What should I know before getting a piercing?

A new piercing will be sore, tender or red for up to three weeks. You should notify your piercer and seek medical advice if you notice signs of infection such as: extreme pain or redness around the sides; do not remove the jewellery until you seek advice.

Do not get a piercing if you are sick. Being unwell will slow the healing process and increase the risk of local infection.

Before Piercing Tattoo or other body modification:

• Think ahead – remember, tattoos and other markings are permanent. It is important to think about whether you want a tattoo or other mark for the rest of your life.
• Ouch! – piercings can leave scars or holes after you stop wearing the jewellery.
• Remember to protect yourself from diseases by going to a registered parlour with someone who is trained and hygienic!

What are your piercing hours?

Appointments
* We accept walk-ins for piercings on a first-served basis with our last piercing before close.

Please call the shop to check the piercing hours.
Parties of 2 or more people should allow time 30 minutes before closing to allow for all piercings to be performed. However, we highly recommend appointments. Having an appointment ensures you won’t have to wait when you arrive, giving you a more pleasant experience.

How old should I be to get a piercing ?

• You must be 18 years or older to get pierced without parental consent for: nipples, genitals, navels, tongues, cheeks and more advanced piercings.
• If you are between 16 – 18 years of age, you must present VALID photo ID to get piercings excluding the above list, however, please call the studio to enquire about the piercings you can get.
• If you’re under the age of 16, you can only get pierced by presenting VALID photo ID presenting your date of birth (we accept either school ID or passport), with parental/legal guardian consent. Your parent or legal guardian must be present with
  proof of guardianship (such as medicare card with both your names on it or birth certificate).

For first pairs of ear lobes, we will only pierce kids from 10 years old (with proof of parental/legal guardianship as stated above)

Why don’t use piercing guns ?

We don’t use piercing guns for several reasons:

• The first and most important is that they can be a source of infection transmission As they can not be completely sterilised, blood and other bodily fluids can get trapped on the piercing gun.
• Blunt force trauma to the tissue: Guns cause an extensive amount of trauma to the body and the layers of tissue that it is passing through, therefore, will cause improper healing and can lead to infection
• Jewellery used by guns tend to be “one size fits all” meaning that it does not allow for different length posts for people with different sizes earlobes. The butterfly clasp on the back of the jewellery harbours dirt, debris and bacteria.

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Needles – Are piercing needles used on only one person?

Professional piercing establishments will only use brand new disposable needles for each piercing procedure.

Used needles are disposable according to health depot regulations.

Can I lose sensation in the pierced area ?

For most people, a piercing increases sensation. That is one of the main reasons people get pierced. The percentage of people who have reported a loss of sensation is very low.

Is it going to hurt?

Your piercing will hurt. How much is dependent on the piercing and how you personally react. However, most piercings are a perfectly tolerable pain that will pass within moments, often described as a sharp pinch. Keeping still and following your piercer’s instructions will make the whole experience as quick and painless as possible.

Numb – Do you use any anaesthetics?

The first thing to remember is that fully numbing a piercing site until the piercing cannot be felt involves injecting a local anaesthetic. We are not licensed to do this! Numbing a piercing is just as painful as having it pierced!

Faint – Is it possible to faint while getting pierced ?

Fainting is a perfectly natural reaction to an outside shock or stress. Fainting can be avoided by doing two things; Eating substantial lunch/ breakfast before getting a piercing (full stomach and balanced sugar levels will keep you feeling good). Try to keep yourself as calm as possible. Getting worked up before a piercing means your body will produce a lot more adrenalin than normal. However, if you do faint it is not a problem. You will be on full-length couch and your piercer is experienced in spotting the signs of fainting.

How many piercings can I get it in one time?

We suggest that you get no more than 3 piercings to ensure that your body has a smooth healing process.

Healing – How long does piercing take to heal?

Healing time is different depending on the part of your body that you get pierced. Some parts of the body are more likely to get infected or have problems. Piercing on your ear lobes usually takes about 6-8 weeks to heal, however, on any kind of cartilage, it can take from 4 months to 1 year to heal.

Please check healing timetable:
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Should I avoid swimming?

You should avoid swimming for at least 24 hours after getting a piercing, and ideally until it has healed properly. Please stay clear of chlorine for at least 2 weeks from getting pierced. While it’s still healing, it’s important to keep the piercing dry as there’s a risk of infection.
If you do swim in the sea avoid the sand and wash with mineral clean tap water after. Avoid direct exposure to the sun.

Pregnancy

What if I am pregnant/get pregnant?

We do not pierce pregnant women for many reasons.

• The best thing to do when you get pregnant is inform your piercer of your new situation and come in for a consultation.
• Not everyone changes their jewellery as they progress, but some women find that most comfortable option for pregnancy is not wearing their jewellery.
• If you’re experiencing discomfort, let us know so that we can determine more suitable options such as a looser fit for your jewellery.
• If you will be removing it, we can help you in advance and show you how to remove and reinsert the jewellery if you are not already familiar with it.

What if I am breastfeeding? Will I be able to breastfeed with a nipple piercing?

Yes, but there are several considerations for the mother or mother to be before getting a nipple piercing.

Nipple piercings do not prevent breastfeeding. In fact, many lactating women find that a small amount of milk also come out to the piercing, which is harmless. However you will want your nipple piercing to be very well healed by the time you conceive. The changes that a woman’s body undergoes during pregnancy can make it too impractical for these piercings to finish healing at that time.
You should remove the jewellery when breastfeeding to avoid injury and for maximum comfort for both mother and baby. Beads, threaded balls, and rings are choking hazards for infants if they come loose accidentally with the motion of feeding. If the piercings are very well healed by the time breastfeeding begins, the jewellery may be easily removed and reinserted.

Jewellery – Ring or Bar?

The nature of piercing can sometimes dictate the jewellery used to ensure a quick healing time and both have their pros and cons. Your piercer will advise you on what jewellery is best. As a general rule, barbells and labrets sit flatter on your body, reducing agitation caused by the movement of the jewellery. For a specific jewellery recommendation on your specific piercing, please consult your piercer.

Re-pierce – Can you pierce through on old piercing ?

Yes, old piercings can be pierced through. We call this a RE-PIERCE. A few things to be aware of: It will hurt slightly more than the first time around. In some cases, your re-pierce can be tucked in behind the scar tissue, re-enforcing it if your first piercing had problems with rejection. This is particularly relevant for piercings such as eyebrow and navel piercings. If prominent scarring occurred the first time, re-piercing will only add to the scarring occasionally making it cosmetically unfeasible. Your piercer will advise you on this. If your piercing was incorrectly placed the first time, the piercer will not follow the previous scars left, sometimes visible scars from your first piercing.

Change the jewellery – How long do you have to wear the jewellery after getting ears pierced?

The reason why you cannot change your earring for 6 weeks is because the starter jewellery is a thicker metal so that during the six weeks your skin will re-heal around this thicker earring and when we take the earring out after six weeks, your pierced hole will be big enough (width) to accommodate any earring.

Can I bring my own jewellery?

We don’t use jewellery that is not sold in our shop.

In order to reduce the risk of infection and nickel allergy, we only use our medically sterile jewellery.
Surgical grade, G23, Titanium, higher than 14kt gold or P.T.F.E. plastic are the only materials you should be pierced with.
Titanium contains less nickel and alloys than steel, silver or any type of gold. It’s the nickel content that affects the healing of your piercing.

Size of jewellery

What size of jewellery is standard?

Piercing don’t have a specific size although there are often minimum sizes that work for most people. Despite the jewellery looking possibly larger, longer, or bigger than an average healed piercing, It must function properly and accommodate any possible swelling you have during the healing process. Jewellery which is not the right size for the individual, can cause healing problems.

Why can’t I have a smaller ring ?

What you imagine will look best, will not work best.The size must be tailored to your anatomy.

When can I remove or change the jewellery?

• There are two stages to healing. The initial stage seals the piercing and thus reduces the chances of infection dramatically.
• The second stage is longer and is the time it takes for the piercing to toughen up and season. During and after the latter stage, jewellery can be removed for varying lengths of time. The piercing will begin to shrink as soon as you remove the jewellery. How long it takes to shrink to a degree where you cannot reinsert the jewellery varies. Never force the jewellery into a piercing which has shrunk.

What type of jewellery can I use?

Is there type of jewellery that can be used for medical examinations or to keep the piercing opened while remove it ?
Retainers for Scan, MRI, CT.

• There is a range of clear plastic retainers available which are the most discreet jewellery. Though obviously not totally invisible.
• There is a range of clear plastic retainers which can be left in for scans and are also suitable for keeping your piercing open should you need an operation.

Where are you located?

We are located between Bondi Junction and Bondi Beach at 255 Bondi Rd – Bondi.

We relocated in 2008 from our previous location, which was just across the road from our new studio. View map

Parking hints: The closest unlimited, free parking spots are usually available in Boonara Ave, Castlefield St and just up the road from us on Bondi Road (always check the parking signs).

Bus: The 333, 380 and 381 bus stops are close to the studio and buses run every ten minutes to and from the Bondi Junction Interchange during the day and nearly as often to and from city centre.