What Is a Finger Piercing?

A finger piercing is a piercing on any part of the finger and this is normally done as a microdermal ‘dermal’ piercing. This is a relatively new idea and is just one of the different and exciting places to get a piercing. 

However, the fingers are used with almost every movement of your body and are a high snag risk. This makes the piercing difficult to look after and heal, even if done by the most experienced professional. There is a greater risk of infection and rejection than with other kinds of piercings.

A microdermal piercing is different from a regular piercing as the plate or anchor is placed just underneath the skin and the top screwed onto it. 

As a microdermal piercing is seen as a medical procedure the state laws may affect the minimum age when this can be completed. It may also be that it’s illegal for a piercer or any non-medical professional to complete a dermal piercing. It’s therefore important to check this out when getting any kind of dermal piercing.

People are always thinking of ways to change the normal way of thinking and this is the same with a finger piercing. Some people are now having a finger piercing instead of having an engagement or wedding ring. This may sound like a great idea but due to the movement of your fingers, this isn’t a permanent option. 

It’s not a great sign of forever love if your finger rejects the piercing and it then heals over or if you get an infection that makes your finger piercing look a mess.

A Complete Guide to Finger Piercings

There are lots of things to consider before having a finger piercing. Not only do you need to think about the pain and aftercare of the piercing but as the piercing is visible you will also need to think about your school or work. It may be that this kind of piercing isn’t allowed or just isn’t safe in a workplace when working with machinery.

If done wrong the piercing could go through a critical nerve, tendon or blood vessel. This can damage the finger and in the worst case, it can leave your finger without any feeling or even so that you’re unable to use it.

A finger piercing may look pretty when completed but it’s important that you consider all options and eventualities before going ahead with it.

Preparation for Dermal Finger Piercing

There are lots of things to think about when preparing for a finger piercing. The first and most important thing is to choose the best person for the job. It’s important to get the right professional and to make sure that they are able to complete the kind of piercing that you are looking for.

The person that you choose, whether they are a piercer or a medical professional should be a professional with lots of experience, especially with finger and dermal piercings. This is a tricky piercing to complete and comes with lots of risks, so it’s important that they know what they’re doing. 

If you know people that have already had this piercing done, speak to them to get their thoughts on it. They will know exactly what it involves and who to use to do the piercing. It’s a lot of pain and possible scarring to go through to end up with something less than perfect on your finger.

Before you go for your appointment you should make sure that the area is cleaned. You should also try to arrange your schedule so that you don’t have anything to do following the piercing as you will be limited to what you can actually do with your hands. 

It’s a good idea to get some time off work when you have this piercing done as you want to keep your fingers as still as possible and limit movement.

Procedure for Dermal Finger Piercing

Piercing using the microdermal or ‘dermal’ procedure is a more modern way of piercing. The skin is first cleaned with a surgical scrub and then a hole or perforation is made in the skin. 

This then creates a pouch where the plate or anchor of the jewelry is positioned just underneath the surface of the skin. Forceps are used to insert the plate or anchor and then the top of the jewelry is screwed in place. 

This is done with a needle but can also be completed by using a dermal punch. This is where skin tissue is removed to insert the plate or anchor in the skin.

Aftercare

The pain of a finger piercing depends on the pain threshold of the individual. As there are lots of nerves and tendons in the fingers there is a risk of piercing these and causing lasting damage to the finger. Care and attention is needed for every stage of this piercing.

As with all body piercings, aftercare is important in the perfect healing process for your piercing.

You should keep the pierced area clean at all times with a saline solution. Use a cotton swab to clean around the piercing but be careful to not touch the pierced area as this may cause infection. You can also dip a cotton ball into the saline solution and keep this on the area to keep it clean. Make sure that this doesn’t dry out or stick to the area. 

As you use your hands all the time you need to make sure that you don’t get any fragranced soap products or lotions on the pierced skin. This will cause irritation of the piercing and possibly an infection.

You should be careful about snagging your piercing when going about your daily chores and you should limit movement of the finger during the healing process. 

The piercing will take up to one year to fully heal. Once the pierced area is completely healed, you can then change out the jewelry. We would recommend that for your first jewelry change at least that you get a professional to do this for you.

Problems With a Hip Piercing

As with all piercings, there are some issues that may occur with a finger piercing. 

Surface piercings are known to be rejected at times, especially on your finger. Your finger will see the piercing as a threat and will push it out. The wound will heal over as it rejects the piercing so you need to have the piercing removed by a professional as soon as you notice any issues.

Infection can be prevented with good aftercare, however, this can still happen and the movement of your finger will not help this. If you notice your finger getting red and hot to touch or you see any discharge coming from your piercing, go and see your doctor. They will be able to prescribe a course of antibiotics to clear the infection.

Jewelry Types

The dermal piercing involves an anchor or plate being inserted underneath your skin and a top screwed onto this. Once the piercing has healed you are able to change the top of the piercing to one of your choice.

There are many options out there to choose from. However, we would recommend that you keep this quite small and flat to the skin so that you don’t snag it. We would also recommend that you don’t change it often as this can cause irritation and possible infection.

Conclusion

There are lots of things that you should think about before getting your finger pierced. This may be a fashionable look at the moment but you should also think sensibly about the effect it may have on your daily routine.

The finger has lots of critical nerves, vessels, and tendons so it’s important that you’re careful when getting your finger pierced. You also use your fingers and hands every day and the movement can cause issues with healing and rejection of the piercing.

If you do decide to have this done, make sure that you’re using a professional and looking after the piercing in the right way.