typically believed to be a grain of sand – that get lodged in their shells. Each species produces distinctive looking gems that are characterised by very specific ranges of colour and size. Technically, any shelled mollusc can make a pearl, only two groups of bivalve molluscs (or clams) use mother-of-pearl to create the iridescent “nacreous” pearls that are valued in jewellery. These rare gemstones don’t require any polishing to reveal their natural lustre. Mother-of-pearl is also known as Nacre, and is is an organic–inorganic composite material produced by some molluscs as an inner shell layer. The same material of which pearls are composed. It is strong, resilient, and iridescent.
Pearls were once an incredibly rare gemstone and were accidentally discovered by divers foraging for food. These pearl-bearing molluscs live in salt-water or freshwater environments. They do not thrive in polluted environments. In 1893, the Japanese innovator ‘Kokichi Mikimoto’ discovered the process of growing pearls through ‘culturing’. The new ability to increase pearls instantly made them accessible across the market at a much more reasonable price. Salt-water cultured pearls are now being grown across the world. These farms are typically found away from socialisation and very breath-taking scenery, such as the southern coats of Japan and China. As a result of culturing, the rarest and most expensive pearls are natural pearls that have grown without any human interference.
Because pearls are made of Nacre, their colour will be the same as the same colour displayed by the animal they grew in. Typically soft and inviting, Pearl is commonly white or cream coloured. However, due to breeding pearls can now be found in a variety of hues, such as pinks and oranges, to exciting blues and greens. You can also find black, gold silver and grey on the market as a common colour. These pearls are typically from cultured from freshwater and are dyed. Black pearls are incredibly rare in the wild and so are mostly cultured, but surprisingly they aren’t actually ‘black’, but rather green, purple, blue and silver!
These milky-white stones have long been associated with purity, humility, and innocence – traditionally being given as a wedding gift. They are still used to celebrate the third and thirteenth wedding anniversary! Due to their rarity, elegance, and colour, they have been a symbol of wealth and luxury throughout their history. People also thought pearls brought a range of health benefits, such as curing depression and improving poor eyesight. While we can’t necessarily agree now a days, it’s definitely food for thought!
On the Moh’s scale of hardness, pearls are incredibly lowing, ranging from 2.5-3. This makes them incredibly soft and fragile. They can become easily damaged, especially if stored in plastic bags or exposed to chemicals. If stored in bank vaults, the extra dry air can cause them to dry out over extended periods of time. There is a saying around pearl jewellery that it must be the last thing you put on (even after makeup and hair products) and the first thing you take off. The best way to clean pearl jewellery is very lightly, with a slightly damp cloth. after each wear.
Pearls are relatively rare in body jewellery – Currently only BVLA works with genuine White Pearls! Cosmic BVLA Pearl cabochons.
Alexandrite!
Alexandrite is the second birthstone for June! Often described as ‘Emerald by day and Ruby by night’ because of it’s contrasting colours, Alexandrite is a rare variety of the mineral Chrysoberyl. The most prized stones show a deep dark green in fluorescent lighting and a sharp intense purple to red colour in incandescent lighting. The colour change is due to an uncommon chemical composition which includes traces of the same colouring agent found in Emerald – Chromium. It is the unlikelihood of the combination of these chemicals that makes this stone one of the rarest and most expensive gems on the earth. This isn’t the only thing interesting about Alexandrite, there is also another phenomenon with this stone. When long and thin inclusions (Inclusions are solids, liquids, or gases that are trapped in minerals) are parallel to each other, they can create the Cats-eye effect (also known as Chatoyancy). This is an optical reflection effect that makes the viewer see a band of light across the stone.
This mystical stone is relatively modern, but there is claims it was discovered in 1834 on the same day that future Russian Czar Alexander II came of age and therefore it was named in his honour, originally discovered and mined in Russian Emerald mines in the Ural mountains. These were eventually mined out, and now most Alexandrite is mined in Brazil, East Africa, and Sri Lanka. These newer deposits contain some high grade stones, but many display less-precise colour changes and duller tones than the 19th century Russian alexandite’s. Because of its scarcity, especially in larger sizes, fine-quality alexandrite is one of the most expensive coloured gems on the market.
Chrysoberyl mining at Corrego do Fogo near Malacacheta, Brazil. Courtesy: ICA
In contrast to its Opal counterpart, Alexandrite is relatively hard, scoring a 8.5on the Moh’s Scale of Hardness. With no cleavage (the weakest plane in a gemstone where it can split) it is an incredibly tough stone, making it a great stone for everyday wear and to gift. Despite ultrasonics and steam cleaners being a great way to clean this stone, it is still always best to use warm soapy water and a soft cloth.
Moonstone!
BVLA – Rose Cut Rainbow Moonstone
Moonstone, believed to bring great luck, is known for it’s vibrant, natural and optical effect similar to the bright appearance of the moon on a cloudless evening. This affect is known as adularescence. This happens because Moonstone is composed of microscopic layers of feldspar that scatter light. The best moonstones show a blue gleam over a transparent (colourless) background. The thinner layers of feldspar produce the blue while the thicker layers will look white. Despite this, this birthstone comes in a vast array of colours, including pinks, yellow, grey, peachy and greens. Sometimes, they can even produce a star or a cats eye!
Moonstone has associated with both Roman and Greek Lunar Deities (not surprising considering its long term history of comparison with the moon). This is again seen through Hindu mythology, which claims this stone is made of solid moonbeams! It is also known for it’s common associations with love, passion and fertility. During the Art Nouveau Movement between the 1890’s and 1910, many great artists and designers used moonstone in their fine jewellery, such as René Lalique and Louis Comfort Tiffany. Moonstone peaked interest in the market again during the 1960s “flower child” movement alongside the New Age designers of the 1990s.
The most common Moonstone on the jewellery market comes from the mineral adularia, named for an early mining site near Mt. Adular in Switzerland. Moonstone is now mined in a variety of, most commonly in places such as The United States, New Mexico and North Carolina. However, the most important ones are found in Sri Lanka, Brazil, India and Madagascar.
This birthstone falls in the middle of Alexandrite and Pearls, earning itself a 6-6.5 on the Moh’s Scale of Hardness, making it prone to stress cracking . It has poor toughness, and can crack when exposed to high heat, therefore making ultrasonics and steam cleaners unsuitable methods to clean this stone. Instead, you should use mild soapy and warm water, and a very gentle toothbrushes. Baby toothbrushes are great due to their soft bristles. Care is always recommended with any stone.
BVLA – Rainbow Moonstone
We stock jewellery from brands from across the world such as the December Birthstone, 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!
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here:
Cookie Policy
