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LadiesBladewing -> RE: Nipple Piercings (6/25/2006 6:27:35 AM)
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GddssBella,
It was wonderful of you to post a caution, and I can certainly respect you not getting yours redone, but I really think that it is an over-reaction to tell others never to get theirs done because -you- got an infection. The reality is that, with a body-mod aware physician, depending on where the infection was, you may have been able to -keep- your piercing. When a piercing gets infected, in most cases one of the -worst- things you can do for the piercing is remove the jewelry -- this can allow the outside of the wound to heal, and trap the infection inside the body, where it can spread, unchecked. It sounds like your doctor opened up your breast, which may also have been an unncecessary invasion. most breast abcesses that I've dealt with as a midwife were handled by local anesthesia and a simple needle draining. I'm curious about why your doctor had to be so invasive. I've dealt with breast abcesses for -years- as a midwife that had nothing whatsoever to do with piercings, and, because I prefer to work with alternative-lifestyle households, I've also worked with women who -had- piercings, but developed the abcess due to breast-feeding. I never had a woman who had to stop breast-feeding OR remove her nipple piercing over an abcess. Their doctors and I worked with them with antibiotics (occasionally IV), drainage, and continued nursing (I won't kid you, nursing with a breast infection or abbcess hurts like a royal BEAR... I had one with my first baby and wanted to die!)
Several years ago, I was driving my car and the mat came up from the floorboard and the little metal piece they put on to keep the carpet from fraying on the corners sliced the side of my foot. I developed an infection called cellulitis, that grew under my skin. It was horrific, painful, and I spent 10 days in the hospital trying to find an antibiotic that would work to kill the infection (which turned out to be an antibiotic resistant form of staph). The experience was traumatic, but I certainly wouldn't tell peple never to drive again (in fact, I actually drive myself).
I also developed a breast abcess when nursing my 1st child. I spent 3 days in the hospital, while they cleaned out the abcessed duct and ran IV antibiotics. We caught it quickly, because, like most infections of this caliber, I felt like CRUD. I developed a fever and my breast ached worse than it's counterpart by orders of magnitude, even before there were any signs on my breast of an infection. Having been a midwife, though, I recognized the common symptoms, and got treatment -- and even then, not soon enough to catch it before it abcessed, but I have a tendency for infections to get nasty very quickly. Again, while extremely unpleasant, and potentially dangerous if not treated (like any infection), I certainly wouldn't use this as a reason to recommend that NO woman ever breastfeed again... in fact, the only clients I would take for a homebirth was a woman who had already decided to breastfeed.
I think that it is important to have full information on which to make a decision -- I also think that we're all adults here.
- Check your piercer's sanitation. Make sure the piercing tools are properly cared for, and, preferentially, sterile and NEVER re-used.
- Make sure that the piercer (for nipple piercings) marks the nipple far enough back.
- Do your home-care, and avoid oral contact with the healing piercing (my piercer recommended a -minimum- of 6 months without having oral contact, but said that a year to 2 years was more realistic for many women, since the nipple tends to heal slowly).
- Don't use ointments, salves, massage oils, or creams on the nipples while they're healing (6-12 months), because these are excellent breeding grounds for bacteria and the lotions, ointments and salves can get caught inside the hole of the piercing or be pushed there by the ring and build up a little "bacteria hotel".
- Practice good personal hygiene, and make sure others do as well -- wash your hands thoroughly before playing with the breasts until they're fully healed (to be safe, at least a year).
- If you have a breast piercing and develop a fever and flu-like symptoms, with or without major breast pain, see your doctor
- (while you're waiting on your piercing, talk to your current health-care practitioner and see how knowledgeable he or she is about piercings -- if s/he's not, ask your piercer to recommend a good, body-mod friendly, health-care practitioner. I've even had surgery with my piercings. The first time, they taped my piercings (day surgery) , the 2nd time, I had acrylic spacers put in to replace the metal piercings (open, inpatient abdominal surgery).
Even taking precautions, piercings (any piercings, including the common ear piercing) are a potential entry into the body for bacteria. Use common sense. If it makes you feel any more safe, though, aboriginals have been piercing with sticks, rocks, and shards of bone, with NO sterilization techniques, for thousands of years. Take good care of your piercings and the risk of infection is REDUCED. We do a thousand or more things in a day that could result in an infection. The risk is with us all the time. Weigh the risks carefully, but don't let risk or someone else's panic make the decision for you.
ZWD
quote:
ORIGINAL: GddssBella
G'evening all:
You're nuts if you even think about it. No matter how pretty it is, it's insane. Your femininity, your body is not worth your vanity. Nor your master's pleasure. I can supply you with the doctor's information if you wish to verify or follow up.
DO NOT PIERCE YOUR NIPPLES!!!
Stay safe, play nice, & share your toys w/ others...
[:D]
Bella
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