PIERCING FAQS
Read below to find out answers to our most frequently asked questions about piercing.
+353 21 239 5122
lovehatecork@gmail.com
Monday to Sunday
11:00 am – 8:00 pm
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are free of charge
frequently asked questions
Planning/ Type of Jewellery
Do you take appointments of walk-ins?
- We make scheduled appointments, and accept walk-ins on a first come basis during our opening hours. For evening visits please try to arrive 30 minutes before closing time.
-You may call, email, message our social media platforms, or visit the studio in order to schedule an appointment. For this, we require your name and contact telephone number, along with details of the appointment.
What kind of jewellery do you pierce with?
-We carry exclusively the most premium body jewellery in the world, made by companies such as Body Vision Los Angeles (BVLA), Industrial Strength and NeoMetal.
-We have a stunning selection of genuine gemstones and opals, Swarovski gemstones, and all jewellery is hand polished to a mirror finish.
-Quality is vital for the look of your adornment, and also for healing factors. We ensure we are always using the highest standard in the industry to ensure the safest, easiest and quickest healing time for your piercings – without sacrificing beauty!
What is the jewellery you carry made of?
• Solid 14k yellow, rose, and white gold
• Implant grade titanium
• Niobium
What does implant grade mean?
Basically, this means that the material is suited to be implanted in the body – AKA biocompatible.
This is the same type that a doctor or surgeon would use for a metal fitting if you had a broken bone, for example.
What type of gold do you pierce with?
We pierce with solid 14k nickel free gold. As per request, we can custom order 18k gold pieces for you.
What companies do you stock?
• Body Vision Los Angeles (BVLA)
• Industrial Strength
• NeoMetal
Can I custom order jewellery?
Absolutely!
We offer custom orders from all of the companies we stock – please contact us via email or visit us in the studio with any enquiries. We can get any price quotes, and help design your dream piece of jewellery!
We work with titanium and solid gold with high quality synthetic and genuine gemstones.
Can I get pierced with my own jewellery?
We must use our own jewellery that we stock as the exact materials, polish and style are very important for the success of the piercing. The jewellery we pierce with must also be properly clean and sterile.
Jewellery that you bring in may not meet any of these requirements, and may not even be able to be sterilised.
We are sure you will love our jewellery, and if there is anything, in particular, you want to be pierced with, please let us know and we can see what we can do!
Health and Safety
I have sensitive skin and can only wear hypoallergenic jewellery. Will I react to the jewellery you carry?
Generally, people are allergic or sensitive to nickel – we carry only nickel free jewellery for this reason! Our jewellery is perfect for even the most sensitive of ears and skin. If you are extremely concerned about allergies, please consult your physician for a metal allergies test.
How long will my piercing take to heal?
Different piercings and different people will heal differently. On average, any kind of piercing will take at least a few months to heal, with other others taking longer than this. Please consult our HEALING AVERAGES CHART for reference. Remember – a healthy body and lifestyle is key to successful and fast healing!
Should I turn the jewellery while it is healing?
The idea of needing to twist and turn the jewellery around during healing originated from the “piercing gun” method of piercing – this is now known to be incorrect. In fact, any kind of unnecessary movement of the jewellery and turning it intentionally will pose more risk of infection, and keep on disturbing the delicate healing of the piercing. It is best to leave the piercing and jewellery alone as much as possible, and try not to agitate the area or turn the jewellery around at all.
Can I have a plain ring with no bead?
Due to the excess movement of a ring that a stud/bar will not have, to stop a ring from totally turning around constantly, we must use one which has a bead or decorative part to limit movement and disturbance to the delicate healing piercing. It will also be completely 100% smoothed out with no gaps that can collect dirt and bacteria during healing.
We can insert a plain seamless hoop or segment or hinge ring once fully healed, and the turning of the ring will not be an issue for the piercing anymore!
Can I get a piercing while I am on vacation, or before I go on holiday?
A beautiful piercing, not to mention spectacular body jewellery, make a memorable and special souvenir. If you are on holiday and wish to get pierced, we ask you to take into consideration what you plan to do on your visit and whether it will impact healing or cause discomfort to you.
If you are just on a city break, you could get pierced at any point and likely it would not cause any issue. If you plan to go to a spa, or on outdoor excursions, for example, we advise you to get pierced at the end of your visit.
We will always be here in the studio and online via email to assist you as much as possible, and we have a wealth of recommended piercers around the world we can refer you to when you go back home!
If you are about to go on holiday, we advise you to again take into consideration the above things, and if necessary we may recommend you get pierced when you come back home to avoid any complications or discomfort.
What are the risks?
We carefully consider your health and wellbeing with any and every piercing we do and advice we give at the studio. Please be reassured that the utmost care and attention have been taken to protect you and the appropriate measures have been implemented to achieve this.
We care about you! As much as we stress this sentiment, there are certain risks associated with body piercing, including but not limited to: allergic reaction; scarring; infection; migration; rejection; pain; irritation.
These risks are minimized greatly when you are pierced and/or take advice from a reputable piercer working in a hygienic studio using correct safety measures with high-quality jewellery. We continually strive to further our education and knowledge for the best, safest, and most comfortable piercing and healing experience for you.
I am prone to keloids. Can I get pierced?
Generally, what people think are keloids – are not true keloid scarring. This is typically a genetic condition that affects far fewer people than you might expect.Please consult your dermatologist if you suspect you may be susceptible. We do not advise and usually do not perform piercings on people prone to keloids.
If you are prone to bumps on your piercings – this can be a number of different things, usually, things that can be avoided in the future and do not affect your ability to get pierced. Please visit us for a consultation and we can advise further.
Do you use piercing guns?
We do not offer any kind of piercing with a piercing gun.
We always use a single-use, sterilised needle, manufactured and intended for use in body piercing. This is only used once for the piercing and then discarded safely.We never use piercing guns – and this is why:
-The piercing gun cannot be sterilised, so bacterial infection and bloodborne pathogen disease transmission is a higher risk.-It can cause blunt force trauma – the piercing gun simply forces the jewellery through the ear, which is not nearly as efficient as a needle intended for piercing would. This can create trauma and scarring, and sometimes the collapse of cartilage, which is unfortunately permanent.
-The ‘piercing’ can also be more painful, as it is not sharp enough most of the time and can even get stuck midway through. With a piercing needle, it will be quick and precise.
-The jewellery used is oftentimes way too short to allow for normal initial swelling as it comes in a standardized size – at Love Hate Social Club we custom fit and size jewellery based on individual anatomy for initial piercings, and after healing.The jewellery used with a piercing gun is usually inappropriate in many respects – not made of correct materials; poor surface finish; too short; has a bulky butterfly back that retains bacteria and dirt thus increasing chances of infection. They are also not the most aesthetically pleasing, and there is not nearly as many options compared to the variety we supply.
Can I get a piercing while I am pregnant or breastfeeding?
At Love Hate Social Club, we will not pierce anyone who is pregnant. This is for the health of yourself, and the baby. Getting pierced whilst pregnant is risky: your body will already be under a lot of stress, including your immune system, so it will be difficult for you to heal the piercing. Infection (that can be passed on to the baby) and problematic healing is also more likely. The act of piercing can also be stressful in terms of your body’s reaction and could cause issues, including in an extreme circumstance, early labour. During the period of breastfeeding, we also refrain from piercing, while the immune system and mother’s health recovers and returns to normality. We would not like to take any risks at all so refrain from piercing during this time.
We recommend waiting around 6 months after being pregnant or starting breastfeeding before getting a new piercing. Please consult us if you have any questions about this at all and will be happy to give more information and have a chat about everything involved.
Aftercare Instructions
How long do I have to keep the initial jewellery in for?
This varies depending on what piercing it is, and how quickly you heal. Everyone is different, and sometimes it can take longer or shorter than others. We advise not changing the initial jewellery until the piercing is fully healed, with no tenderness or secretions (thus healed).
There are some exceptions, such as if it is necessary to downsize or upsize the jewellery, and if the piercing is healing very well, usually we can change the jewellery up a little bit (e.g. swapping the front part of a stud for something different). These things are judged on a case-by-case basis and can be discussed with one of our piercers.
Can I sleep on my newly done piercing?
Sleeping on a healing piercing can do a few things, none of which are ideal!
It can push on the jewellery and if this is continued practice, your piercing will start to heal this way – leaving it at an undesirable angle causing excess scarring, aggravation to the piercing, and usually results in removing the piercing entirely.
Sleeping on it will also limit the blood supply to the area, not allowing it to heal properly during the night time. These things, not to mention it will likely be painful for you to sleep on it, are not the best way to take care of your piercing and makes us sad! We want you to have happy, healed piercings, that look beautiful.
So please try your best and let us know if you have difficulty with this particular part of the healing. We recommend using a firm travel pillow at night to stop yourself putting pressure on the piercing if it is an ear or facial piercing.
Can I go swimming or have a bath? What about the sea?
As much as we love swimming, having a relaxing bubble bath, and a good ol’ beach holiday, these things are best avoided when healing a piercing. With any kind of body of water, be it a bath, swimming pool, lake, or sea; there can be impurities, chemicals, and bacteria in the water which could lead to irritation and possible infection.
We encourage taking showers as supposed to baths, and to keep your piercing as dry as possible. If swimming is unavoidable - waterproof bandages can be used to keep water out of your piercings – please try not to put too much pressure directly on the piercing, but making sure the edges of the bandage are completely sealed.
How can I hide my piercing?
We stock retainer discs and retainer jewellery for certain piercings that safely and effectively disguise or simplify the piercing. We can advise you further if there is anything different needed, and what is best for the health of your piercing.
How do I remove my jewellery?
We stock several different styles of jewellery, all of which work in different ways. We advise waiting until a piercing has fully healed before removing jewellery, and highly recommend visiting us to check the piercing is happy and healed, and for us to show you exactly how to remove the jewellery.
If you ever need any help with removing or changing jewellery, please contact us or visit our piercers in the studio. We are more than happy to change or remove jewellery for you in a safe and hygienic manner, so please consult us before hurting yourself or the jewellery!
I have a bump on my piercing. What should I do?
It is always best to consult us if you have a bump, irritation, or any concerns regarding your piercing – it is usually easily solvable!Bumps are generally the result of some kind of irritation, so once we have a consultation and see exactly what the nature of the problem is, then we can treat it.
How do I know if my piercing is infected?
What a lot of people tend to perceive as an infection, is mostly a simple irritation and can be easily solved. Whatever the case, it can turn more serious if not checked up on and treated. Please visit us at the studio or contact us to let us know any concerns. It is always best to leave any jewellery in the piercing to keep it open; if it is removed then it could seal any potential infection inside the body.
The piercing being kept open is important so the infection can drain out if necessary.
Signs of a localised infection include intense redness; piercing site warm to the touch; pus secretion from the piercing; pain; swelling surrounding the piercing and even in the body around the piercing. You could have all of these symptoms and also only a couple. This could be an infection and it could also be just the piercing healing – again, please consult us if you are concerned, and if you believe it to be a medical matter or emergency please visit your nearest hospital as soon as possible.
Please make sure you are well hydrated and, if you are not allergic to them, ibuprofen and antihistamines can be taken as per packet instructions to help combat the symptoms in the meantime.
Does it hurt?
This is probably our MOST frequently asked question – the answer is – yes, but not nearly as bad as you think! Everyone is different and feels differently – with us, your piercing will be swift and as comfortable as we can possibly make it.
We encourage you to think about having your beautiful new piercing and jewellery; living with it and getting to see it every day!
The piercing process itself is a tiny tiny part of the whole experience. It is a case of ‘Breathe in, breathe out’ and you will already have a beautiful new piercing before you know it. Any pain will be over before you could even have a chance to really react.
Try to relax, breathe, and let us do all the work.
How do I care for my jewellery?
Our jewellery is the highest quality and we, along with our manufacturers, care in the utmost about keeping the beautiful finish and look as it is was when first installed. If you have any concerns or would like us to take a look at your jewellery, please come in and we will assist in every way possible.
At home, you can gently polish your jewellery with a soft microfibre jewellery polishing cloth. Please store any unworn jewellery out of direct sunlight, and in a closed pouch or box away from any dust or debris that could coat or scratch the jewellery. If you would like to clean your jewellery, generally mild soap and warm water is sufficient, however certain materials including organics will require different specific care – please consult us with any queries.
Policy Questions
Do I need ID?
Yes, we require valid government-issued photographic ID for body piercing. This can be a passport or driving/provisional licence. It needs to have your date of birth and your photo. If you are under 18 years old, we need you to be with your legal parent or guardian, and you both need to have valid ID.
How old do I have to be?
EVERYONE Under 18 years of age need a legal parent or guardian present, with valid government-issued photographic ID for both of you.
•12 years+ Ear lobe
•16 years+ Ear lobe, ear cartilage, lip, nostril, eyebrow, navel
•Strictly 18 years+ Dermal, genital, nipple, septum, tongue
If you would like a piercing not listed here, please contact us for more information!