Body Piercing News

Across the nation counties and states are tightening regulations designed for a safer body art experience for customers.  From Oregon, California and Nevada to other states eastward, shops are seeing new regulations and procedural changes that can be complicated at times.  The aim of these new regulations is to standardize an industry that for decades has resisted standardization.  The end result, it is hoped, will be a safer experience for customers whether they are getting a body piercing or a new tattoo.

If you own or work in a shop that has been hit with new changes and tightened regulations, you are not alone.  Thousands of shops in California have been impacted by the implementation of AB-300 (a bill passed by the state legislature last year) that calls for increased oversight and regulation of body art establishments.  One of the mandates calls for the use of safe metals and alloy materials for body piercing, like the body piercing supplies offered here.  If you are in doubt if your shop is in compliance, speak to the shop owner for clarification.  Remember, as a body artist it is ultimately your responsibility to be in compliance at all times.  You may also contact your county health department for clarification.

A very misunderstood fact about tattoo shops is what is called the ‘shop minimum’.   While most tattoo shops will not admit to having a ‘shop minimum’, almost all of them do.  What a shop minimum represents is the least amount of money they charge for their body art services.

This is not an  hourly amount (which may be higher) but in plain terms, it’s the least amount of money you will have to show them for them to bother with you.  If this sounds bad, it is, and represents one of the only types of businesses that work this way left.  We found one shop in Southern California that does not charge a shop minimum, nor does it charge by the hour – the price you are quoted is all you will ever pay – and best of all, if you aren’t completely satisfied, they will make it right at no extra charge.  To check this shop out, click on this link here.

Getting a body piercing these days is becoming routine.  With the popularity of piercing soaring, there are many places offering piercing services.  But there can be and usually are vast differences in the quality and prices of various shops that offer piercings.

In states like California and New York, where body art is heavily regulated, you should always go to a shop that is permitted with the county health department and who uses only sterile body jewelry and piercing supplies.  Ask to see the permit of the body artist or shop before you get pierced.  Also, you should receive printed after care procedures after the piercing to insure you are informed of what is needed to heal quickly and without complications.  If you are not sure if the shop you are considering is permitted and legit, go somewhere else that is.

Trust is a very sacred thing when it comes to body art.  If you don’t trust your body piercer or tattoo artist you probably would find someone else to do your body art.  Likewise, the sterility of a body piercing kit or tools used for body piercing are only as good as the company that supplies them.

Whether you are a professional body piercer or are a self-taught piercer who pierces friends and family members at home, you need to make sure that where you are buying your supplies or piercing kit from is a reputable and fully licensed company.  Remember, it doesn’t matter how careful you are (with gloves and proper skin preparation procedures) – if what you are using to pierce, and the body jewelry you are inserting isn’t sterile, you are risking an infection or worse.   For safe piercing tips or questions contact us anytime.  Safe piercing

If you have been waiting for a legitamate real (walk-in) body piercing school to open, your wait is over.  The world’s first dedicated body piercing school has just opened in Los Angeles, California and is taking student for it’s March 2013 classes.  Founded by master body piercers, the initial course will provide the information and basic materials to successfully body pierce in a shop environment.

For more information on course dates and course requirements click on this link to the body piercing school page.

Whether you are looking to learn how to tattoo or body pierce, the traditional form of apprenticeship has by definition changed quite a bit in recent years.  It used to be a simple matter of just volunteering your time and energy at a tattoo shop for a year or two in exchange for learning the proper procedures in shop hygiene, tattooing and piercing.

Now with the interest in tattooing buoyed by television shows and the increased popularity of tattoos in the mainstream population, finding a shop that will even take you as an apprentice can be a daunting task.  Once you have the proper tattoo and body piercing supplies, you will need to either apprentice yourself to a mentor or teach yourself through various means.  Be prepared to pay for the knowledge you are asking to receive, not just in time spent at the shop but in dollars.  In a recent survey conducted by the Body Piercing News found that about 75% of shops now charge apprentices (between 3 and 10 thousand dollars).  IF you are lucky enough to find a shop that will take you on (without charging money to do so) make sure you make the best of it and enjoy yourself.  Remember, you will be learning one of very few recession-proof trades that will serve you (and your customers) forever.

With the many multitudes of shops that offer tattooing and piercing services these days, body piercing has almost become routine, and with that, you might assume you are in good hands.   As with many other growing industries, body piercing has seen a tremendous demand increase over the past five years.  This has caused many beauty shops, boutiques and other businesses to ‘add’ body piercing services, some of which are not qualified or properly trained to do so.

The best places to find qualified piercers is at shops that offer body art services like tattoos or body piercings specifically, not shops that offer massage, manicures, or other non-related services.  If you are unsure of the qualifications of your body piercer or tattoo artists, ask to see their health department permit BEFORE you agree to have them do any work on you.  It also helps to ask to see the sterile body jewelry in the sterile pouches as well as the tools that should be pouched in sterile color-changing pouches (like those that are available at leading online sellers that offer quality body piercing supplies).  If the body artist is legit they will not have any problem showing you their credentials and sterile equipment.

In a glaring example of what can go wrong on any given day in the body art business, this seller of body jewelry in Palmdale, Ca. had the unpleasant experience of seeing a car smash it’s way through the front of their store on Saturday April 28th.

Although this store is not exactly known for customer satisfaction, what happened here is a bit over the line.  Thankfully, no one was injured, including the large parrot that is always present inside the store.  When it comes to purchasing body jewelry or body art supplies, make sure the company you are dealing with puts your satisfaction first like this seller of body piercing supplies and kits that we found online.  It also helps if the supplier you choose does not allow animals near the products they offer.  Hopefully, after this incident, these people learned something from this and will treat their customers with respect and appreciation.

For some, the only obstacle keeping them from getting a body piercing is the pain they imagine that comes with the process.  True, there is always a certain amount of pain felt in almost all body piercings, there are ways that one can ‘minimize’ or reduce it.

One way NOT to do this is drinking alcohol beforehand – alcohol thins the blood and can cause bleed-outs or feinting.  Some people have found that taking Tylenol (acetaminophine) before a body piercing can reduce the pain felt.  (Note: do NOT take Aspirin, as this (like alcohol) will thin the blood and you will be exposing your client to greater risk of injury or bleeding.)

When it comes to numbing sprays or gels, we cannot endorse fully the use of these producdts as their effectiveness seems to differ from individual to individual.  Lastly, the use of sharp piercing needles reduces the pain felt during a piercing.  You can find ultra-sharp needles, supplies and body piercing kits and this fine online seller of body piercing kits and supplies.

Depending on many factors, the cost of getting a professional body piercing varies.  In some parts of the nation, a single body piercing can go as high as $80.00, and not even include the jewelry.  In major cities (where there are many shops competing against each other) the cost can go as low as $20.00.

Whether you decide to have your body piercing done professionally, or you decide to do it yourself at home with a sterile body piercing kit – make sure you are using safe, and sterile needles, tools and body jewelry.  If you aren’t sure if the body jewelry being used for your piercing is not sterilized, ask.  It’s always better to be safe than sorry