Monday 3 February 2014

Cheek / Dimple Piercing: Pro's Con's, Do's & Dont's: 16 weeks on




 This is a post a little different to what i normally post as i like to think this is a hair / makeup themed blog, but Piercings and tattoos are also a big part of my life aswell , and for many years now i have wanted cheek / dimple piercings, why has it taken me so long to get them? well...

I got my first piercing at the age of 16 i had the top of my lip pierced, also know as a Madonna piercing or Monroe, then a couple of months later i had my nose pierced, so those were my first real piercings ( apart from ears) a year later i saw pixie acia from the show L.A Ink, and i saw she had her cheeks pierced and i automatically thought WOW, not only i had never seen them before but i thought they were so beautiful especially on her.

After that i became a little bit obsessed, i would google pictures of cheek piercings going back and fourth whether i thought they would suit me or not, dont get me wrong iv always wanted them but that thought of them not suiting me always stuck.

there were also other things stopping me, at the time i didnt have a full time job, i mean iv always had my makeup but that wasnt a reliable job were i knew i could support my self. while job hunting i would always get judged on my hair ( iv always had crazy hair colours), or the piercings i already had, my stretched ears or my tattoos. so there was no way i was going to make my life harder by getting more over the top piercings, and then having no chance of getting a job.

Now you may think that it was all in my head, well it wasnt unfortunately, i didnt get offered a job once because the uniform was short sleeved and i have huge tattoos on my forearms, and i even got sacked from a job because of the way i looked they thought i didnt fit in. yes i know its discrimination but unfortunately thats the way the world is, im over it now because i now have a job that literally lets me do whatever the fuck i want, and the first week i started i asked my boss if it would be okay if i got my cheeks pierced and she said go for it, then i had no excuse i was gonna get them pierced!!


The day i got them done



The day i got them done was a funny day, as i actually called loads of piercers and no one seemed to do cheek piercings, one place even sounded shocked that i would ask for such a thing, i found a place and they were super nice and extremely professional, and i am so glad i went there. i trusted the piercer immediately as she also had cheek piercings so she would know anything i would need to ask.

To be honest, i was really nervous, as the more i thought about it the cheek is a thick bit of flesh plus i have always had chubby cheeks. now dont get me wrong i have an amazing pain threshold, i actually enjoy getting tattooed, love it actually ( weird i know ) but even having that i do have a weakness NEEDLES.. i have never been scared of needles or pain or blood, but past recent years i had a bad experience with one, and ever since i become all faint, light headed, hot and sick, and it bugs me so much because i never used to be like that, and it dosnt affect me having tattoos its only if the needle is going through the skin eg. injections or piercings.

They took me to the back room and i sat down and the piercer got everything all ready blah blah blah.. and then came the marking of were the piercings would go, which took ages as you have to get them symmetrical and even and were you actually want them to sit.

After that boring mess, she grabbed my cheek with the clamp, at this point i was surprisingly calm, she didnt ask if i was ready, count me down or asked me to take a breath she just done it, just shoved the needle through as if it was nothing, which to be honest i prefer.


Swelling and Barbells

Now you should know when you get them pierced they swell a ridiculous amount, i got PTFE (plastic) bars with the ball on each end. i felt like an idiot leaving the piercers as i had huge plastic bars just hanging out of my cheeks, it look like a radio antenna, i look stupid, and i thought is this really necessary having them this big, they were about 2 inches long. but they were necessary after 2 days my cheeks had swollen so much they were twice the size, i looked like a chipmunk who got stung by a bee, NOT attractive, this lasted for about a week, during this it was also very weepy and yucky and crusty, and just eww Which goes onto the next subject...

Cleaning


 At first you have to be so religious with cleaning your piercings its mad, the first 1 or 2  months you have to clean them twice a day, and for the first month 4-6 times a day. I feel i had probably the best things at hand. the first month i would clean my piercings with warm water with sea salt, and it has to be sea salt not table salt, for the inside of my mouth i used an anti-bacterial mouthwash ALCOHOL FREE! . i can not stress that enough do not clean your piercing with anything that has alcohol in it as it will irritate the skin. now you can use alcohol mouthwash but just make sure you dilute it with water before use. I used colgate anti bacterial mouthwash. you can also use sea salt for the inside but i prefer the mouthwash as i dont really like the taste of salt.

I also used Distilled witchazle this was a recommendation from the piercer, and i must say it really helped, you could probably get it from most chemists or health stores. I used this not only to clean the outside but it also soothes the skin so i used to switch from sea salt to witchazle each time i cleaned it.

After a while my piercings didnt need that much attention when it came to cleaning so i bought Savlon Fist aid wash / antibacterial wash, just to spray on the piercing every now and again.

Other great Items to clean your piercings
H2ocean. Tea tree oil , Saline Spray


 

PTFE / Bioplast Bars or Steel / Titanium metal Bars?


Now this is an argument that many people favor one over the other, when really its down to preference. I personally feel PTFE is better, it is what i have and i would'nt have it any other way. I also think every one should have PTFE when they first get these piercings as they are less prone to infection, the bars move and bend to your cheeks and is more comfortable when they swell, some people may want to switch to metal bars after healing and thats fine but i would highly recommend ptfe first.





Metal Bar Pro's

1: There are more variety / Choices
2: Easier to purchase
3: More durable than PTFE

Con's

1: It could contain Nickel which irritates the skin
2: Your mouth moves alot especially your cheeks when you eat and talk and having a metal bar through them is not as flexible which could also irritate
3: Having the wrong size / too small could cause the piercing to sink into your cheek and have to have them removed ( i say this because PTFE is cut personally for your cheek size were as metal you buy in sizes)

PTFE Bar Pro's

1: They are cut for your size and can then be cut down as the swelling goes down gradually getting smaller as your cheeks do ( rather than buying loads of different bars )
2:They are plastic so they bend so when you smile they mold with your cheek rather than just sit there, making them flexible and much more comfortable.
3: they are safer than metal as certain metals irritate certain peoples skin, so you never know, better to be safe then sorry.
4: any ball can screw on them just like any metal bar so dont worry you dont have to find special parts for PTFE you just use any ball you would normally buy.

Con's

1: Its a pain in the arse to keep getting them cut down at the piercers every few months when i want them shorter
2: Sometimes its really hard to get the ball on to make a thread.



Infection

Now i have had loads of scares when it comes to them getting infected, but i would just like to say they havnt got infected thankfully :)

Because i have wanted these piercings for such a long time and the fact that i have wanted them so badly to have them getting infected scares me to death as that means i would have to remove them so lets say i have been a bit panicy about them, as they are an oral piercing so they are very very prone to getting infected more so than any other piercing.

One time i had noticed a small lump around one piercing and i got really scared thinking it was a keloid ( if you dont know a Keloid is a lump that forms on your skin that at times can be very painful and sore) I went to the piercers and they said dont worry its just swollen ( this was 2 1/2 months in by the way) i assumed the swelling would have stopped, but they said it happens unfortunately. one day you can wake  up and one side will be swollen for no reason, its just the way it is.

The main things you have to look out for for infected piercings are:  They are Painful and sore, (obviously this dosnt include the first few weeks as they will be sore) They are weeping more than usual and its a dark colour like green or thick. if your piercing is weeping that is completely normal as it will happen for as long as you have them unfortunately, but aslong as its clear or it has a yellowy tinge to it your okay.

The best thing is not to worry :) and if you are worried contact your piercer



Do's & Dont's

DO clean it every day especially if you smoke
DONT touch it with dirty hands
DO your research before getting them done
DONT get them on a whim
DO make sure you really really want them as they take a lot of dedication
DONT take them out or change them for at least 6 months
DO make sure your bars are long enough no matter how long you've had them as they can sink inside
DONT take them out and leave them out for more than 12 hours ( obviously dont leave them out for any amount of time for the first year)
DO make sure you have your piercers number if anything should go wrong
DONT use alcohol to clean your piercing



All in all i love these piercings and through all the shit and pain and all the bollocks, i love them all the same im still obsessed with the piercing as much as i was and i have it now, whenever i look in the mirror i feel happier. but the amount of stuff iv been through to get this piercing and all the crap i went through having it, i still love them and would never think about getting rid of them. but i have to say and i cant stress this enough DO NOT get this piercing if you are not 100% dedicated. as it is a and one of the only piercings that needs your utmost attention for, you really have to baby it, so be aware of that before you go ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

1: Did it Hurt?
well i must say i get this one alot and really? .. it didnt! like i said i have a high pain threshold so it might be different for others but i have had other piercings and this didnt compare, apparently ( this is what the piercer told me) after the first layer of skin there are no nerves in the flesh / membrane of the cheek, so the best way of describing it is that its like a knife going through butter, very soft and painless, my lip hurt more getting pierced.

2: How much did it cost?
it cost me £50 for both not each

3. Does it swell?
YES yes it does.

4: How long until it heals?
as it is an oral piercing it never really truly heals, but you can change the piercings after 6 months and for it to ultimately be healed, a year.

5: Did you have dimples before and do you have dimples now?
No i didnt have dimples before and yes i do now :)

6: What is on the other side of your cheek? , What does it look like?
i chose to have balls on each end not a flat back / Labret , so i have the exact same thing on the inside as i do on the outside.

7: Is it annoying or hard to eat / brush your teeth?
No not at all, with all piercings after a while you dont even notice their there

8: What do you use to clean / wash / disinfect them?
At first i used Sea Salt & warm water to clean the outside and anti bacterial mouthwash for the inside ( non alcoholic) i also used Distilled Witchazle to sooth and clean the outside. now i dont have to clean them as much i now use a savlon anti bacterial spray just to make sure they get a quick clean.


9: Do you ever bite down on them?
At first i did as i had huge bars but now that they are fitted to my cheeks no never, even were it is possible to bite my cheeks my piercings arnt were i can bite them.

10: Do they leave a scar / dimple
Yes and i will forever have dimples now , so think about it before you get them done

11: Why did you get them done you look stupid/ it dosnt suit you / you would look prettier without them
Coz fuck you thats why :) xxx



ONE BIG TIP

Take Zinc Vitamin Tablets, it helps with the swelling, helps stop infections and Oh my God it makes all the difference.


If you have any questions then please ask, sorry if i missed anything i hope iv coverd everything xxx



69 comments:

  1. I heard that there is muscle damage after getting this type of piercing done. Is that true?

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    1. in a way yes.. but the way a natural dimple occurs is that there is a tear in the muscle wall, the same as having a piercing there, so really its the same thing, just that one occurs naturally.. hope that makes sense :)

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    2. I took my cheek piercing out in 4rth day I had green stuff coming out I got demples still now from it and all the swelling and pain went away in like 2 days and NP scar so don't be afraid of taking them out people my swelling was bad and had I fiction so don't know who said don't take them out if u have infection but that obviously wrong and I have dimples now same as I had with them in

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  2. Tomorrow will be a week that I got mine done. How long until I start getting the actual dimples? Im still a bit swollen, but nothing compared to how I was.

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    1. I know its quite annoying with the healing time but the swelling wont ultimately go until 3-4 months, for example if you feel your cheeks around the piercing theres a lump, so after 3-4 months your cheek will feel flat around the piercing, as mine is now, i mean you should already notice dimples when you smile, so after time you will notice your dimples will get more prominent .. hope that helps xx

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  3. How long after getting them done could you wear makeup?

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    1. well they told me not to wear make up at all while they are healing, like at least a month.. but i still wore makeup but i made sure i cleaned them around the piercing taking away any makeup that was on them

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  4. K, you are VERY cute and I think the dimples look super cute on you. :)
    Over here in the States, witch hazel has an alcohol in it, which is the part that makes it dry quickly & act as an astringent.
    Many piercists recommend sea salt (as mentioned here) because it is soothing and doesn't dry skin out like alcohol does. Also tea tree oil can be 100% or purchased diluted with an oil. Remember to not use tea tree in the pure form, as it is drying and can be an irritant.
    Some mouth washes have hydrogen peroxide in them which can be drying but is good for helping mouth lesions heal. (One may find them irritating to your piercing.)
    Oh & using an ice pack or a glass with cold water in it, applied to the swollen area, helps as well, just don't put ice directly on your skin or leave it for longer than 20 minutes, as it can 'burn' the skin. ;) I hope this might help.

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    1. youre exactly right, many things may not seem like they are going to irritate, but it all depends on type of person, thats why many piercers recommend not using anything direct to the skin. i dont know if i mentioned but i used distilled witchhazel, so its slightly diluted. i found it really helped with the swelling and pain and cleaning. but if anything has alcohol in it including mouthwash its pretty much safe to use if diluted with water. more water than product.

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    2. and thank you very much.. i think dimples are cute ;)

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    3. Could I go and buy witchhazel that isn't diluted and dilute it myself if I get the piercing?

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  5. well it depends what you mean?.. if you take them out then yes, but depending how long you have had them the hole will eventually close up

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  6. Okay so i have 2 questions 1 if i remove them will the hole completly heal and ima still have permanent dimples and 2 do you think numbing gel would help? And btw i think you look beautiful ��

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    1. well it all depends on the person, some people get more prominant dimples than others, same with the healing time, it all depends how long you've had them , the longer you've had them the longer it will take for the hole to close, there is a good chance you will be left with perminant dimples,but i also know some people were it has healed and the scars / dimples hardly show.. also i dont know what you mean by numbing gel?.. do you mean will it numb before getting them pierced?.. and thank you very much your so sweet xxxx

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  7. Hi! I really want dimple piercings, but it is one thing that concerns me. Would I suit it. Would my face suit it? Do you have any tips on what I can to to check this before I get pierced?
    And I have to say, you are so insane beautiful. You're piercings make me want them even more!

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    1. wow thank you soo much,.. plus you are too beautiful, i looked at your picture and i think it would suit you,.. so the answer to the question.. should you get them done based on whether they suit you? .. YES a big fat yes i think they will.. but i cant stress enough how much of a pain they are, so if your dedicated then go for it! :)

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    2. also try smileing and imagine were your dimples would be, draw a tiny dot on each side, and have a mirror near you for a while, everytime you catch a glimps of yourself, u will see them unexpectedly and that should give an idea of what you will look like.. i did that before i got them, and it just made me want them more :)

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  8. When does the swelling start to go down? I got mine 4 says ago and they are ssooo swollen and my right cheek a bit more than the left >.<.... I'm hoping you say a week to two weeks lol?

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    1. really sorry for the late reply, so you probly already know that the swelling does only lasts around 2 weeks at the most, also keep an eye on the more swollen cheek because you always seem to have a more problematic cheek with cheek piercings , e.g prone to infection, longer to heal, or irritant. hope that helps xxx

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  9. Ive been wanting dimple piercing but how do I know if it suits me

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    1. You can try making Mark's on your face where you think they will be and see if you like it or not

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  10. I want to do mine at home. I'm super dedicated to getting them done and will do everything in my power to take care of them. how should I go about it and should I do it.?

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    1. I did mine you would need to be very careful because you can hit saliva glands in your cheek and if not done properly it will be very hard to get them to heal

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  11. I love your post you have here! Very informative and insightful! :) But I'm wondering about a couple things, actually. One, if you can check my photos on my profile can you tell me if I have the right face for getting dimple piercings? Second, can you tell me if it's worth getting pierced? I've had many many piercings in the past, but never had dimple piercings. Now, I will admit that dimple piercings have been on my piercings list for a long time now, but I wasn't too sure on how to go about that or to properly research it so I kept putting it off till recently. If you can give me some advice and insight about my questions, that'd be so wonderful! :D Please and thank you in advance! Hope you reply soon!

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    1. She really didn't get to your questions but I have dimple piercings as well and in my opinion if you don't mind the pain and how they look there so worth it and you never really know if they would look good or not until you have it done you can always take them out

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  12. This is a bit off topic, but where do you work where it's allowed to have "different" hair and piercings

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  13. Hi, I got my cheeks pierced two months ago for the second time, I took them out the first time and they closed, I thought I was taking good care of them but now I have a bump on the right piercing site. It's a little uncomfortable, not unbearable pain though, it looks like a pimple so I wasn't too concerned at first but sometimes it looks like its going away and then it looks like its gotten worse, it looks dry sometimes and it's even drained fluids once. I clean them at least four times a day and I take zinc vitamins but I don't know what else to do. I've been suggested to poke it (to drain fluids for good) but I really don't wanna do that 😔, please help!

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    1. Ask your piercer and if that dissent help they do have this new plastic disk it is small and you put it on your piercings when you do get those bumps and it does help

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  15. What can and can't u eat ? Also my skin is super sensitive and I've had my piercings get infected. .. So should I get my dimples pierced ?

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    1. If you keep them extremely clean and well taken care of you shouldn't really have a problem but if you do decide to get the piercings and they still do get infected tell your piercer and they might give you some great tips also you can ask your piercer before hand

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  16. I just got my cheeks pierced, and only one side of my face swelled. And I mean BAD! I also have the long bars and there is no more room on the bar cause my cheek is so fat. What should I do?

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  17. I just got my cheeks pierced, and only one side of my face swelled. And I mean BAD! I also have the long bars and there is no more room on the bar cause my cheek is so fat. What should I do?

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    1. You can order extra long bars or take just the one out let it completely heal and re try it again

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  18. Is there anything I could put on before getting them pierced to make it hurt less?��

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    1. Do not take pain killers it will make it worse but if you close your eyes and don't think about it, it will help with ignoring the pain alittle

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  19. Is there anything I could put on before getting them pierced to make it hurt less?��

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  20. Hello, had my dimple (yes only one ) since 2011.
    I took them out for a year and just re did them Febuary 2016. When I took them out I still had a teenie lil scar(like a dot)and I really didn't have a dimple without the piercing, it went away. Hope that helps

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  21. I got mine pierced 3 days ago but I see online most people have gotten the bar with balls on both ends. The one that was put in my cheek piercings is flat on the inside. Does that make a difference in the healing process?

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    1. The only difference that would make is if it indents into your cheek if it does do not be scared it will eventually heal to where the indent goes away and that's only with a flat end

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  22. What is the pain level on a scale of 1-10,, and do they do them both at the same time?

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  23. I've had mine around nearly 3 weeks.. When can I start wearing makeup?

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    1. If I were you I would wait 6 to 7 months to apply makeup around the piercings just so they stay clean and can heal properly

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  24. I just had mine done two days ago ... The swelling had started going down but now it is really swelled....I have been taking ibuprofen leaving cold stuff in my mouth ice packs.... What else can I do for the swelling ...and is it normal for swelling to go down then pop back up

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  25. I just had mine done two days ago ... The swelling had started going down but now it is really swelled....I have been taking ibuprofen leaving cold stuff in my mouth ice packs.... What else can I do for the swelling ...and is it normal for swelling to go down then pop back up

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    1. Ibuprofen is not something you want to take with cheek piercings due to the fact that it is a blood thinning pill so try not taking any pills that may thin your blood keep it clean and put ice packs on it every night make sure your jewelry isn't squeezing either you want it to be kinda loose so it dissent apply the extra pressure and keeps from future bruising

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  26. Where and what shop did you get them done at?

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  27. Ok this is gonna make me sound so childish ughh, I'm 16 and I'm wanting my cheeks pierced x.x but I'm sooooo scared and when I'm scared my nerves act up and a simple pain will turn into a big one. I had gotten my nose pierced and people said that it wasn't a bad pain and that it didn't feel bad but when I got the piercing yea it didn't hurt AS BAD but there was some shocks and pains there. I just wanna know will it hurt like GYUAHHHH painfiul? lol I know it sounds weird but this is something I'm really worried about. I thought about the effcts and such for about three years now and know what I need to do and how to do it. It's just the pain process that scares me to death x.x please someone with knowledge reply

    ~thankies ^^ <3

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    1. I got my done 6 days ago and it really did not hurt much but with the healing process the pain varies but i love my peircings

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    2. When mine hurts I just swish my mouth with salt water

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  28. So i can't have facial piercings in school and I really want these. Is it possible that after 2 weeks I can leave just the bar in and take the outside jewelry out for a few hours (10) without anything bad happening like the hole closing up infections etc...

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    1. Here's just a tip you can take the balls off but constantly push the bars threw the hole to keep it from closing but I'd wait a month before doing that

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  29. I'm wanting to get mine pierced, so thank you for being so informative. This helped with my decision very much and you look awesome!!!

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  30. Do you think it's safe to get them redone? I have a point in time an had to remove them cause unfortunately the piercer, pierced them wrong

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    1. I have pierced many of my own piercings, and most oral piercings can be re done as long as you let them completely heal before you try

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  31. U don't look stupid with them they look very cute.

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  32. Hello, I'm getting my dimples pierced in 2 weeks n want to know if I can drink alcohol (as in my red wine) I drink n just want to make sure how long b4 I can :P n no I'm not an alcoholic lol, I JUST LOVE MY RED WINE!! Lol

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  33. Thank you for the detailed information. I have had tounge and marilyn piercing, nipple, navel and double nose piercing on one side of my nose. (Ears of course) but this cheek piercings definitely sounds like an extra hard work and more attention than any other piercings i got.. The rest of my piercing i took anywhere from impromptu - 6 months before deciding to go to my piercer.. Now i will have to really consider it for a longer time. I am in uniform service and may need to take it out as and when within a year after piercing.

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  34. I loved this post! So helpful and informative. I do have a question though, I got mine pierced 7 days ago and I follow all the cleaning instructions every day, but I still get crusty and gooey in between cleans, am I not doing something right? Can I keep it from happening? I’m supposed to go on a date soon but I don’t want to go if my face is oozing and crusty, you know.

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  35. Im confused I had my cheeks pierced because I love cheek piercing n the fact that they will be dimples if removed...but mines don't go all the way through...so did they make a mistake.??..is it possible I won't have dimples?

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  36. Okay so im 14 and dimple piercings are suppose to be my birthday gift. Mind i already have dimples to though. Im worried that something will happen etc. Right now Im really scared to go through with it because lots of people said it could cause bad damage..

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  37. Ok. So I got mine done just a little over 24 hours ago and im ready to call it a loss. Im swollen and this is painful. No, im not a wuss I factor in the fact that my employer wont allow these. I am simply going for the dimples. Somebody posted 4 days in and dimples were set. Wish me luck!

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  38. My cheeks are hurting bad I got mine done 26 hours ago and there really swollen how long will it be like this ?

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  39. I just got mine done one check is perfect the other immediately swelled up like a golf ball my check is completly style from one side of the bar to the other and it's been 10 min is settled as soon as he put the bar in but the other side looks great is this normal

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  40. It's hurts so bad on the stolen side like my whole side of my face hurt and it's hideous I feel like a monster right now I've never seen anything like this is like there is a abed or cyst in my mouth please tell me this is normal cause I have only seen one picture of selling like mine and it wasn't good

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