How Do You choose the best Body Piercing Shops?

Researching into A Shop

Looking into the different aspects and areas of what makes a good shop can seem difficult at first, and you may not have the support from friends who have had a piercing before. Regardless, there’s a lot that you can do on your own to ensure that your piercing experience is a good one; where you’re safe, comfortable, and having a ton of fun.

Most research starts online, through local business reviews or social media pages. Pay attention to how and when the shop updates their pages, if they have a website, or if they are well known in the community. You’ll be able to get a lot more pertinent information if they’ve been in business for a while, and if anyone around town is talking about them one way or another.

You should always try to research into a shop as much as you can before stopping in, unless you happen to be in the area. Oftentimes you can eliminate the bad ones simply through some digging online, or even word of mouth locally.

Setting Up Shop

If you’ve already found the spot where you want to get your piercing done, your work doesn’t always stop there. For your first time in, you should get to know the artists and their work. Sometimes there is a group of piercers in a shop that specialize in a particular form of body piercing, so ask the employees about this when you come in.

Some artists may also have particular piercings that they have more experience with, so you should be looking at the portfolio of the artist you want to work with beforehand. All throughout this process, you should feel comfortable and taken care of no matter what questions you ask.

Questions to Ask

Aside from the general questions about your piercing, you should take note of some specific questions that will help you to better understand exactly what you’re getting done:

• How do you sterilize your equipment?
• What should I do and not do after my piercing is done?
• How long will this piercing take?
• What permits does your business have for the types of piercing you do?
• What materials for jewelry do you use and which do you recommend?

Keep in mind that any professional shop will welcome these questions and more, so don’t be afraid to get out there and ask away. Some shops may even have online FAQs with these questions for you to take a look at before you come in, but you should still check with the employees and artists about exactly what it is that you want to know.

Understanding the Equipment

Professional piercers will use a hollow needle in order to puncture the skin or cartilage of the area you’re looking to attach jewelry to. This is similar in nature to a hypodermic needle used to draw blood. You don’t lose any skin that way, instead, it is pushed over to give the needle an opportunity to get through the superficial layers of skin. Piercing needles do the same thing, but the jewelry is pushed through the area instead.

As well as this, they will be using sterilized gloves and other equipment that touches your body. All of this should be cleaned after each use or a one-time throwaway situation in order to prevent the spread of illness and infection.

Nowadays, almost no professional artists use guns to pierce the ears or any other parts of the body, as they have a much higher rate of infection and the spreading of blood borne diseases. Make sure that the business you’re getting your piercing done at follows this rule, or you may be putting yourself at risk.

The Piercing Procedure

Whether you want a tongue ring or naval piercing, your artist should guide you through each step of the process to make it less scary for you.

Contrary to popular belief, the hollow piercing needle doesn’t remove any tissue from your body. Instead, it sort of “pushes” it back and away from the area where your jewelry is going to be. This is why some piercings require jewelry in them at all times, because over time they will seal up and heal over, sometimes with scar tissue that can make it difficult to pierce again.

While you may feel some discomfort during your piercing, most of the actual pain is incredibly quick and easy to deal with regardless of your tolerance. 

All About Aftercare

Every artist will tell you that aftercare is the singular most important thing you can do regarding the health and longevity of your piercing. Since piercing is a uniquely intimate form of body modification, there are a lot of unique things to look out for once you get one done.

Most aftercare will involve keeping the area clean any free of any harmful debris that can harbor bacteria and cause an infection. This means keeping an eye on your piercing for the first few weeks to see how it’s healing.

As well as this, you should use an antibacterial soap or non-irritating solution to rinse the area frequently, especially if you have been sweating or notice any debris in the area. Preventing infection is typically much easier than curing it, so take care when you get your piercing to follow any and all directions given to you.

Sterilizing Your Jewelry

You can sterilize your body jewelry in a couple of ways, namely through boiling water or with a chemical formula. Boiling water and keeping the jewelry in it for at least five minutes is a tried and true way to destroy any harmful bacteria.

If you’re using chemicals, ensure that they are free of bleach or any other irritants that can cause allergic reactions on the skin. Place the jewelry in a soak for at least one minute in order to properly disinfect it.

Sticking to these steps will ensure that your piercing experience is a safe and happy one, enough to where you might even be back for another sooner than later!