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So, you’ve decided that it’s time for your first piercing. You’re likely anxious because you don’t know what to expect. The very thought of a piercing is inherently nerve-wracking, especially if you are nervous about pain, but even if you aren’t there is an element of the unknown involved with making the decision to get a piercing.
It’s also exciting, and the most common human reaction to something that excites us is to rush the process and get the piercing done right away. But rushing out and getting a piercing without proper research can lead to problems later down the line if you happen upon an inexperienced piercer.
There are multiple ways you ensure that you are choosing a safe and competent piercer to perform your piercing. Here’s what you can do.
Research your piercer
Before booking your piercing, you want to find the safest piercer you can. A quick google search can show you piercing studios in your area, but not all piercing studios are equal. Do they have clear photos of their work, are they open and honest about their policies, are they welcoming and friendly?
A website can only tell you so much and having the opportunity to speak to your studio over the phone or face to face is the perfect way to evaluate whether they are the right choice for you. You may find that you are not comfortable with your local studio, and that’s ok. It’s always best to travel a bit further and choose someone who makes you feel comfortable than to rush the process and visit someone who doesn’t.
Visit Your Chosen Studio
Once you feel as though you have found someone that you are confident with, give them a call, or visit their studio in person. You are perfectly within your rights to ask to view a studios sterilisation room. Is the waiting area clean? Is there a separate, private studio?
And this is the perfect time to ask questions. Are the reception staff friendly and welcoming? If you have preferred pronouns, is your studio being respectful of this? Your piercer should be willing to answer any questions you may have and be able to demonstrate to you that they have plenty of knowledge without bias, in other words, their advice should be led by experience, and not opinion. Your piercer will be calm, friendly, and patient, and will never rush you.
It’s of the utmost importance that you can trust your piercer, and that you feel welcomed, respected, and heard. Aside from the association of a bad experience being linked to your piercing, any procedure that involves your body is a moment of vulnerability. Feeling uncomfortable with your piercer will likely be a very distressing experience for you. We cannot stress enough how important it is that you feel safe with your piercer. If you feel at all uncomfortable with the way you are spoken to, or feel out of control, or objectified in any way, you are free to leave the situation at any time.
At No Divide, we do not take payment for any procedures until after the piercing has been completed. This puts you in control and allows you the space ask us to halt the procedure at any time if you’re feeling uncomfortable or too nervous to continue. It’s ok to say no, you are in control of your body and what happens to you.
With all this being said, trust goes both ways. Our piercers must feel confident with you too. If you are a reactive person, and you know you will flinch, or jump, or call out during the piercing, please relay this to your piercer. If your piercer is prepared for sudden movements, they can discuss ways to minimise this reaction. Should you need a chaperone to hold your hand or to calm your nerves you are welcome to bring someone with you, however, please refrain from bringing a large group of friends or your entire family. Most studios do not have the space to accommodate this many people at once, and it can make the procedure rather more difficult to perform. Piercing requires precision, and too many moving bodies makes for a chaotic space.
Jewellery Matters
The type of jewellery a studio uses in your piercing is equally important as the material used in your piercing. Your studio should be using Implant Grade Titanium, or real gold jewellery for your initial piercing. You should never be pierced with acrylic, silver, or plated metals as these materials cannot be sterilised through an autoclave.
A piercing studio will likely have much of their jewellery on display in glass cabinets, some of this jewellery may be used in your initial piercing, while some can only be placed in healed piercings. Look for 14k Gold, 18k Gold, or Implant Grade Titanium. Anyone handling any jewellery in these cabinets should be wearing gloves for sanitary reasons, and if employees are handling jewellery with gloves, it is a good demonstration that the studio and adheres to strict hygiene practices.
Gloves, Gloves, Gloves
As previously mentioned, a hygiene-conscious studio will be using gloves to handle all piercing jewellery, and this should extend to inspecting your anatomy, checking your piercings, changing your jewellery, cleaning down piercing stations, and handling any equipment before and after autoclaving. Gloves are extremely important for diminishing the chance of cross contamination and inhibiting the spread of infection and should be changed between every single task. Your piercer should never touch your body, equipment, or sterilised jewellery with bare hands.
Once you are confident that your chosen studio has proven itself as a hygienic, experienced, and respectful, you are ready to embark on your piercing journey. Now it’s time to prepare your body and mind for your procedure, and you can learn more about how to do this is our next blog.