Seek your experience

Q: How do I pick a good body piercer? - Tim

A: The selection of a piercer is very personal and depends upon your own set of criteria about your piercing experience.

Start by viewing your piercing not as a few exciting moments in the piercing chair, but as the entire experience, even once you have left the shop. The piercer will be inserting a foreign object into your body, so the way the object is placed, the jewelry and materials used, and the knowledge the piercer has and shares will be key elements to your long-term piercing outcome.

Before we can answer your question, we need to throw a few questions back to understand your criteria. Are you seeking a piercer who has proven knowledge, technique, and artistry? Is it important for you to have a trusting and comfortable relationship with your piercer? Are safe practices and sterility important? Is low price what you are seeking?

Many times, people begin by asking about price and skip the other factors that might be important to them.  Since there are no body piercing regulations in Iowa, doing your homework about what you might expect for the end-to-end piercing experience will be your best bet to ensure a successful outcome.  

Begin by investigating information online.  Read reviews, send emails, and check with the Association for Professional Piercers (APP). The APP is an international non-profit alliance dedicated to the dissemination of information about body piercing. In addition to providing useful information, their website, www.safepiercing.org, lists APP members in your area who meet their minimum education, studio, and jewelry quality standards. This can narrow down your search, depending upon what is important to you.
After you have selected a few studios, arrange to take a tour of the facility and meet your potential piercer. Any shop worth considering will jump at this opportunity. Arrive with a set of questions, beng sure to focus on areas of major importance to you. Ask what type of materials they use for jewelry and how they sterilize tools and jewelry for piercing. Ask what they recommend for aftercare (product and technique) and if they have any concerns about the potential healing of your desired piercing. Ask what makes them a good piercer and how they will ensure the piercing will be a positive experience.

While some answers are clearly better than others, trust your gut regarding how you might feel getting pierced in that studio. The very last question you should ask is about price. Once you understand how well the studio and piercer will fit your criteria, you will be more able to make an educated decision about what price aligns with what you have learned.

While it can be a bit overwhelming selecting a piercer, having a few handy tools at your disposal will only work to help you feel comfortable that you are in qualified hands, so you can have a wonderful experience that you can treasure for a lifetime.

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