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Inserting, Changing, and Removing Jewellery

Need help with your first piercing? Learn how to insert, change, and remove your body jewellery.

How to Change Your Body Jewellery

The process of inserting your body jewellery may be simple to many people but it can be quite daunting for those who have never done it before. When inserting your body jewellery follow these simple steps to prevent infection.

Make sure you always wash your hands with antibacterial soap before inserting your body jewellery. In fact, you should always wash your hands every time you touch your piercing. 

Next, clean the piercing itself so you can insert your body jewellery hygienically, using an antibacterial solution.

How To Insert Body Jewellery

Once your hands and piercing are clean, you are ready to begin inserting your body jewellery. Pinch the skin near the piercing and push the jewellery through one hole. While one finger is guiding the jewellery in, use your other finger to feel around the other hole for it coming through. The best way to go about inserting your body jewellery is to massage your chosen item through the piercing with your fingers.

Once you have finished inserting your body jewellery, make sure to put the fastening on the other end so that it doesn't fall out. Some fastenings clip on, some snap on and some screw on. Make sure you know how your jewellery works before you start inserting it. It's a good idea to clean your piercing after inserting your body jewellery too, just to make sure the area stays clean and healthy.

If you're having trouble inserting your body jewellery, try taking a hot shower beforehand. This will make your skin more flexible and ease the process. Alternatively, you can come into the store where one of our piercers will assist you with your piercing jewellery (there may be a small fee for this service).

How Can I Change My Body Jewellery

Once your new piercing has fully healed, you may want to change your body jewellery. Before touching the jewellery, it is important that your hands have been washed and the area is clean. If you have had your mouth or lip pierced, wash your mouth with a saltwater solution or mouthwash before changing your body jewellery, to prevent infection.

How Do You Unscrew Body Jewellery

While changing your body jewellery, it is important to first unscrew any captive metal balls. Barbells are easy to remove but may require a firm hand. If the piercing was done with a captive bead ring, move the ring so that the bead is easily accessible. Hold the ring firmly, while loosening the small bead. The ring may have to be stretched slightly to loosen the bead so that it can be popped out of place. With the bead gone, slide the ring until the open area meets the skin; the ring should be able to slide right off. 

How Can I Change My Body Jewellery

The next step to changing your body jewellery is to place a new ring, barbell or another piece of jewellery into the open hole. If using a barbell, gently slide the barbell into the piercing and then screw the additional ball into place. If using a captive bead ring, remove the bead from the ring and slide it into the piercing. If the ring does not go in easily, twist the ring slightly so that the ends are further apart. Next put the bead in place, with each end of the ring meeting the indentations in the small bead; then tighten the ball until the jewellery is secure.  

Some piercings are much easier to replace, such as earrings which should be removed, replaced and fastened at the back. 

What Happens If You Change Your Piercing Too Soon

It is important to wait until your piercing has fully healed before changing your jewellery. If you change your piercing too soon it can cause trauma to the piercing wound and re-open or damage the fresh skin. New piercings need to be touched as little as possible and not knocked to ensure successful healing. Bering patient while your piercing heals will pay off in the long run so you are sure to have plenty of opportunities to try new jewellery later.

How Do You Remove Piercing Jewellery

Even for healed piercings, you should not take the body jewellery out for an extended amount of time as the piercing is likely to close over. There are three main variants of body jewellery, resulting in three main ways to take out your piercings. 

If you are trying a new kind of body jewellery, it's important that you're familiar with how to remove it, though you can always return to a piercer if you get stuck! Always remember to wash your hands before taking out piercings.

How do I remove a BCR

A ball closure ring works entirely on the tension between the ring and the bead holding it in place. This means that you must pull gently on either side of the ring in order to allow the bead to come loose. Make sure you are ready for this so that you don't lose the bead! Some people find it easier to twist one end of the BCR to the side rather than trying to pull each end in opposite directions and others recommend a pair of ring pliers, which can be used to pull open a BCR. Another method involves gently twisting the bead whilst gripping the ring with your other hand, the bead should easily pop out. 

How do I remove a barbell

Most barbells and labrets feature a screwed ball, which follows the general principle of turn right to tighten and left to loosen. In the case of barbells, one end or both ends can be unscrewed and you can add a new ball to the end without needing to remove the jewellery bar. 

How do I remove a stud

Nose studs are often far smaller than other kinds of jewellery and it's very easy for people to irritate and even damage the skin around their piercing by trying to pull out the stud with their nails. Instead, use a pair of tweezers and gently ease out the stud in one smooth motion. Ear studs can be difficult to remove, especially if applied using a gun. Try to rotate the clasp before gripping onto the back, whilst keeping your other fingers steady around your lobe. Gently pull back and increase the pressure until the clasp begins to move.

Please Note: Blue Banana piercing information is based on knowledge from our experiences as one of the UK's top piercing studios. All details provided should be read alongside professional advice. Please see our full Piercing Articles Disclaimer, here.