What do you pierce with?

• I use single-use, disposable hollow piercing needles. Jewelry is sterilized prior to insertion, and any other implements used (forceps, etc.) are sterilized as well.

• We use jewelry at a length selected specifically for you, made of material proven to be safe for the body. The posts we use for initial ear piercings are implant-grade steel that is ASTM F-138 compliant or ISO 5832-1 compliant, and are considered safe for initial piercings by the Association of Professional Piercers.

• Everyone on our staff is certified with bloodborne pathogens training by the National Safety Council

Why don’t you pierce with a gun?

• Piercing guns cannot be effectively sterilized, and there are documented cases of disease transmission from piercing guns.

• Gun studs do not accommodate for the different thicknesses of ears and earlobes, and the studs can easily become embedded. Additionally, piercing studs are not usually made from implant-grade materials, and as a result, reactions to the jewelry are not uncommon, especially for those with a sensitivity to nickel.

• Operators working at piercing kiosks are not trained in bloodborne pathogens and disease transmission. There are documented cases of disease transmission from piercing guns because of the ignorance of aseptic technique and a lack of basic knowledge of disease transmission.

• Getting your ear cartilage pierced with a gun can be especially dangerous and carries a risk of permanent damage.

• The gun can cause more trauma to the area, causing it to take longer to heal.

Will it hurt?

When it comes to the pain, there are three things you have to keep in mind.

• Not all piercings feel the same. It's impossible to say that every piercing hurts or that none of them do, because different parts of your body will feel different being pierced. Some parts are more sensitive than others, so where you get it will make a big difference.

• Not everyone feels the same amount of pain, or in the same places. It's always hard for us to tell you if the piercing will hurt you; we can only tell you if it hurt us. Everyone is different. Only you know your body and what parts of it are most sensitive to pain.

• A piercing is over in seconds. Even if you do find it painful, it's over before you can say "ouch".

What are the risks?

If done in a clean and professional shop, the risks are minimal. It's up to you to find a good shop and to follow their aftercare advice.

The biggest risk in getting pierced is irritation and infection. This can happen for several reasons:

• Dirty equipment. This is why it is so important to find a clean shop that has an autoclave and ultrasonic and professional piercers who open all of their tools in front of you so that you see it coming out of sterile packaging.

• Bad aftercare. If you ignore the aftercare instructions and get it dirty, touch it and play with it all the time, get make-up in it, or change it too early, it can become irritated or infected.

• Sharing jewelry. Even if you have given it a good cleaning, there are likely still pathogens on the jewelry that you are about to insert into your body. Gross. And dangerous.

• Using a piercing gun. Because their casing is plastic, they cannot be sterilized (sterilization requires extreme heat -- the guns would melt), which means that any pathogens that shot into the gun from the client before you are still on it when you get pierced. Even if the gun is single-use, the dull jewelry that gets shot through your ear or nose causes far more trauma to your skin than the sharp point of a needle, which can make you more susceptible to irritation.

The other main risk is rejection, which is when your body decides it doesn't like being pierced and starts pushing the jewelry out. This isn't particularly painful, but it can leave a nasty scar. If you think your piercing is migrating, have your piercer check it out. If it is rejecting, take it out immediately to avoid scarring. You can always try again once it's healed.

How long will it take to heal?

How long a piercing will take to heal depends on where it is, how you treat it and how quickly you heal. Most heal in 12 weeks or less, but some can take as long as 6 months. Of course, it's different for everyone, but the general rule is, the less important that body part is, the longer it will take to heal. That means your navel (bellybutton) or ear cartilage will likely take longer to heal than your tongue or lip, because you need a functioning mouth more than you need a healed navel.

How you treat your piercing will make a big difference in healing time, as well. Using saline solution to clean it, rather than alcohols or peroxides, will speed up the healing process significantly; alcohol dries out your skin and kills all the good bacteria (yes, there is such a thing!) that helps you heal. Keeping it clean is vital -- if it's a facial piercing, make sure your pillow cases and hats are clean as well. Also avoid swimming or getting make-up in your new piercing.

Should I get a piercing?

Once you've considered where you want to get pierced and what the risks and aftercare consist of, you can make an informed decision about getting pierced. Unlike tattoos, piercings can be temporary, so they can be done a little more impulsively and much more cheaply, but they still take some consideration and love. If you are prepared to keep it clean, are allowed to have them at work and are okay with your starter jewelry options, go for it!

Do you pierce children?

I pierce children 6 years and older. Anyone younger than 18 years old is required to have a guardian present during their appointment.

Do I need to turn my earrings while they’re healing?

No. There is the opinion still held by some that if you do not rotate your jewelry occasionally during healing that your skin will adhere to or “grow into” the post. This is not true. With implant-grade titanium and steel jewelry (and even glass) the surface is non-porous and will not adhere to skin. This is not to say that you won’t have some scabbing and dried lymph that adheres to your jewelry during healing. Just keep with your regular cleaning regimen and this will wash away naturally. As for twisting the jewelry: just leave it alone. If you’re not cleaning your piercing, keep your hands off it.

How soon can I change my jewelry?

The initial jewelry should be left in for the duration of the healing period, but you can change your jewelry as soon as it is healed. For earlobes, this means six to eight weeks; for cartilage, six to twelve months, minimum.