A piercing performed by a competent professional and followed-up with conscientious aftercare will reduce and almost negate any detrimental side-effects. Occasionally they manifest even in healed piercings when you are stressed, overtired, malnourished, or sick. The following conditions can actually serve as a barometer for your health; mental, emotional, and physical. Diagnosed and treated in their early stages they present little risk save discomfort, and looking gross. There are some risks associated with piercing, and there is always a small chance of occurrence, though, so they must be addressed.

Infection: most often occurs when a healing piercing is improperly cleaned, touched with dirty hands or exposed to another person's bodily fluids. Getting pierced by a professional who uses proper sterile technique and diligent aftercare are the best means of prevention and a knowledgeable piercer can help eliminate an infection should one occur.

Rejection is a natural reaction to a foreign object as the body tries to expel it. Sometimes a ring will "walk" to another position. At other times the ring will gradually grow out of the body. This process often leaves a little scar in the wake of the jewelry. If you so desire, a piercing can be re-done just behind the scar tissue, reducing the chance of rejection occurring again. Proper placement is essential to reducing the chances of rejection. Common piercings prone to rejection are the Madison, handweb and other "surface" piercings.

Scarring, Marks & Keloids: Provided your piercing heals nicely, scarring is negligible. Were you to remove a piercing before it healed fully, there would be no trace left of it within a few weeks. Removal of a fully-healed piercing often leaves two small dots that fade to a small slightly darkened mark. Though not limited to them, keloids and granuloma most often occur in blacks and those of Celtic descent: its a genetic predisposition to excessive scarring. Another frequent cause can be the use of hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, or any other extremely drying cleansing agent in the care of a fresh piercing. There are various means of treatment for removal, reduction, and prevention. Consult with your piercer for more information if this is a concern.

Allergic Reaction: A sensitivity to nickel has become associated with piercing fans with multiple piercings, but has appeared in people before getting pierced. Surgical Stainless Steel contains nickel, so if you believe yourself to be allergic to steel or nickel (often shown by irritation wearing watches with metal backings or cheap gold) your piercer can offer alternatives. Sometimes piercees will exhibit allergies to their cleaning solution. Your piercer should be able to detail symptoms and offer suggestions to remedy the situation.

OTHER CONCERNS

Piercings often require some compromise in your lifestyle. Some will prevent you from horseback or bike riding for awhile. If you have to sit at a desk all day, you may find a navel piercing irritating. More so if you wear tight pants. Swimming in a pool with any healing piercing is best avoided and hot tubs are forbidden for at least 6-8 weeks. Here are some more factors to take into consideration:

Sex: Irritation and infection are the primary concerns here. Even if you trust your partner(s) completely about HIV and Hepatitis, there are many other sources of infection. In addition, the irritation from rubbing or tugging slows down healing immensely and should be avoided for the critical first two weeks of healing. For the duration of healing, no other person's bodily fluids should touch your piercing- not even sweat or saliva. Just remember to play safe and clean afterwards and a fresh piercing interferes only minimally.

Travel: There are three main factors to consider when traveling: time, water quality and metal detectors. If you think you won't take the time to clean your fresh piercing at least twice daily, then don't bother getting that navel piercing for your trip to Cancun. If you're thinking of trekking in the jungles or going swimming in Mooney's Bay, or being in contact with water where the purity is questionable, be prepared to pick up a couple of shiny happy parasites in your fresh piercing. With relation to metal detectors, you'd need to be wearing about half a pound of metal for any but the most sensitive machinery to detect piercings.

Donating Blood: The Red Cross prohibits people who have received a tattoo or piercing of any kind, including ear piercings, from donating blood for one year, the incubation period of Hepatitis C. Chances are if you take good care of your piercings and go to a reputable piercer, this will never be a concern, but they're playing it safe.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: It is generally a bad idea to get pierced whilst pregnant since it can overstress your immune system and trigger some unpleasant side effects including keloids. If you plan on getting pregnant anytime in the next year, don't get your nipples or navel pierced. Navel piercings often have to be removed in the final trimester, so a fully-healed hole is important. If breastfeeding is important to you, please be advised that although having your nipples pierced shouldn't prevent you from breastfeeding, they can cause considerable discomfort and be awkward (mothers nurse frequently, thus removing and replacing your rings is a real reduced discomfort in the tit).

Certain Medical Conditions such as diabetes, low or high blood-pressure, predisposition to fainting, and certain medications and allergies can all affect the piercing process as well as aftercare. Please be candid with your piercer and honest when you fill out a consent form. If you are seropositive, please be advised that it can stress your immune system immensely to heal a piercing and take an unusual amount of time to do so. Knowing this, if you still wish to get pierced, it is considered a courtesy to inform your piercer so he or she can tailor your aftercare. A responsible piercer treats every client as though they carry HIV and Hepatitis and takes the same precautions against contamination. There is no risk of getting AIDS, Hepatitis or any other illness as a result of a piercing done properly.

Alcohol, Aspirin, and Other Drugs: Please refrain from using alcohol and aspirin for 48 hours prior to a piercing since both have the effect of interfering with the ability of your blood to clot. A responsible piercer will not knowingly pierce an intoxicated person. If you need something to bolster your courage, bring a friend or a teddy bear. We offer lollipops. Please inform your piercer of any medication you are currently taking, since they may affect your piercing and healing.

PROCEDURE

The following is how a typical piercing proceeds at Guns 2 Roses. At any time you feel uncomfortable feel free to ask questions.

Preparation: First you fill out a release form and answer some questions about your health, then you help choose your piece of jewelry reflecting your personal preferences, allergies, body type and piercing type. Ear piercing guns and studs are NEVER appropriate for ANY piercing. Typically we offer implantation grade surgical stainless steel, or non colored niobium or titanium body piercing jewelry. The jewelry is then cleaned while you are being prepped, largely consisting of cleaning your skin around the area to be pierced and marking the spot with a surgical skin marker.   Your piercer will mark the entry and exit points of the jewelry to optimize placement, healing and reduce the chances of rejection. Please tell your piercer if you are not 100% satisfied with the location of the dots: its much easier to erase the marks than to move a piece of jewelry once you've been pierced!

reduced discomfort free piercings:  We use a medicated topical or oral reduced discomfort reliving product to ease the possible discomforts as much as possible.  reduced discomfort free?  Yes, as much as possible.  If piercing hurt, millions of people world-wide would not get them at such a tremendous rate.   

The Big Moment: Next, the piercing itself begins. For most piercings, your skin is clamped, holding it in place. The piercer then asks if you are ready and starts you on a simple breathing exercise. The sterile needle passes quickly through your skin to the other side. The clamp is removed  The jewelry is inserted into the back of the hollow needle and pushes it out.

After: The jewelry is closed, your skin cleaned again, and the needle is destroyed and disposed of in a biohazard sharps container. Your piercer gives you an aftercare booklet and details important points. If you are interested in herbal remedies, vitamins, aromatherapy or other alternate healing methods, please mention this to your piercer. They can best advise as to which course to take. Sometimes people can feel ill or even faint from the mild shock they receive as the needle passes through the skin. If you feel queasy or faint, or if you seem pale, your piercer may advise you to sit and relax for awhile. When you have had all of your concerns addressed, and you feel ready to leave, you can go enjoy your new piercing!