Make sure you read the aftercare instructions first though.
What kind of problems can I encounter with a surface anchor?
You could get caught on something, this hurts and can even rip your piercing out.
The biggest risk you’re taking is actually taking bad or wrong care of it. Because half of the piece is under your skin, it’s very important that you have thought this through and follow the aftercare instructions carefully. Sadly it’s also often true that the wrong aftercae instructions are given. For example: Please do not put a band-aid on your piercing! Just a sterile gauze that is just thick enough to avoid the top getting caught in clothing or sheets during sleep or sports. The piercing must be able to breathe during healing. If not, it will suffocate and cause complications.
I lost my dermal top, now what?
There’s only one thing to it. Get a new top at a local piercing studio and get it put on by a professional ASAP.
Is it true that a surface anchor can be rejected? When does this happen? What can I do to prevent this?
If it was placed properly, chances are smaller that it will be rejected. But this can still happen during healing or after if you’re not careful. If yours seems to be migrating or rejecting, consult a professional piercer and if he or she find it’s rejecting it’s better to remove it on time to prevent scarring.
My surface anchor is red and swollen, now what?
A surface anchor can take 3 to 4 months or longer to fully heal. During healing, I alwyas recommend to do the saline soaks twice daily and to make sure that eveyrthing that comes in contact with the piercing is clean, do not touch it and make sure you don’t get caught on anything. If you do get caught on a piece of lcothing or a towel or something like that, the piercing can become irritated or maybe even infecter because of dirt that has come under the skin with the “rip”. Resume saline soaks and often rinse the piercing, this can only do good if you do it well. After healing, I recommend doing the slaine soaks once every two weeks and floss, yes I said floss, as in dental floss. Use a fragrance free kind though, and very carefully.
My anchor is smelly!
If it’s smelly, maybe dead skin cells. Clean it with saline soaks every two weeks and floss (see above, or the surface anchor aftercare instructions). If’s also warm to the touch you might be dealing with an infection. Read more about infections and how to discern them from irritations on this website. Always make sure you have a good daily hygiene and don’t touch the piercing!
How can I loosen the top of my surface anchor?
It’s always better to have this done by a professional. This because if you can’t manage to put a top back on afterwards the lower part can sink in under the skin and result in a painful removal.
Why are there holes in the lower part of the anchor?
This is to ensure growth of skin-cells through it and thus fixing the jewelry in place.
Somebody told me to tape my anchor tightly during an infection, is that right?
Well… No, because it won’t heal properly because of suffocation. But on the other hand, with clean hands, pushing the top in under the skin by pressing an wiggling on it every now and then has proven to be effective. But it’s very sensitive, the subject, because, touching it can also worsen the situation. So it depends on the person and the way he or she can be patient and careful about taking care of something as delicate as an infected piercing.
Is a surface anchor in the cleavage at all possible? What are the possibilities for such a piercing?
A surface anchor is possible almost everywhere on the body but only if the anatomy allows it. The thickness and sturdiness of the skin are also part of these criteria. Some ladies have too high a tension of skin in that spot to allow for a proper placement of a surface anchor and because of that it can be easliy rejected, or at least chances of this happening are huge.
My surface anchor keeps oozing pus, is it infected?
Make sure you’re dealing with pus. If it is indeed, pus, then yes. If not it’s lymph and means it’s not fully healed yet and probably irritated too. Follow the specific aftercare instructions for the surface anchor stated on this website. If you have questions you can always send me an e-mail or leave a comment below.
My anchor is red and painful since I had the top changed. Is that right? What can I do?
Irritation is often expected after a change of jewelry. At least just the first week. But if it’s painful, maybe you got an infection and/or the piercing was already irritated before you had the top changed. Good daily hygiene is of utmost importance.
My anchor is halfway out, now what?
I recommend to have it removed ASAP. Preferably by a professional. In case of a physician, make sure he or she knows what is under the skin to avoid an unnecessary big cut and stitches.
Is a surface anchor, more painful to get than a surface piercing?
Pain is different to everybody, so an exact answer is very hard to give but basically, as long as it is done by an experienced professional with a quick and steady hand it shouldn’t be more or less than any other piercing.
The band-aid has gotten off my surface anchor, now what?
Read the aftercare instructions. There shouldn’t be a band-aid over your anchor with risk of suffocation and infection. A sterile gauze ins enough and leaves just enough space for breathing and proper healing of the piercing.
What should I do if I think my surface anchor is rejecting?
Have a professional take a look at it and if it indeed is the case you should have it removed as soon as you can to prevent excessive scarring.
How do I find out if my skin is suitable for such a piercing?
Grab your skin between index finger and thumb, if you can hold it as you would the neck of a kitten, then a surface anchor shouldn’t be a problem. But to be sure, I always check that before procedure.
Is the scar of a removal smaller than that of a rejected surface anchor?
Mostly, yes. But of course, again, every body is different and I have seen cases where the other way around was true.
Do you remove it? How do you do it?
For more information on this part, send me an e-mail.