Ever heard the one about the client who used the wrong aftercare? His septum piercing exploded…Yeah, the piercing myths and rumors get that ridiculous. We’ve all been there, eye-rolling at the stupid lore. But guess what? Not unsurprisingly, some of your clients might actually believe these myths.
Approaching misinformation and setting the record straight not only establishes your credibility as a professional piercer but also sets your clients up for a better piercing experience. Better as in, better-healed results and faster recovery time.
In this blog, we’ll help you tackle crazy myths your clients need to unlearn.
PIERCING MYTH #1: TWISTING YOUR JEWELRY MAKES PIERCINGS HEAL FASTER
Back in the ’90s and early 2000s, it was common practice to twist your body jewelry. Piercers sometimes recommend it as part of a successful aftercare routine. Clients justified it by saying it “sped up the healing process.” Unfortunately, many clients still believe this to be true. Spoiler alert for those clients: it’s total nonsense.
BUSTING THE MYTH
As you know, twisting your jewelry does more harm than good. So, here’s the scoop: even if your client doesn’t mention that they twist their jewelry, bring it up after a piercing. Tell them to keep it as still as possible during the healing process… no matter how “cool” it looks to twist it.
Countering this advice, your client might mention that twisting their jewelry helps them loosen crusties. So offer them the tried-and-true alternative: Tell them to soak their piercing + jewelry in saline solution to loosen the dreaded crusties.
PIERCING MYTH #2: PIERCING INFECTIONS GALORE
The hysteria around piercing infections makes them sound like an epidemic. Truth bomb for your clients: they’re rarer than they think. Most piercings heal up successfully when taken care of properly (and when performed by a professional like yourself). However, there are ways to set your paranoid client at ease.
BUSTING THE MYTH
No panic mode, folks! Let your clients know that swelling, discharge, and redness are often just signs of your body doing what it does best: repairing and healing itself. Of course, you can mention to them that if things seem rocky, they can reach out to you for aftercare tips. And if things get extreme, it’s always wise to hit up a doctor. But more often than not, the situation is not dire, and the piercing site is inflamed rather than infected. It just takes time to heal. Cue the sigh of relief.
PIERCING MYTH #3: CARTILAGE PIERCINGS = INSTANT KELOIDS
Yep, there are plenty of clients out there who believe they’re doomed to a keloid if they get a cartilage piercing. This can turn plenty of potential clients of too getting a new industrial, daith, conch, or curated ear. Lots of clients mostly worry about keloids for aesthetic reasons. But sometimes, keloids can be painful, which can also be a deterring factor. Here’s how to knock the keloid-fear on its ass.
BUSTING THE MYTH
Make this abundantly clear to your worried client: keloids aren’t a guarantee every time you get a cartilage piercing. If your client’s got a bump, it’s probably not a keloid. More often than not, it’s a good old-fashioned irritation bump. It can also be an allergic reaction to some metals or hypertrophic scarring. But keloids? Those are generally caused by genetics. Excessive trauma can also cause keloids, like being caught in hair or clothing constantly.
PIERCING MYTH #4: PIERCING GUNS = QUICK & SAFE
Unsterilizable, painful, and often wielded by the untrained, we all know piercing guns are a HARD pass. But tons of clients, most especially parents holding hands with their small children, don’t know that. These clients likely won’t be in your shop asking for a daith piercing. However, if you know any of these people in your life, educating them is crucial. Steer them toward a safer piercing experience with a sterile needle instead… maybe by yours truly.
BUSTING THE MYTH
All you have to say is this: Should anyone approach you wielding a piercing gun, run screaming for the hills. Okay, just kidding. But let them know what you know best: a sterile piercing procedure with a high-quality, clean needle is much less traumatic to the skin. Let ‘em know that the spring-loaded mechanism in a piercing gun causes shocking tissue damage to an ear lobe, and can thus increase the risk of infection (as mentioned above, clients are terrified of infection).
You can also let these clients know that they’ll have more jewelry options when they’re pierced by a sterile needle. After a piercing gun procedure, studs with butterfly backings are really the only option. That’s no fun at all.
PIERCING MYTH #5: YOU CAN USE ANY TYPE OF JEWELRY IN A NEW PIERCING
If you just screamed reading this, we don’t blame you. But there are clients out there who will want to dive straight into their favorite fashion piece… no matter the material. These clients tend to be stubborn, but there’s a way to deal with them.
BUSTING THE MYTH
You’ll have to play on their fear of infection again. Or at least an allergic reaction… or at the very least, discoloration. Tell them some materials, like high-quality titanium, are safest for new piercings. New piercings, after all, are at their most sensitive, so you want to wear the most hypoallergenic, skin-friendly metal possible.
Addressing this myth is most important for first-time clients. Clients with tons of piercings may have experimented wrongly in the past with all different kinds of metals. Consequently, they know what works with their skin. However, it’s still always a good idea to advise clients NOT to choose new jewelry willy-nilly. (Moreover, you can refuse to sell them anything that may not sit well in a new piercing—you’ve got the power here).
PIERCING MYTH #6: INSTANT HEALING SIGHTINGS
Some clients swear up and down their piercings healed in a week. Even days. We’re sure you’re laughing… and we’re sure you’ve heard it before. As you know, healing takes time, and prematurely ditching aftercare can lead to trouble.
BUSTING THE MYTH
Simply tell them that looks can be so deceiving. Just because you don’t feel any uncomfortable sensations and the piercing looks like it’s healed… doesn’t mean it is. Warn that changing their jewelry too quickly or dropping an aftercare regimen can set them up for infection or irritation.
PIERCING MYTH #7: OINTMENTS + ESSENTIAL OILS ARE MIRACLE WORKERS
Hopefully your client will ask you about this before cracking open the Neosporin and Essential Oils. Some of them have heard from their friends, relatives, or unqualified DIY piercer back home that ointments and scented agents are the way to go. Feel free to gasp in horror if they bring this up to you. That oughta drive the message home. But here’s what you can say to convince them otherwise.
BUSTING THE MYTH FOR YOUR CLIENTS
Instill the fear of TOO MUCH MOISTURE in your clients. Ointments can clog their pores, suffocate their piercing, and promote a nice, wet environment for a bacterial fiesta. As such? Infection becomes far more likely. As for those essential oils… let them know that a good smell is a bad sign. Aromas can irritate new piercings, inflame them, and prolong the healing process. Tell them essential oils are an excellent way to go for a piercing that smells great… and breaks out instantly.
The best thing you can do is offer top-quality aftercare at your shop. That way, you can upsell to your client in the same appointment and make sure they’re using the right stuff. Check out the best piercing aftercare available on our site.
MYTH #8: PIERCINGS CAN CLOSE UP INSTANTLY WHEN JEWELRY IS REMOVED
Clients worry about this nonsense all the time. Compared to the other concerns in this list, it’s not totally off-base. Naturally, some clients have piercings that close up more quickly than others. That’s just the way it is. But to suspect instant closure? That’s rare.
BUSTING THE MYTH FOR YOUR CLIENTS
Recommend that new clients consult you before changing their jewelry—particularly if they’re changing jewelry for the first time. You can offer to change the jewelry for them.
But for clients who want to go without jewelry for a while, let them know that their piercing may shrink or close over time. That’s natural. But it’s harmless to put them at ease and say it likely won’t close up right away. Inform them that healing times vary, and closure time will depend largely on their piercing’s gauge, and how recently it was pierced.
PIERCING MYTH #9: STRETCH WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES
With the rampant popularity of stretched piercings, you’d think this myth would die. Alas, it has not. So many clients are ready to jump from a 16g to a 00g overnight. There are serious consequences to believing in this myth. Consequently, it’s totally okay to look at your client like they’re crazy if they suggest doing it.
BUSTING THE MYTH FOR CLIENTS
Advise a slow, controlled stretching process, preferably with supplies like stretching tape or ear weights. Many professional piercers recommend established periods of time they tell their clients to adhere to between stretches. If that’s the case for you, create a handout for ambitious clients stretching their piercings. Warn that stretching too soon can lead to blood, blowouts, and irreparable damage.
This is another situation where upselling aftercare works to you and your clients’ advantage. Offer jojoba oil as lubrication for stretching. Plus, offer things like Saline Wash or Skin Conditioner to clean stretched piercings and further lubricate large-gauge jewelry. Moreover, you can offer your clients stretching assistance, having them come to you each time they want to go up a size. Slow and steady wins the race, as they say.
PIERCING MYTH #10: DAITH PIERCINGS = THE EVERYTHING-FIXER
Has a client asked you if daith piercings can cure migraines, anxiety, and world hunger yet?
BUSTING THE MYTH FOR CLIENTS
None of it’s been proven—there are no peer-reviewed studies on daith piercings after all. That isn’t to say the piercing myths around daiths AREN’T true, but most of the “proof” is anecdotal. So, if your clients are curious, let them try it out. Tell them there’s no harm in being adventurous and seeing what works for you. The excitement of the possibility might encourage them to get a daith piercing.
GO FORTH BEARING TRUTH BOMBS
So, piercers, get into your shops and start debunking these all-too-popular piercing myths. Your clients might argue at first. But if they listen to you, they’ll be thankful you set them on the path to piercing enlightenment. And, more importantly, better healed piercing results.
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