MEDUSA'S QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Answers to Your Questions
DO YOU SELL ALL THE AFTERCARE PRODUCTS I’LL NEED?
Yes, we have NeilMed Piercing Aftercare Spray available for purchase. This is an isotonic solution, so no burning, stinging or dry skin. This saline spray and mild antimicrobial soap and water are the best cleaning care for your piercing.
DO YOU USE NUMBING CREAM?
It is available, yes. However you will still feel the pinch of the needle, the numbing happens fast enough to help ease the discomfort of the jewelry insertion and continue to last a few hours after your initial piercing.
HOW LONG WILL MY PIERCING TAKE TO HEAL?
Earlobe Piercing
The most popular ear piercing is the one done on the center of your earlobe. It is the easiest type of piercing with an average healing time of four to eight weeks. Upper lobe piercings are typically done above the standard earlobe piercing and have an extended average healing time.
Cartilage Piercing
Another really popular ear piercing is the cartilage piercing, which is also known as a helix piercing. This is positioned on the outer rim of the ear, called cartilage. Since the cartilage is a little hard, the average healing time of this piercing varies between eight to twelve months.
Daith Piercing
A Daith piercing is positioned on the folded cartilage right above the ear canal. It takes a few months for this piercing to heal, depending on a few factors. However, the average healing time for this piercing varies between four and eight months.
Rook Piercing
A rook piercing is positioned right above a Daith piercing. It goes through the cartilage fold on the upper inner year. Given the sensitivity of this area, the healing time of this piercing is pretty uncertain. However, with proper aftercare, you can expect this piercing to heal within a period of six to eighteen months.
Facial Piercings
Here are some of the most popular types of facial piercings along with their average healing time.
Eyebrows Piercing
An eyebrow piercing can be done on the outer or inner side of your eyebrow. You can expect this piercing to heal within two to four months.
Nostril Piercing
A nostril piercing is typically done with a flatback post or nose ring. The average healing time for this piercing is around three to six months.
Septum Piercing
Positioned in the middle section of the nose, the average healing time for a 16-gauge septum piercing is around two months.
Body Piercings
Here are two of the most popular types of body piercings along with their average healing times.
Navel
A navel piercing is very common. However, it does require some time to heal. So, you can’t expect to jump right in after getting the piercing. Due to it being a high friction area, the average healing time for a navel piercing is 6 to 12 months.
Nipple Piercings
Both males and females often opt for nipple piercings. However, it takes longer for female nipple piercings to heal in comparison to male piercings. The average healing time for a female nipple piercing is between three to six months, while the average healing time for a male nipple piercing is around two to four months.
Conclusion
You can’t speed up the healing process of any piercing. However, you can ensure that you don’t slow down the process either. Every piercing requires its own aftercare, so make sure you take all precautions to make sure that your piercings heal properly.
WHEN CAN I CHANGE MY JEWELRY?
It is best to keep your jewelry in for the entire healing time, so we have a large variety of choices in jewelry that you can wear confidently throughout the entire healing time. However, we also understand that you may want to change to a hoop vs a stud. We discourage you from changing your jewelry on your own to early. This can lead to complications such as not being able to get your new jewelry in and loosing your hole, placing unhealthy metal in for healing, and causing a lot of irritation to the healing process. We are available to help you change your jewelry in a save and nonirritating way. It is recommended to wait at least 1-2 months for the swelling to subside before coming in for a jewelry change.
IS MY PIERCING INFECTED?
Infected piercings are not very common, usually it is just your piercing reacting to a trauma response. So before you react, think back and ask, did my piercing get snagged or bumped? Did I sleep on it to much? A trauma response will be red and very sore and possibly form an irritation bump (check our Q&A for the piercing bump) during this time, just be extra careful not to irritate it again and use a warm saline compress to help it relax. An infection will be red, swollen and hot to the touch. With a yellow/green discharge and possible red streaking around it.
A KELOID OR THE PIERCING BUMP?
Most likely the piercing bump. This bump will be soft and usually fluid filled. It is not an infection, rather a respond from irritation and your bodies reaction to fill the hole that is already occupied with jewelry, so it forms around it. They do go away and we have various ways of helping you with this. Before you take your piercing out, please reach out so we can help. This is why it is very important to be mindful of your new piercing and be cautious not to snag or bump it as it heals. A keloid is a genetic hypertrophic scarring reaction and will be a hard bump of scar tissue around the piercing.
DO YOU USE A PIERCING GUN?
No thank you. We use hollow needles. Each needle is packaged individually, pre-sterilized and discarded in the sharps container after use. The needle point is very sharp for a smoother entry into the skin. The hollow part will leave a nice clean hole the same size as your jewelry. The piercing gun uses blunt force to push a pointy earring into your skin. The gun itself also can not be properly sterilized.
I AM SENSITIVE TO METALS, IS YOUR JEWELRY SAFE FOR ME?
We use quality certified implant grade titanium. This metal is non-hypoallergenic, with a smooth finish and no traces of nickels or copper. The advantage of our team working in the Operating room, is that we have insight to what metals the surgeons use to place in peoples joints during surgery. Two metals are used, they are ASTMF-136 Titanium and 316L Surgical Steel. Both are very safe for your body. We only pierce with the ASTMF-136 Titanium, but have both 316L Surgical Steel and Titanium available in a variety of jewelry for sell.
IS YOUR JEWELRY STERILIZED?
We have onsite, a steam autoclave that we use to sterilize your choice of jewelry and the instruments we will use for your piercing. This process takes three-five minutes, so you can have the confidence that your piercing will be done in a clean and sterile way. Our team has all been trained and certified through years of schooling as a nurse, an Scrub technician and an anesthesiology technician. Along with our constant training in the operating rooms sterile technique. We also use surgical skin prep to clean the area and a surgical skin marker for your placement.
IS THE JEWELRY INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?
We believe in piercing with quality jewelry, but a piercing should also be affordable. All piercings come with a few types of included jewelry with the option to upgrade the jewelry for an additional charge.
WHAT IS DOWNSIZING?
When you first get your piercing, please understand that it is a process. A longer post will need to be used to allow room for swelling as your piercing begins to heal. After the swelling subsides (about 1-2 months depending on the quality of aftercare) schedule a jewelry change and we will fit you with a post length or hoop size that is comfortable for you to wear for the remainder of your healing time. A longer post is perfect for swelling, but we understand that it can also get snagged a lot easier. We are here to work together with you throughout this process.
I AM NOT 18, DO I NEED A PARENT OR GUARDIAN WITH ME?
Yes, your parent or guardian will need to come with you and sign a release form. Your parent or guardian will need to bring your birth certificate with them to the appointment.
MY CHILD IS NERVOUS, CAN YOU PIERCE BOTH EARS AT THE SAME TIME?
Yes, when you schedule an appointment, please put in the notes that you are requesting two piercers so we can be prepared for that. Or send us a text.
DO YOU PIERCE BABIES?
Yes, it is recommended to wait until they are at least 6 months old. We use catheter needles, so the needle is in and out. You also have a choice between a standard butterfly back or a flat back post
HOW DOES YOUR THREAD-LESS JEWELRY WORK?
Threadless jewelry, instead of having threads that seem to eventually unscrew and fall off, this jewelry "snaps" into place with the use of tension. The post is hollow and the top has a pin. The pin has a little bend in it that will snap into the post using tension to hold it in place. If for some reason your top falls off, just give the pin a little more bend and push it back into the post until you her it click. To remove threadless jewelry, just pull the two pieces apart.
I AM INTERESTED IN YOUR CURATIONS, HOW MANY PIERCINGS ARE SAFE TO GET AT ONE TIME?
First, know your pain tolerance and please eat something before and come hydrated to your appointment. Curation is a fun process. We love working with you to create a look that matches your ear shape and your style. We will spend up to one and a half hours designing the look and beginning the piercings. It is safe to have up to 3-4 piercings in one sitting.
WHAT IS AURICULAR THERAPY?
In short, this is acupuncture of the ear. Similar to reflexology, however, auriculotherapy involves specific points around the ear. These points are believed to correspond with specific organs, muscles and sensory nerves. Please see the section on Auriculotherapy for more detailed information
WHAT ARE EAR SEEDS AND HOW WILL THEY HELP?
If you are interested in articular therapy, but do not want to get a piercing. We offer the NAO Wellness ear seeds. These are little gems that are places on the ear with a sticker that can be worn for up to 3-5 days. You shower and carry on with your day as normal. These ear seeds will apply small pressure to the area of the ear that you choose. Please see the Auricular therapy section for more detailed information