Studio Policies &
Frequently Asked Questions
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What are your hours of operation?
We are open 7 days a week! 11am-7pm Monday through Saturday and from 12pm-6pm on Sunday. Services are usually by appointment only, and we are available for to-go jewelry purchases on a walk-in basis. Extended hours outside of those posted are by appointment only.
Where do I park?
Plaza Midwood is experiencing a boom of growth, and parking can be limited at times. We do not have our own parking lot, but there is public parking available across from Pizza Peel and along the wooden fence behind our studio. Please don't park in areas marked as "no parking" or where there are signs posted for other businesses--they will tow!
Do I need an appointment?
Walk-ins are always welcome for jewelry sales. Services are generally by appointment only.
Appointments can be booked easily on our Make An Appointment page of our website. We do not book appointments over the phone or in-studio.
What if I need to cancel/reschedule?
Please direct scheduling requests to the Reschedule/Cancel An Appointment page, as appointments cannot be cancelled or rescheduled via phone, general email, social media, or in person at the studio. Please be sure to review the Booking Terms & Cancellation Policy.
I'm running late for my appointment--what do I do?
We generally have a very full, tight schedule, but we know sometimes traffic can be terrible! We allow a 10-minute grace period for piercing services before needing to reschedule; other services have a 5-minute grace period. If you're arriving outside of that grace period, your piercer may still be able to accommodate you, but that depends on how full their schedule is and whether you have time to wait for them to find an opportunity to squeeze you in. There is absolutely no guarantee we will be able to see you in you're late! Be sure to review the Booking Terms and Cancellation Policy for additional details.
What piercings do you offer?
We offer most safe piercing procedures. To inquire about a specific piercing, please send us a message! We do not perform piercings that are not safe or viable, including horizontal tongue piercings (snake eyes/scoops); piercings/dermals on hands/feet/etc; surface piercings with curved barbells; or piercings that you aren't anatomically suited for (we recommend booking a consultation to determine if a specific piercing will work for you!). Your health and safety are our number one priority! Additionally, none of our staff members currently offer pubic mound (Christina) piercings, triangle piercings, Princess Albertina piercings, clitoris glans piercings, side-by-side (Venom) tongue piercings, tongue frenulum (frowny) piercings, nassalang piercings, or dahlia piercings.
How old do I have to be to get a piercing?
You must be 18 years old to be pierced unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to sign the release form. We require a valid, government-issued ID for anyone getting a piercing. If you are under 18, we'll need your ID as well as your parent's ID. Last names and addresses must match; if they don't (or you don't have a photo ID), we'll need a copy of your birth certificate or court-appointed custody documents proving guardianship. We cannot accept phone photos of these documents---only hard copies. There are age restrictions on some piercings for minors, listed below, so please contact us with specific questions BEFORE booking your appointment.
-Earlobe piercings start at 5 years old.
-Single, simple Helix piercings start at 12 years old.
-Standard Nostril and Lip piercings start at 13 years old.
-Tragus, Conch, Forward Helix, Rook, Eyebrow, Septum, Tongue, and Navel piercings start at 14 years old.
-Industrial, Philtrum, Bridge, Forward-facing Nostril (Mantis), and Daith piercings start at 16 years old.
-Snug, Cartilage Orbital, Smiley, Nipple, Genital, High Nostril, and Surface piercings start at 18 years old.
Why would I need a piercing consultation?
Some piercings are anatomy-dependent, meaning your body part has to be shaped a certain way or be a certain size to be pierced. Common examples of this include industrials, orbitals, rooks, double tragus, navels, smileys, and more. Consultations are also strongly recommended for piercings that will be placed in or near scar tissue from surgical repairs; these are most successful at 1-2 years after the repair to avoid further damage to the tissue. We offer a consultation appointment to make sure that you can successfully get the piercing you want! It's not required to book a consultation for most piercings, but we still strongly suggest it. If you don't book a consultation, you should have a backup plan for a different piercing in case you're not eligible for the one you originally wanted. Oh, and your successful consultation scores you a $5 off coupon code to use when booking your piercing appointment! To see with services *require* a consultation, check out the Available Piercings page.
What things might prevent me from getting a piercing at this time?
You'll need to make sure you meet the age requirement for the piercing you'd like, and you'll need a valid ID. We can't service you if you're under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or if you appear/act inebriated. If you're pregnant, less than 6 weeks postpartum, or nursing a child under 6 months old, you'll need to wait on your new piercing, but we can change or remove jewelry for you! We also highly recommend not getting pierced if you are about to have or recently had surgery or a serious injury. We'll need a doctor's note stating it's ok for you to get a piercing if you're currently under a physician's care or if you have an ongoing/past medical condition that we need your doctor's approval for. If we're piercing near a surgically altered site, like reconstructed ear lobes, it needs to be a minimum of a year post-op, and you'll need to schedule a consultation. Due to health and placement concerns, we also can't pierce anyone who has applied a topical anesthetic or numbing cream to the area to be pierced, so please avoid doing so prior to your appointment! At this time, we are unable to offer services to anyone displaying any symptoms of respiratory illness, who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days, or who have had a known COVID-19 exposure in the last 14 days. If you're sick, please wait and come see us when you're healthy!
If your anatomy isn't suitable for the piercing you want, we'll try our best to help you choose something equally awesome that will work for you, but we won't risk performing an ill-advised piercing against our professional judgment. Please be respectful of our staff and other clients, of course---we have the right to refuse service to any person who acts in a rude, vulgar, or otherwise inappropriate way.
What forms of ID do you accept?
We require a current, state or government-issued ID for anyone getting a piercing and for any nipple/genital consultations or jewelry changes. We cannot accept expired IDs or photos of IDs. We also cannot accept school IDs, social security cards, or insurance cards.
Minors who are being pierced need to have an official photo ID, as well as your parent/guardian's ID. Last names and addresses must match; if they don't (or you don't have a photo ID), we'll need a copy of your official birth certificate or court-appointed custody documents proving guardianship.We cannot accept phone photos of these documents---only hard copies. Please note that unofficial "wallet birth certificates" that do not have the child's full name, birth date, and parent's full names cannot be accepted.
How much does a piercing cost?
Our piercing fees are $30 - $75 (plus jewelry), and we offer discounts on multiple piercings on the same person during the same session. We have jewelry options to fit nearly every style and budget, ranging from basic implant-grade titanium to 18k gold with genuine diamonds and precious gems. The choice is yours! Jewelry options for most piercings start at $25 each. If you're unsure about the total cost of your piercing, please contact us before booking an appointment using the Contact Us page.
I bought some jewelry and it doesn't fit or I don't love it as much as I thought I would. Can I return it?
Unfortunately, we are not able to accept any returns or exchanges for body jewelry once it has left the studio. Because it is worn inside of the body, it can never truly be cleaned enough to be used by another person. You wouldn't want to put jewelry in your body you wouldn't feel safe about!
Can I bring my own jewelry?
We only use undamaged jewelry from our studio or APP-approved manufacturers. We do not pierce with or install jewelry that does not meet our quality specifications, because we believe you deserve only the best and safest! We only install jewelry that fits the following criteria: was purchased at our studio in the last 3 years; was purchased at another APP-member studio and meets APP requirements; was purchased elsewhere but can be verified to be from a quality APP-approved manufacturer. We do NOT install the following: jewelry from Claires, Spencers, Wal-Mart, or other mall-type stores; jewelry from Etsy, Metal Mafia, or other manufacturers that are not APP-compliant; jewelry that has been worn by someone other than yourself; jewelry that is damaged (i.e. scratched/warped); jewelry that is visibly dirty; jewelry that is externally threaded. If you are bringing existing jewelry with you for a service, please bring the jewelry in a disposable baggie and give it to our counter staff upon arrival so that it can be sanitized prior to insertion.
Which jewelry companies do you carry?
We carry only the best quality jewelry the piercing industry has to offer! These include: NeoMetal, Anatometal, Body Circle, People's Jewelry, Industrial Strength, Zadamer, Season's Handmade, Junipurr, Adeline Roz, Body Gems, Dusk, Alchemy Adornment, Kiwi Diamond, Sleeping Goddess, Regalia, Modern Mood, BVLA, Buddha Jewelry Organics, Maya, Diablo, & Tawapa.
Can I bring a friend with me when I get pierced?
Sure! We prefer that you come into the piercing room alone in order to limit distractions (your friend can wait in our lobby!), but if you really want them with you, you're welcome to have ONE person stand in the doorway of the piercing room. We do expect guests to be non-disruptive. If they can't stand in the designated Moral Support Corner or observe quietly, we may have to ask them to wait in the lobby. We want our full focus to be on giving you the best piercing possible! Please note that no child under 10 years old can be allowed in the piercing room (unless they're personally receiving a service, of course!). If you're bring a little one under 10 years old with you, please also bring along another adult to wait in the lobby with them while you're receiving service.
Can I record my piercing happening?
You're welcome to take a before/after photo, but we do not allow photos, videos, livestreams, or phone calls during the piercing procedure. This can be very distracting to both the person piercing as well as the person being pierced. We're sure you'll find another way to become TikTok famous! :)
Should I tip my piercer?
Piercing is a service industry and tipping is customary and appropriate, but certainly not required. Most clients tip their piercer in the same manner they would tip their restaurant server, hair stylist, etc.
Do I have to wear a mask?
Masks are no longer required in the studio; however, your piercer will be wearing a mask during your appointment.
Why is no one answering your phones when I call?
At this time, we are maintaining communication and answering questions via email and social media only. This is to reduce the amount of face-touching and phone-holding our staff has to do while at work, thereby reducing the chances of illness. Also, we're a very busy studio, so we don't want our clients' appointments interrupted by constant phone ringing. Feel free to reach out via the Contact Us link on our website or by social media messaging. You'll usually receive a response in a couple hours or less.