Beginners Guide to Getting Pierced

You are ready to commit to an awesome piercing, but you need some guidance on how to make the right decisions during this process. This is the article for you! This step-by-step guide will help you determine the best way to obtain your first piercing.

Select Your Piercer

This is not a quick and simple task, it is the most important task in the process. You will need to research the piercing shops in your area and determine if they are licensed, clean, and hopefully members of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP). Then you need to pay a visit to each of your top-rated shops and watch how the perform piercings. Make sure they are using sterile equipment and that they have a great clean technique (not putting gloves on and then walking around and touching other things in the shop). They should put on new gloves and only touch you and the piercing equipment. Once you have found “the piercer,” you are almost ready to get your piercing.

Check their Portfolio

Once you have found the shop and piercer, take the time to flip through their portfolio and check their reviews out online. There should be recent piercings and the piercings that have healed for months, so you can get an idea on the quality of their work. You also want to know what they charge and if that is comparable to others and their rates. A standard nose, ear or lip piercing should only run $30-$60, depending on your location.

Make an Appointment

So, now you have the perfect piercer and idea for your piercing.Make an appointment and take the plunge. It may be a bit painful, but nothing you can’t handle. You may cry a bit, but it will be over in minutes. The adrenaline will pass and you will have your very own new piercing.

What’s Next?

Now, you need to ensure you are taking care of the piercing properly. The most important thing is to ensure it is clean. The piercing should be rinsed with saline solution to keep it clean and infection free. You should also avoid oceans, lakes, river, and hot tubs, which can breed bacteria. You have a tiny wound (aka hole) in your body and it can let invaders in and cause infection. You may be excited about your new piercing and want to accessorize and change your body jewelry, but refrain from this practice until your piercing has healed. You will know when it heals, because it will no longer be red or irritated and when you move your jewelry around it will not cause any discomfort. Some piercings will heal in 4-6 weeks and others may take up to 9 months to heal (like the industrial).

Enjoy your first piercing and ensure that it is a positive experience by selecting the proper piercer and by taking the proper precautions to care for your piercing afterwards. Piercings can be a great accessory and be nearly painless if you take care of them.