Friday, January 20, 2006

Choosing The Right Piercing Artist

Selecting the Right Piercing Artist and Studio

Many people will recognize that it takes time to find a quality tattoo artist, but surprisingly will allow almost anyone to stick a needle in them for a piercing. Many of the basic rules apply to finding a piercing artist as well as a tattoo artist. You're just as much at risk for disaster without proper forethought.

Take Your Time

Getting a new piercing is exciting. It's also easier to tend to rush into, because it's not a lifetime commitment like a tattoo. But why spend your hard-earned money, or endure the pain and discomfort of a piercing, only to have it end in disaster? Take your time and find a really good piercing artist that you can feel confident in.

Visit Several Studios

Don't you just hate it when you buy something, thinking you got a great deal on it - only to find it cheaper and better down the road? If you have several studios in your area, visit as many of them as you can. You deserve the best! Be picky! If you live in a one-horse town with only one piercer, I would strongly suggest you be willing to travel to another town.

Check the Portfolio

Even piercers usually have a portfolio, especially if they take a lot of pride in their work. Take a look at examples of piercings they have done in the past. Do they look well-placed? Do lobe piercings look even? I'll admit it's difficult for an untrained eye to spot smaller piercing errors, but it helps to at least look.

Listen To Your Friends

Your friends can be a great resource to you. If they have had a good experience, they will probably recommend their artist. And if they've had a bad experience, I'm sure they'll warn you not to make the same mistake! Ask around. If you're outgoing, and you see someone walking down the street with a great piercing, don't be afraid to ask them where they got it! Most of us love to talk about our body art.

Begginners

Piercings are considerably more simple than tattoos, but they can also be more complicated. They are simpler because they're not as permanent, so the commitment isn't as great. You also don't have to choose a design that is special and meaningful, or spend hours searching for the perfect picture. Unlike tattoos, they're available (legally) to younger teens and are a lot less expensive.

However, the reasons they can be more complicated are that there are so many different styles to choose from. There are different pain levels and healing difficulties with each one. There are many different areas of the body that can be pierced, some safer than others. Knowing these factors can help you to make the right decision when thinking of getting a body piercing.

This guide will serve as a source of information for some of the more well-known piercings. It will inform you of where they are located, what they look like, what kinds of jewelry are best and the expected healing times. It will help you to choose the right piercing artist, and provide instructions on how to care for your new piercing. Eventually, more piercings, including less-common ones will be added.

Consult this guide when you consider a body piercing, and pass it along to your friends if they are thinking about it. Your best defense against a piercing disaster is knowledge.