shop life Archives - Rogue Piercing

Posted on 19/04/202401/04/2024 by Jorjie Abell — Leave a comment

My Experience: Cheeks

So, on the 27th of February 2024, I got my cheek piercings. Well… sort of? Gemma coined the term ‘Deek Piercings’ because they are a midway placement between Cheeks and Dahlias. The reasoning for this was my anatomy! And with cheeks regaining popularity, and them being a fan favourite, I thought I’d tell you all how my piercing experience went!

Now, I have to preface this by saying I am only two weeks into my healing, and cheeks can take up to 2 years before they finally Settle down and get comfortable. You can read a deep dive and overview of cheek piercings here! But, I definitely think those first two weeks are A) the most important and B) the absolute worst.

On my own personal scale of 1-10, the actual pain of having them pierced was quite low, maybe around a 4? I can definitely remember my tragus piercing hurting way more in the moment. They were pierced by Gemma as part of her training, under direct supervision of Aiden. The beautiful thing about it was that Gemma had done her first set only 2 hours prior! Aiden held my hand and was super supportive of us both, as you can imagine we were both nervous but for very different reasons!

Before
After

The after feeling of the piercing was amazing, I had an immediate rush of excitement and happiness, especially when I got to look at them in the mirror. They just looked great and I couldn’t have been happier, I couldn’t stop laughing for a solid 5 minutes. And then came the difficult bit – eating. We were having a film night at Rogue that evening, and we collectively ordered Wagamama’s together. I realised the 24mm bars in my mouth, and the tight constrictive feeling that was happening, meant that eating was going to be difficult. I played it safe and had some soft bread and katsu curry!

The next day I went ahead and got myself a bunch of meal replacement shakes. To be quite honest, I think the first week was possibly the most nutrients and vitamins my body has ever had! I’d also bought a ton of water, and easy to eat soft foods, such as instant mash and plenty of tinned foods. I just needed something easy to swallow. I also ate a lot of rice!

We headed off to the Edinburgh expo on the Saturday, and on Monday and Tuesday I was starting to fill my face again! I started off with pizza (and I cannot tell you how good it was to eat solid food, plus they had the best garlic sauce I’d ever tasted). By Tuesday night, the swelling had started to decrease and the bars were starting to poke out of my face and move as I ate! I had to take a bite of food, and then hold the bars while I chewed. Definitely looked a bit funny!

I returned back to work on Friday, so only three days later, and it felt absolutely horrible to talk, and I couldn’t even smile at people! I had to keep apologising to people and say “Hey, I promise i’m smiling, my face just hurts a lot right now!” Thankfully, most people were incredibly understanding! We also did the first downsize! 24mm initially pierced, dropped down to 18mm! The relief was amazing! We also upsized the balls on the inside of my mouth to 5mm. This was because the balls had started digging into the swelling on the inside of my cheek and was creating a lot of uncomfortable pressure and soreness!

By the the following week I was mostly back to normal, drinking and eating as I had been before, although I definitely chomped down on the larger balls a few times. There is still a mild bit of swelling happening (although I definitely didn’t look as puffy as I did the first week) and a lot of of localised redness. They’re also incredibly crusty, and every time I eat it pushes out more lymph node ( I keep just telling people my face is leaking), but It’s definitely a good sign that everything is healing and doing what it needs to. And just before the 3 week mark, we downsized the 5mm balls back down to 4mm, and my mouth has never felt so spacious!

Healing!
Overall look!

I am still healing and making gradual downsizes, week by week, but the hard part is definitely over! There’s still quite a bit of localised swelling/pinching around the bars, as well as redness and many crusties each day, but for me it’s definitely worth it.

I decided to write this blog as when I was looking into other people’s experiences with cheek piercings, there wasn’t much out there. I’m very much a person who likes to know exactly what to expect. And so hopefully it might be helpful to someone else! Now of course, please keep in mind that everyone heals differently, and so your experience could be totally different! If you also want to see a day-by-day highlight of the healing process, check out my Instagram highlights for a close up view!

If you are interested in booking your own cheek piercings, book a consultation with Aiden or Gemma here!

Posted on 12/04/202412/04/2024 by Jorjie Abell — Leave a comment

Birthstones – April

Some say that diamond’s are a girl’s best friend, and we’re definitely a fan of them over here at Rogue. As April begins, and we’re starting the embrace Spring once again, let’s take a look at one of the most well-known gemstones in history! Those born in Aprils, definitely have an exciting celebratory stone.

Seasons handmade ‘Installation 2’ 14k Yellow Gold – 2xVS White Diamond

April only has one birthstone, which we can completely understand why! It’d be very hard to compete against the famous diamond. 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).

The vast majority of diamonds are colourless and transparent. They show an amazing display of colours and flashes of white under the light. However, they can rarely come in a rainbow array of colours, including green, yellow, black, blue and so on. The colour of a diamond stone is dependant on the impurities present in the stone. Chemical elements such as Nitrogen, Sulphur, and Boron can cause the colour changes (for example yellow diamonds have traces of nitrogen.) Colourless diamonds (that have less amounts of colour) are much rarer, thus much more valuable. The precise levels of colours present (if any) have such a drastic effect on the price-per-carat value. The standardized scale describing the exact amount of colour in a stone (the D-Z colour scale) was developed by the GIA and is now accepted globally. Diamonds with a colour of ‘D’ have absolutely no colour in them, while gems graded ‘Z’ have the most colour allowed to still be considered colourless.

BVLA ‘Oasis’ – 14k Rose Gold – 6x VS Ocean Blue Diamond

It is speculated that Diamonds have been around since the biblical times, when the breastplate of a high priest (also known as Adams’ Breastplate) was decorated with 12 stones. As time continued moving forward, these stones became connected to Zodiac symbols and then birthstones.

April’s birthstone is now mined all over the world. By the early 2000s, South Africa had been joined by other African nations (such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Botswana) as major producers of rough diamonds. Diamonds mined in Botswana are typically found in the hot and dry eastern region of the country. The mines have brought a massive increase to the economy, which has resulted in creating a growing middle class society.

Russia is also now one of the biggest producers, opening its first major mine in the 1960’s, and the opening of the Argyle mine in Australia (1983) expanded the mining of diamonds massively, and are the primary source for the rare red and pink diamonds.

However, one of the original sources for diamonds, was India! They were credited for being the ones to introducing diamond mining into the world, and was the only major source of diamond mining until the 18th century. Now a days, most diamonds you come across on the market will not be from India, but instead one of the many major sources globally, but there is an estimate that 90% of these diamonds are processed there!

The current Diamond collection at Rogue!

Those who are April born are lucky to have this gem as their birthstone! Often seen as a symbol of clarity and strength! Diamond is actually so strong and durable, it’s name actually comes from the Greek word “Adamas” which means invincible or unbreakable. They have been a representation of love and life across many religions and centuries. It is also the gift of choice for 60th and 75th wedding anniversaries! Alongside being a symbol of love, Diamonds have been thought to be an antidote to poison (although we wouldn’t recommend any self treatment with a doctor, if you think you have been poisoned please see doctor!).

Diamond is a 10 on the Moh’s Scale of Hardness, making it incredibly durable! You do not want to store a diamond amongst others as they can scratch each other. We also wouldn’t recommend storing them with other gemstones as Diamonds can scratch and damage those too. They can be placed in an ultrasonic to be cleaned, however if it has any inclusions or has been treated it is best to clean with a lint-free cloth and some mild soapy warm water. You can also choose to use a soft bristled toothbrush and a commercial jewellery cleaner!

BVLA ‘Afghan’ + 2x ‘Prongs’ – White Diamond

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 23/02/202423/02/2024 by Jorjie Abell — Leave a comment

Moving into Spring!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hika in action! Marking a bridge piercing!

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

Kade putting knowledge into practice with Jay’s help.

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

Posted on 09/02/202402/02/2024 by Gemma Suter — Leave a comment

An Interview with X – Pierced Professional

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

*For anonymity, I have changed names and locations.

G: Let’s start at your beginning.

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

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

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

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

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

G: How was that?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

X always brings the good music vibes to the studio!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

G: Is body modification your rebellion?

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on 02/02/202402/02/2024 by Jorjie Abell — Leave a comment

Birthstones – February

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

Following on from January and Garnet, February is one of the few months that only has one birthstone, rather than two or three. For the months that are lucky enough to have more than a singular birthstone, these are separated into two lists: Modern and Traditional. The more common of the two is the modern birthstones, which were defined in 1912 by the Jewelers of America in an attempt to standardise (and commercialise) birthstones. This was further updated in the 1950s, to include gemstones such as Citrine for November, or Alexandrite for June. Modern stones are based on what’s easier to sell in large quantities (making it the more affordable choice). So what about the February birthstone?

BVLA – ‘Beaded Baguette’
BVLA – ‘Marquise Fan’
BVLA – ‘Honeycomb’
BVLA – ‘Janna’

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

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

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

BVLA – ‘Tiny Reema’
BVLA – ‘Mini Kandy’
BVLA – ‘Sunray’
BVLA – ‘Round Prong’

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

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

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

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

BVLA TRIO
Afghan, Mini Kandy, Mini Reema.

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

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

Posted on 26/01/202412/01/2024 by Kat — Leave a comment

Secrets of the Prince Albert Piercing

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

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

Why the Prince Albert?

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

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

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

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

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

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

An English gentleman with Queen Victoria tattooed across his chest.

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

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

Social Media

Intimate Piercing Information

Book Your Appointment!

Posted on 19/01/202412/01/2024 by Kat — Leave a comment

The Trouble with Online Troubleshooting

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

Who Do You Trust?

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

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

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

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

A Picture is Worth About 10 Words

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

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

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

Personal Issues and Impersonal Advice

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

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

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

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

Benefits of Online Troubleshooting

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on 12/01/202412/01/2024 by Jorjie Abell — Leave a comment

Birthstones – January

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

January is one of the few months that only has one stone, rather than two or three. For the months that are lucky enough to have more than a singular birthstone, these are separated into two lists: Modern and Traditional. The more common of the two is the modern birthstones, which were defined in 1912 by the Jewelers of America in an attempt to standardise (and commercialise) birthstones. This was further updated in the 1950s, to include gemstones such as Citrine for November, or Alexandrite for June. Modern stones are based on what’s easier to sell in large quantities (making it the more affordable choice).

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

BVLA – Sunray – Flat
BVLA – Mini Kandy – Lobe
BVLA – Live To Tell- Flat
BVLA – Marquise Fan- Faux Rook

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

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

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

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 05/01/202403/01/2024 by Jorjie Abell — Leave a comment

Stop Touching Your Piercings!

When you walk through the doors at Rogue you will instantly see signs on our main desks, our mirrors and even in our jewellery display cabinets, all telling you not to touch, change or remove your jewellery. You may have noticed both our piercers and counter staff asking you to stop touching your piercings, or to sanitise your hands. We also ask that all jewellery brought into the studio is inside of a small bag or pouch and isn’t handled inside the studio with bare hands.

*Image from* Jef Saunders Blog courtesy of Dannielle Greenwood

Now you may think this is over bearing, or that we are on a power trip, or even that it might just be a weird obsession over cleanliness/hygiene, but we can assure you that it’s not! We do all of this to avoid the risk of any cross contamination in the studio. Hygiene at Rogue is one of our biggest focus points, and we have consistent measures in place to ensure that we are doing the best we can. From working with aseptic techniques during the piercing procedure, as well as having both daily and weekly cleaning tasks. Every member of the team at Rogue takes annual training in Bloodborne Pathogens (keep your eyes out for our certificates around the studio). This is so we can stay up to date with any changes in standards and protocols to keep both you and ourselves safe.

In the studio we have very careful procedures that we perform every single day to minimise any spread of cross contamination. We thoroughly clean and sterilise any tools and equipment at the end of each working day. We continuously wash and sanitise our hands while also donning and doffing PPE (wearing and disposing of Personal Protective Equipment such as masks and gloves) appropriately. Any of our disposable work tools that may have touched anyone are also disposed of correctly, through sharps bins and dedicated waste disposal bags and services.

Jay showing us examples of PPE worn in the studio.

So, what is cross contamination?

The definition of cross contamination from Oxford Languages English Dictionaries is: The process by which bacteria or other microorganisms are unintentionally transferred from one substance or object to another, with harmful effect.

Outside of piercing, most people think of cross contamination when it comes to food, especially raw chicken. For example, if you are cutting raw chicken you may end up with some of the raw juices on your fingers and hands, and once dried you may not know it’s there. The bacteria from the chicken can be spread across the kitchen on cutting boards, towels, and reusable wipes. If you don’t wash your hands and touch your mouth or nose or a small/large wound, you can become sick from the bacteria even if you don’t see it. This is because bacteria (such as salmonella) is easily transferable through open wounds and mucous membranes.

The same happens with body jewellery. At some point, the jewellery you have worn in your body has been in direct contact with bodily fluids such as blood. We as piercers have to assume that everyone’s blood, or any other bodily fluids that has been in contact with your jewellery, is contaminated with a bloodborne pathogen that has the potential to carry or spread viruses. The reason we do this is because, just like raw chicken juices, we cannot always see potential threats or dangers, and we’d rather be over-cautious and keep everyone’s health in tip-top shape.

Imagine the journey that bacteria might take across our studio. A client touches their grumpy piercing, and then touches the front desk or a display cabinet, or the arms of the sofa. This is then touched by the next client, who then touches their eye or mouth, or their own piercings! This bacteria can be transferred from one person to the next. Imagine not one client, but dozens per day! By not touching our piercings, washing our hands, and not allowing worn jewellery to touch any of the studio surfaces, then we break this chain of spread.

This is also part of the reason why we cannot reuse, refund or resell body jewellery that has left the studio. We have to assume that any body jewellery that has been purchased has been worn. We also recommend that you never buy and wear pre-used or pre-worn jewellery – You can read more about this in our ‘Sharing Jewellery’ blog. It is the equivalent of clothing stores having a no-returns policy on underwear. It is not safe to risk sharing fluids between clients.

As scary as it sounds, we’re just trying to show you that cross-contamination is super easy to avoid. So, all in all, please top touching your piercings and sharing body jewellery. It is unsafe and unsanitary! Practice regular safe hygiene processes, such as washing your hands and sanitising when and where needed.

Keep an eye on our blog as we post a new informational blog every single Friday! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Posted on 29/12/202328/12/2023 by Jorjie Abell — Leave a comment

2023 – A Year in Review.

With Christmas seeming like it’s been gone forever, it’s officially time to start celebrating the New Years Season. But how could we do that without ending this year on a warm, soppy and heartfelt look back at everything the team at Rogue has achieved this year!

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

Aiden!

For those of you that don’t know, Aiden is our head piercer and the Studio Owner here at Rogue, and the guy who does all the work behind the scenes to keep the studio running effectively! It’s been a fun and impressive year for Aiden and we can’t thank him enough for everything that he’s done for us and Rogue along the way. Alongside mentoring Jay through the second year of their apprenticeship, and helping round out Gemma’s training, he has been a very busy man.

This year he got the show on the road with F:LUX Jwllry, making some brilliant 18k gold rings, charms and chains. We have had some beautiful pieces come through the studio, and they have looked absolutely amazing on our clients.

A gorgeous and perfect fitted F:LUX chain

Aiden also attended UKAPP this year (again), but the exciting news is this year he was teaching again as well! With the help of Gemma rounding up and wrangling piercing videos from expert piercers all across the world, Aiden made a full demonstrative video on how each and every single piercer pierces differently. Different techniques, jewellery, methods and processes, but as long as you are executing safe and viable piercings, then it doesn’t matter how you do them. We are all human and individual, it would be impossible to do everything the same as the next person. This class was definitely a big hit and left a lot of piercers feeling happy and refreshed, and ready to try new things.

Throughout all of this, running a business, being a mentor, travelling the world, and being a good boss, Aiden has been producing some amazing work this year. From heavy large gauge and intimate work, to shiny nose piercings, he’s definitely blown us all away.

UKAPP Teacher
Suspension Day
Taking the young un’s to BMXNET

Breo!

Breo is our resident head piercer, piercing full time at Rogue. Breo has done his fair share of travelling and surprising piercers world-wide this year. In the spring he travelled to Madrid for the Spanish APPE and in Autumn he travelled with the rest of the Rogues for another weekend at UKAPP in Manchester. This was an exciting conference for everyone at Rogue as this was Breo’s first ever time speaking and teaching a class at a conference. Over the past few years, Breo has been researching body language and it’s importance to piercing and how we as piercers should be reading our client’s body language to help their time with us go much more smoother. As Breo is originally from Spain, English isn’t always his first language, also working at a studio in Nottingham city centre means Breo works with a range of clientele who don’t always have English as their first (or even second) spoken language. He realised that body language is sometimes much easier to help ease a clients appointments, as it often helps us read in between the lines of missing pieces of information. Of course, being the sweetheart he is, decided to share this information with as many people as he can.

UKAPP Teacher
The class!
Large gauge work in action!

Throughout his busy year, his work has only improved. Both technically, with his techniques, and aesthetically with the finished product. He has been absolutely smashing large gauge work left right and centre, and pulling off some beautiful classic piercings that work great with a clients anatomy. As Breo is often in the piercing room, it’s very rare that he will help a client choose their jewellery, which means often it is a surprise of what he is working with. Yet every single time does a client finish their appointment, does that piece look beautiful and unique, as well as perfectly fitting their anatomy.

A perfect fitted Beaded Baguette from BVLA

Gemma!

For the past two years at Rogue, Gemma has been known as our junior piercer. After not having a great start in their piercing career, Gemma joined Rogue in January 2022 and has been a fantastic addition to the team. Over the time they have been here, they have worked extensively inside and outside of work to further better their skills and learn new things. This year they have been focusing on building their portfolio for intimate work (and oh boy have they done an absolutely fantastic job), but also their large gauge work. They have also helped Jay in their apprentice work, teaching them skills and knowledge that has helped themselves. They have been producing some absolutely stunning work and we couldn’t be more proud of them. From the new year in 2024, Gemma will no longer be our resident junior piercer, but instead will be another one of our piercers leading the studio.

Not only this, but Gemma had a very exciting 2023, especially in the summer. After the UKAPP conference in 2022, Aiden, Breo and a few other piercers had encouraged Gemma to apply for the 2023 Las Vegas Scholarship for the annual APP conference. And of course, without a doubt she absolutely nailed her application and interview process and got awarded the Legacy Scholarship. So off she went to America, by herself, to yet again further and better her skills and knowledge in her career. She came back so full of energy, confidence, and a new found feeling of trust in herself that was absolutely amazing to watch. I hope she is as proud of herself and how far she has come in the past two years, as we are. She also volunteered to work alongside Hika and vendor for Queen of The Ashes Jewellery at the UKAPP conference.

Gemma joining the Vegas Scholar Legacy
Vendor work with Jay and Hika
Vegas friends!
Vegas… AGAIN!

Kat!

Kat is our dedicated jewellery specialist at work. They could recite the entire catalogue of BVLA and their gem list and options if you asked. They are definitely a special addition of the Rogue team. Kat works extensively with clients to build and create custom orders for jewellery, as well as curations that are fitting for the client, both aesthetically and financially. Thanks to Kat, our jewellery cabinets are always full of brand new shiny pieces for our clients to choose from, but it is a struggle to keep the team from buying everything. We can collectively agree Kat has some brilliant taste.

A gorgeous long term creation Kat has extensively worked over.

For the second year in a row, Kat taught a class at UKAPP all about Wound Healing Dynamics. Being the resident scientist in the studio, it was only fitting to use their knowledge and teach it to those who create wounds day in and day our in their careers. It’s beneficial all around!

And while we’re mentioning Kat being our resident scientist, can we all just say a massive congratulations! Last September, Kat went back to university to study and complete their Masters degree in Microbiology and Immunology. They officially graduated two weeks ago, and we couldn’t be more proud of them. While Kat isn’t a piercer, they extensively work with clients and piercers day in and day out through troubleshooting, jewellery management, and jewellery installations. They decided to help further their education and knowledge in the piercing industry to benefit both piercers and clients, and anybody else that may deal with piercings on a regular basis. The entire community is grateful for their tireless work.

UKAPP Teacher
2023 Masters Graduation
Teaching moment!
Getting their learn on.

Jay!

Jay is our apprentice at the studio! They are the loud and colourful, pink loving chaos gremlin who will be blasting System Of a Down at 9:30am in the morning as soon as you walk into the door. In November Jay hit a massive milestone here at Rogue, and over the next 10 months will be working through their third and final year of their apprenticeship at Rogue. From the new year Jay will be moving up into and offering apprentice rate piercings on large gauge and intimate piercings, as well as microdermals and surface work.

As part of their training, Jay added a second (but more correctly placed) septum piercing.

2023 has been exciting for Jay. They have volunteered and worked with two different vendors at two different conferences. First they worked with Inari Organics at the Manchester Trade Show, and then Queen Of The Ashes Jewellery at the UKAPP in Manchester too! Alongside this, they travelled outside of the UK for the first time to head to Berlin for the BMXNet conference! They took every single class they possibly could, and was very excited to put their certificate on the wall when they arrived back. Hopefully 2024 will bring a lot more travel and fun for Jay!

Jay and Damien at the Manchester Trade Show
Mentor and Apprentice BMXNET
BMXNET Class
UKAPP Firewalk

So all in all, 2023 has been a hectic but amazing year for all of the Rogues, and I haven’t even touched on some of the stuff they’ve been up to. However, we can say we are proud of every single one of them, and we’re really excited to see what they bring in 2024.

We also want to extend many thank yous to you guys, our clients. Without you Rogue wouldn’t be able to run. We wouldn’t be able to do the beautiful work we do, or go to conferences. Our apprentice and junior wouldn’t have been able to progress either. Everything we do, we can only do with your amazing support. So from the bottom of our hearts, thank you, and have a happy new year! Here’s to 2024!