There was a time when being a successful piercer mostly meant…being a good piercer. You built trust through your healed work, your bedside manner, your portfolio (physical media, held at the front counter, flipped through with reverence), and the quiet network of clients who recommended you to friends. You spent your energy learning anatomy, refining techniques, studying jewelry, and building relationships inside your local community. Spending a Friday night at the bar was the most important...

It is no secret that professional piercers are not a fan of home piercings. And for honesty, quite valid reasons- we are who fix things when they go wrong. We are who break the news to someone that they need a hospital visit or a trip to the dermatologist. And that’s a hard thing to do, time and time again, and not become bitter and resentful over. We care about our clients' bodies, and it's hard to see people get hurt. At the same time, I would be remiss to pretend that many piercers didn’t...

A piercer uploads a photo of a nostril piercing they did to a forum, asking if they can have help sourcing a matching end, as their client wanted a pair, but they only have one in stock. The first comment reads, “Can’t help with the end, but honestly, it shouldn’t matter. That placement is wack, why would you ever place it there?” The second comment says, “I can’t help but notice you have this poster on your wall. Is it properly framed? If it’s not properly framed, that could be a health...