Let’ face it: things don’t work out as expected or planned all the time, and most of the time, it’s almost impossible to reset things. We’ve all been there, and if you are into body piercings, you understand what we are talking about all too well. Despite having the best plan, going through the steps with the specialist ten times, the placement of your nipple piercing might turn our wring, and that means more than poor fitting of your nipple jewelry. In worst-case scenarios, you might be forced to deal with things like rejection, migration, and even infections – and when these happen, the wrong placement of the nipple piercing might endanger your life.
And to add salt to your wound, there’s the saddening bit where you often only learn about the placement issues after about a year, or when the piercing is fully healed because that is when you get to change the jewelry.
So, how do you handle all that disappointment? Is there going back? And what happens if you realize seconds after the piercing (or years later when you are breastfeeding) is done that the areola and not the nipple was pierced?
Before we look at some of the biggest nipple piercing mistakes and their potential solutions, let’s look at the ideal nipple piercing position.
Generally, a nipple piercing is done at the base of the erect part of your nipple. And if you are not working with a professional piercer who understands human anatomy too well, you will be up for the shock of your life. You know that you are in trouble when your nipple piercing is at the areola/ fatty breast tissue.
A common problem that arises from the piercing of the areola is mastitis, a condition that is too painful and uncomfortable to go through. The other important consideration you need to keep in mind is that the orientation of the piercing matters – you don’t want to get a diagonal piercing when you want a vertical piercing.
Three Common Nipple Piercing Placement Mistakes
1. Is Nipple piercing too close to surface?
One of the biggest nipple piercing placement mistakes involves having the piercing too close to the surface instead of having it at the base of an erect nipple. The problem with this is that the piercing might cause the skin to be ripped out, especially if you wear bigger jewelry. As mentioned above, nipple piercings need to be at the base of the nipple and close to but not on the areola. So, if it’s too close to the surface, you will be in some trouble.
Solutions: How long should I wait before re-piercing my nipple?
If the placement of the first nipple piercing doesn’t sit too well with you, you might have to get the nipples re-pierced. If you choose to take this path, be ready for the pain and many more months where the nipples will be healing. Beware, however, that the healing time for a re-pierced nipple might be longer than the initial piercing because of the scar tissue present. Following the aftercare procedures correctly might make the healing time the same as the time it took in the initial piercing. Also, be ready to use the longer barbell for as long as the piercing heals.
2. Nipple pierced incorrectly?
What do you do when the nipple piercing placement is done wrong? Diagonal instead of vertical/ horizontal, or at an indefinite position that’s neither before the areola, but also too far off the base of your nipple?
Solutions: Should I rotate my nipple piercing?
First, if the placement of the piercing is not too off, you could live with it as it is. But if it bothers you, either have the nipple re-pierced (after they heal) or and rotate the piercing.
It’s also important to understand that the nipple piercing process and what the piercer should know to do or not to do. Generally, the piercing barbell should be in the middle of the nipple so that there is a 1/8” clearing on both sides of the barbell.
You should only rotate your nipple piercing if it is absolutely necessary. Otherwise, you don’t need to, especially if the piercing hasn’t healed fully.
3. Weird or wrong nipple piercing placement
Even though nipples look different for different individuals, there is weird or just wrong placement of the nipple piercings.
- Some of the weird placements include diagonal rather than horizontal placement of the piercing/ Poor alignment of the piercing
- Piercing too deep into the areola
- Piercing too close to tissue, hence potential loss of sensitivity
Solutions: Where Should nipple piercings be placed?
If you are worried that your nipple piercing was done incorrectly or it was aligned poorly, first confirm the alignment by checking the placement of the piercing when you are relaxed, for example, when taking a shower. If it’s still aligned incorrectly, then you can think of other measures like re-piercing.
It’s also important to remember that the improper placement of a nipple piercing not only looks bad, it’s also dangerous and you really don’t want to be rushed to the hospital for a bad infection coming from the poor placement of the piercing.
The placement will also vary depending on the size and the shape of the nipple, and if you have flat nipples, it means ta that the piercer will need more tissue for the piercing, and that will increase the risk of infection or loss of sensitivity, especially if the piercing touches the nerves.
So, to ensure the perfect placement, ensure that you work with a piercer who knows that the perfect placement of a nipple piercing is at the base of the nipple and not in the areas. With that in mind, make sure that your nipple is fully erect before the piercing.
For men, however, piercing could extend all the way to the areola, but it must be done properly.
Conclusion
All nipples can be pierced, but the placement of the piercing is crucial. To avoid unhappy situations, have the nipple piercing done by a professional with experience, someone who knows what they are doing because they understand biology, and they’ve been at it for some time.
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