(SOURCE) SUBMITTER COMMENT: this girl goes to school with me and posted this on instagram the other day. this isn’t the first time she’s tried to pierce herself with a safety pin or the like. last time, she attempted to pierce her lip with a sewing needle. it got infected, i do believe. she claims the sewing needles and safety pins she uses are ‘sterile’ because she puts rubbing alcohol on them. WHAT’S AWFUL: she continues jabbing herself in the face with random pointy objects she finds lying around her house and thinks it’s perfectly sanitary and a-okay. HOW TO FIX IT: go to a professional!
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(SOURCE)

SUBMITTER COMMENT: this girl goes to school with me and posted this on instagram the other day. this isn’t the first time she’s tried to pierce herself with a safety pin or the like. last time, she attempted to pierce her lip with a sewing needle. it got infected, i do believe. she claims the sewing needles and safety pins she uses are ‘sterile’ because she puts rubbing alcohol on them.

WHAT’S AWFUL: she continues jabbing herself in the face with random pointy objects she finds lying around her house and thinks it’s perfectly sanitary and a-okay.

HOW TO FIX IT: go to a professional!

Source: Myself Today I went to get a new lip piercing (silver) from a piercing shop which was advertising $25 piercings from their new trainee. I was assured that she had done 120+ piercings so far and that they had all turned out well. When I got to the shop I noticed that they did both gun piercings and needle piercings (with a separate price list for each), which made me shudder, but since I’d driven all the way there and they seemed hygienic, I decided to go through with it. What’s awful: Apparently it didn’t occur to her that she would need to line the new piercing up with my old one (black) on the inside of my lip too. The new one pointed downwards as opposed to being straight because of how high the back was. How it can be fixed: I managed to take it out (not sure if I should have but I couldn’t stand having it in my face). I will be going back to my usual piercer in future.
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Source: Myself

Today I went to get a new lip piercing (silver) from a piercing shop which was advertising $25 piercings from their new trainee. I was assured that she had done 120+ piercings so far and that they had all turned out well. When I got to the shop I noticed that they did both gun piercings and needle piercings (with a separate price list for each), which made me shudder, but since I’d driven all the way there and they seemed hygienic, I decided to go through with it.

What’s awful: Apparently it didn’t occur to her that she would need to line the new piercing up with my old one (black) on the inside of my lip too. The new one pointed downwards as opposed to being straight because of how high the back was.

How it can be fixed: I managed to take it out (not sure if I should have but I couldn’t stand having it in my face). I will be going back to my usual piercer in future.

apprenticeship

i desperately want to learn how to and start piercing people, although its not suggest i have pierced myself a couple of times and none have rejected nor gotten infected due to careful cleaning and proper “technique” or what little i have. where should i start looking? does one have to be a certain age before being allowed to pierce people? and last of all where could i find synthetic skin to practice on without the consequences of screwing up somebodies body?

_____________________________________________________

MODERATOR’S COMMENT:

If you really want to become a professional piercer, stop what you’re doing.

Don’t pierce yourself. Don’t pierce your friends. Don’t pierce “synthetic skin.”

Piercing is about so much more than just being able to stick a needle through something. Find yourself a good apprenticeship under a good (I cannot stress this enough, don’t just jump at the first opportunity you get) piercer, and they will get you started on the right path. It’s not necessarily an “easy” industry to get into, since everyone and their mother wants to be a piercer.

In the meantime, all I can suggest is doing some research. Find all the information you can, and read it three times. Use your internet resources! Comb through BME, blog posts by industry professionals, back issues of The Point. I know reading and learning is ~boring~, but if you’re looking for an exciting action-packed glamor job, you’re checking out the wrong industry.

DISCLAIMER: In case someone somehow reads my post wrong, I would like to point out that DOING THE RESEARCH I SUGGESTED DOES NOT MAKE YOU A PIERCER. IT DOESN’T EVEN NECESSARILY MAKE YOU QUALIFIED TO DISH OUT YOUR OWN PIERCING ADVICE. LEAVE IT TO THE PROFESSIONALS.

- Hayley

(SOURCE)

SUBMITTER’S COMMENT: This was a random dude I had on facebook. Just the tip of the ice berg. He works in one of the worst shops in the city, and brags about doing the most “outrageous” work he can think of. He is very experienced and his work is sterile - but that’s about where the positives stop. He has a creative mind, but not even nearly enough knowledge on anatomy or body modification to utilise it. Other work of his includes corset piercings using CBR’s, multiple piercings crammed so close together they’ll never settle (we’re talking 6 in one case), nipple piercings intentionally done so deep they’re in the areola, piercing through the fatty part of a finger between the first two knuckles using a circular barbell… you get the idea. 

WHAT’S AWFUL: In this particular one, it’s GUM piercings. Through the gum between teeth. Common sense alone can point out how intensive the potential dental damage is. 

HOW IT CAN BE FIXED: Take it out. Never let him attempt his “creative” work on you again. Also go to a dentist to get whatever damage he’s already caused fixed.

_______________________________________________

MODERATOR’S COMMENT:

Just gonna point out that a lot of corsets are done with CBRs by reputable piercers; they’re usually only meant to be temporary anyway, so it doesn’t really matter.

I know this subject is up for a lot of interpretation, whether you consider these things “awful mods” or just “different, possibly misunderstood mods.”

Here’s an article on trans-gum piercings by Shannon Larratt (who we all know is a proponent for different, possibly misunderstood mods)

- Hayley

Source: My own Facebook newsfeed of a guy in my year at school. Submitter Comment: Found the first beauty January 1st. This kid is down the drain a little (if you get what I mean) and is 16 years old. He attends an academic selective school. Now I may not be a pro with body modifications, but from reading this blog I know this isn’t right. He has multiple other piercings, including snake bites, tongue bar and a septum piercing - none done professionally. What’s Awful: He got his ears pierced. Three days later, he stretched to a 2 mil. 2 weeks later, he’s at an 8 mil. He has what seems like a plastic or acrylic taper in his ear. And in the left photo, he is asking his unlicensed, unprofessional friend to tattoo a minor without parental permission (which is illegal here (in Australia) and can result in gaol time) in most likely an unsanitary, dirty environment, stick and poke style. How it can be fixed: Well, honestly, get your head out of the gutter for starters and get educated. Take out the taper and let your ears heal before you do some permanent damage! Never go to an unlicensed tattooist, even if they are your “friend”. Save your money, go to someone who knows what they are doing and wait until you’re 18 or get parental permission. And never do your own piercings or get an unprofessional, unlicensed person to do them either!
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Source: My own Facebook newsfeed of a guy in my year at school.

Submitter Comment: Found the first beauty January 1st. This kid is down the drain a little (if you get what I mean) and is 16 years old. He attends an academic selective school. Now I may not be a pro with body modifications, but from reading this blog I know this isn’t right. He has multiple other piercings, including snake bites, tongue bar and a septum piercing - none done professionally.

What’s Awful: He got his ears pierced. Three days later, he stretched to a 2 mil. 2 weeks later, he’s at an 8 mil.

He has what seems like a plastic or acrylic taper in his ear.

And in the left photo, he is asking his unlicensed, unprofessional friend to tattoo a minor without parental permission (which is illegal here (in Australia) and can result in gaol time) in most likely an unsanitary, dirty environment, stick and poke style.

How it can be fixed: Well, honestly, get your head out of the gutter for starters and get educated.

Take out the taper and let your ears heal before you do some permanent damage!

Never go to an unlicensed tattooist, even if they are your “friend”. Save your money, go to someone who knows what they are doing and wait until you’re 18 or get parental permission.

And never do your own piercings or get an unprofessional, unlicensed person to do them either!

I think my septum has been done wrong

image

First of all, sorry for my bad english.

The thing is last week I went to a piercing/tattoo shop to have my septum done. I feel like it may be too low and now that the scab has gone the holes appear to be crooked. What do you think? What should I do? Thank you in advance.

MODERATOR COMMENT:
Well, because you included a picture, I’ll post it anyway even though you’re “anon at anon@anon.com” and usually we won’t respond to questions that don’t have an asker we can directly contact.

Anyway, I can’t tell you for sure, but it does look kind of low and a bit off center. The off center part could just be how your jewelry is sitting. However, where it should be in your nose is NOT in any cartilage. It should sit in your “sweet spot”. If you pinch your septum between your fingers you’ll feel this little area where it’s JUST skin. It’s between the outer part of your septum, and the cartilage that goes up your septum in the center. I think you’ll know what I’m talking about if  you feel your septum. If it’s not pierced in the sweet spot or where you’re happy with it, i’d take it out and get it redone somewhere better.

-Kat 

Submitter Comment: This is my friend. Sadly she never listens to me and she let her sister pierce her nose at her house.What’s Awful: She let her sister pierce her, at her house, with a thumbtack. Because they lit it on fire they think it’s okay. How it can be fixed: Take the piercing out, wait for it to heal, and then go to a good shop and get it done professionally.
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Submitter Comment: This is my friend. Sadly she never listens to me and she let her sister pierce her nose at her house.

What’s Awful: She let her sister pierce her, at her house, with a thumbtack. Because they lit it on fire they think it’s okay.

How it can be fixed: Take the piercing out, wait for it to heal, and then go to a good shop and get it done professionally.

Last year, my mom agreed to me getting my helix pierced. We found a shop in Troy, NY (I can’t remember the name) and we went to go get it done. When we got there, there was a woman at the front desk yapping on her cell phone and eating, and we were told to wait until she got off of the phone. When she finally hung up, we asked her what the pricing was and what jewelry she would recommend. She replied “Oh, I don’t know. Ask _____.” Turns out _____ was the artist and piercer, who was piercing a client on a table in the dead center of the room. Once he was done and we had done all of the necessary paperwork, he asked how old I was. When my mom said that I was 13, he said “Oh, we can’t pierce younger than 15 (come to find out later the legal piercing age in NYS on anything besides lobes is 16).” Then my mom said “So, if she’s 15 she can get pierced? Well then she’s 15.” He immediately agreed, and he set everything up and pierced me. Well an hour later I passed out from the pain. And the next day I woke up with a HUGE bubble on either side of the jewelry. I disregarded it, thinking it was normal. A month later, it was still there and was even bigger. I went to my doctor and she told me it was badly infected (even though I had been taking all necessary cleaning steps) and I was forced to take it out. Did I mention that he pierced it with a 12g hoop? Bottom line, don’t go to a place that is willing to overlook your age in order to get money.

This isn’t a submission of an awful modification, but a question. So today I went to a shop to  get my septum done, they didn’t have any horse shoes so I went to where they get their jewelry and I got fifty percent off of the jewelry, and they took ten off of the regular price for the piercing which was thirty. I told him that I liked his, and to put it in the standard place, which is the sweet spot. It’s basically through the bottom of my nose. I’m really pissed. I thought it would be perfect considering there’s only one other shop here, and they do shitty  everything. They screwed up on my lip piercing and hit a blood vessel and it bruised up and didn’t stop bleeding until it was fully healed. My mom got her cartilage pierced there a long time ago, and it was fine. I was kind of nervous because once I told him where I wanted it, he just put the clamp on, didn’t mark it, and stuck the needle through before I even knew where the hell the placement was gonna be. It was like saying “It’s your piercing but I’m gonna do it wherever the fuck I want to.” I called him and he said it was the shops policy that he did it where I said, and as I said before i said standard piercing place. I think it’s  too far down, and I guess they’re going to redo it for free further back when it fully heals. I’m really pissed. ._. Do you guys think it’s too far down? ________________________________________ MODERATOR’S COMMENT: Yes, it’s too low. I would not go back to that shop, why do you think it’s going to be any better this time? There are so many red flags here. They didn’t have the jewelry you wanted, for one. What kind of shop doesn’t keep circular barbells in stock? And the fact that you could go pick up jewelry from their “supplier” hints that it’s probably not good jewelry, because they should be ordering jewelry wholesale from a reputable company. Not getting it from a retail shop. And the “it’s shop policy to place it there” thing is just an excuse. Piercers and piercees pick the placement, not the shop. He’s trying to make it out like it’s not his fault that you had a bad experience, and it is. Take it out, keep it clean, let it heal, and I STRONGLY advise you don’t go back there, even if it’s free. If you give us your location we can try to locate a good piercer for you. I’m sorry you had such a bad experience. :( I hope it heals up quick and easy. - Hayley
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This isn’t a submission of an awful modification, but a question.

So today I went to a shop to  get my septum done, they didn’t have any horse shoes so I went to where they get their jewelry and I got fifty percent off of the jewelry, and they took ten off of the regular price for the piercing which was thirty. I told him that I liked his, and to put it in the standard place, which is the sweet spot. It’s basically through the bottom of my nose. I’m really pissed. I thought it would be perfect considering there’s only one other shop here, and they do shitty  everything. They screwed up on my lip piercing and hit a blood vessel and it bruised up and didn’t stop bleeding until it was fully healed. My mom got her cartilage pierced there a long time ago, and it was fine. I was kind of nervous because once I told him where I wanted it, he just put the clamp on, didn’t mark it, and stuck the needle through before I even knew where the hell the placement was gonna be. It was like saying “It’s your piercing but I’m gonna do it wherever the fuck I want to.” I called him and he said it was the shops policy that he did it where I said, and as I said before i said standard piercing place. I think it’s  too far down, and I guess they’re going to redo it for free further back when it fully heals. I’m really pissed. ._. Do you guys think it’s too far down?

________________________________________

MODERATOR’S COMMENT:

Yes, it’s too low. I would not go back to that shop, why do you think it’s going to be any better this time? There are so many red flags here.

They didn’t have the jewelry you wanted, for one. What kind of shop doesn’t keep circular barbells in stock? And the fact that you could go pick up jewelry from their “supplier” hints that it’s probably not good jewelry, because they should be ordering jewelry wholesale from a reputable company. Not getting it from a retail shop. And the “it’s shop policy to place it there” thing is just an excuse. Piercers and piercees pick the placement, not the shop. He’s trying to make it out like it’s not his fault that you had a bad experience, and it is.

Take it out, keep it clean, let it heal, and I STRONGLY advise you don’t go back there, even if it’s free. If you give us your location we can try to locate a good piercer for you.

I’m sorry you had such a bad experience. :( I hope it heals up quick and easy.

- Hayley