2021 Cheek & Dimple Piercings Pros & Cons by a Piercer S02 EP22

In Season 2 Episode 22, DaVo, a Professional Piercer since 1994, covers the Pros and Cons of  Cheek or Dimple Piercings. In season 2 he also covers: What You Should Know Before Getting the Piercing, The Piercing Experience, Healing, Jewelry, Living with the Piercing, and Abandoning the Piercing.

I aka DaVo have been a professional body piercer and is the owner of the Axiom Body Piercing Studio in Des Moines, Iowa since 1994. My focus on education and helping clients make safe and informed decisions on getting pierced has always been a large part of my business practices and services. With my website and increasingly on youtube, I hope to expand and inform others outside of my small part of the world. I always encourage questions and comments, so if you have one, please comment. 

Show Notes:

• Pierced between the muscles through the cheek even with the teeth and about where the first molar is.

History:

• Mostly a modern invention developed at Gauntlet. Though it has been used in rituals in a number of cultures and was often performed in sideshows.

Pros:

1. Established

2. Can cause dimples

3. Rare

4. lots of jewelry ends

5. Limited contact with gums and bones

Cons

1. swelling lasts up to a month

2. Risk of Damage to teeth, gums, and bones. Always in contact with teeth

3. Can leak Saliva

4. scarring

5. Hard to find a piercer willing to do it

Things to look for:

• Piercer is experienced in this piercing, professional, informative and make you feel comfortable and offer a consultation that involves aftercare, risks, etc… The piercer should evaluate your anatomy.

• The piercer should have proof that they have done a number of these

• Should have correct jewelry as in Labret Studs 3/4 or 5/8

• Should advise you about saliva ducts and may suggest seeing your dr.

• More acceptable to STDs during oral sex even after the piercing is healed.

• The risk of damaging teeth, gums, and bones

• Should discuss diet changes

• Does the piercer provide aftercare products and written and verbal aftercare instruction?

• Have a good meal beforehand

The Piercing Experience:

• Consultation & Jewelry Selection

• Waiver, Set Up, and Disinfection

• Marking should be done to match the anatomy but still appear to match. Should be even with the teeth and they should have you make faces

• Best done with forceps and may be left on during the whole procedure

• Pierced from the outside inward

• The needle is replaced with a taper or guide pin

• Jewelry is inserted from inside to out.

• The jewelry end is put on,

• There may be some slight to moderate bleeding.

• Usually, you will have throbbing, aching, and warmth in the area for a few minutes afterward

• Piercing is sensitive to the touch.

• Some bruising can occur

• It will feel strange to have it in your mouth

• The jewelry will be extremely long.

Healing:

• The average healing time is 12-18 weeks or longer

• Rinse twice daily with a non-alcohol based antiseptic mouthwash & warm saltwater

• Must practice cross-contamination prevention and isolate and avoid any contact with the piercing.

• • Clean hands

  • no oral contact

  • do not share food items

  • Make sure utensils are clean

  • No Swimming

  • Keep Pets Away

• Avoid playing with the piercing or excessive movement

• Swelling can continue for two weeks or longer

  • Swelling will often happen the next morning after the piercing.

  • Cold items are your friend.

  • Change diet and reduce talking and movement

  • Reduce swelling including sleeping with your head elevated.

• First 3-5 days you can experience slight bleeding off and on, redness/discolor, heat, and tenderness to the touch.

• An oral piercing white ring of tissue, discharge, and nesting

• Downsize ASAP and it might be done in stages

Jewelry:

• should leave jewelry in at all times

• The jewelry should be downsized ASAP and may be done in stages

• Labret Studs should be worn

• check the tightness of the end.

Living with the piercing:

• The jewelry should be left in at all times.

• Monitor teeth, gums, and bones in the piercing area. If there is soreness, pain, or damage, remove the jewelry and abandon the piercing.

• check the tightness of the ball regularly

• Plaque can collect the jewelry, rinsing with anti-plaque mouthwash, or brushing will reduce this.

• If you notice saliva leaking, you may want to abandon the piercing. It may still continue and require medical attention.

Abandoning the piercing:

• Will close but may appear open for a long period of time.

• Often there are large indention scars, these may not go away

• Saliva may continue to leak out of the closed piercings. If it does seek medical attention.

• The holes may produce a cream cheese-like discharge, this is sebum.

Check Out Our Merch Store - https://teespring.com/stores/bpt-channel

The following links are affiliate links and a small amount will go to DaVo and the Axiom:

Suggested Aftercare Products:

• For Premixed Saline DaVo suggests. NeilMed Neil Cleanse Wound Wash First-Aid Sterile Saline Solution 6 fl oz Each - https://amzn.to/2lgrfL7
• For Oral Piercings -     
  Biotene Fresh Mint Moisturizing Oral Rinse Mouthwash, Alcohol-Free, for Dry Mouth - https://amzn.to/2NbIYza

All footage was filmed using a Canon EOS 80D Camera with the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM Lens - https://amzn.to/3bb5PV4 and Canon EOS R  - https://amzn.to/386Y1BZ with Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM Lens - https://amzn.to/3jkvptO

Audio - Recorded with Shure MV7 - https://amzn.to/39fKKbS with a Tascam DR-40x - https://amzn.to/2Lw67O8

For more information on DaVo and the Axiom Body Piercing Studio go to https://axiompiercing.com

Now on TikTok - TikTok - @SKTattoo - http://vm.tiktok.com/fWNXFc/

Axiom Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/axiombodypiercing/

Skin Kitchen's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theskinkitchen/

Contact DaVo at davo@axiompiercing.com or by phone at 515-966-4814
If you would like to set up a Piercing Appointment go to https://axiompiercing.com/booking.

Skin Kitchen Tattoo and The Axiom Body Piercing Studio are located at 3800 Douglas Ave./Des Moines, Iowa 50311
Tattoo hours are Thursday - Monday 1-8pm
Piercing hours are Thursday - Monday 2-8pm