Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.
Trending News
Side lip ring question?
Im really interested in getting a side lip ring (maybe eventually snakebites, but one for now anyway) and Im curious exactly how fast you can remove the initial piercing and exchange it with a retainer. Im graduating college very soon and need to start looking for jobs - so Im going to have interviews, and Im not going to be able to wait a month for the piercing to completely heal before I change it out to a retainer. Im not sure exactly when Im going to get the piercing done, I havent decided yet. Even if I do decide to wait until I have a stable job - I still wont be able to wear the ring to work and Id have to get the piercing on vacation time or something.
What is the earliest that you can safely change a piercing to a retainer and then let the piercing heal the rest of the way with the retainer in. I looked online but there were a lot of mixed answers, so please dont answer unless you a. have the piercing and were told how long, or b. are a piercer/know a piercer. I want the piercing to heal properly and I dont want to have scarring from removing it too early.
Im not looking for when you are able to switch the piercing out on a regular basis between retainer and ring, I just want to remove the piercing ring as soon as possible and replace it semi-permanently with a retainer for it to heal the rest of the way.
3 Answers
- 1 decade agoFavorite Answer
I wouldn't advise doing any healing with a clear retainer. Clear retainers are plastic, acrylic, or lucite usually, and more porous than steel. As such, the porous material holds bacteria more, and since it can't stand an autoclave, can't be sterilized.
You can technically change the jewelry after about two weeks, but I would wait as long as you can before changing it to a clear stud. After that, be extra diligent about cleansing it (sea salt soaks work the best for most people), and you should be okay.
Another option is to get the flat labret stud, a steel one, and then just remove the outside ball when you go job hunting. It's usually hardly noticeable, is hard to fall out, and you can heal the piercing better without changing the jewelry. This may or may not work (it worked for me, and I wore it at a hospital =]), but it may be something to try.
Personal note: If you get the piercing and decide on a stud, try to go with a 14g needle at first. I had a 16g lip piercing, and the clear stud was so small, I couldn't get it to stay in even with the clear o-ring to 'hold it in place.' Now that it's a size 14g, I have no problem keeping the retainer in place. =]
Source(s): 20 piercings.. 11 of which I have retainers for, for my new job. - 1 decade ago
Yuki's answer sounds exactly right. Letting it heal wearing a retainer doesn't sound like a good idea. Maybe you'll get lucky and your job will allow piercings. Mine does. :)
