Now that body piercings are as common as haircuts, finding the perfect place to get them done is imperative - especially when it comes to your health and safety.
Body piercings make a statement, but you want it to be one of cleanliness and decoration, not one of infection and a need for medical care. The shop or gallery where you get your piercing needs to be researched not only for convenience, but for reputation. Make sure you don't get an inexperienced piercing technician or one who runs a dirty or illegal business.
Deciding on what you want to get pierced is the first step, since some shops won't do piercing of a strictly adult nature. Once you've decided, you need to research the galleries in your area. Make sure they do the piercing that you want, and look into the employee who will be doing the piercing. Most galleries have specific people who take care of the piercings, and some piercers specialize in the more difficult piercings. Keep in mind that piercing galleries almost always double as tattoo shops, so you need to make sure they have someone on staff that can take care of what you need.
The cleanliness of the shop is a huge factor. Piercings are already dangerous enough, and you don't need to put yourself at a higher risk for infections and other problems relating to the initial piercing. If you're using the internet to find your shop, look for reviews of the gallery. Also check the gallery's website to see if they list certifications and licenses. The internet isn't always reliable; to be safe, double-check when you get there.
After doing your research, you still need to keep your eyes open when you're at the gallery. If you see anything you don't like, whether it's a dirty shop or shady people, go somewhere else. If the technician asks you to do something you're not comfortable with, ask for an explanation. If it doesn't check out in your opinion, find another gallery. Others may be more expensive, but your safety is of primary importance, and any hospital bills would be far more expensive.
Once you've decided on a shop, make sure you don't have any metal, latex, or rubbing alcohol allergies. If you do, then be sure to let your piercer know you'll need hypoallergenic metals or alternative disinfectants. Also, ask what cleaning products he recommends for aftercare; this way you know what you're getting yourself into before you do it.
Prices shouldn't be the determining factor for what gallery you patronize, but don't get ripped off. Belly button piercings tend to be around $50-60; piercings for earrings and cartilage differ depending on whether they use a gun or a needle; tongue and eyebrow piercings tend to be closer to $80; and nose and lip piercings tend to be around $40-50. Prices all depend on which starter ring you get and the standard rates of the piercing gallery you've chosen.
Piercings take months to heal; take any advice the technician gives you to heart and you should avoid infection. Most galleries are glad to answer questions after the fact, so keep your gallery's number handy in case of emergency.
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