Ahh....this is what most people miss. Flexible bars aren't just for pregnancy. Wear it again next year! Sure, you're going to have to keepsake the "It's a Boy", "It's a Girl" and "Baby on Board" ones, but the holiday ones and the other designs are great to wear anytime! Why go back to steel? With any type of sports or bending over...steel can get pretty uncomfortable. If you're wearing a standard 14g threaded PTFE belly ring, feel free to wear it forever. If the bar ever strips out, replacement bars are available on our site. :) Body jewelry replacement balls are available here too. www.maternitypiercings.com
Or if you're not comfortable with purchasing replacement parts from a maternity site...lol...just visit www.comfortpiercings.com
~Jeanne
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Flexible Belly Rings - For Everyone, NOT Just For Pregnancy!!
The new flexible materials are GREAT for all piercings. In fact, I don't know why people would even want steel bars ever again. I'm not talking about acrylic, which is not very flexible, and is also not as safe as PTFE and bioplast. Flexible PTFE bars are a Godsend for sports and aerobics and other exercise. Also a wonderful thing to have on hand for those big holiday dinners. With steel bars, you're...well...stuck. But a flexible PTFE belly ring you can cut to whatever size you want, so it's longer, and it will also bend with you. AHHHHhhhhh... :)
So, why do manufacturers prefer to sell steel bars? Because the bottoms are soldered together, so you can't re-use the bar with other ends. They are also hoping you will lose the top ball and buy a whole new belly ring. Piercing studios will charge up to $16 (WOW!) for a replacement ball, or if they don't stock them, they will try to convince you that a replacement ball won't fit your body jewelry.. Truth is, you can buy replacement balls easy, and they fit standard gauges! Visit our site and the Accessories section for replacement balls that won't hurt your pocketbook. :)
~Jeanne
So, why do manufacturers prefer to sell steel bars? Because the bottoms are soldered together, so you can't re-use the bar with other ends. They are also hoping you will lose the top ball and buy a whole new belly ring. Piercing studios will charge up to $16 (WOW!) for a replacement ball, or if they don't stock them, they will try to convince you that a replacement ball won't fit your body jewelry.. Truth is, you can buy replacement balls easy, and they fit standard gauges! Visit our site and the Accessories section for replacement balls that won't hurt your pocketbook. :)
~Jeanne
What Size Pregnancy Belly Button Ring Should You Get?
Pregnancy belly rings (PBRs) are generally much longer than needed. Standard belly ring bars are about 11mm or 7/16". PBRs can be up to 2 inches in length. This makes them more likely to "catch" on things. But what size is the "right" size?
Ideally, you'll want to have two belly rings, or a belly ring with an extra bar. So you can take off the ends and put them on the longer bar later. You can start off with a length the size of your regular belly ring. I wouldn't start with a length over 1", and if you can only buy one belly ring, this length can get most anyone through their entire pregnancy. They are easy to cut and rethread. But if you are hesitant, see www.maternitypiercings.com for rethreading help. And if you're really squeamish about it, ask the seller if they will cut it for you.
As far as width...this is important...if you wear 14g, you should stay with 14g. Some pregnancy belly rings may be thinner, but if you wear them, your piercing can close up to the smaller size, making it harder to insert your regular jewelry later. If you wear 16g, there are pregnancy belly rings for you too. They can strip out easier, and are harder to rethread and resize though, so be aware of that. The best ones are the simple steel ball ones, as they hold the tightest. See our website for examples.
The size of the balls or ends. This is personal preference, but the smaller the ends, the less they will show through clothing. So, it's nice to have an "everyday" one with small 4mm balls, and perhaps another pretty dangly one for times you want to show off that beautiful belly. :)
Retainer, or belly ring? A retainer, in the regular body jewelry world, means a clearish colored shaft with O rings on the end. O rings have a tendency to slip off, and are hard to find when they do. Although we sell a lot of these retainers, we personally prefer the simple steel ball version over the O ring version.
It's your call; it's your body. Congratulations on your pregnancy, and take good care!
~Jeanne
Ideally, you'll want to have two belly rings, or a belly ring with an extra bar. So you can take off the ends and put them on the longer bar later. You can start off with a length the size of your regular belly ring. I wouldn't start with a length over 1", and if you can only buy one belly ring, this length can get most anyone through their entire pregnancy. They are easy to cut and rethread. But if you are hesitant, see www.maternitypiercings.com for rethreading help. And if you're really squeamish about it, ask the seller if they will cut it for you.
As far as width...this is important...if you wear 14g, you should stay with 14g. Some pregnancy belly rings may be thinner, but if you wear them, your piercing can close up to the smaller size, making it harder to insert your regular jewelry later. If you wear 16g, there are pregnancy belly rings for you too. They can strip out easier, and are harder to rethread and resize though, so be aware of that. The best ones are the simple steel ball ones, as they hold the tightest. See our website for examples.
The size of the balls or ends. This is personal preference, but the smaller the ends, the less they will show through clothing. So, it's nice to have an "everyday" one with small 4mm balls, and perhaps another pretty dangly one for times you want to show off that beautiful belly. :)
Retainer, or belly ring? A retainer, in the regular body jewelry world, means a clearish colored shaft with O rings on the end. O rings have a tendency to slip off, and are hard to find when they do. Although we sell a lot of these retainers, we personally prefer the simple steel ball version over the O ring version.
It's your call; it's your body. Congratulations on your pregnancy, and take good care!
~Jeanne
Don't Buy PLASTIC Pregnancy Belly Rings
There are a lot of people advertising "plastic" flexible belly rings. Originally, the word plastic meant acrylic bars. Before Bioplast and PTFE, these were the only flexible options out there. Some manufacturers still sell them. They are not as safe as the modern alternatives. They are also not as flexible and comfortable. If you see the word "plastic" on a body jewelry item, you should question exactly what kind of material they are referring to. If they say it is acrylic, don't bother with it, especially during pregnancy. It is ok if the balls or ends are made of acrylic, but not the material going through your piercing.
Another concern is that Bioplast and "bioplastic" and "bioflex" are not the same thing. I actually had to question one of my suppliers offering "bio" product, as I had assumed they were the same material. They had to admit they were acrylic! The thing is, there are other sellers using these manufacturers and they are NOT asking...they are ASSUMING they are getting genuine bioplast.
PTFE is another very "flexible" term....ha ha...pardon the pun. PTFE can be hollow, or solid, white, clear or colored. The clearer the better, as in more flexible and comfortable. It is. Hollow bars are considered "internal" meaning the ends slide in. Solid bars are like regular belly rings, the balls twist on, and you can even use the balls from your regular belly rings on these types of bars.
Please visit the other sections of my blog here, or my FAQs on www.pregnancybellyrings.com
~Jeanne
Another concern is that Bioplast and "bioplastic" and "bioflex" are not the same thing. I actually had to question one of my suppliers offering "bio" product, as I had assumed they were the same material. They had to admit they were acrylic! The thing is, there are other sellers using these manufacturers and they are NOT asking...they are ASSUMING they are getting genuine bioplast.
PTFE is another very "flexible" term....ha ha...pardon the pun. PTFE can be hollow, or solid, white, clear or colored. The clearer the better, as in more flexible and comfortable. It is. Hollow bars are considered "internal" meaning the ends slide in. Solid bars are like regular belly rings, the balls twist on, and you can even use the balls from your regular belly rings on these types of bars.
Please visit the other sections of my blog here, or my FAQs on www.pregnancybellyrings.com
~Jeanne
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