Is Piercing right for me ?
There are a number of reasons why some people who would like to have piercings might be excluded from doing so. This page is intended as a guide only. It is better to discuss your requirements with your piercer. There are 4 things that need to be taken into consideration when considering whether a piercing is right for you.
Age and Maturity
You would probably be really surprised at how many people we get in who are over 18, but show a really low level of understanding and maturity, and at how many under 18's actually show a high level of understanding and maturity. There is no age legislation for piercing in this country, which is why it's possible for hairdressers to pierce babies' ears. We believe that if a person cannot give informed consent, or doesn't fully understand the piercing procedure, then that person should be turned away, no matter what age. That's what piercing ethics are about. We have tried, in the past, to work to a strict code of practice as regards age, but we have found that most young people that we turn away go to unscrupulous piercers and get a bad piercing or even try to pierce themselves. This has led us to revise the age limits that we have previously worked to, until legislation is brought in.
From age 16 :
We will do all piercings APART from Intimate piercing.
From age 18 :
We will perform any of the piercings on the list, unless we believe that the piercing is not appropriate for that person.
Under 16's :
Important information for under 16's can be found using the menu on the left or by clicking here
Senior Citizens
We do see an awful lot of older people that would like a piercing. Our oldest lady is 94 Years and our oldest Gent is 76 Years. Older age need not be a problem, as long as your immune system is up to it. If you are concerned, it might be worth checking with your GP before coming to see us.
General health
Before considering piercing you must take a good long look at your general health. If you are ill, or are feeling stressed or run down, your immune system may well already be overworked and it might not be a good idea to have a piercing done at this time, as it will inevitably take longer to heal and would be more likely to migrate or develop an infection.
If you are taking Accutane or Ro-accutane to control acne you MUST NOT consider piercing until 6 Months after stopping treatment. This is because accutane changes the composition of your skin and dramatically increases the risk of migration and severe infection.
It's worth mentioning HIV and AIDS at this point. Many people with controlled HIV that hasn't become full blown aids have an immune system that can cope with piercing, but you must be careful, as the best defence against infection is unbroken skin. You must also use a piercer whose hygiene standards are high, not just because of the risk of passing on the virus, but because you are more at risk of infection being passed to you whilst your immune system is in a reduced state.
I know it isn't a health problem, but if you are pregnant you must not have any piercings. Your immune system will be overworked already and you won't heal a piercing as easily as you would normally. This could lead to migration and an added risk of infection. You may also hinder the proper growth of your baby by using energy that it needs.
Occupation and lifestyle
If you have a job or hobby where you will be in danger of knocking or banging your piercing, or you have to wear tight clothes over it, this could cause serious irritation and may increase the likelihood of infection and migration. Working in dusty or dirty conditions will also increase the risk. At this point it's worth mentioning that some employers will insist you take out the jewellery for work, which is only possible once the piercing has become permanent, so check with your employer that it's ok!
Season and weather conditions
There are some piercings that we consider 'seasonal'. The nape of the neck is more likely to heal well when pierced in late spring. Nose piercings heal better at the times when hay fever and colds don't affect it, usually in early autumn. Piercings that can be troublesome when knocked, like cartillage piercings are best being done when you're not playing football for a while.
Check with a good piercer for advice about different piercings. It's often worth waiting a while and having a beautifully healed piercing that's going to last, rather than an infected or migrating piercing just because you're impatient.
