Tattoo & Piercing

Video: My Dermal Experience – Up Close and Personal Dermal piercings, or microdermal implants, are a permanent method that involves making a single point perforation in the sub-dermal skin layer of the body. Professional piercers use either a piercing needle or a biopsy punch; our piercer uses the needle. First the piercer massages the area to help prevent excess bruising and pain. Then the area is thoroughly cleaned and the spot is marked where the piercing will occur. After the client has ok’d the position, the piercer uses a hollow piercing needle to create a pocket under the skin where […]

Video: Micky’s Madison Chest Dermal Follow along as the lovely Micky gets a Madison dermal piercing. Look for the money shot at around 47 seconds. Before doing the piercing, Micky’s neck and upper chest are thoroughly cleansed. Then a small mark is made as a guideline for placement, and a hollow piercing needle is poked through at an angle, creating a pocket-like puncture in the skin. Next, a microdermal anchor is inserted and twisted into place. After a little final cleanup, Micky and her new Madison piercing are ready to shine. Piercings that fall at the front of the neck […]

Video: Natori’s Tragus Piercing – Up Close and Personal First, the piercer uses cue tips to thoroughly cleanse the tragus area of the ear. Next, he marks a dot to show where the piercing will be positioned and has Natori check in the mirror and give the okay. A hollow needle receiving tube in placed at the opening of the ear canal directly under the tragus, to protect any other parts of the ear from accidentally getting poked. Then our piercee is instructed to take a deep breath, and the needle is pushed through. Jewelry is inserted, the ear cleaned […]

Saint Patrick’s Day: Irish History and Modern Culture Most of us know St. Patty’s Day as the modern secular celebration of Irish heritage involving good beer, good food, and of course, the color green . But did you know that this, one of the funnest holidays of the year, was originally based on something else? Saint Patrick is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland, and originally the March 17th feast held in his honor was a religious celebration to commemorate the deed. By the tenth century, St. Patrick’s feast was being celebrated by the Irish in many parts of Europe, […]

Rushing into the Season: Jewelry and Fun for NFL Football Fans As September starts itself up, the preseason winds to a close and football season is almost upon us. With a summer full of changes, reconstruction and some pretty good draft highlights, this fall will be hotter than ever with the upcoming regular season. Whether you’re sitting in the sun cheering for the Cowboys or up North waiting to cheer on the Bills in two feet of snow, it’s never too soon (or the wrong conditions) to show your support! Anyone can show up on game day wearing a jersey […]

Apprenticeships and Abuse Let’s talk about apprenticeships again today. Apprenticeships are arguably the only way to get into the tattoo or piercing industry. In order to do this craft correctly and comprehensively, you need an apprenticeship and a good mentor to guide you. For many years the narrative we told about apprenticeships was they they were hard to come by, hard work, and only for those fully dedicated to the craft. You would not be paid to apprentice, and in fact may need to pay your mentor for their time. You would be working 5-7 days a week, and would […]

Hair Dye and Styling with Piercings Like many folks out there, I dye and process my hair. I lighten it, I style it, I do all sorts of weird and wonderful things to it. And like many, I also have plenty of ear piercings. And if you have piercings and colored or processed hair, you may have already had experiences with these two things not getting along. Dye or product irritating a piercing, hair catching or tangling, or a hair stylist snagging a piercing. So today, I’m laying out all my tips and tricks for keeping your hair healthy and […]