Sometimes you may have to bite the bullet and hide a beloved piercing. This happens for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes it’s family, sometimes it’s work, sometimes it’s for medical procedure. Let’s start by saying that if you are told by a medical professional that you have to take your jewelry out, have a conversation with them. You may not need to remove all of them, or you may be able to replace them with retainers. But if you are told that they need to be removed entirely, ALWAYS take your doctor’s advice. And let’s not forget that this advice is strictly for fully healed and established piercings. If your piercing is still healing, you’ll want to consult your trusted piercer for advice.
Septum piercings are, by far and away, the easiest to hide. A horseshoe-style ring (pictured above) can be flipped up into your nostrils, making it virtually invisible. If the metal is a problem, say if one is going for a MRI, staple-style retainers are easily available and will keep that piercing open. While septum retainers are available in acrylic and other materials, glass is always the preferred material for any retainer.
Speaking of retainers, Bioplast retainers are available in a number of sizes and styles. You can use them to temporarily hold open a range of piercings such as nostril, navel, tongue, lip, and many cartilage piercings. These are not meant for long-term wear but because they are clear, they are excellent for temporary coverage and are also non-metallic. Many even have flat disc ends to make them as invisible as possible against the skin. Once you no longer need to hide your piercing, you’ll want to put the original jewelry back in as soon as possible.
If you are not removing your jewelry for medical purposes and simply need a navel or nipple piercing to be less visible, a really simple solution is just to wear larger clothing. Under no circumstances should you try to hide a piercing with makeup, especially a fresh or not-fully-healed piercing. This is an excellent way to get an infection. Even if your piercing is fully healed, it’s not good for them to be covered in makeup.
When you get pierced, the possibility of having to hide your piercing or remove it temporarily is something to keep in mind. If you know you’re going to be having dental work, perhaps put off that lip piercing until afterwards. This is especially true for slower-healing piercings like ear cartilage and nipple piercings. A few final tips on concealing your piercings:
1.) Never get pierced with acrylic jewelry. Acrylic is easy to scratch up or slough the surface of, which won’t be terrible or even noticeable in a healed piercing but can spell disaster for a new wound. Bacteria collects in those tiny micro scratches, making it incredibly easy to get an infection.
2.) Never use make-up directly over or around a new piercing. If the make-up gets inside, severe irritation can occur.
3.) Always get pierced by a trusted professional who can help advise you of which jewelry is best for hiding your new and healing piercing.
Happy piercing!
