Explanation of Body Piercing Services and Cost

Explanation Of Piercing Hierarchy

At ANOMALY our piercing fees vary depending on which piercing artist is performing the service. In addition to our regular staff, we have a network of qualified and educated piercers the world over who occasionally grace us with their talents. These guest artists all have their own skill sets and are evaluated just as our full-time staff to determine where they fit in the pricing hierarchy. We hope this little blog helps explain it all a little better.

• Apprentice Piercer

Apprentice Piercers are training for a profession in body piercing. They have usually taken countless hours of continuing education pertaining to body piercing. In some instances an Apprentice Piercer may have been a piercer for years at another studio but due to ANOMALY's strict environmental criteria they may be spending a probationary period as an apprentice until they have been qualified to pierce at ANOMALY unsupervised. Apprentice Piercers practice under the supervision of a Senior or Master Piercer on an appointment only basis. They may not be extremely experienced in many piercings and allowing them to work on you gives them the hands on experience they need to transition into becoming a Junior Piercer.

ANOMALY currently does not have an Apprentice Piercer on staff.

• Junior Piercer

A Junior Piercer is a piercing technician who typically has less than six years of professional piercing experience. They are competent at standard body piercings and in rare instances may be qualified to perform more advanced piercings. The Junior Piercers at ANOMALY are usually more educated in their field and more experienced than many head piercers at some other shops, so please do not fear they are inexperienced.

ANOMALY currently has one Junior Piercer on staff, Kenneth Crespo.

He works Monday through Saturday from 1 pm until 4 pm.

• Senior Piercer

A Senior Piercer is a piercing technician who has six or more years of professional piercing experience. In addition, Senior Piercers have been qualified by the Master Piercer to perform most advanced piercing techniques. Senior Piercer is an achievement level that many professional body piercers aspire to reach, with few actually obtaining the rank.

ANOMALY currently has one Senior Piercer on staff,

scheduling varies through the month of October 2012.

• Master Piercer

The title Master Piercer was introduced by Gauntlet, the first professional body piercing establishment in North America. Though Gauntlet closed many years ago, ANOMALY keeps this tradition alive in an effort to reward outstanding piercers and pay homage to our forefathers. ANOMALY's Master Piercer is an individual that has 10 or more years of professional piercing experience with special focus on advanced procedures and techniques. The Master Piercer usually has experience working in various situations in numerous studios and is good at troubleshooting piercing related problems. Master Piercers have an extensive knowledge of jewelry composition and aftercare and often teach seminars and classes in an attempt to advance the industry as a whole through dissemination of education. The Master Piercer is the most knowledgeable and senior piercer on staff, and all other piercing technicians look toward him/her for professional guidance when in doubt.

ANOMALY currently has one Master Piercer on staff, Brett Perkins.

He works by appointment booked in advance.

Explanation Of Services

Different services require different lengths of time to perform. For instance a genital piercing may require a certain amount of "comfort time" in order for the client to feel secure disrobing and continuing with the piercing in front of a stranger (namely, the piercer). Some piercings because of technique may require a little added talent or special devices to perform them. The price of services vary because of these factors. In addition we also charge different prices based upon the level of seniority and experience of the piercer performing them (as explained in the previous section). The following gives some examples of services and their fees, not including jewelry (that's another blog entry of its own for the future).

• Standard Piercings

Most piercings including: navel, eyebrow, tongue, ear cartilage, ear lobe, nostril, lip, nipples. Any pair is considered two standard piercing fees (both nipples, both ears, both sides of the lip) as it takes approximately the same time and amount of supplies to perform each one. There is no discount for getting two of the same type of piercing (including ear lobes).

Apprentice Piercer Standard Service Charge, $10 each plus jewelry

Junior Piercer Standard Service Charge, $35 each plus jewelry

Senior Piercer Standard Service Charge, $50 each plus jewelry

Master Piercer Standard Service Charge, $70 each plus jewelry

• Surface Piercings

Piercings that have an entrance and exit point on the same plane or surface of the skin including: nape (back of the neck), wrist, sideburns, anti-eybrow, clavicles (below the collarbones), sternum (bony area in the "valley" between the breasts). Surface piercings may require more time, more supplies, or specialized tools.

Junior Piercer Surface Service Charge, $50 each plus jewelry

Senior Piercer Surface Service Charge, $75 each plus jewelry

Master Piercer Surface Service Charge, $100 each plus jewelry

• Single Point Piercings

Single Point Piercings are a newer form of surface piercing where the jewelry only as one barbell rise above the skin, and some type of base secured beneath the skin. Some other names for these are microdermals, or surface anchors. Single Point Piercings usually require additional time, tools, materials, and an advanced skill set in case of variables.

Junior Piercer Single Point Service Charge, $50 each plus jewelry

Senior Piercer Single Point Service Charge, $75 each plus jewelry

Master Piercer Single Point Service Charge, $100 each plus jewelry

• Genital Piercings

Male or female genital piercings require a special set of skills all their own. There is also more time needed and sometimes more supplies, especially if bleeding exists. Common male genital piercings include: Prince Albert, Apadravya, Ampallang, Dydoes, Guiche, Frenum, Hafada. Common female genital piercings include: Vertical or Horizontal Clitoral Hood, Inner or Outer Labia, Fourchette (perineum), Triangle, Christina (mons pubis), Princess Albertina (female urethral piercing).

Junior Piercer Genital Service Charge, $50 each plus jewelry

Senior Piercer Genital Service Charge, $75 each plus jewelry

Master Piercer Genital Service Charge, $100 each plus jewelry

• Etching

Etching is a form of scarification created with a standard electro-magnetic tattoo machine. The process is similar to getting tattooed, without any external pigment involved. The intention is to leave behind a very subtle or intricate design that heals in an ever so slight variance of the skin's natural tone. This form of body art was made extremely popular in New Orleans at Elayne Angel's studio Rings of Desire.

Etching by Brett Perkins, $200 per hour