"Why would I go to a piercing shop? I can do this by myself!" - Why self piercing is always NO.

So, the title tells something about this topic.
I've heard these words way too many times. Now I'd like to tell you why you should go to a piercing shop instead of just sticking a shitty safety pin through your face.

First of all, the hygiene. When you do a piercing, you have STERILE tools. Everything is sterile. Especially needles and clamps. If you do not have an autoclave and factory new needles, you do not have a fucking sterile tools. That is a cruel fact. No matter how much you boil your clamps or bath them in disinfectant, they won't become entirely sterile, and that is a huge risk for your health.
Too many people think that piercing is just a hole in your face. Well, yes it is, but it also is an open wound. It's prone to all bacteria and shit that touches it. And if it does, it probably will get infected.

Infected piercing is a serious thing, if you won't take care of it as you should, you risk your health VERY seriously. Bad infection can take you to a hospital. As the piercing gets infected, it is connected to your bloodstream and your bloodstream is connected to everywhere. See where I'm going? You can risk your whole body with one small wound, which you didn't give a shit. it is important to clean the infected area with relevant objects and materials. Disinfectant AREN'T a good choice to this. Use warm water, saltwater and tea tree oil. (you can get these from pharmacy) Also you should see a piercer. DO NOT TAKE THE JEWELRY OUT. No matter what, do not take it away. If it gets swollen etc, go to a piercer and ask them to change it to a longer jewelry. If you take the jewelry out as it's infected, all the shit and stuff leaves in the hole and might "encapsulate" inside of your skin. Which means that the infection can spread. (= back to the hospital part.) Piercer will sent you to a hospital if it's necessary.
So remember, if your piercing gets infected:
1. NO DISINFECTANTS.
2. DO NOT TAKE THE JEWELRY OFF.
3. DO NOT TOUCH THE INFECTED AREA.
4. SALTWATER & TEA TREE OIL ARE YOUR BEST FRIENDS NOW.
5. ASK HELP FROM A LOCAL PIERCER.

Back to the topic.

Next thing is the location. It is not possible to put piercing in every single spot on your face. You have larger blood vessels and nerves on your face and body. If you hit a large blood vessel or even worse, you hit an artery, you are very much screwed. Also if you hit a nerve you might say goodbye to your touching sense. I believe that you wouldn't enjoy that.
The location of piercing is very important for your safety, if you do not know the anatomy of your body, DO NOT PIERCE IT.

Next thing is the whole piercing itself. It might be that you do not hit any veins or infect your whole face, but do you get it straight and good? Oblique piercing may be harmful and prone to many risks, such as keloid scars etc. These scars and lumps are harmful for your piercing and may prevent it from healing. Does that sound good? Never healing piercing? I don't think so. Also oblique piercing looks bad and amateur.

If you STILL want to believe that it's fine to do a piercing by yourself, well, you must be an idiot I must say, but next thing is the jewelry. Is that sterile? Nah I don't think so. What about the material? What is it? Is it pure, good titanium? You're not sure? Oh so you have a nickel allergy? What a shame, once again that piercing won't heal and will get into a bad shape.
You can not be sure about the material if you do not have a certificate about the materials used in a jewelry. Yes, they may say that it is titanium on a shop, but is it? You CAN. NOT. BE. SURE. Piercing shop jewelries are high quality titanium and safe for your piercing. (Or well, they should be, if it's a good shop with quality.)

Do not be an idiot and do amateur piercing.
As I know that some people that read my blog know that I have started as an amateur piercer, yes, oh yes I did. And it was VERY RISKY. As I think about it, it literally makes me sick. Dear god I knew that I need to use sterile objects and gloves etc. Still, it is always better safe than sorry. Do not do it. Just don't risk your health for a piercing that may ruin your whole life and body. Think about it, quality pays, shit doesn't.

xoxo Sachi

What does bodymodification mean to me?

Aye once again!

I was in the mood so I decided to write again. Also the blogs url changed to http://iron-is-the-best-makeup.blogspot.fi/ now, and got a new banner! Yay.
As you can guess from the title, I'll be writing about meaning of bodymodification in my life.

It is not surprise that I am crazy about bodymodification, but for me it isn't just like 'Yay piercings yay tattoos yay split tongues yay'. It's so much more. When I first time got interested in these kind of things, I was at the kindergarten. There was this trainee, who had snake bites, black hair and a bit 'gothic' style. She had almost the same name as me, and I was so excited. I was with her almost all the time and were asking about the jewelries and told all my friends that I want those too. My mother was horrified at that time. Of course it's understandable as I was like five or six years old.
But after that I always adored people with tattoos and piercings. As I got to the sixth grade and was about 11-12(?) year old, I started to read more about all bodymodification. And as I was a stupid girl, I made a bellybutton piercing with a safety pin. Wasn't a good idea, but I was so in love with it. I also made a tongue web piercing. When I was 13, I got septum and I've never been so proud about something. My parents never knew nothing about these. After I turned 14, it didn't take long when I met someone who was a piercer trainee and a friend of mine. I got septum again, took canine bites.. And they got a terrible infection. So in the end I had to take all of them except septum away. Maybe a month later I got a good piercer friend who made me canine bites back and after a while also made my bridge and a bellybutton piercing. With that combination I went for over a year. Last year the same day I turned to 16 I got dahlia bites. I just felt that there wasn't enough iron at all. I also went and took a surface piercing to my 'cheeck' - antibrow. It grew out soon(what a surprise). Next I decided that my lips aren't ready. So lowbrets came in.
After that there was again a small pause with these. I had been looking for a piercing shop where I could train, but none took me in. Then one very small shop did say, that he could take me, other shop said that I need to contact them again in spring. (These things happened in the end of 2014) I went to see the shop where they told that it could be okay, sadly that really wasn't my place at all. So I waited till spring, and contacted the other shop again. This lovely piercer & tattoo artist woman told me to stop by. I did, and she was so kind, lovely and warm hearted. She asked about what I already know, what piercing I know how to do etc. She truly believed in me and I was just crying of happiness. I got the place and she taught (and is still teaching) me everything. She also will be teaching me scarification. I was relieved. I was so happy.
I'll be telling about my 'trip to being a professional piercer' in another post.

So that was a small story about how I got to know all this and got all these.

Piercings aren't just pretty jewelries to me. They're form of art that I love. I have this huge passion for bodymodification, and I couldn't think life without it. It has made me more confident, made me dream many things and helps me with stress. Bodymods really were a saving angel to me. I had a really rough time back then, and still do, and the feeling I get when i get to do piercing to someone, it is truly incredible. All the adrenalin and making art, seeing customers face after they see the jewelry.. It's something worth to live for.
When I was younger I though that I won't be good at anything. Everyone were good at sports or drawing or singing and I thought I just simply suck in everything. And then I started to do piercings, and even though I say this myself, I am really fucking good at it. I want to learn more, do more.. It isn't easy or simple to get to be a trainee or anything, but as I didn't give up (after many times of thinking about it), here I am, I am a piercer, an artist. I do my dream job.
Many people (mostly family and other adults) have told me that this can't be my job, this is not a job or possibility. Now they don't think that anymore. They know that this is 'THE THING' for me. Even when I think that everything goes wrong, I can just plan what I'll get next, go to a shop and get a piercing, and it does help me a lot. It's almost therapeutic to me. Feeling the pain, that makes beauty. The feeling of modifying your body the way you want.. The feeling is gorgeous. I've never loved doing something this much. Never ever has anything helped me the way bodymodification helps. (we do not count people here okay)

It is hard to get to be a professional. But if you REALLY want it, go and get it. Do your everything. Absolutely everything. If you have a dream that isn't easy to get, then what? Nothing is impossible. You can do anything if you really want to. Be who you are, not what everyone else wants you to be. We only live once, why make yourself look good for others, but not to yourself? There's not point of doing that.

Bodymodification is my life. It's my dream and my passion. It's everything.
Respect others choices.

Love you all
- Vera

Third HUGE presentation: Lip piercings

Hello darlings!

This time I got a suggestion, that it would be cool to know more about lip piercings. Well, it would be short and maybe a bit boring if i'd write only about labrets.. So I asked some help from friends etc, and made this really fucking huge post.
So what is this post about? Lip piercings. All of them, or well, most of them, with pictures!
Labrets, different 'bites', vertical piercings.. Everything. This will be long one, and I apologize for having such a big break from the last post.
Hope you enjoy this one, go ahead and suggest things for next post!

1. First. Labret & Snake bites

Labret is maybe the most common lip piercing. One simple piercing on lower lip. Labret can be placed to almost anywhere on the lip. Usually you see these at the middle of the lip or (surprisingly) at the sides.
Labret isn't the most painful piercing. Of course it depends on a person that is pierced, but usually it isn't the one that makes you cry. Healing time is 'short', in best place a bit less than a month. This piercing just needs a good wash after eating or a smoke at the healing process. There is usually more or less swelling on the lip area after it is pierced. Not much more special treatment is needed.
There are lots and lots of different jewelry options to labret. Either normal labret jewelry or different kind of rings. (bcr, segment, 'horse shoe'.. So much to choose!)
No swimming or sauna in a month!
Quite simple? Wash, don't rub, don't swim or go to sauna. Not that bad I'd say! Also you can change the jewelry after a month IF the piercing has healed properly.  If not, wait until it has.
Labrets don't usually cost that much. In Finland the price is usually 30-40€.
This 'treatment' is good to all lip piercings. Some of them heal longer and more painfully, but are still quite similar.
When having two 'side' labrets, they're called Snake bites. So bite number 1!

There's also a labret that's called 'horizontal labret'. It's simply a labret, that goes horizontally on your lip. Possibly one of the most painful lip piercings, and the healing process isn't nicest. As the horizontal lip is basically a surface piercing, I wouldn't recommend it. It is easier to get double Ashley on your lip(read more below). As the surface piercing usually do grow out, the risk on this one is also big. And as you can think, it will be painful to have a piercing growing out in your lip. Horizontally.

2. Madonna/Monroe, medusa & Angel bites

Same as the last one, but at the upper lip! A bit more painful in my case. Healing is about the same as in the labrets.
It's said that monroe is at the left side of the lip and madonna at the other side. (I prefer just saying madonna or angel bites, if having both sides of the lip pierced!) When the piercing is at the middle of the lip, it's usually called 'medusa'. My personal favorite piercing is angel bites. No idea why, just gotta love it.

3. Vertical labret, Jestrum & Ashley

Vertical labret & jestrum are bit more 'exotic' piercings. Almost the same as their 'normal' forms, labret & medusa.
The difference in labret and vertical labret or medusa and jestrum, is that the lip is pierced, well, vertically. As you can see from the pictures, the jewelry is pierced through the lip. It's said that it is more painful than normal labret. Healing lasts a bit longer, about one to two months, if healed properly. The treatment stays the same.

Ashley isn't a common piercing. It is basically a vertical labret, but only one head of the jewelry will be showing, so the needle goes through the lip and other side will come out from your lips inner side. There's a picture that will maybe help you a bit to get the idea. Ashley's healing is basically the same with vertical labret. I personally love Ashley piercing. It has been on my wish list for a while now, maybe one day! Like in other lip piercings, you can also take many of these on your lip.

4. Dahlia bites

Dahlia bites are often though as dimple piercings. Dahlias are placed usually right in corners of the mouth. Quite painful, not too terrible but not too nice. These usually swallow very much and need very long starting jewelries.

5. Other

There are many other lip piercings. Lowbrets as snake bites, but lower. Cyber bites are called medusa and middle labret together. Canine bites are snake bites and angel bites together.. There are so many of those. Lips are a place, where you can put piercing next to piercing, almost as many as you wish. Anywhere you wish to put them. In any order you want to. That's why lips are one of the most common piercing location.

Thank you for the pictures, Emy Extasy, Minttu Takkinen, Sara Heikkilä, Heidi Leonhart, Niina Lehto, Also borrowed the ashley piercing picture from piercingtime.com

- Vera

What would YOU want to know/see?

Hello guys!

This post will be really short. I'd like to ask, what piercings you want to know more about? I've made two presentations (Microdermals: http://iron-for-diamonds.blogspot.fi/2014/12/second-presentation-microdermal.html & septum: http://iron-for-diamonds.blogspot.fi/2014/12/first-presentation-septum.html ), so what would be nice or cool or fun to read about?

Also I will be starting a new 'lifestyle' or 'style' blog, as my own style started to change to gothic lolita. But no worries, my piercings are not going anywhere, I will be getting more and more!

Of course if you have any particular questions, I'll be happy to do a small Q&A for you.

For the end, have a few photo of my new style! Hope you'll love it as much as I do.

- Vera

Asia mikä on oikeesti perseestä. (Finnish only this time)

Elikkä tänään haluun kirjotella siitä, mikä on oikeesti perseestä jos on rakastunut kehonmuokkaukseen.

Se, ettei muut ymmärrä. Siis joo, ei ole yllätys eikä sinällään ihmekään. Son yksinkertaisesti kipeetä kuulla, miten sanotaan, että 'ihmiset alkaa pelkäämään sua' & 'ei susta pidetä enään kun oot tollai kummajainen'.
Totta kai pitäisi ottaa sellai 'mua ei kiinnosta, ole hiljaa'- asenne, mutta ko asia ei loppujen lopuksi ole niin yksinkertai. Siinä vaiheessa ko kuulet tällästä tarpeeks, alkaa vituttaa. Alkaa ärsyttää ja kenties jopa epävarmuutta ilmenee. Son ahdistavaa ja kamala tunne, ko kokee, ettei saa ilmaista itseään ja olla sellainen ko haluaa olla. Toki tässä iässäni myös kuulee usein sitä 'oot niin nuori, pilaat vaan ittes.' 'Sä varmaan parin vuoden päästä kadut noita.' 'Miten sä saat ammatin tai töitä kun näytät tuolta noin nuorena?' 'Miten nuori ihminen on saanut pilattua itsensä noin?'
Ihan ko ihmiset ei ymmärtäisi, että mä tiedostan oikein hyvin mitä mä oon keholleni tekemässä. Ihan ko men tajuaisi, että näistä jää arpia ympäri naamaan, että tatuoinnit ei lähde pyyhkimällä pois. Siinä vaiheessa ko löytää jotain tosi rakasta ja tärkeetä itselleen, ei pahemmin kiinnosta mahdolliset arvet. Tällä hetkellä men voisi edes kuvitella ottavani koruja pois. Ne on osa sitä kuka mä olen, ja tekee musta sen kuka mä HALUAN olla. Mä en vaan leiki ja ota näitä koska 'yolo' jne. Vaan koska mä rakastan tätä mitä mä teen, mä rakastan sitä tunnetta ko nään uuden korun mun kehossa. Rakastan sitä ko oon itse tehnyt toiselle uuden korun. Mä oon ylpeä näistä. Ne on musta helvetin kauniita ja tärkeitä mulle.

Jotkut ihmiset tykkää jostain urheilusta, toiset taas hiuksista, toiset piirtämisestä. Ne omistautuu sille asialle. Ne rakastaa sen asian tekemistä ja siihen liittyviä asioita. Ihan samalla tavalla miten mä rakastan kehonmuokkausta ja siihen liittyviä asioita.
Nykypäivänä kunnioitus tuntuu olevan tosi etäinen käsite ihmisille. Kenties sosiaalinen media on nostanut sitä, että ei haittaa jos sanot ilkeitä asioita, koska no ei se oo niin vakavaa koska sosiaalinen media. Mielipiteitä sanotaan avoimemmin, ei siinä mitään, mielipiteitä saa olla. Eri asia saako ne sanoa päin naamaa. Jokaisen mielipiteen saa sanottua kohteliaasti, mutta siltikään kaikkia ei tarvitse sanoa ääneen. Esimerkiksi mä en koe tarpeelliseksi kuulla, että pilaan naamani ja olen ruma. Ei kiinnosta, ei haittaa. Mutta ihmisten käytöstavat. Joskus on parempi vaan olla hiljaa ja keskenään sen mielipiteensä kanssa.
'Mielipide voi olla niinkuin penis. On ihan ok, että sulla on se jne, mutta älä silti tunge sitä ihmisten naamaan ja huutele julkisesti.' Näin voisi sanoa tietynlaisista ajatuksista. ÄLKÄÄKÄ KÄSITTÄKÖ VÄÄRIN. On monia hyviä kritiikkejä. Tällä haen takaa tätä nykypäivän 'lol ruma huora ei vittu mitä hyiiii'-juttuja. Ne eivät ole asiallisia kritiikkejä.

Ihmiset on myös ahdasmielisiä. Sekin on tietyllä tavalla ymmärrettävää, mutta se ei, että ihminen ei edes yritä laajentaa sitä kuplaansa. Vaan eletään siinä, että lävistetyt ja tatuoidut ihmiset ovat huligaaneja ja pahoja. Ei suostuta edes harkitsemaan, että hei, ehkä nekin on muuten ihan samanlaisia ko muutkin. Ehkä nekin on ok hyväksyä.

Miksi ihmiset haluaa pahoittaa toistensa mieliä? Mikä siinä on niin hienoa ja mukavaa? Miksi?

- Vera

Ps naamapäivitys. Mustia koruja, jee!

My wildest bodymodification dreams

Aye!

I've got few wishes from ask.fm that I'd do a posting from my 'wildest bodymodification dreams'. So I'll do that for today.

AND A SMALL WARNING HERE! If you are sensitive, some of these pictures may be harmful.

For the start I will mention, that I have NO IDEA is some of these possible in anyway. They're just some of these, that would be really fucking cool. Don't take this anyway too seriously. This posting is mostly just thoughts and dreams and everything between needles and scalpels and pain.

And small piercing & other stuff update! Surface has been changed to two microdermals a week ago(?)! Also did few dermals to others last Monday. Tomorrow will be my scarification day. Stressed as fuck.

Lets start then!

'Hanging'

Well, not particularly bodymodification, but sort of.

I am really not sure what is the 'original name' of this, but the idea is quite simple: Get hooks in your back/Stomach/chest/anywhere, and people will lift you in the air. Many people have called this thing very euphoric and unique feeling. It's one thing that I have to try in future. 

Ear shaping

I actually have no idea why I want this. I don't really want this most biggest shaping, but a small one. Maybe from curiosity..? Somehow it would be awesome and interesting. Just a small 'elf shape', could look absolutely gorgeous. 

Sadly I do not know anyone who has them, so no pictures. You'll see some by googling 'ear shaping'!

Implants

I already have decided to take 6-8 implants to my neck/back. Just small, round ones, in two rows. Will look good. I would enjoy few others too, the problem is that I have no idea what. I'm hoping that I'd get some ideas for this one. I still prefer small implants for myself tho, and I wouldn't even consider knuckle -or diamond shaped implants under my skin. 

(Get pictures by googling 'subdermal')

'Wings'

I've never EVER heard that someone would've done this, and I have no idea is it possible. But thank about it, maybe two dermal anchor like implants maybe even attached to the scapula(shoulder blade), and you could stick different kind of 'wings' to them. It would look so perfect. And as you move your scapula, the wings would move. 

In the end, this would be really annoying thing if we talk about clothes. Still would be bad ass and I would love them. 

And no pictures because I haven't seen anything like this ever.

Tattoos

Second most important bodymodification style for me! If I get my plans going as I wish and want now, I will have 60-80% of my body tattooed. This is one large topic again, so I will leave it to later for now!

Piercing

And my most important bodymodification style. Few more to my face and many more to ears & body. 

I feel almost boring after writing these. I want mo bodymodifications to be awesome as fuck, but at the same time I want them to be 'low-key' and not so flashy. But it's a big thing for me.

And I'm sorry for having only one picture in whole thing. Next post will be full of them, I promise!

Also thanks to Lassi Sidoro ( http://www.scar.fi/ ) for permission to use his picture! 

- Vera

Ps. I was lazy today and didn't really double check the text. Sorry for that.

Second presentation: Microdermal

Hello again!

I've had a small break from blogging and piercing as there was Christmas etc. It was quite nice. I'm not that much a 'Christmas fan', but it was ok.
Since there was that, I gave myself a few gifts! Lowbrets & todays subject: microdermals. It really has been annoying with five healing piercings. (Surface was in healing progress, but I got it off yesterday, it didn't heal well and was quite fucked up) Lowbrets have been in my face for two weeks about, and dermals just over a week. Both has been healing nicely.
(I'm sorry for picture quality)

So here's my lowbrets and canines and dahlias!

 And now to the main subject! Microdermals.

Microdermals have been coming to popularity this year if you ask from me. You can see them usually at peoples eye corners. Microdermals are funny and lovely piercings, cause you can put them to almost anywhere in your body.
The reason why usually dermals age limit is 18 years, is because microdermal is actually an implant. You can't just take it off like you could do with your lip piercing etc. Microdermal jewelry is called dermalanchor. As you can see from the picture, there are few small holes in the anchor, those are the reason why the jewelry won't just come off with slight pull. Your body will grow new tissue from those holes, keeping the dermal still. There are lots and lots of jewerly to the top. Not the easiest thing to change, but as you get how to do it, its easy. I would prefer pressing the dermal, and slightly rotate the top off. You can get there diamonds, heart or star shaped  jewelry.. Almost anything. I myself prefer these 'normal' metallic plates. They fit nicely to my other piercings.

Microdermals are made with small round scalpel. You just push it to the end of the scalpel(usually they're about 2mm long), to persons skin, and just rotate it around. After the rotate, you slightly pull it away and do a small 'pocket' to the skin. That's the spot where to fit dermalanchors longer side. Anchors are put in they're place with own kind of forceps. Easy and fun, I'd say. It sounds like a lot of pain, doesn't it? Again, in my place, it didn't. It felt like a pinch as my piercer punched it(the round scalpel is called a dermalpunch), and I actually didn't even notice or feel when she put the jewerly inside. When you make face microdermals, they usually bleed like hell. Other bodyparts don't usually bleed as much, but everything is possible. 

Microdermals healing time is quite long. As you take one, use a bandage on it for about two weeks everytime you go to sleep. (The jewerly can jump off, as the tissue hasn't grown yet) The healing time is 1-3 months usually. Anchor is 1,6mm thick usually. 

USUALLY these piercings are more costly than others. About 60-80€ from one piercing.

And to the end, some pictures of my dermals & microdermals made by me!

My own darlings.

Again my own

Chest microdermal

Microdermals are also cool to mix with tattoos!

Thats all for now!
- Vera