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Omerica Organic

Ear Stretching

Published Date: 01/25/2016 | Category: Plugs
An informational article brought to you by Omerica Organic.

 

Before we get started, please let us stress: 

Wood is not an appropriate material to stretch ears with. Wood plugs should only be worn in completely healed ear lobes or piercings. Trust us, it is worth the wait. Wood is a porous material and it can harbor bacteria. This could be a threat to a freshly pierced/stretched lobe. Also, due to the organic nature of the material, wood can fluctuate in size based on exposure to a dramatic change it temperature. This can also cause stress and problems in a newly stretched lobe. We will talk more about appropriate materials to stretch with in a bit. 

 

Leave it to the professionals: 

We do not recommend stretching your own lobes and we do not sell tapers for stretching. Tapers should be used for stretching by an experienced professional. Tapers should be made out of appropriate, sterilizable materials such as Surgical steel or titanium and not porous materials such as wood or acrylic. Learning to use a taper properly takes time and extensive training. Even if proper research is done, it is best not to risk it unless you are a profession and have properly trained by a professional. Nothing beats experience and cleanliness. There are professionals near you that are passionate about safely helping you in your stretching journey. We support the ideas and efforts of the Association of Professional Piercers. Please check this link to find a member of the Association of Professional Piercers near you: 

http://www.safepiercing.org/get-involved/locate-a-member/searchable-member-database/

 

Wait until your lobes are completely healed before stretching to the next size:  

Healing times vary from person to person. Patience and time are your best friends when stretching. Most professionals suggest waiting 6-8 week to heal, but the longer you wait, the better off you will be. When you stretch your earlobes, you are creating very small micro tears in the tissue. If you rush and force in jewelry that won't go in, you turn these micro tears in to much larger tears. You can then run into issues with healing and could create scar tissue. This could make it more difficult to stretch in the long run. That being said, never skip sizes when stretching. Nothing worth having comes easily, and although it may be difficult to wait, your earlobes will thank you for it.  Please check this link to the APP's suggested aftercare for healing piercings:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3vPWRXlfeg-ZkZLU3hpNkl0SGc/edit 

 

Appropriate stretching Materials:

As mentioned before, we do not recommend stretching with wood jewelry. When stretching (with the help of a professional), we suggest that you stick to these sterilizable materials:

*Surgical steel (ASTM F138 compliant)

*Titanium (ASTM F136 compliant) 

*Niobium

* Gold (white or yellow, 14k or higher)

*Platinum

*Glass 

This jewelry should be made in high quality and be void of knocks, scores, or uneven surfaces. Please click this link for more specific information on appropriate jewelry to stretch with:

https://www.safepiercing.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/APP_Initial_Web.pdf

 

Your lobes have healed! You can now wear wood plugs!:

You've waited at least the initial healing time. You would like to explore other options in jewelry and wood plugs are a great choice! Here are a few tips for caring for your wood plugs. 

Keep your wood plugs out of water. Remove them before showering or working out. Keep them out of humid areas such as restrooms or gyms. If in doubt of your environment, remove your wood jewelry and keep them in a safe place.  Regular oil massages (we like jojoba) help soften up tissue and improves circulation and also can serve as a jewelry lubricant. Avoid oils that food based, as they can go rancid. Also avoid oils with dark coloring as they can increase the speed that wood will darken. All wood will darken over time. This happens once the wood has been cut and is exposed to the elements as well as the skins natural oils. This process is not preventable and is infect one of the most interesting characteristic of wood jewelry. 

Be careful not to over saturate wood plugs in Jojoba oil, as this can act as moisture and cause wood grains to raise, which could lead to irritation.  To keep your jewelry in prime condition, use a dry cloth and rub the surface clean. Next, apply just a few drops of Jojoba Oil to a clean soft cotton cloth and polish your jewelry. This should be done about once every 1-3 months. Never over-oil inlays! Use oil sparingly, in most cases, even in dry climates, there is really no need to oil our products monthly! 

  

In Case of a Reaction to wood when worn in a healed piercing:

Wood is a natural organic material, and there is a chance that any person could experience (or develop) a reaction to it. We use all-natural, non-toxic woods for our plugs and we finish them with all natural carnauba wax, so reactions and sensitivities to our wood plugs are comparatively infrequent in our experience. Carnauba wax is often used in edible items such as hard candies and is even used in some dental floss and cosmetics. 

That having been said, any person may develop a sensitivity to nearly any material, if exposed to it often.  Reactions vary from person to person. Some people have allergic reactions to certain types of wood and not to others. For example, one might be sensitive to Granadillo wood, but may still be able to wear Wild Olive. Again, reactions to non-toxic woods are not common, but it is possible, so please be aware of this when you order from us, or any other retailer of wood jewelry.  Reactions to the wood may not occur over-night. It may take weeks, even months for your body to develop a sensitivity or reaction. Be aware of your body, especially after introducing foreign materials to it. If you do have a reaction to a type of wood, remove the jewelry immediately, and if severe please consider consulting a physician. Some signs of reaction may include itchiness, burning, blistering, swollen lymph nodes, and lymphatic discharge. A reaction doesn't necessarily mean that there is an infection, but if an infection is suspected, please seek medical attention. Infections generally include a much more severe reaction including dark colored, thick discharge and is often accompanied with odor. 

 

For any questions or further explanation, please contact our customer service ninjas at [email protected]

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Oval FAQ : How to measure oval plugs?

Published Date: 09/04/2015 | Category: Plugs
We get a lot of questions about our Oval Plugs...

We get a lot of questions about our Oval Plugs, so we decided to take some time here to throw down a little information.

Q: What size oval plugs should I order?

A: The same size you normally wear your plugs!


Q: How are oval plugs measured?

A: Oval plugs are measured by circumference.  This is why you'd order the same size of ovals that you normally wear in plugs, they'll be the same size around.

 

Q: How do I check the size of a pair of oval plugs?

A: To check the size of an oval plug, wrap a string around the wearing surface and mark where one end on the string meets the other.  Then measure that segment of string and divide by pi- 3.14 to get the diameter.  Diameter is the measurement you see used for round plugs.

 

Q: Does wearing oval plugs feel different?

A: In general, no, it feels the same as wearing round plugs.  At larger sizes, oval plugs may feel a bit different because of the different weight distribution and having your earlobes closer to your head.

 

Q: Can I wear normal plugs again after wearing oval plugs?

A: Absolutely!  Oval plug wear will in no way change the shape of your ears.

 

Check out our huge selection of wood Oval Plugs HERE and email [email protected] if you have questions about oval plugs or body jewelry not covered in this post!

 

Thanks for reading!

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NEW WOOD PLUGS : AUGUST

Published Date: 08/28/2015 | Category: Plugs
Check out the newest additions to our plug lines, designed &/or released in August.…

Each week the Omerica Organic Design Team works on a new wood plug style or two with the help of our Instagram, Facebook, andTumblr followers.  We come up with up with an idea and create sketches, posting them each Tuesday for feedback from our fans.  We then implement changes as needed and create prototype blocks of each plug style, complete with inlays and etched details that we post on social media on Wednesday.  Thursday we finalize all the design details, launch the new style or styles to our website, and post finished photos on Facebook, Tumblr, and Instagram.  An entire design cycle in one week pulled off by a design team of two; it's incredibly fun, challenging and rewarding, and also integral in helping us keep up the flow of fresh wood plugs and unique body jewelry styles to our site.

The new plugs we launched in July are pictured above and listed/linked below and were inspired primarily by summertime, fan requests, and wonders visible in the sky and from it.

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Wood Touch-up Kit

Published Date: 08/21/2015 | Category: Merchandise
Over time and with exposure to moisture, the grain on wood jewelry can swell, causing a rougher surface than is ideal for wear.

The purpose of the kit is to lightly refinish wood plugs and jewelry periodically to keep them looking and feeling their best.   

Our touch-up kit comes with a bottle of jojoba oil, and a handy dual-sided cloth roll that seals with a snap closure.  We have them made locally, and are thrilled to say that the quality of the materials and workmanship far exceeded our expectations.

We recommend that first, you polish your plugs with the white microfiber side of the roll to remove any debris.  Then with the grey mesh side sand the wearing surface, and if needed, the faces of your plugs until a smoother texture is achieved.  Next use the white microfiber side again, this time with a drop of jojoba oil to polish and condition the wood.

This cloth roll is machine washable, after a few uses, throw your unrolled dual sided cloth in the washing machine on a cold setting,  and then allow to air dry. 

We suggest generally avoiding, but if absolutely necessary using extreme caution when using this kit on or around inlays or etched surfaces.  Darker wood dust can get in the pores of a lighter wood inlay causing discoloration or staining.  Lightly etched lines can be lightened or removed.  Delicate design elements can be broken or damaged if too much pressure is applied.

You can find the kit on our site HERE and feel free to contact us with any questions about the kit at [email protected]

 

 

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Luxe Line Plug Colection

Published Date: 08/14/2015 | Category: Plugs
Big things coming!!

Wood is our first true love.  We've made wooden adornment, primarily wood plugs, in our Denver, Colorado Workshop since 2004.  Over the last several years, we've established a new love of Bronze and Silver, as we've pursued the adventure of casting and finishing these lovely metals.  Not to worry, we haven't betrayed our first love, wood still plays a role in every jewelry piece we create.

Until now, our mixed media creations have primarily been pendants rather than plugs, with the exception of our gorgeous Antique Bronze and Verawood Cameo Plugs.  However, over the last year, we've been planning and plotting, designing and prototyping; all with the aim of creating beautiful and wearable mixed media plugs. 

We've called this project the Luxe Line, indicative of our intention to use beautiful metals, gorgeous woods, and genuine stones to create heirloom quality hardware-set plugs.  We're working hard at mixed media weights and hanging designs as well, but the plugs will be hitting the site first.

Keep an eye out, we are beyond excited to unveil our Luxe Line Plugs!  

UPDATE : Our first Luxe Line style, the Lunar Phase Plugs have launched to our site!!  Check them out on our site, HERE.

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