Occasionally, but a good piercer will have finished before you have even drawn breath to scream – in fact, most people find that the very worst part is the time between making the decision to have the piercing done and going to the piercing studio. If you are worried, this can be very stressful; relax, it will all be over before you know it. If you are worried or stressed about getting the piercing, tell your piercer and they will talk you through the procedure and help you feel comfortable and relaxed. For most people the reaction to the piercing is a quick ‘ahhh’, followed by a laugh. Stress, rather than pain, can cause some people to feel light-headed and dizzy or to faint. If you do experience any light-headedness, tell your piercer.
Wildcat Ink does not use piercing guns for any piercings. Trained professional piercers use a hollow needle blade or cannula. This cuts a hole instead of poking one with a blunt object at high velocity. This sounds worse, but is much less traumatic to the area, causes less scarring, and of course hurts a lot less!
No, we’re afraid not! We use our own jewellery that we stock as the exact materials, polish and style are very important for the success of the piercing. The jewellery we pierce with must also be properly cleaned and sterile
Yes, the price includes hi-polished implant grade titanium jewellery.
Basically, this means that the material is suited to be implanted in the body – AKA biocompatible. This is the same type that a doctor or surgeon would use for a metal fitting if you had a broken bone, for example.
Every area of the body has its own unique healing period & processes; oral & facial piercings tend to heal most quickly. A general guideline for approximate healing times is as follows:
Under mask piercings will take longer to heal if you have to wear a mask for long periods during the day.
Anti Eyebrow 4-8 months
Anti Tragus 6-12 months
Bridge 4 – 9 months
Cheek up to 12 months
Conch 6 -9 months
Dermal Anchor Depending on placement
Daith 6 – 12 months
Dahlia 9-12 months
Ear lobe 8 – 12 weeks single. 10-14 weeks double
Eyebrow 3-6 months
Forward Helix 6-9 months
Frenuem Lip/tongue 2-3 months
Genitals 2 – 8 months
Helix/Flat 4 – 8 months . Flat downsize 8 weeks
Labret 6 – 8 weeks
Lip 3-6 months. 1st downsize– 4 weeks
Nape 6 – 12 months
Navel 6 – 12 months. Downsize – 6 months
Nipple 4 – 9 months
Nostril 4 – 6 months
Rook 6 – 6 months
Philtrum 6-12 months. Downsize 4-6 weeks
Scaffold 9 – 12 months
Septum 4 – 6 months
Snug 6-12 months
Surface piercing 6-12 months depending on placement
Snake/Spider Bites 6-8 months
Tongue 3-6 months. 1st downsize – 4 weeks
Tragus 6 – 9 months
Transverse Lobe Depending on anatomy
Vertical Labret 4-6 months. Downsize 4 weeks
Vertical Philtrum 6-12 months
Remember, these healing times are approximate; every individual heals and reacts to piercings differently. If properly cared for, your piercing should heal within the time specified. By using appropriate aftercare & keeping irritation to a minimum you will ensure the best possible environment for healing your piercing.
We do not recommend that you change the initial piercing jewellery until your piercing has fully healed. Some piercings (tongue, labret, cheek, p.a. etc.) will require a change of jewellery during the healing period as the swelling of your piercing is reduced; however, this should be done only by your piercer and only with properly sized sterilised jewellery of a suitable material.
If you want to change your jewellery yourself, you should do this only after the new piercing has healed and developed a tough barrier of healthy skin between the piercing and the jewellery. Re-opening the wound in a piercing that is not sufficiently healed will delay the healing process and can cause infection.
Always wash your hands well, preferably with an anti-bacterial soap, before handling or changing your body jewellery.
Wait until the piercing is no longer tender (i.e. you can move the jewellery in your piercing without experiencing any discomfort).
A hot shower or hot compress can also help by softening the skin around the piercing before cleaning it and inserting fresh body jewellery.
To insert fresh jewellery, pinch the skin adjacent to the piercing and insert one end of the body jewellery into one hole of the piercing.
Wearing jewellery of the correct size in your body piercing is important; if the body jewellery is too short it will aggravate the piercing, if it is too long the body jewellery can move around a lot in piercing or get snagged on hair and clothing which causes aggravation to the piercing and may also cause tiny tears in the tissue. This can lead to scarring (keloids), migration & infection. Your piercer will be able to help you measure the correct jewellery size or your piercing.
Generally speaking, the larger your stretch your earlobe, the harder it will be to downsize the stretch. As you stretch the flesh it naturally loses its elasticity. Most people find that piercings of 8mm and smaller can be downsized fairly easily, although this process will be gradual. Keep the skin healthy by moisturising and massaging regularly which will stimulate the tissue and increase blood-flow to the pierced area.
Navel jewellery can be left in place if you wish; some women leave jewellery in during their entire pregnancy and delivery. If, during your pregnancy the piercing becomes uncomfortable, you can replace the jewellery with Bioplast or PTFE, which are inert plastics (something like thick fishing line). These will bend and flex with your changing body, be more comfortable, and are safe to wear. Once your pregnancy is over, you can return to your regular navel jewellery.
Even long after the piercing is totally healed, a piercing may or may not stay open without something in place. This varies from person to person. Wearing an inert plastic in it will ensure that it can be maintained.
If you decide to remove the jewellery entirely during your pregnancy, it is still possible that it can be reinserted using an insertion taper even if the old jewellery won’t go back in easily. If it cannot be reinserted it is quite likely that it can be re-pierced.
As a side note, some women who lack enough tissue quantity or pliability for navel piercing prior to pregnancy are often well suited after pregnancy. Please consult your piercer for advice.
There is no special care that is required during pregnancy for healed piercings.
We have not found any cases of women who wished to breast feed and could not as a result of having had a nipple piercing. The milk ducts are a multiplicity of little pore-like ducts. Therefore, the likelihood of closing them all off from a piercing of usual size is virtually nil.
Most women do remove their jewellery for breast feeding and we believe this to be appropriate. As a result, some milk may come from the site of the piercing during nursing, which is not harmful nor problematic. Some woman will use an insertion taper (a tool designed for this purpose) to facilitate reinsertion or to check regularly and make certain the holes are open.
It is advisable not to undergo any body art procedures during a pregnancy, even just an ear lobe stretch. It is best to let your body focus on the important, complex and demanding task that it is handling already.
We suggest that a three month waiting period be observed following delivery in order for the body to regain physiological and hormonal equilibrium before piercing.
In addition, we recommend waiting for three months following the cessation of breast milk production before piercing nipples
The first thing to keep in mind is that the first few weeks of any piercing are the most difficult. Normal signs of healing you may experience are redness around the piercing, swelling and tenderness around the piercing site and drainage from the piercing wound that is clear to pale yellow or whitish in colour. Other normal healing issues that can occur are healing bumps, which are caused by drainage that has become trapped under the skin. They generally appear as bumps or “pimples” next to the piercing wound.
The signs of an infection are generally a green or bloody discharge from the piercing wound, the piercing wound itself feels hot to the touch, the piercing wound is more painful than when it was pierced or you have an unexplained fever. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is recommended that you visit a doctor as soon as possible.