AboutBrian Skellie Expertise I can answer questions in regards to and not limited to: jewelry safety, specifically material, shape, proportion, and related issues; aseptic technique and sterilization as it applies to piercing safety; ethical issues of technique and bedside manner; the aftercare and recovery process for piercings.
Experience
Past/Present clients
Tens of thousands of one on one client experiences. http://www.piercing.org/ Body jewelry design and safety expert: Member ASTM committee F04(www.astm.org)
Member AAMI (www.aami.org)
Research advisor and educator for the APP for over a decade(www.safepiercing.org) teaching advanced studio setup, sterilization and equipment management, freehand piercing, aseptic/sterile technique and much more.
Distributor for SciCan StatIM sterilization and cleaning products. http://www.piercing.org/statim/
Expert: Brian Skellie Date: 5/28/2008 Subject: VCH pinching
Question I had a VCH done 6 weeks ago today. It does not weep and does not appear swollen but it is very tender to the touch. It also occasionally feels as if it is being pinched. the pain seems to be on the inside where the needle exited.It was pierced with a 16g and they inserted a surgical steel straight barbell. I actually removed the jewelry today (before I found this site)to try a longer barbell hoping it might help. The top of the hood (just around the piercing) feels a little stiff. Could I be reacting to the steel? I have had other piercings and used steel..maybe this area is more sensitive to it?? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Answer The more you wear steel, the more sensitive you become to the alloy elements of chromium, nickel, etc. http://piercing.org/faq/jewelry.html explains more.
The stiffness is most likely scar tissue buildup, and you may still have a small amount of swelling around the site of the jewelry. The pinch could be from the angle of the piercing combined with the thin surface of the jewelry. There may be a tear in the piercing from pressure or friction. 16g is too thin for safe wear in the soft mucosa tissue. 12g is the minimum we have used successfully. Consider an upgrade to titanium jewelry, and to upgrade to a thicker post when it fits. Allow your body to heal and loosen up, then thicker 14g posts should fit in a few weeks, and 12g will follow in a few more painlessly.
If you have removed the jewelry, and it does not fit back in, consider having the piercing redone at 12g in anodized [colored] titanium when it has healed and returned to a normal texture and sensation.
