What matters when looking for a piercer. An honest post.

When looking for a studio, the main things you should be thinking about it 1) Safety. 2) Jewellery quality. 3) Level of training. 4) Cost. 

Safety, meaning things such as hygiene, sterilisation, licensing/registration, are they up to date with things such as first aid, blood borne pathogen training etc... 

Jewellery quality - Is there jewellery verifiable? Do they have certificates to prove what they are using? Is it titanium, 14/18k gold or niobium? Is it from a verified company? Is it the correct thread type, or are they using cheaper alternatives like externally threaded? Are they using poor quality coated jewellery such as PVD?

Level of training - Have they completed a course without getting any extra training to top this up ( the APP recommend apprenticeships in safe studios)? Are they updating training to keep up with ever growing standards? 

Cost - Cheap piercings are not safe so cost should be at the bottom of the list of priorities. Simply put, a piercing is a luxury, so if you can't get one safely, don't get one at all and put yourself at risk. Piercings go beyond what you see on the surface, so potentially someone you may know could have paid £10 and been fine.... however, for a piercing to be so cheap there has got to be corners cut. Usually the first saving is made on jewellery, so the chances are that externally threaded steel has been used. After that, the actual set up for performing the piercing will have been cut back.... usually you will see just an alcohol wipe, needle, jewellery and a reusable pen for your money. that is literally less than half of things if not more, of what we use to set up a piercing. Lastly, everything else! so cleaning products for before and after your piercing, the room, the surrounding areas etc..., safe waste disposable of biohazard waste, insurance, sterilisation, aftercare leaflet, your consent forms at the start, PPE oh, and a wage!!! now think about that? They'd be minus on the piercing if no corners were cut.

Do you want safety for your body?

YES!

Ask questions! Whats that? why are you doing XYZ? Who is that jewellery by? Do you have Mill certificates to prove its safe? Whats your experience? Do you have certificates to prove licensing, first aid etc.... NEVER be afraid to ask. 

xOx