Points to Consider While Searching for Piercing Shops
You have to be careful and aware while searching for a piercing shop. This is because blood borne diseases can be easily spread through contamination by blood and other body fluids. So it is important to search the internet for piercing shops near me and consider the following points while choosing one.
The Piercing Shop Should Have APP membership
The Association of Professional Piercers (APP) is the longest-running organization for professional piercing in the US. Ideally, you should settle for a piercing shop that has APP membership because they are generally ethical and have the necessary skills and techniques to do body piercings.
Avoid Piercing Guns
If your search for ‘piercing shops near me’ on the internet yields results where they use piercing guns, you should not visit them.
Piercing guns are not precise and are unregulated as they use studs for piercing which are not sharp and it displaces the tissue where a scar may develop. But when you are getting pierced with a hollow needle, there is more precision as the hand is in control and can guide it more steadily.
Review Their Sterilizer
The piercing shop should have an autoclave machine in good condition. An autoclave machine sterilizes the tools and the jewelry using steam and pressure and gets rid of bacteria which can cause infection. A spore test is the only way to know if the autoclave machine is working properly. The piercing shop should have results on file which they must be willing to share with you.
Review the Set-up
They should set up piercing equipment in front of you. The person who will do the piercing should wash his or her hands and use gloves. All needles should be in sterile packages and they should only be opened in your presence.
Also, find out if the piercing shop disposes of all needles in a sharps container after a single-use. Check if the walls and the floor are clean. And if the staff look bathed and neat.
Ideally, a piercing shop has five spaces-a counter, a waiting room, piercing room/s, a separate sterilization room, and a bathroom. All spaces should be clean and tidy.
Look for the Piercing Shop’s Aftercare guidelines
The aftercare for your piercing should be properly explained to you and also provided to you in writing. Ask for the piercing shop’s aftercare guidelines before you go for the piercing and find out on the internet if they are up to date.
Ask the Piercer About Knowledge and Experience
Piercing isn’t an easy trade. It requires a lot of skill to do piercings and place jewelry on your body. There is nothing wrong with asking how long your piercer has been doing piercings. How he or she learned to pierce and how the piercer has kept his knowledge base current.
Review Portfolio
Take a look at the photos in their portfolio and try to ascertain if the piercing looks good on the body or do they look awkward and out of place. If the piercing does not go with the personality of the individual then it will be an eyesore. Also, look for signs of misaligned placement and if there are any, it is a potential red flag.
Don’t Ignore Your Instincts
Talk to the staff in the piercing shop. If you don’t feel comfortable you should not hesitate to leave. Don’t get talked into getting a piercing done in that shop. It is better not to get a piercing done than get a piercing that you are not completely satisfied with.
Also, look at social media reviews and comments about the piercing shop.
Piercing by a skilled piercer with proper safety and sanitization measures can be costly. Though there are always some people who will try to dupe you, use your instincts to settle on the right piercing shop.
Conclusion
Searching the internet for ‘piercing shops near me’ and remembering the points mentioned in this article will help you to choose a good piercing shop. But when you decide to get a piercing done, don’t be impulsive. It’s your body and there can also be health and psychological implications. Take your family’s opinion and help to arrive at the right decision.
