Scaffold Piercing

Serpentine

Hey, I'm getting my ear pierced scaffold style at the weekend, does anyone have any feedback like is it a dodgy enough position, aftercare,recommendations for jewellery,awkward to change etc? Also, this sounds crazy but the top of my ears are small compared to the diagram as supplied by Celestial Ring so if they can do it at all it'll prob be a smaller bar,I already have 3 ear piercings so any views people?

It wasn't me!

It's not dodgy when done well. Go to Snakebite. As regards aftercare and jewellery, you will be talked through all of that by your piercer. Size won't matter, as barbells come in various sizes.

Serpentine

Cheers, its always good to get some feedback esp as I don't know anyone with this done!

garthv

Had it done a while ago, doesnt hurt too much and healing time isnt that long.
Kept it in for two years but then I had to take it out as it was really starting to hurt. Think I just slept on it wrong or whatever.
I will suggest going into a natural health store and getting some Arnica, very handy for the healing process, especially with the cartilage area.

Rich_Why

Huh!? Would Arnica really help with cartilage healing!? I have some of that **** at home, I used it for a pulled back muscle once. I got two rim piercings about 5 weeks ago and they dont hurt or anything but their still a bitch to sleep on every now and then. I want the ****ers to heal as fast possible because I getting itchy to get another piercing in my other ear. But Id can hardly have two sore ears now! I have to sleep standing up!:D

elephamt king

Rich_Why wrote:

Huh!? Would Arnica really help with cartilage healing!? I have some of that **** at home, I used it for a pulled back muscle once. I got two rim piercings about 5 weeks ago and they dont hurt or anything but their still a bitch to sleep on every now and then. I want the ****ers to heal as fast possible because I getting itchy to get another piercing in my other ear. But Id can hardly have two sore ears now! I have to sleep standing up!:D

Arnica is quite helpful for shock afaik and there is considerably more trauma in a cartilage piercing than a lobe etc. so any help to the healing process is worthwhile.
Also head into boots and get some Vitamin C + Zinc tablets. Around €7 for a couple of hundred, which is more than enough for a healing time....

ugliest

..make sure you get it done by a reputable place..you'd think,that even though its an ear piercing it'd be hard to mess up, alas you'd be wrong.

-got one done several years ago, ...she used the same needle for both holes+ folded my ear over to force it through NOT RIGHT!
-also she hit a vein or something+had to bandage my ear up cos it was bleeding so much.
-being young+impetuous i chose to just get the scaffold jewellery, not two seperate piercings+allow them to heal before i put the jewellery in.
so when the swelling went down+bruising went away, i had a piece of jewellery that was FAR too big+kept slipping back and forth when i slept+getting infected (not badly,just annoyingly) very tedious, was fine when i got a piece of jewellery that actually fit, but i had to ORDER it in+wait a few weeks to get it.
i've asked around and THIS is standard practise for patrons of that particular piercer (proper shop, they do tattoos aswell *shudder*)

-be aware.

Rich_Why

Christ! Give us a name man!:rolleyes:

Serpentine

Yeah you can't leave it on that note! Someone else I was talking to had a similar experience & the whole "folding" idea was part of why I posted here full stop, come on give us a name!

amazingemmet

Sorry that is standard procedure for how a scaffold is done, the only thing i draw issue with is she didn't do a flashlight test to look for blood vessels. Also its stanard to use a bigger jewelry in a scaffold and then custom fit one a week or two later after teh swelling has finished.

Rich_Why

Almost all piercings start off with a piece thats to big to account for swelling. So yeah amazingemmet is right about that but what about the same needle for both holes? That doesn't seem right! Never mind not checking for blood vessels which is just ****ing ignorant. This topic interests me as a scaffold was what I planned to get done next. Or maybe I'll just get a few more rim piercings! I love those little ****ers, they hurt so much! *licks lips*

amazingemmet

Yes same needle for both holes as it will line the piercing up better for the jewelry.

Rich_Why

ooooh! Now I can image it! That explains the folding thing as well. Well at least I wont be surprised now....

Serpentine

Rich_Why wrote:

This topic interests me as a scaffold was what I planned to get done next. Or maybe I'll just get a few more rim piercings! I love those little ****ers, they hurt so much! *licks lips*

Haha I went & got a rim piercing actually instead! seems less trouble than the scaffold right now. Great minds think alike!

Rich_Why

Great minds both also live in Maynooth is seems

ugliest

amazingemmet wrote:

Sorry that is standard procedure for how a scaffold is done, the only thing i draw issue with is she didn't do a flashlight test to look for blood vessels. Also its stanard to use a bigger jewelry in a scaffold and then custom fit one a week or two later after teh swelling has finished.

no its f'n not!

-standard procedure is to get two seperate piercings, having marked off where both piercings will be so you know they'll line up (know that sounds kinda condesendin', but i know a guy who used to work there+they had to COMPLETELY re-train him now he's in snakebite)

its worrying you'd think this is standard.

the shop was Nine Lives, in bray....known in the business (i know im not in the business, but any piercer i mention them to, tends to refer to them as butchers) to be really iffy.

-im aware of swelling etc. but the amount of infections i'd get at night time when it would slip up and down kinda prevented me gettin a shorter bar quicker.

it might make sense+maybe make it a bit easier for the piercer, but you're paying, and you deserve to have any piercing performed in the safest, most hygienic way possible

this page looks pretty good if anyones interested:
http://www.pierceoff.com.au/PiercingPhotos.aspx?Cat=Ear%20Scaffold%20or%20Industrial


maybe its just me getting carried away+over-reacting, in which case i apologise for my tone.

-got a new scaffold last year+i gotta say, it just seemed so much better+more comfortable to have the two seperate piercings.
using the same needle for both holes doesnt seem right in my mind.

amazingemmet

I still disagree with you. The only reason i can see for using two needles is if they're using blades instead of cannula needles. then two might be preferable but i can't figure out the logistics of it all. I can't see your point how two needles is safer. Can you elaborate more?

Will

I have to laugh, this is just my sick twisted mind but every time i see you guys write rim piercings, i think of anal ones! I think ive been looking at modblog way too much.
Im not a piercer myself but I would think its easier to use one needle for a scaffold. Easier to put the jewellery in and follow through to the next hole, instead of messing around opening up a new needle package. Cross contamination wouldnt happen i presume either as long as it is done in one fluid motion.
It depends on the piercer and how confident they are and the techniques they use.

Rich_Why

Wilburt wrote:

I have to laugh, this is just my sick twisted mind but every time i see you guys write rim piercings, i think of anal ones!

Don't worry man so do I! Its just easier to refer to them as "Rim" piercings, rather than helix and auricle all the time:rolleyes:

mushypeaz88

i just got scaffold done by some crazy lady in georges arcade who was twitching and talking to herself..she was crazy,and kept shaking...if you want to get this done then DONT GO HERE!!!! ther great (and cheap) for normal lobe piercings,but she was mad with the needles..

...it also hasnt stopped bleeding the whole way home and is pretty swollen, i think she hit a vein or something...can someone tell me what to do,is it guna be okay????

Will

take it out right away,
go to doctor tomorrow to make sure you are ok

mc nuggets

Good advice, also why did you let a crazy old woman pierce you, you should have gotten out of there as quickly as you could if she was shaking

Fantasy_Suicide

Sounds like a george job!!!! Hahaha! I'm interested in the two needles theory. Depending on the shape of the scaffold, sometimes two needles would be the way to go. If I remember correctly (I had my scaff done a few years back) I had two needles. But my scaff bends from my rim (Shut up Wilburt!) right down and curves out through my conch. I couldn't see a problem with using just one cannulae for a regular horizontal scaff. It would just make more sense and would be way more comfortable for jewellery insertion. Blades wouldn't really be likely for a scaff, would they? To me, it'd be alot more uncomfortable for the piercee. Cartlidge is a sensitive spot.

--LOS--

I dont see the harm in using one needle for the scaffold, but I dont know what youre talking about when you say about folding the ear over, sure each piercing is done from the inside out if you know what I mean. The jewellery is only put in as 2 separate piercings if the person getting it done finds there is too much pressure on the ear otherwise, so depends on how you take to it I guess, I had a curved scaffold done in snakebite, didnt find it bad at all, the worst problems Ive had during the healing process is going to the hairdressers and they insist on brushing your ears and hitting off it even when you warn them beforehand, that can be pretty painful and I just got used to not sleeping on that side.

Cupcake_Crisis

i love my scaffold!!! my friend done it for me and its the sexiest thing ever!!!!! she used two needles for it.......which was good!! didnt hurt as much as i thought...though i did scream like a bitch when she did the second hole!! it hurt like a mother!!! its all pretty now!!! GO SARANNE

popecatapetal

as far as i know, some piercers prefer to use an extra-long scaffold bar instead of two shorter bars to heal this piercing is so that there is less chance of migration or unusual healing in one of the piercings. the bar might not line up straight if this happens. some piercers do use the two seperate bars cos it's more comfortable for the customer during the healing to have them not connected, but there is a small chance of the bar not fitting after the holes have healed seperately.

rannerap

Cupcake_Crisis wrote: »

i love my scaffold!!! my friend done it for me and its the sexiest thing ever!!!!! she used two needles for it.......which was good!! didnt hurt as much as i thought...though i did scream like a bitch when she did the second hole!! it hurt like a mother!!! its all pretty now!!! GO SARANNE

why thank you:cool:

Will

take it to personal issues the two of ya

rannerap

its not a personal issue:)she just likes my pink balls in her ear

Cupcake_Crisis

meh...............im comfortable here!! :rolleyes:

Cupcake_Crisis

Glittery Pink Balls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glitteryyyyyy!!!! :d

[QJ]Serideth

mushypeaz88 wrote: »

i just got scaffold done by some crazy lady in georges arcade who was twitching and talking to herself..she was crazy,and kept shaking...if you want to get this done then DONT GO HERE!!!! ther great (and cheap) for normal lobe piercings,but she was mad with the needles..

...it also hasnt stopped bleeding the whole way home and is pretty swollen, i think she hit a vein or something...can someone tell me what to do,is it guna be okay????

Well, I have my left ear done and it did not bleed at all.

Getting it done there as you now know is a big no no, what's the story with it now?

pieces_mended

Just a quick question.
I had a scaffold done yesterday. Just wondering when the swelling on average, goes down?
I know it usually takes awhile to heal... and i dont expect the swelling to go yet (obviously, as iv'e just had it done :P)

pieces_mended

oh yes, and to comment on the long bar debate :P

mine was done with a long bar. It throbbs every now and then, but to be honest its not too painful. I was expecting something really bad lol

theTinker

I got mine done yesterday.

I think it went really well...cant for the life of me remember the guys name who did it. He is opening his own shop down behind voodoo so the luas should be near it.

He seemed really confident in it.
I did it in Wildcats/Celestial ring in st stephens green shopping center, top floor down the back right. He used two needles to do it. Which suited me fine as I didnt want him moving the needle around the first hole trying to get it in the second .
He took time to properly prepare everything. Measured 5 different bars to my ears to find the best fit(small ears). He bent the bar in a very very slight S shape. He said that it should shave about 2-3 weeks off the healing time. Having one long bar obviously puts more pressure on the edges of the wounds. The S shape made it hit off the edges less. I can put a straight one in when it heals.

I liked the time he took to talk to me about it. What i wanted, What i worked at, Do i use head phones, wear glasses. Talked the whole way through which kept me thinking of other things. He let me and my friend take photos through it too
He used all sterile prepackaged gear everytime, changed his gloves 4 times when ever he switched instruments or anything and did it quickly without mistakes.

The pictures of my face when i was getting the piercing is a bit funny

Purple Person

I have to say that I find all this arguing about technique hilarious when none of you are actually piercers.:rolleyes:

I am a professional piercer and let me clear up some of this.

2 needles are usually used for a scaffold. There would be no cross contamination issue as any decent piercer would either have the needle out already or change gloves to get new equipment out. They should also be good enough to be able to line up the piercings to make the bar lay in the correct alignment.
If one needle is used then there is a possibility that the second piercing will hurt more as the needle will be blunter on the second piercing, besides whats the point of having one use disposable needles if you are going to use them twice? But using this 1 needle method does mean that the jewellery will line up perfectly. maybe a piercer with less experience or confidence would do it in this way.
Also it depends on the size of the ear and the position of the piercing. a blade or a canula may not be long enough to bridge the gap between the two piercings, or if one is a vertical helix piercing and the other is a horizontal conch and you want to put one piece of jewellery through you wouldn't use the same needle it wouldn't reach, thats just common sense people!
Jewellery should be oversized to begin with by at least 2mm to allow for swelling and cleaning, otherwise you will end up with the balls embedding in the helix, or not being able to clean in between the skin and the jewellery without curling up the ear. This would mean having to touch the new piercing (transferring bacteria in turn leading to infection) and causing pain, not good! Once the piercing is well on it's way to being healed you can change it for a better fit.
Every piercer is trained in different methods and techniques so almost every piercer would do the same piercing in a different way. As long as they are clean and you get a good result at the end who gives a toss! It's the piercing and the end results that matter not this "I'm right and you're wrong" game that a lot of you seem to playing right now. And before you all start saying who the hell is she and why does she think she's such an authority on this, I am a professional piercer, trained in an APP registered studio in England and I have 7 industrials (or scaffolds, whichever you prefer) in my right ear that have been there for the last 4 years that have healed with no problems.

I hope this clears up some of the confussion!;)

Star Lord

In fairness Purple Person, I think the question was more if it should be left to heal with two seperate pieces of jewellery or with the bar.

Anyone that I've seen has used the bar, as you seem to be saying yourself too.

And don't worry, I don't think anyone is/would be questioning your expertise.

pandemonium

it's going to be swollen and seriously tender for ages yet!
i got mine done about 3 months ago, 2 days afterwards i got elbowed somehow and the lower hole ripped a little and ever since iv had a lump around filled with fluid, iv gotten it drained since and was told to put toothpaste on it followed by a hot saly soak and the swelling did go down but its taking forever to heal lol and now every time it bangs off my clothes or hairbrush it swells up so apart from that and the whole not being able to sleep on my left hand side i love my scaffold! lol sorry for the tangent

Will

toothpaste?! whats the reasoning behind this?

Crumble Froo

i know there's a home cure for zits in the form of toothpaste, dab it on overnight, and the zit should be gone in the morning, but i know even that's bad for it cos it dries it up, or something...

i really don't think the toothpaste on a piercing ie flesh wound, would be a great idea.

Purple Person

I agree, toothpaste sounds like a bad idea, it would probably do the same as any creams, just clog it up and cause it to kick out loads of gunk. Sea salt and boiled water all the way!!

!_Brian_!

Thrided. Its a hypertrophic scar from your description and all you need to do is slap on a sea salt soak once or twice a day. If that dosnt work get yerself some Camomile tea bags, boil them as usual and slap them on (once cooled a bit obviously) once or twice a day for about 5 minutes. It'll clear up in time.

And on the flip side of the coin to Purple Person's perferal of the two needle method, I prefer to use one needle when piercing the scaffold. At least when its straight. Any bendy ones, ie cart to conch etc, NEED to be pierced by two needles as the angles of the piercings will differ greatly and the fact you'd have to bend yer ear into a knot to get a straight needle through them both.

The fact that one professional prefers 2 needles and another prefers to use one dosnt make either of them right or wrong. I've been doing this for 7 years and have my own style and prefered methods, as will any other piercer. If your piercings ok who cares what way it was performed as long as the basics in sterilization, hygine and competence were met? After all its the end result thats the most telling to if its right or wrong.

pandemonium

Whoa!!!!!!!!!!!!!! seriously? cos the guy who pierced it said to use toothpaste followed by the boiled sea soak and it worked on my other lumps......
thanks for your advice !_Brian_! i will deffinitely try the cammomile teabags!