Saturday, July 01, 2006

Piercing - FAQ

1. Does the placement of a piercing hurt?The pain lasts just a fraction of a second. A professional works fluently and fast, resulting in an almost painless piercing. Your imagination is a lot worse than reality!
2. Can I wear earrings in a body piercing?NO!!! Real piercing-jewellery is the only safe choice. Earrings are much too thin and could tear out. The quality of the metal is a lot lower than that of piercing-jewellery, which increases the change for infections.
3. Does it matter where I buy my piercing-jewellery?More and more small jewellery stores, trendy fashion-shops and even post order-companies include piercing-jewellery in their line of products. You could get your jewellery there, but the quality is not guaranteed. In these stores the purchaser is responsible for the buy of clothing, shoes, watches, jewellery in general, purses etc. Such a job requires the cheapest buy of goods to be able to sell those products with as much profit as possible. This person is not trained in piercing, doesn't usually have enough knowledge of materials and doesn't have a clue of sizes, diameters, thickness or gauge Of course, piercing studios are supposed to make a profit, but theirs depends on their reputation. They can't afford to sell precarious piercings. Studio 316L uses the highest metals 316L/316LVM Surgical steel meets ISO 5832-1 and ASTM F138 standards, titanium grade 23, medproflex medical flexible plastics, Implant Silicon, 14Kt Gold nickel free.
4. Do you always use a new needle or do the old ones get re-sterilized?Piercing needles are only to be used once and afterwards immediately thrown in a special needle container. The opening of the wrapping should always happen in your presence, with you clearly able to see what's going on. THERE IS NO EXCUSE. If the piercer has opened the wrapping in advance, RUN LIKE CRAZY.
5. My piercer does not have an autoclave (sterilization device), but he always uses sterilized needles. Is this safe?NO!!! There is a lot more to be sterilized than just the needle. All tools MUST be sterilized every time again after being used. So your favourite piercer should have an autoclave on a visual spot in his studio.
6. Which metals are safe for piercing-jewellery?For each new piercing these are the only appropriate metals: Implantation steel - Titanium - medproflex. Once the piercing is healed, you may also wear jewellery in surgical steel, solid +14k gold, acrylic, pyrex, plastics and wood. Never use sterling silver, nickel or copper in a piercing.
7. I bought/got a piercing from a friend/acquaintance. Can I use it?
I will suggest NO.. (See above)A PROFESSIONAL STERILIZATION IS A MUST.
8. Can I use my old jewellery for a new piercing?Ditto question above
9. How many piercing can I get in one visit?Generally speaking, I'd say three. Depending on what kind of piercing you would like, your pain-limit and most importantly your physical condition. For some people 1 would be a good choice, for others 4 or 5 piercings at the same time are not an issue and the piercings heal just fine... A piercer with some common sense will always ask you about your general physical condition: whether you take medication etc.
10. I'm extremely nervous, can I have a few drinks before I come in?Rather not! It decreases your sense of judgement, makes it more difficult to sit still and causes haemorrhages. Alcohol, drugs and certain medications (for example for you lungs, painkillers, etc.) thin the blood. This can result to the ink bleeding out when you're getting a tattoo and to the inevitable removal of the piercing if the bleeding can't be stopped. This can also happen when you use 1 of more blood-thinners in the first hours after the placement. Search just as long until you've found a piercer in which you have enough confidence. Someone who will guide you through the whole event in an experienced and calm manner without giving you the feeling that your an extremely fragile plant.
11. Do I make an appointment?From our own experience we know that every minute can seem like too, at least. If you come around for an informative chat, this is not a catastrophe! Otherwise it 's the Big Day! Than, of course, wipe that semi-scientific theory off the table and get an appointment when you wish to get your piercing.
12. Do I get a scar if I remove my piercing?Yes, but in most cases it is so small, you can hardly notice. (Question 25: stretching)
13. Can I switch the piercings myself?Piercings closed with a screw-lock are pretty easy to swap. Piercings with a clip-in lock on the other hand, are not that easy to place. Even if you get lucky on the opening of the ring, you can't get the clip-in back in its place without the appropriate tools. Real DIY's amongst you: don't you treasure-hunting in daddy's tool kit, but buy the right equipment at the piercing studio. You'll get some additional advice, too.
14. Recognized training- seminars - diplomas certificates - associations - leagues.
A self-respecting con-artist can easily promote himself to professor in piercing-sciences. You just hang out this pamphlet:Courses and seminars piercing 5 day training Training by piercing John Potato Member of the (English/American/Association of meatball school) piercing association Recognized by Superman and the invisible man ?? 000, - Seminars can be educational, fascinating and amusing, but don't be fooled by people who work like this. There is no law concerning piercing practices. Certificates and diplomas are only legitimate to the distributor of such, but will NOT stand in the court of law as is invalid to the department of health.
15. What does it mean to have a piercing license? These are foreign licenses, distributed by countries or states where there is some kind of oversight concerning piercings and tattoos. For example: in a couple of states in the US one needs a license before opening a studio. This simply means that someone of the public health department checks the place once a year, to see whether there is an autoclave, whether there is no carpeting on the floor etc. The distributing of the license has nothing to do with the skills of the piercer. There is no Piercing License issued or approved by the department of health in New York City.
16. Do you use piercing-guns? ABSOLUTELY NOT!! If you ever respect your body the slightest bit and more importantly, if you like your health, you don't get a piercing placed by such a gun. The qualities of those torture-devices: they don't operate in a correct way, the placement of the piercing is not exact, the piercing is a lot more painful, the jewellery placed is inappropriate and cheap and to top it all of: THEY CAN'T BE STERLIZED!This is the reason why we find those things very dangerous, even for the piercing of the earlobes. These days there are disposable guns. These are appropriate for the placement of ear piercings, considering they will only be used once. A little more expensive than the old system: let's see where that leads!
17. Will my piercings trigger a metaldetectionsystem?Don't worry, us piercingfreaks, we have never messed up airport security. Pity though...
18. Why do I need a smaller stud once my tongue piercing is healed?After a piercing in the tongue, it can swell quite a lot, hence the longer stud. Once the piercing is healed and the swelling disappeared, you could crack your teeth on the ball while your eating. The piercing could also irritate the palate and the bottom of your mouth. Keep the long piercing, though, if you ever lose the short one, you 'll have a back up. Or you could use the spare-parts. Don't forget that the piercing closes extremely fast without a jewel.
19. Can I swallow my tongue piercing. It could happen. Every morning when you're brushing your teeth, you should check whether the piercing is still screwed on tight. But don't overdo it, you might damage the screw thread, preventing the piercing from being locked tight.
20. Will my piercing get in the way when I visit my dentist?No, your piercing will not trouble your dentist or get in the way of his work. But dentists are only human. Your dentist could have some prejudice against piercings. If this is the case, and you've had the piercing for over six months, it would be wise to remove your piercing before you enter and replace it after the visit.
21. Why is my bellybutton piercing stuck to one side?This happens to a lot of women. Tight pants, skirts, pants or belts pressing the piercing will inevitably push the piercing to one side. Avoid all clothing, which presses the piercing. People with office-jobs can also be confronted with this problem. In any case: adjust your clothing. If the piercing-cavity is already disfigured, you could correct it by sticking the piercing to the other side with some skin-friendly tape at night.
22. How old must I be to get a piercing?Babies can be pierced by the wicked witch of the west with a darning needle and be fine. A professional piercer has enough honor and common sense to set a minimum age for his costumers. For certain piercings the minimum is 16 (bellybutton, nose etc) or the company of one of the parents. Don't forget your ID. For others piercings one must be older (for example: intimate piercings require a minimum age of 18).
23. Do genital piercing disturb the snuggling?No, they don't. Quite on the contrary: they intensify the emotions of the carrier. And sometimes the partner finds a lot of pleasure with them as well. Intimate piercings have the tendency to look very erotic. They are the discrete piercings of the people who enjoy life.
24. STRETCHING.You'd better reserve a quiet night at home when you wish to have a stretching, which is an enlargement of the piercing-cavity: in this case, patience is a virtue. You can have this procedure done in the studio, the most important thing about stretching is the time and small steps you'll have to take. Your favorite piercer probably sells stretching tapers, cone-shaped pins in several sizes. If you go overboard on the size or you try to speed up the process, ruptures will appear. Nothing too dramatic, you'd say, but it causes scar tissue. And if you decide to remove the piercing to shrink the hole, this won't look pretty.
25. Can I loose my job if I get a visible piercing? You certainly can, even if your contract doesn't mention anything involving clothing and/or general appearance. Your boss will have no problem in finding some other reason for firing you. These days piercings are accepted more and more, a trend maybe. When you're considering a visual piercing, always make sure you know where your boss stands before spending your money.
26. My piercing is red and seems to be infected ... what can I do?
First, make sure that you are NOT using Bactine, alcohol, or Neosporin. The largest amount of complaints come from those who use these products to heal their piercings. Second, make sure that you are only using anitbacterial or antimicrobial soap and sea salt to clean your piercing. Third make sure there is nothing causing tension or pressure on the piercing (i.e. sleeping on the piercing, tight pants, belts, hats, etc.) Fourth avoid any cosmetic products in or around the piercing site. Remember, piercings such as the navel and nipple tend to get irritated easily because they are in active areas of the body. So be careful not to pull on your jewelry while the piercing is still healing.


27.My friend got pierced by someone from myspace "a piercer" . This person brought everything sealed in sterilization pouches that had been sterilized? How safe is it?

Very simple "not safe at all". Autoclave bags have color indicators to show that they have been sterilized in an autoclave. However, these indicators can change colors even if the autoclave is not working properly. You need to see the spore test result for the autoclave.
28.WITH SO MANY Piercing - TATTOO STUDIOS, HOW DO I CHOOSE ONE? ,what is a spore test? and does every tattoo & Piercing shop needs to have one?
Getting a Piercing or tattoo is a serious decision. It is important to arm yourself with as much information as possible.

This is a basic guideline for what to look for when choosing a studio. Included are precautions meant to help prevent cross-contamination of blood borne diseases from one client to the next.

These guidelines are based on a combination of vast professional experience, common sense, research and extensive clinical practice. This is not to be considered a substitute for medical advice from a doctor. Be aware, however, that many doctors have no specific training or experience regarding tattoos and may not be educated on how to best assist you.

Education is of the utmost importance to us at Studio316L. Please familiarize yourself with the following tattoo guidelines. Any studio you select should abide by these basic rules for your safety:



a) There are many things to look for in choosing a good tattoo&Piercing studio. You must visit in person, not call.
b) How do I know if my local Piercing & Tattoo studio are clean and sterile?. You can tell if a business looks clean or dirty. Ask to see the autoclave, if the autoclave is on the floor, If the autoclave is in the same room with the toilet then just walk away. An autoclave has to be in a room called "Cleanigng room /Sterilization room" and dedicated just for sterilization a sink is a must. All Piercing & tattoo studios should sterilize with an autoclave. The only acceptable means of sterilization is by an autoclave. The autoclave should be spore tested, at least, every two weeks to ensure that it is functioning properly. Any reputable studio should have no problem producing these test records upon request, furthermore most studios have their test on the wall. If this certificate is not on the wall do not trust them. The following information is an example of what to look on test report:

Sterilizer Tested- name or model / serial number of the unit, date of test.
Studio 316L Tattoo & Body piercing uses "Crushable self-contained" Attest 1292 RRBI test by 3M.(with Controler Attest 1292 RRBI )
Types of Biological Indicators Used in Steam Sterilization Processes: Spore Strips, Crushable Self-contained, and Sealed Glass Ampoule. A self-contained biological indicator has a great advantage over traditional spore strips in glassine because of the time saved when confirming spore kill. Results come back in 48 hours with no problematic laboratory transfers.
The unique self-contained design provides a challenge to steam penetration similar to that which would be encountered in restricted areas of instruments.
The self-contained design also greatly reduces the potential for sample contamination. Self-contained would be most sensitive to an air leak because of the product design and ability to trap air. This more challenging test varies greatly from the old glassine envelope used by other third party labs.


Note:you will be shocked how many Studios lack this test, and do not even know what it is for.
***** The CDC encourages testing regardless of whether or not it is mandatory in your state. "Sterilizer monitoring will greatly reduce your exposure to infectious diseases and other blood-borne pathogens." -National Monitoring Guidelines - Dental Practices, American Dental Association (ADA) Monitoring Sterilizers, Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures (OSAP), Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN): Monitor sterilizers at least weekly by using a biological indicator with a matching control (i.e., biological indicator and control from same lot number.)