Pierce Your Hand Web
Not too many people are big fans of hand web piercings, but there are some people that think they are unique and attractive. No matter whether it is uncomfortable or unpopular, there are still people out there who will do this, regardless. Consider getting it done professionally -- but if you must do it yourself, here are some suggestions of how to do it.
Steps
- Get everything you are going to use together. A professional, hollow (sterilized - preferably autoclaved) needle, the sterilized "barbell" jewelry to insert (make sure the needle is one size bigger than the jewelry you wish to put in), gloves, ice, and whatever else you may need.
- Caution: The best way to do this is to have it done professionally, it is worth the money.
- Do not have a friend do this. Great care is needed. It is neither easy nor safe.
- Transmission of hepatitis, HIV, MRSA, and nerve damage are possible!
- It is best to sterilize piercing equipment only with an autoclave.
- Boiling for long enough is up to you. Never just dip equipment in alcohol which is not good enough, at all.
- It should be considered dangerous and unreasonable to do this to/for anyone else. You might receive or give any kind of infection, blood poisoning/infection, and septic shock, etc.
- Caution: The best way to do this is to have it done professionally, it is worth the money.
- Wash your hands! Now don't touch anything except your gloves and then open and use the sterile needle and the sterile barbell, when the appropriate time comes.
- Put on your gloves (Warning: Ice can tighten the skin.).
- Pick the placement of your piercing carefully; make your hand steady as possible, and push the needle through. You may have some trouble getting it to go through, but if you just keep pushing the needle through, it will eventually "come" out the other side. It is painful.
- Unscrew the ball on one side of the barbell, and as you're pulling the needle out, then the end of the barbell follows it through by placing the end of the barbell into the hollow end of the hollow needle.
- Pull the needle while pushing the barbell through the hole as best you can manage. The piercing needle will have a hollow part at the end that the jewelry will fit into and help the barbell slide through.
- Screw the ball back on, and you have your hand web piercing.
- Make sure you take care of it every day. Keep it clean. It will be tender, and could become infected.
- See a doctor immediately, if it seems infected. You can get an aftercare sheet from www.tribalectic.com
Tips
- Make sure there is plenty of light where you are so you don't make a mistake and pierce too deep or too shallow.
- If you would have to hide it from your parents, then wait until you're 18, and preferably get it done professionally. Hiding it will get you in trouble, and you're probably not old enough to take care of it at that point anyway.
- If you're right handed, pierce your left hand, so that you can still write and do everything you normally do, and vice versa if you're left handed.
Warnings
- There is a chance you could hit a nerve and not be able to fully use your hand anymore, so do as much research as you can before attempting to do this.
- This piercing can get infected very easily because you are touching so many dirty things every day, so make sure you wash your hands with antibacterial soap for a few minutes frequently.
- If you have a low pain tolerance, this is not the piercing for you. The actual piercing and after-care causes a lot of pain.
- Most professionals advice against this piercing. That should tell you enough about it really. The chance of success are very small. Those on infection are rather large. Think!
- Don't pierce too deeply or too shallowly from the edge of the web. Better yet, have the piercing done professionally -- then you know that it will be a healthy piercing.
- Make sure your barbell is the right length to allow swelling of the piercing. This is very likely to happen, and too short jewelry will result in a very painful piercing you will have to take out.
- This IS NOT a very practical piercing. It's on your hand, which means that it will get in the way of certain things, no matter how hard you try otherwise. Because of this, there is a VERY high risk of migration and rejection. Treat this as a TEMPORARY piercing unless an experienced professional piercer tells you otherwise.
Things You'll Need
- needle
- barbell (straight barbell, preferable titanium and 1.6 mm thickness)
- ice (optional)
- gloves
- alcohol pads
- vaseline
- forceps
