Piercing FAQs

For most piercings: No, we accept walk-in piercings every day; Last call for service is 10:30 PM. We will book appointments for children’s ear piercing with our lead piercer Steve. This allows us to avoid rushing and plan for unforeseen changes that can sometimes occur with children.

When done by a professional, absolutely. Our staff are required to have current bloodborne pathogens training, are well versed in cross contamination and aseptic technique. All piercings are performed with a single-use, autoclave sterilized needle, disposed of in a sharps container. Our piercers reserve the right to refuse piercings for various safety reasons, including:
-Improper anatomy
-Sunburned or otherwise damaged/compromised skin
-Anyone that is pregnant, breastfeeding or intoxicated

You must be at least 18 years of age with positive government issued identification to get pierced.

We can perform certain piercings on minors based on age, anatomy, piercer preference and the California law.
Ear lobe piercings are the most common and can be performed on minors 5 years and older.
Most facial and cartilage piercings are available to minors 15 years and older, based on the piercers comfort with the age and the procedure.
Nipple and genital piercing will never be performed and anyone under the age of 18.

Minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian for the duration of the visit. We require valid photo identification for both parties as well as the birth certificate for the minor.

Material, design and finish can all contribute to a healthy piercing so for initial piercings we require new jewelry provided by our studio. For well healed piercings, we’re happy to change to your appropriately sized personal jewelry. 

Most piercings are performed with implant grade titanium (ASTM F136). This is a proven material used widely in the medical industry for its biocompatibility. Additional materials that can be used are 18k & 14k gold, Niobium and borosilicate glass (Pyrex). If you have any questions as to the compatibility of a material, our piercers will be happy to help explain the differences and make the best choice. 

Body piercings are simply put, healing puncture wounds. We recommend a minimum of 6 weeks after getting a piercing before any type of swimming or submersion in a body of water (this includes your own bathtub). If swimming is unavoidable, some piercings can be covered with a waterproof bandage (navel piercings, as an example).

We all have heard about someone passing out in a piercing shop. The best way to avoid that from happening? Get a good night’s sleep before the day of your piercing. Make sure you are hydrated and have eaten a healthy meal before coming in. If you are feeling ill, haven’t slept well or had breakfast, you may be setting yourself up for a bad time.

Most piercings will heal better when performed with a labret stud. Rings generally contribute to excessive movement, which can draw out the length of the healing process. That said, there are a few piercings that are suited for a ring as initial jewelry (septum and daith piercings are good examples). For most other piercings, a stud will be worn for the initial healing process before switching to a ring for long-term wear.

Your piercer will provide you with your aftercare instructions and make sure any questions you have are answered. They will also provide a date for a return check-up visit

All piercings begin with initial jewelry sized for the swelling that will occur and will require downsizing. At that time your piercer will check on the initial healing and assess when the piercing may be ready to downsize to new jewelry that will be worn.