Piercing 101: Everything you need to know about getting pierced by Oli

So you’re considering getting a piercing at Stigma Tattoo, or maybe you’ve just booked in, and now you’re thinking to yourself “Wait... what’s actually going to happen at my appointment?”

Well, you’ve come to the right place! I’m Oli, and I’ve been the resident piercer at Stigma Tattoo for around 3 years. In this post I’m going to walk you through everything you might want to know

before getting a piercing with me.

Come prepared

I would say let’s start at the beginning, but actually, there’s some things you should be doing (and not doing) before you even get to the studio.

First things first, no alcohol or other intoxicating substances for 24 hours prior to your appointment. Sorry to be a party-pooper, but not only will it thin your blood and make my job more difficult, I don’t think getting a piercing is at the top of anyone’s list of fun hangover activities! Your body has a lot to deal with when you get pierced, so try your best to get a good night’s sleep the night before, and make sure you have a proper meal before coming in.

I also recommend bringing some sweets or a sugary drink with you on the day, just in case, and

maybe a fidget toy or stress ball if you think it might help with nerves.

It’s piercing day!

After welcoming you to Stigma, the first thing we’ll do is head over to the jewellery cabinets so you can decide which piece you want to be pierced with. I’ll talk you through the different jewellery that would work for the piercing you’re getting, and I’m always happy to make suggestions and help you pick the perfect piece. Whether you choose a basic titanium ball or a solid gold statement piece, all our jewellery is from APP-verified companies using the highest quality implant-grade materials, so you can rest assured you’re making the safest choice for your body.

Once you’ve chosen your jewellery, I’ll bring it into the piercing room and pop it in the autoclave to sterilise. While that’s happening, I’ll check your ID and ask you to fill out a consent form, before

getting set up for your piercing.

The procedure

After getting the boring paperwork bit out of the way, I’ll bring you into the piercing room. The

jewellery will likely still have a few minutes left to sterilise, so now is the perfect time to address any concerns you have and ask any questions. It’s okay feel nervous, but remember you’ll be in control the whole time. I’ll talk you through everything so you’ll know exactly what’s happening and why, and if at any point you want to take a minute or even stop, just say the word and I’ll stop what I’m doing.

I’ll start by cleaning the area and marking up where the piercing is going to go. You’ll be able to have a look in the mirror to make sure you’re happy with the placement, and if you want to move it, we absolutely can. Once we’ve settled on the placement, I’ll give the area one last clean and get lined up for the piercing. I’ll then have you take a nice deep breath in, and I’ll pierce as you breathe out.

Every piercing I perform is done with a single-use sterile needle, making for a super quick and

smooth process and causing as little trauma to the body as possible. I also use a tool-free method for most piercings, meaning everything will be that much more straight-forward.

Before you know it, you’ll be done with the scary bit, I’ll have fitted your jewellery and you’ll have a brand new piercing!

I can’t tell you exactly how much it’ll hurt as each person’s pain tolerance is different, but what I can say is that it’s almost definitely not as bad as you think, and the piercing itself is about as quick as clicking your fingers.

Aftercare

Once the piercing is complete, I’ll give everything a little wipe with some sterile saline and you can check out your new addition in the mirror!

At the end of your appointment, I’ll talk you through everything you need to do to look after your piercing. It can feel like a lot of information, but don’t worry about trying to remember everything, I’ll be sending you home with an aftercare sheet so you can double-check any bits you’re not sure on. If ever you get stuck, or you notice something that doesn’t look right, I’m only an email or instagram DM away. I’ll answer any questions you have, and you can always pop in for me to make sure your healings going smoothly.