Maxipiercing

What’s a daith? Should I take my earring out if I get an infection? How do I speed up the healing process? Can you ever have too many piercings? We asked industry experts all your hole- related queries ( NO! Not that one, you dirty lot) What’s better, a piercing gun or needle?

“Needles are sterile, single-use and hurt a lot less, whereas a gun is essentially a blunt object punching through your ear at high impact – it’ll always feel more sore,” says Penny Burrows at Maria Tash, who’s pierced Kate Moss and Idris Elba.

Is there anything that can help make the piercing process less painful?

“If you’re on your period, you may be more sensitive to pain,” says Penny. But, adds Clem Kirchmeier, general manager at Metal Morphosis, “Painkillers shouldn’t be used beforehand as most are bloodthinning.” Rhianna Jones, piercer at The Circle, suggests “eating one to two hours before”. You could also channel your inner zen, as The Circle’s piercers use yoga breathing during the procedure. Ommm.

Why do I get metal allergies?

“Allergies to certain metals often lie within the nickel content. We don’t know how or why certain people are more sensitive than others,” says Penny. “At Maria Tash we only pierce with completely nickel-free gold. Some other studios pierce with titanium, which also has a low nickel content. Never get pierced with silver because it oxidises and increases the risk of infection and allergic reactions.” Rhianna says, “We only recommend piercing with implant-grade titanium, which is used in surgical procedures, like knee and hip replacements. Anything of a lower grade isn’t suitable to live in the body.” Dr Emma Wedgeworth, a renowned dermatologist, agrees that surgical-grade titanium is the safest metal to pierce with: “Certain types of stainless steel are made to contain the nickel within the metal, so it is not released into the body. Despite this, personally, I would avoid it for a fresh piercing.” She adds, “If you’ve ever reacted to jewellery, watches or belt buckles, it’s also important to get this assessed before piercing.”

What should I do if my piercing gets infected?

“Don’t take it out immediately. You might trap the infection in your ear if it heals up,” says Penny. To help avoid this, Clem advises, “Use the right aftercare products, like a pre-made sterile saline solution, don’t touch it, use fresh towels and pillow cases regularly and don’t swim in public pools for a while.” If you’re concerned about an infection, or there doesn’t seem to be any improvement within a couple of days, see your GP.

What are keloid scars?

These are enlarged, raised scars that can be pink, red, skin-coloured or darker than the surrounding skin. They can also continue to grow and might have to be surgically removed. “If you have a bump, nine times out of 10, it’s probably not a keloid bump, but a blood blister,” says Penny. “In which case, treat by doing compresses every day for a few weeks. Just saturate some kitchen roll in a hot cup of chamomile tea.” If you’re still unsure, check with a doctor or piercer.