Tag: education

Posted on by — Leave a comment

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.

  • Jay&Damien UKAPP 2022
  • The Piercer Trade Show 2023
  • UKAPP 2023

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.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

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!

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Birthstones – October

October is a super unique and exciting month for birthstones because technically there are two! Opal and Pink Tourmaline are the stars of the spooky season but why do we have two birthstones, and what makes them so special?

BVLA ‘Round Cab Prongs’ 14k Yellow Gold. Genuine White Opal (left) Pink Rhodolite (right).

Two Birthstones?

There’s no real solid evidence on why we have two birthstones for October, but there are two ideas floating around.

Originally Opal was the sole birthstone for October, however some people argued that it was too feminine, too fragile and it wasn’t durable for everyday wear. This is because Opal is only a 5.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. In comparison, a Sapphire is 9. To give more options for gemstones that could be worn for a lifetime, Pink Tourmaline was added as a secondary option. It is also thought that another reason that some months have more than one birthstone is so that people could still purchase a gemstone if the primary birthstone was too expensive. I’m looking at you, April (Diamond) babies!

Opals!

Opal is the traditional gem for the October birthstone. It is a classic choice, with a milky white ‘background’ colour and a rainbow of iridescent tones that shine in different lighting. Opals can be found in a variety of hues such as black, pinks, greens, blues and even more! They are mined from sources all over the world, but human-mined Opals were first discovered in a cave in Kenya by famous anthropologist Louis Leakey dating back to 4000 BC. There is also evidence that they were mined in North America 10,000 years ago. However, since the late 1800s, it has been most commonly exported from Australia. Australia is now the most famous exporter of Opals, providing 95% of the worldwide opals with the industry valued at almost 90 million AUD per year.`

Most Opals are mined underground, however open-cast Opal mining is also common in Australia.

The soft but beautiful gemstone also has a really fascinating history all across the world, with multiple beliefs and traditions contributing to its modern popularity. Multiple cultures have credited the opal to have supernatural and/or magical properties. In Ancient Greece, they believed it to give the gift of prophecy and health, such as protection from disease. However in Arabic legends it is believed to have fallen from Heaven during flashes of lightning. They also have past and current symbolisation of hope, and purity.

How are Opals Formed?

Opal is a hydrated armorphous form of silica. This means that it is a solid that contains water, but lacks certain characteristics to be classified as a crystal. It’s water content can sometimes be as high as 21%! Opals began to form in Australia over 500 million years ago, when the land was covered by a shallow inland sea. The sediment that settled aty the bottom of this sea was high in silica, which slowly began to trickle down into clay beds and even fossils. As the silica was deposited, it formed opals.

Because of its water content, and armorphous properties, Opals are very soft and delicate gemstones that should be treated gently, and with care. It is recommended that any opal jewellery should be cleaned with warm water and a mild soap. Please do not use any harsh chemicals on Opal jewellery. You can also use a soft bristled toothbrush or a cloth to gentle polish the stone.

We are often asked why we do not use genuine opals in initial piercings – So lets explain why! Opals are unique within body jewellery in that they contain a very high natural water content; sometimes as much as 21% by weight. Sterilising jewellery involves using an autoclave, which reaches high temperatures and pressures over 130 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, the water content of opals can flash-evaporate which can cause the gemstone to split. That would be an expensive mistake!

  • 2x 14k Yellow Gold ‘Mini Sunray’.
  • 14k Yellow Gold ‘Live To Tell’ Seam Ring.
  • 14k White Gold ‘Mini Kandy’.
  • 14k Yellow Gold ‘3 Gem Janna’ Seam Ring.

Pink Tourmaline

Pink Tourmaline is the more modern addition to the October birthstones rota. It is a strikingly beautiful stone known for its range of pink colours. It can be found in a variety of shades ranging all the way from pale pink to rich, deep magenta.

Tourmaline as a category is known for its variety of colours. Depending on which elements are found in its crystalline structure, the colours can range from greens to reds, to blues and pinks. This makes it an excellent substitute for other, often more expensive precious gemstones. For example, Green Tourmaline was found in the 1500s by a Spanish conquistador in Brazil, who washed some dirt from the stone, and due to its vibrant hues of green mistook it for an Emerald. It wasn’t until the late 1800s that it was recognised as its own category of mineral by geologists and gemologists.

Popularity for the gemstome Tourmaline spiked in the 1800s in America, when it wa sold to the company Tiffany and Co, who are infamous for their excellent and early adoption of modern marketing techniques. However, despite the American popularity for Tourmaline, it was actually China that dominated the market for Pink Tourmaline. The Dowager Empress Tz’u Hsi was paticularly fond of the pink tones and purchased huge quanities of the stone. So much so, that when the Chinese government collapsed in 1912, the market for Pink Tourmaline also collapsed!

Throughout history, Pink Tourmaline has had many different attributes associated with it. The Romans used it as a sleep aid or stress reliever, whilst many artists, writers and creatives have used it to stimulate creativity. There are modern beliefs that it renews vitality, can strengthen self-confidence and even enhance sensuality. It is believed to be the stone of love and humanity, and many crystal healers use it for healing. It has strong ties to being an aid for physical and emotional healing, especially to remove the emotional pain from heartache any many forms of abuse. It is a stone for love, passion and joy.

At Rogue we don’t place much merit in these purported magical powers, but it is interesting to read.

Pink Tourmaline is quite a hard stone (7.5 on the Mohs scale), which means it is durable and suitable for everyday wear. To clean your Tourmaline jewellery at home it is recommended to use warm soapy water or an ultrasonic cleaner.

  • Different lighting effects the same jewellery.
  • Side View
  • BVLA ‘Round Cab Prong’

We stock jewellery from brands from across the world, and can source items in all birthstones imaginable! If you would like to treat yourself to some meaningful pieces, just get in contact with us.

Make sure to follow us on social media for regular updates, and keep an eye out as we post new blogs every single Friday!

Posted on by — Leave a comment

The Current State of Apprenticeships

We are not currently offering a piercing apprenticeship at Rogue. Please do not contact us to ask for one!

If you know anything about Rogue, you know we love a bit of data! Over the past 8 weeks, we have sent out a survey to over a hundred international piercers to fill out in order to gather data on the current state of piercing apprenticeships.

We all know that there are very few piercing apprenticeships being offered internationally – But why is a very big question! We don’t like to just give people a flat no, and we think its important that would-be apprentices know what they’re up against if they want a great start into the industry.

The vast majority of responses were from the USA and the UK.

Of all the responses from the questionnaire, a huge proportion of piercers are active within the UK and USA. This means that any data collected will the skewed towards a more eurocentric response!

A large proportion of respondees have been piercing for close to a decade.

Most of the responses came from experienced piercers with close to, or over a decade of, professional experience. This means that the data comes from a place of knowledge.

We can agree that there are not enough high quality apprenticeships to go around!

This is where it gets interesting. Of the respondants, over 3/4 believe that there are not currently enough high-quality piercers offering apprenticeships to train the next generation. So… Why is that? The following questions were designed to ask why particular piercers, even those with over a decade of experience, do not take on an apprentice.

Despite a resounding cry for high-quality apprentices, with over 75% of responses saying that not enough apprentices are being trained, only 8.7% are currently looking to take one on!

Interestingly, 20% of the piercers who responded stated they would never take on an apprentice. The majority were planning on taking an apprentice sometime in the future – Within 5 years. This is really heartening to know! Even if the current climate is difficult, there is still hope for the future.

This is where it gets interesting. We asked why piercers weren’t taking on an apprentice, and the results were surprising! Very few simply didn’t fancy taking on an apprentice. Most were interested in taking on an apprentice in the future, however due to personal, experience, or financial reasons were unable to.

Some of the responses were:

  • “There currently isn’t enough work for us to justify taking on another piercer – plus, training can be super exhausting.”
  • “I hate 99% of people and couldnt imagine working with anyone.”
  • “We only train piercers when we are looking for new staff and can offer a job at the end of the apprenticeship. I think there’s too many people willing to train up people and then they’re left with no career at the end of it.”
  • “I don’t have enough of a consistent work load to be able to offer a full time position to someone once they have completed an apprenticeship. I could really use a second piercer for a few months of the year when it is the busy summer season but other than that my workload is really slow paced. I don’t think it would be fair of me to take on an apprentice for a few years then not have work for them to be able to support themselves at the end of it. It wouldn’t really be financially viable for me either.”
  • “My Studio isn’t up to standard.”

These are all really valid reasons not to take on a piercer. As much as we stress researching your potential mentor and making sure they are experienced enough to teach you, its also really important to remember that piercers are only human. Piercing is a business. Taking on an apprentice is often a huge financial risk, and to do so ethically requires a lot of forethought and financial planning.

Employment and business structure is a huge reason why many piercers don’t take on an apprentice. Of over 100 piercers, almost half are employed by another person. This means that frequently the decision to take on an apprentice is out of their hands. Even if they wanted to take on an apprentice, their boss may choose not to for a number of reasons.

And again on the other hand, if a piercer is self-employed, they may struggle to finance a piercing apprenticeship. Especially in the current economic climate, many self-employed folks are feeling the squeeze. They are not paid a set wage each month, rather are often paid a proportion of any turnover. Splitting that money with another person may not be financially viable. Even if an apprenticeship is unpaid, many apprentices will still cost the business money in one way or another.

Something that came up a lot in this questionnaire, and in further dialogue with individual piercers, is the concept of ‘The Blind Leading the Blind.’ Given the boom in piercing over the last few years, many people joined the industry in a short space of time. A huge proportion of would-be mentors are still in the infancy of their careers themselves, and are passing down their bad education or bad habits without even knowing it. In addition to this, younger piercers are less likely to have the experience and skill to teach the vital ‘unusual’ piercings, like genital work, large-gauge piercings, and surface piercings. This means that over time, these skills can very easily be lost and die out. We are already experiencing this as it is!

Something to consider as well is the Dunning-Kruger effect. In our experience, younger piercers are more likely to consider themselves ready to teach well before they are ready because they simply don’t know what they don’t know yet. This is why we recommend considering both the portfolio of your potential mentor and the years they have served. A healthy mix of both is ideal. The majority of responses to the questionnaires recommended a mentor should have at least 4-10 years of experience before taking on an apprentice. Here at Rogue, we sit in the decade club where we believe that a solid 10 years of piercing experience makes for a much better educator. Mature piercers will often have travelled and attended conferences, and have excellent links within the industry. It’s often not what you know, but who you know that can allow your career to take off!

Final Thoughts from the Piercers

Here we choose to share some of the thoughts of the piercers interviewed, in order for you to see exactly what they are thinking when they think of a piercing apprenticeship.

  • “I feel it (whether they take an apprentice on or not) depends how the piercing apprenticeship is approached. I had never considered teaching someone. My soon-to-be apprentice has been working with us for 2 years as Saturday help & Receptionist. She has always wanted to learn and we became friends over the past couple of years and so I started to consider helping her. She will continue to work in the studio to earn a wage. To start with I will be training her out of hours meaning she won’t be paid but neither will I. It’s all about both putting in the time. Once she starts piercing, however long that may take I would offer her a portion of the total. We will then continue on from there to ensure that she is well looked after and gets every bit of experience she needs of the next few years.”

  • “I wish more reputable piercers were taking apprentices. We are lacking a quantity of reputable piercers, my studio is currently looking for one but we haven’t found anyone just yet who fits our criteria but quite a lot of half trained people who either had poor, unfinished apprenticeships or they did a piercing course.”

  • “Safe and ethical apprenticeships are key, and not every apprenticeship is effective or healthy. After meeting an apprentice at another studio near me, it feels important to bring up that there are apprentices in some studios that have fulfilled their training requirements in unpaid positions, who are manipulated into thinking that they still must work for free. Apprenticeships are the most effective way for someone to learn our trade and it is unfortunate that some abusers use the dynamic of piercing apprenticeship to lure and trap their victims.”

  • The biggest issue I see here in our industry is that being a good piercer does not make you a good teacher or mentor (same with business ownership). All too often I see these roles interchangeable – where they are each in their own right, different skillsets. I’m not about gatekeepers whatsoever and am a firm believer in paying it forward, it does however need to make good financial sense for a studio but also the potential mentor needs to have good training skills (as well of course as being a good piercer). The other issue I see a lot of is students teaching students – basic fundamentals that mentors don’t have down, yet are passing these gaps in knowledge down to the newer generation.”

Piercing Apprenticeship Conclusions

That’s a tonne of data and industry information! We genuinely believe that there is hope for the piercing industry if we just pull ourselves together and take the jump. Taking on an apprentice is often terrifying, both for the mentor and learner. It’s a big commitment for everyone involved, and there is no way to predict the outcome. A mentorship is based on mutual trust, respect, and often deep friendship. Having an apprentice can feel sometimes like adopting a child! Not only does your mentor shape your piercing skills, but they will shape your attitude and relationship with the industry. Your mentors reputation can often follow you for the lifetime of your career.

So, what do piercers want would-be apprentices to know? I think the main takeaway is that piercers are human beings. We are just as prone to bias, issues and mistakes as the rest of the population. It’s very easy to see piercers on social media as ultra-cool aliens or internet personalities, but at the end of the day we run small businesses and are often sleep deprived and stressed!

The number one thing that we need to stress is this: We get dozens of messages and emails a week from would-be apprentices asking if we are taking on an apprentice and if they can come and do a piercing apprenticeship with us. Sometimes these emails are really polite, sometimes they are straight-up demanding! Especially if you have read through this blog, you will understand how much we care about our industry and how high-stakes taking on an apprentice is. The number one way to get blacklisted by a studio is to send unwarranted, demanding messages asking for an apprenticeship. No high quality studio will take on an apprentice via DM. We need to know you as a person! You can read more about apprenticeships on our dedicated ‘Apprenticeships’ blog category. The blog ‘So You Want To Be a Piercer?’ will also make for great reading. We aren’t saying that you have to come and get pierced every week for three years, or spend £xxxx amount of money with us to ‘earn’ your apprenticeship, but building a relationship with a studio is key. It often can’t be forced, either. You can’t push a friendship and expect an piercing apprenticeship to fall out the other end, y’know? Body piercing is often seen as a ‘casual’ industry, where you don’t need to follow the standard rules of employment. What other industry would you expect to enter via DM? The general opinion is that people who DM studios for apprenticeships are not taking it seriously, and don’t have the professionalism to make it in the industry. Don’t fall foul of this social faux pas.

If you have had a response from a studio when you’ve cold-messaged them on instagram, take a moment to consider what kind of situation you might be putting yourself into. You don’t know them, they don’t know you. Oftentimes they will just be looking for a couple of months of free labour and you will leave with nothing.

So there you have it! Some more thoughts on the piercing apprenticeship, backed up with some decent data. If you’d like to read more on the subject, we have plenty of blogs covering all kinds of topics so just hit the link above to go have a deep dive! If you have any questions, you’re welcome to drop us an email. Make sure to follow us on instagram! And final reminder…

We are not currently looking to take on an apprentice at Rogue. Please do not contact us to ask for one!

Posted on by — 2 Comments

Large-Gauge Piercings 101

Rogue has become quite the hub for large-gauge piercing work in the UK! With a combined experience of over 30 years, the piercing team at Rogue can offer pretty much all body piercings at a larger gauge than standard. So, what is a large-gauge piercing and how do we do them?

What is a Large-Gauge Piercing?

We define large-gauge as anything pierced initially at 10g (2.4mm) or higher. Large-gauge piercings can also be achieved via stretching, however this is a much longer and more labourious process that can take many years to achieve.

Most piercings can be performed at a large gauge, the most popular being:

  • Lobe Piercings
  • Septum Piercings
  • Lip Piercings (Labret, Philtrum, Snakebites and many more)
  • Genital Piercings
  • Cartilage Piercings (Conch, Helix, and Daith)
  • Nipple Piercings
  • Navel Piercings
Fresh 6mm septum piercing – Note that no tissue is being removed!

What is the process?

We always recommend booking in for a piercing consultation before any large-gauge work – This is for two reasons.

  1. Depending on the piercing, we need to perform an anatomy check. This is done to ensure you have the appropriate anatomy for the piercing you would like, and to double-check that your intended piercing size is suitable.
  2. We also like to talk to our large-gauge piercing clients in advance, as there are sometimes multiple methods available for some piercings. In addition, we always want to talk to our potential clients about what to expect, and ensure that you are ready to choose a large-gauge piercing.
The process of a large gauge navel piercing by Aiden.

How is a Large-Gauge Piercing Done?

Large-gauge piercings are performed the same as most other piercings – We simply use a larger needle, and custom-made jewellery. As previously mentioned, there are sometimes alternative methods available which can be discussed.

  1. To prepare for your appointment, we recommend eating a good meal with complex carbs and protein involved. We also strongly discourage drinking alcohol for 24/48hrs before your appointment.
  2. At your appointment, we will firstly double-check the anatomy and decide on an appropriate placement for you. Depending on the piercing location, we will also discuss this placement with you. Some piercings have ‘wiggle-room’ for placement, such as conch piercings, whereas others really require precise placement. We are happy to chat about this with you to make sure you’re happy!
  3. We will then clean the piercing placement again. We use a double-cleaning method to first clean and secondly disinfect the location.
  4. We usually pierce you laying down – This ensures your comfort and prevents extra movement. It’s also good for clients who might feel a little faint due to the piercing process!
  5. Once we are happy with the marking, we will don our sterile gloves. We use sterile gloves for all piercing procedures for optimal hygeine and cleanliness.
  6. We may then take a short time to decide on our positioning, so there may be a short 2-3 minute wait while we prepare ourselves to pierce. This is to ensure the piercing itself is the quickest, smoothest process.
  7. Once we are ready, and you are ready, we will instruct you to take a nice deep breath in. On your exhale, this is when we will pierce you!
  8. It is super important to keep your breathing relaxed and even. Holding your breath and clenching your torso can only make the process feel more intense and increase any feelings of panic. Nice, even, deep breathing is key.
  9. Once the piercing is performed, we then insert the jewellery. The entire piercing process itself will take less than a minute.
  10. You are more than welcome to take a break at this stage – There is no rush to jump off the piercing bed and take a look! We will always move at your pace.
  • Epic 5mm septum piercing by Breo!
  • Large Gauge Labret – Pierced by Aiden
  • A stunning large gauge septum, pierced at 2.4mm.
  • Some more large gauge work, with these incredible lowbrets pierced for the wonderful Phoebe.
  • 8g Septum Piercing
  • Paired conches, pierced at 2mm and 2.4mm. Jay’s first intro to large gauge work.
  • A super cool large-gauge labret!
  • Large-Gauge Septum piercing.
  • A 7mm Septum

Large-Gauge FAQs

Why Pierce and not Stretch?

This is a super common question we get! There are two main reasons that you might want to pierce (or repierce) at a larger gauge instead of simply stretching a standard gauge piercing.

Firstly, it can expedite the process and allow you to get to your goal size a lot faster. For example, if your end goal is an 8g septum piercing, that might take upwards of 2-3 years to achieve by stretching a 16g piercing. That’s 6 months post-piercing before you can make your first stretch, and then 2 years of stretching a single size at a time with the recommended 6 month wait time in between. You can read more about septum stretching in more detail here. This is a very long time indeed! That time can be shortened significantly if you choose to get pierced at 8g – You are immedietely at your goal size.

Secondly, it is less traumatic to your body. This may seem counterintuitive, but I hope I can explain this fully! Each time you stretch a piercing, even if you do so under ideal conditions using perfect technique, you can cause the generation of scar tissue. This scar tissue is a lot less elastic than normal tissue, and we need to wait for this scar tissue to soften before you make your next stretch. This is one of the reasons why you need to take stretching really slowly. That being said, even if you wait forever, some scar tissue will still remain from your previous stretches, and this can begin to accumulate. The maximum size that your body can accomodate will depend massively on the amount of scar tissue you generate during your stretching process – After a certain point, your scar tissue will not allow you to stretch to a larger size without damage occuring. If you simply got pierced at a larger size, you can avoid the scar tissue that would have otherwise been generated during the stretching process. For example, if your goal size for your earlobes is 1/2″ (approx 12mm), that is usually 12 stretches that you will need to do. 18g to 16g, 16g to 14g, 14g to 12g and so on. That is 12 opportunities for scar tissue development, even under ideal conditions. And who among us can claim to have always stretched their piercings absolutely faultlessly? Very few indeed. So, if your goal is 1/2″, you can skip 50% of the stretching process by getting pierced at 6mm (2g). This means that a) Your stretching process is shorter and b) You will usually end up with healthier, happier earlobes at the end.

Thirdly, (I know I only said two, but here we are), piercing at or near your goal size allows you to control the final look and placement of your piercing a lot more. When you stretch, you are naturally causing the distortion of tissue. Inserting larger jewellery forces the tissue around it to move and adapt. Over time, especially in body piercings such as navels and nipples, this can sometimes result in thinning tissue or a wonky piercing. Getting pierced at a larger gauge minimises issues with migration, and can prevent a ‘stretched out’ look. This can be especially important to consider in oral piercings like labret piercings, where some people do (and others really don’t!) want the super stretched up distorted look.

A final addition to this answer would be a financial one! Stretching piercings, especially genital or other body piercings, can be expensive. You will usually be expected to purchase multiple sets of jewellery that you will be wearing for a relatively short time before discarding. If doing this properly and wearing high quality jewellery, this can easily cost many hundreds of pounds. Getting pierced at or near your goal size will save you a heck of a lot of money, and who doesn’t appreciate that!

Where Does the Tissue Go?

A classic question! Many people are under the impression that needles remove tissue. So, when you push the needle through, there is a little chunk of flesh on the inside that is no longer a part of your body. Nobody likes a flesh thief! However, this is absolutely untrue and is a bit of a classic piercing myth. So, what happens when you get pierced with a needle? This short video gives you a good idea of what happens.

Does it Hurt More?

Excellent question! Having experienced large-gauge piercings, performed many hundreds, and worked alongside them for many years, we can confidently say that they are never as intimidating as you are expecting. Yes, they can feel a little pinchier than a standard piercing, but they are performed just as quickly and leave no long-term discomfort. They often heal better than standard gauge piercings, too!

I have an existing piercing. Can I be repierced at a larger gauge?

Yes, you totally can! What you need to do to prepare depends on the piercing location and the method by which we repierce you. As a general rule, we usually recommend removing your existing piercing, and waiting at least 12 weeks before booking in for your large-gauge piercing.

Repiercing hurts no more than an initial piercing, and the healing time is not usually extended by doing so.

How Long Do They Take to Heal?

This really depends on the placement. That being said, most large-gauge piercings only take about 10-15% longer than a standard piercing to heal. So for example, if a standard lobe takes 6 months, then a large-gauge lobe will take 7 months. This varies from person to person, but they are not going to take years and years!

Conclusion

Large gauge piercings can be a really, really useful tool in your piercing toolbox. Sometimes they are the only way forward (such as in most genital work), or they can be an excellent option depending on your piercing goals!

The most important thing to know is that you have a lifetime of support from the team at Rogue. We are large-gauge and genital specialists, meaning that we always have a member of the team on hand every day of the week to answer your questions. Don’t hesitate to get in touch via instagram or email, and make sure to head to our booking system to get booked in for your next piercing project!

Posted on by — Leave a comment

The Design: Lip Piercings!

Lip piercings are arguably the piercing that has such a range of options for placement. From the lower lip to the top, singles and pairs, whatever you like we can probably make it happen.

Now, lip piercings are still anatomy dependent and there is a lot for your piercer to consider when helping choose placement, however the antomy checks will vary depending on the type of placement and piercing you choose.

Single “Standard” Lip Piercing:

I’ve put the word “standard” into quotation marks beause we are going to talk through all the different placements of a single lip piercing that passes through the inside to the outside of the lip. There are so many to talk through! Some piercing placements even have fun names, although you don’t need to know those names in order to get the piercing.

For a standard lip piercing your piercer will be checking the anatomy on the inside of the lip, for where your frenulum sits, and will also be checking their markings on the outside aswell so that when you are relaxed, the back of the labret is sitting in a comfortable place that does not rest directly on your teeth. If you’re planning rings in the future, be sure to let your piercer know, so they can mark up appropriately. Initially, these should be pierced with straight labrets. Rings in fresh piercings can cause a lot of irritation.

Labret: Center of the bottom lip, sitting below the lipline.

Philtrum or Medusa: Centre of your upper lip, resting just above your cupids bow.

Side labret: Sitting one one side of the bottom lip, below your lipline. Often seen paired together as snakebites!

Monroe: Pierced above the upper lipline on the left hand side.

Madonna: Pierced above the upper lipline on the right hand side.

  • Labret – Pierced by Gemma
  • Angle view of a Philtrum – Pierced by Gemma
  • Philtrum – Pierced by Jay

Vertical Lips:

Vertical lip piercings are exactly what they sound like! They are pierced with curved barbells, passing through vertically top to bottom of the lip. For this piercing, your piercer should be checking for the prominence of the lip, that will allow the curve to sit comfortably. This means that your lip needs to stick out enough, and be full enough, to support jewellery. Not everyone can have all vertical lip piercings.

Traditional Vertical Labret: Pierced vertically through the centre of the bottom lip.

Upper Vertical Labret: Pierced vertically through the centre of the top lip. Also known as a jestrum.

We’ve recently seen an increase of vertical lip piercings, especially being paired together, and they just look badass.

Paired Vertical Labrets: Two vertical labrets paired together on the lower lip. Typically seen close together, and on either side of the lip.

Paired Upper Vertical Labrets: Two vertical labrets paired together on the upper lip. Typically seen with a bit of distance between them, just on the outer edges of the cupids bow. Also known as angel fangs.

  • Paired vertical labrets – Pierced by Breo
  • ‘Angel Fangs’ – pierced by Gemma
  • Vertical Labret – Pierced by Gemma
  • Jays Jestrum – Pierced by Gemma
  • Labret – Pierced by Jay

Pairs, Doubles and All the Fancy Names!:

Over the years, piercings have gathered all sorts of commonly used slang names, but lip piercings by far are notoriously known by their slang names, especially when it comes to multiples!

Dolphin Bites: Two lower labrets pierced below the lipline of the bottom lip, quite centered and close together.

Snake Bites: Paired labrets pierced below the lipline of the bottom lip, but quite seperated/typically seen either side.

Shark Bites: Double and paired labrets either side of the bottom lipline. (Think of them as double snake bites!)

Spider Bites: Paired labrets, pierced one one side of the bottom lip.

Angel Bites: Paired labrets pierced above the top lipline, typically seperated eitherside of the cupids bow.

Canine Bites: Paired upper and lower lips. Think of Angel Bites and Snake Bites.

Now of course these aren’t all the possibilities of lip piercings. These guys have been around for years, and will hopefully be around for many more!

  • ‘Snake Bites’ – Pierced by Breo
  • ‘Dolphin Bites’ + Philtrum – Pierced by Breo
  • ‘Spider Bites’ – Pierced by Breo
  • Dolphin Bites – Pierced by Gemma
  • Snake Bites and Labret, paired with a Jestrum and Angel Bites.
  • Angel Fangs Pierced by Jay. Snakebites and Dahlias also Pictured.

The Fun and the Rare:

Theres a few more we havent touched on yet. The ‘Ashley’ and ‘Inverse Labrets’, large gauge, and low/highbrets.

The Ashley – A piercing that passes through the centre of the bottom lip, horizontally. Can be seen as pairs or by itself. Highly anatomy dependant, and either a curved or straight barbell. Your piercer should be looking for a ‘full’ and ‘prominent’ lip that would support a bar passing through.

Inverse Vertical Labrets – Very similar to a vertical labret, only it sits on the inside of the lip rather than the outer. Usually pierced with curved barbells.

Large Gauge Lip Piercings – Of course, just like any other piercing, we can pierce lips at a higher gauge too! An absolute perfect way to start if you wanted to stretch in the future.

Lowbrets/Highbrets – Typically these are just labret piercings pierced either much lower than the lipline, or much higher! Its a hybrid word of ‘high’ or ‘low’ and ‘labret’! Super cool.

  • Large gauge lowbret – Pierced by Breo.
  • Large Gauge Lowbrets – Pierced by Aiden
  • ‘Ashley’ piercing – Pierced by Aiden
  • Large Gauge Labret – Pierced by Aiden

Above is photos of Andre’s inverse vertical labrets that he had pierced many years ago and has healed them beautfiully.

We’d absolutely love to do more lip piercings at Rogue, so don’t hesitate to contact us or book in to discuss ideas or placements!

Posted on by — 1 Comment

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!

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Association of Professional Piercers Conference 2023 Las Vegas

Under any other circumstances, Las Vegas is one of the last places I’d opt to visit. I don’t cope well in heat or humidity and gambling is not my jam. But in January 2023, under guidance and support from Aiden, Andre and Loreia, I submitted my application for the 2023 Legacy Scholarship to attend the APP conference, hosted at Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas, Nevada.

The process included filling out an application, having two industry peers write a recommendation, a video submission and a series of interviews. These were examined and discussed by a panel of APP members and 12 people were chose as scholars (due to unforeseen circumstances, two scholars have been delayed until next year and so we were only 10). Despite all the support and reassurance from everyone around me, I never believed that by the end of February I would receive a call from Ryan Ouellette to confirm my place on the scholarship programme. The feeling was indescribable. I was excited, anxious, in a state of disbelief. It took awhile for the reality of the opportunity to sink in.

Vegas Babyyyyyyy

Cut to June 8th, I drove myself to Heathrow airport and boarded a 10 hour flight to Las Vegas. If you’d have told me last year I would be navigating a trip like this by myself, no way would I believe you. But I did it. A short taxi ride later, I was throwing my suitcase into Planet Hollywood and heading out to meet a group of piercers, headed by the wonderful Caitlin (back-bone of the conference and overall incredible human being) for some food and a wander around the Vegas Strip. Holy shit Vegas is wild. It’s huge, it’s overwhelming, it’s hot. The sheer amount of people, noises and lights at all times is insane. It’s not a city for the introvert. But I was swept away immediately.

The way Legacy Scholars were a diverse, tight knit group but we were welcomed with open arms and open hearts by the APP Volunteer Group. Piercers from all over the world, joined together as a little team to make sure the conference was a success. Every single volunteer was helpful, kind, thoughtful. It was incredible to be part of such a wonderful family. I miss you all always. Work started for us on the Friday evening, and over the weekend we helped to set up the conference area to be ready to host over 1400 piercers from around the globe for 5 days of classes and events.

Sunday night was registration and hundreds of piercers filled Planet Hollywood to register for the conference, collect their badges, purchase merchandise and catch up with friends they haven’t seen since the last event. After the initial rush of wrangling hundreds of excited people, the Volunteer Team had a pizza night to decompress and get ready for the first full day of classes Monday morning. I’m thankful for the quiet times with good people and good pizza. I’m especially thankful for Jammie Biggers for taking me around Vegas in his car and giving me a break from the bustle.

Legacy Scholars 2023

Monday started with a meeting at 8am and then right into attending classes, working class doors, assisting the attendees, working on the merch booth and at 8pm, we headed to the Flamingo for the opening pool party. I’ve never been to a pool party before, it was nice to see people in a more relaxed setting. And the tacos were good. I also met the legendary Brian Skellie which was a party highlight for sure! The volunteers cleared down the party at midnight and we headed back to the hotel to recover for Tuesday.

In between classes, I worked various jobs around the conference, always supported by other volunteers. It was a really wonderful experience to work and learn from new people every single day. I’ll insert a list of the classes I attended over the week here:

Outside of the classroom, I bonded with so many amazing people. I met a lot of people that I really respect and admire as industry professionals. I met a lot of people that I hope to see again soon. It’s really hard to express the impact that the Scholarship has had one me. As a piercer. As a person. I feel so privileged to be a part of something so wonderful. I’m looking forward to hopefully being able to start to repay this industry for the experience, knowledge, support and family that it has provided me with.

Oh, did I mention I went on a guided tour of the Punk Rock museum. Guided by Fat Mike himself! He liked my hair, I liked his sense of humour.

Until next time Vegas, thanks for having me.

The list of people I want to thank is endless. But I will list and link the profiles of the 2023 Legacy Scholars and their respective countries. But to each of the Volunteers both this year and all yeats, thank you for being the best family some of us have. Once a duck, always a duck, right? Wouldn’t be possible without ya.

Ebs from Birthright Adornment, Melbourne Australia

Honza from Atreya, Czech Republic

Jonathan from RAW, South Carolina USA

J’son from TATAU, Mubai India

Laura from Maria Tash, Paris France

Matt from The Tattooed Gent & Onyx, UK

Nate from Diablo Rojo, Texas USA

Tais from Gold Heart Studio, Sweden

Angy from Mayduna, Berlin

Posted on by — Leave a comment

The Design: Navel piercings!

This is a series about the designs of piercings, such as placement, jewellery options available and what you should expect to see and experience when you get a new piercing. Every single piercing is different and complex, and so different from person to person. More experienced piercers might be faster, and it might be easier for them to recognise what your body specifically needs compared to an apprentice for example, however relevant checks will still need to be taken. Let’s kickstart the series by talking about navel piercings!

Checking Your Navel Anatomy

Navel piercings are completely anatomy dependent, for both viability and the type of jewellery they require. There are so many options available. Your piercer should be absolutely checking your anatomy before they pierce you.

To assess your anatomy, your piercer might ask you to stand, bend forwards, lay down and sit to see how your navel moves. They will be watching to see how your navel moves, and wether there will be space to comfortably allow jewellery to sit.

Your piercer may also feel ‘into’ your navel to assess the depth, and definition of the lip of the navel. There are lots of navel piercing options available, so lets have a look at each option!

Anatomy – Traditional and Floating Navel Piercing:

Traditional navel piercings are often the most common piercings you might see. Traditional navel piercings are pierced centrally through the upper ‘lip’ of the navel. Your jewellery will be that classic design with a small gem on the top, and a larger gemstone on the bottom.

These piercings require specific anatomy. First off all you need to have a defined ‘shelf’ or ‘lip’ at the top of the navel that the jewellery can pass through (similiar to a rook or a vertical lip for example). It also depends on where the muscles in your stomach lay. Often as we bend, sit, and lay down in every day life our abdomen moves with us. What we’re looking for in a traditional navel is that the navel stays open and doesn’t collapse (fold flat), during movement. This leaves lots of open space for that larger gem on the bottom to sit comfortably without causing pressure.

If the navel does collapse, it means that the larger gemstone on the bottom is going to cause the jewellery to be pushed up and outwards, which can cause irritation and rejection. This is when we might recommend a floating navel. Floating navels are very similar to traditional, as they are pierced centrally with the body, through that ‘upper’ lip. However, that collapsing of the navel means that the larger gemstone on the bottom is not sustainable, so we change jewellery styles!

The top gemstone is designed to be the centerpiece, and can be super large or decorative. We swap the bottom ball to either a nice flat disk, an ‘M&M’ disk, or a smaller ball. At your downsize appointment, we use a shorter bar that creates a really comfortable, snug fit. Depending on the anatomy we can also create a tucked-away, ‘invisible’ look of the bottom ball/disk. This is why it’s called a floating navel – It looks as though the top gem is simply floating in place.

The third type of anatomy you might see is an ‘outie’. Outie navels are caused by a remnant of umbilical cord or hernia which sticks out of the body. Unfortunately, this type of navel that is unsafe to pierce. A standard navel is pierced through only skin and a little soft tissue, but an outie would be pierced through quite a lot of complex internal tissue. This piercing would be unstable, and any issues such as infection could quickly become quite serious. Because of this, we do not pierce outie navels. However, read on too see some other cool options or get in touch with us to discuss your options!

  • Floating navel pierced by Jay.
  • Traditional navel pierced by Gemma.
  • Floating navel pierced by Breo.
  • Floating navel pierced by Breo.
  • Traditional navel – jewellery upgrade
  • Floating navel pierced by Breo. Note the scarring from an endoscopic procedure.

Lower/Offset Navel Piercing:

Navel piercings can also be fun to move around and pierce in a variety of placements. As long as your anatomy allows for it, we can do all kinds of fun things!

For example, lower navels! These guys are pierced through the bottom ‘ledge’ of the navel rather than the top, and are essentially ‘upside down.’ These are super cute and fun, and can be styled in a variety of ways. However, they are incredbily anatomy dependant and it’s much rarer to have the anatomy for them. In terms of anatomy, we are looking for the same sort of things as a traditional navel. We are looking for that well defined ‘lip’ or ‘shelf’ for that bar to pass through. If we have this, we’re probably good to go! We’re also looking at the movement of the navel and wether or not it collapses. If it does, again your piercer will possibly use either a small ball or a disk for the inside end.

Side-set navels are also super cool. Often these are paired with an already existing navel piercing, but can be pierced without! It’s all about personal choice. These guys are pierced as a pair and ‘off centre’, commonly at 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock. We’re still following the same anatomy rules by making sure we have that well defined lip, but we are making sure there is enough space and enough ledge to support the two piercings in opposing placements. Typically because they’re pierced as a pair, the inside jewellery will use either smaller balls or disks, to leave plenty of room for the movement of day-to-day life.

Lower navel pierced by Breo.

Large Gauge Navels:

Large gauge navels are not the most common, however they do look absolutely amazing when we see them! Large gauge navels can either be pierced initially at a larger gauge, or they can be stretched! There are also so many ways to style them! From glass plugs, to BCRs, to stacked rings! Initially, these guys will be pierced with a curved barbell just like a standard gauge navel piercing. After the first 3-6 months you can change and play around with the different styles, and after around a year is when you can look at stacking! For stacking you want to make sure the piercing channel is very well healed.

  • The process of a large guage navel piercing by Aiden.
  • Holier Than Thou piercer Kitty, rocking a gorgeous stack with chains and a moonstone cab.

If you would like to ask us more questions about the navel piercing, don’t hesitate to contact us!

Rogue has over 30 years of piercing experience, and work at the highest standards of both skill and hygiene. If you would like to book in for a navel piercing with us, just hit this link!

Make sure to follow us on instagram to be notified of our next blog.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Body Jewellery Fitting and Maintenance

At Rogue we offer a fitting service – Any high-quality jewellery can be installed or moved around between your piercings. Simply book in for a checkup appointment with a member of the piercing team. Piercing cleaning is also an easy process that you should know how to do at home.

If you want to know how to look after your fresh piercing, click here to read our full aftercare advice.

The most common question we get is: How does my new jewellery work? How do I change them? How do I look after them? What is piercing cleaning? This blog will go through all the details of how to to each of the above.

The Different Jewellery Styles

It is really important to check the tightness and fit of your jewellery on at least a weekly basis. Even the most secure styles may come loose over time. Find your style of jewellery below and ensure you are tightening them appropriately!

Threadless Jewellery

The most common form of jewellery found at Rogue is threadless jewellery, aka Push-fit jewellery. These are the most straightforward styles to fit at home, and the least fiddly!

Internally Threaded

Our most common style for navels, tongues, cheeks, septums and many other placements. Internally threaded jewellery screws together – Remember: Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey! The video below shows a threaded labret, but all threaded jewellery such as barbells and circular barbells works in an identical manner.

BCR

BCRs are commonly found in daith and septum piercings, but may be used in other placements too.

Seam Rings

Seam rings are a great option for secure, permanent wear in well-healed piercings. These are the trickiest to install at home, so we do highly recommend having these fitted by a pro!

A Note on Changing Jewellery at Home

We always recommend having your jewellery fitted by a trained professional. Not only can changing your jewellery at home cause unnecessary trauma to your piercing if not done smoothly, but an untrained hand can cause serious damage to your jewellery. If you have good experience with handling and changing body piercings, you are at a lower risk of damaging items but this risk is still there.

The most common cause of damage to jewellery is the aggressive use of tools during insertion and removal. This is the main reason why we do not sell or give tools to the public. When used incorrectly, tools can snap threadless pins, pop gems out of their settings, and irreparably scratch delicate jewellery.

It is very important to note that jewellery damaged during home insertions is not covered by any manufacturer warranty or warranty at Rogue. This means that if your jewellery requires repairs such as a pin repair, repolishing, gem resetting or scratch removal, you will need to pay out of pocket or simply purchase a new piece of jewellery. Please do not attempt to fit jewellery at home unless you are confident that you can do so without the use of tools, and without damaging your new jewellery. If you are simply changing a threadless end, this is often absolutely doable at home! However if you are fitting a £2500 Gold-and-Diamond Ring for your wedding… It might be best left to a pro.

Another common cause of issues with at-home insertions is that you may damage the fistula (piercing channel) by being too rough. Especially if you are unfamiliar with body piercings, it can be very easy to be too aggressive when inserting new jewellery at home. This can cause swelling, bleeding, and irritation even to a well-healed piercing. Depending on the client and the piercing, we may sell you an insertion taper to help with insertion of jewellery. We do not do this for everyone as again, a taper is a tool that can easily be misused. Unless you are confident in your ability to change your jewellery, please book in for a checkup and we can do it for you for a very small fee.

If you are purchasing jewellery online, please get in contact with us as we can often recommend a high quality studio near you that can install your new pieces! Please note that some studios may charge a fee for this service.

Solid 18k White Gold Chain Ring from F:LUX Jewellery.

Piercing Maintenance

It is important to look after your jewellery! It is vital for both the security and aesthetic of your piercings that you check on and clean your jewellery, long after your piercing has healed. So how does piercing cleaning work?

Healed Piercing Cleaning

It is very easy to clean a healed piercing. This is a piercing that is 6+ months old, and is completely pain and irritation free. Simply wash with warm water and a mild, fragrance-free facial wash when you are in the shower.

First, run your piercings under the water to dampen them. Piercing cleaning is an easy process. Take your favourite facial wash – We recommend this one – and rub it between your fingers to form a lather. Gently massage the suds in and around your piercings (front and back!) to break up any buildup of oils and skin cells. Massage for 30 seconds to a minute to really allow your piercings to benefit.

Once your piercings have been thoroughly washed, rinse them well with clean water. When you exit the shower, remember to dry your piercings. Either use a lint-free towel or paper towels. Don’t neglect to dry the backs of your ears!

If your ears feel dry after this, you may want to moisturise them with a sparing application of a neutral oil such as Jojoba oil. You can also use a gentle fragrance-free moisturiser if you wish. Keep in mind to avoid any oils or moisturisers near fresh, healing or irritated piercings!

Cleaning Your Jewellery

Throughout your daily life, your piercing jewellery may get dirty. Even with regular showers and cleaning as above, some pieces may need to be removed and cleaned every so often to keep them looking their best.

General Cleaning

Most jewellery, both Titanium and Gold, can be cleaned like this. If you are wearing precious gemstones such as Pearls or other natural stones, please check before you clean as this may damage soft stones. This cleaning method is absolutely fine for Swarovski crystals, synthetic Opals, Topaz, Sapphires and Diamonds.

  1. Gently remove the end from your jewellery. Use one of the guides above if possible! You do not need to remove the wearable shaft. This makes it less likely that you will struggle to reinsert it.
  2. Fill a cup with warm water and a couple of drops of mild dish soap.
  3. Dip your jewellery into the soap mixture, and gently brush the item with a soft toothbrush. Take care to focus on any intricate areas such as the prong setting of most gems.
  4. Once the end is clean, rinse it with clean water (Do not hold it over the drain!) and dry with clean paper towel.
  5. You can now reinstall the end, shiny and clean!

Cleaning Gold Jewellery

As Gold is a precious metal, it can mildly tarnish over time. This can appear as a dulling of the surface, or the appearance of little brassy patches of colour. This is not a cause for concern, and is very easily remedied!

  1. Gently remove the item of jewellery. Use one of the guides above where possible.
  2. Wash the item as described in the ‘General Cleaning’ section above. Ensure the jewellery is dry before continuing.
  3. Take a jewellery polishing cloth (or a soft microfibre cloth as an acceptable substitute) and gently buff the jewellery until it is glossy and very shiny. This may take 1-2 minutes in total per item.
  4. Wipe the item with paper towel to remove any polishing particulates.
  5. Reinstall your newly polished jewellery!