Let's start in the beginning. What exactly are you looking at in this photo? The top portion was a digital flyer of sorts made to advertise the piercer that performed 71 single point surface piercings. These piercings are done with a special type of jewelry called "surface anchors", however some factions of the general population use the term "dermals" in a slang fashion to describe both the jewelry and the piercing procedure. Dermal technically is a reference to skin. So the nickname for these piercings that has been adopted by some is actually like saying "skins," which of course is a bit redundant because all piercings are placed into or through skin. Semantics aside, most reputable piercers actually refer to these piercings as surface anchors (the jewelry) or Single Point Piercings (the piercing procedure used to install said jewelry). Anomaly was one of the first studios in the Los Angeles area to receive surface anchors as prototypes approximately nine or so years ago. The jewelry was one of the newest and biggest innovations in body piercing and helped spark a refreshing revitalization of interest in the body piercing industry. So we have quite a lot of experience with this jewelry and know quite a bit about the limits of what should be expected from them.
Initially we all believed and hoped these types of piercings would be permanent. Something that would add new placement possibilities where previous surface piercings had been deemed not viable. We hoped it was a piece of jewelry that could stay secure in its placement while the outside appearance could be changed without full removal. We noticed very fast and comfortable "healing" times initially for many clients, and were pleased by the extreme ease of installation. With a little time we also started realizing that removal was much easier and less invasive than originally thought. In fact in most instances a little wiggle and a tug and a competent piercer can often pop these piercings right out if the client desires. What we hoped would be a permanent placement though we quickly learned to start considering "long term, temporary". In other words, while the piercings seemed to heal quickly with relatively little complication, the base is not as sturdy under the tissue as a traditional surface piercing with connected entrance and separate exit. Any trauma to the area and these little buggers often have a hard time recovering. In some instances they can be manipulated into place and with the addition of pressure from an occlusive dressing, may in time right themselves. But the average client usually sees removal necessary between 3 to 5 years after being pierced. In other words, while some clients have had these piercings for 9 years or so, some only get a couple of years lifespan out of them. Many factors can determine the overall time a client gets to enjoy their piercing, one of the biggest is the client's habits or hobbies. If the client is involved in activities that may include excessive movement in the area of the piercing, or objects potentially traumatizing that area, the piercing is much less likely to last as long as possible. If the shape of the anatomy where the piercing will be placed has a curvature to its surface, the jewelry is more likely to get bumped or snagged or traumatized and need removal sooner than later also. If the area of the piercing is receiving a mass amount of trauma, like 71 piercings at once for example, it is highly unlikely all of those piercings will last long enough for the client to get much enjoyment from them. In time, the vast majority of these piercings must have the jewelry removed if it has not grown out completely on its own. For this reason we consider them to be long-term, temporary piercings. We tell our clients this during our consultation and we warn them that acquiring one of these piercings will likely leave a visible scar. In many instances a single one will leave a tiny scar that is easily concealed, many of them however will cover a much more broad surface and scatter several scars in a pattern that is harder to conceal. I believe the "after" photo above illustrates this well. This is all common knowledge to reputable piercers now, and it is our obligation to empower our clients before they get pierced with this knowledge so they may make the decision for themselves armed with the ability to weigh potential consequences.
Another factor that plays heavily in this scenario is jewelry quality. Many surface anchors are made overseas by less than reputable companies with substandard materials or surface finish. It is imperative that a client hoping to get a decent lifespan out of a temporary piercing make sure their piercer uses only the best. At Anomaly we swear by the implant grade titanium surface anchors made by Anatometal. Some other reputable companies that make adequate surface anchors include Industrial Strength and Intrinsic Precision. Most reputable studios around the world use surface anchors from these three manufacturers. There may be a couple of others I have forgotten to include, but the vast majority of safe surface anchors are supplied by these three companies the whole world over. Yet the vast majority of piercers (disregarding the small group of ethical ones who refuse to use substandard jewelry) use jewelry manufactured by companies that specialize in substandard metal alloys and cheap novelty jewelry. Some of these substandard designs and material compositions have impurities that the client may develop sensitivities to. Some of them have inadequate designs that are thicker bases under the skin or wacky shapes that the body reacts negatively towards. Some of the surface finishes are so rough and textured, you wouldn't wish them on your worst enemy. Yet unsuspecting clients are paying daily to have these installed in their bodies without the ability to know the difference. The first indicator should be price. Good jewelry is never cheap. A project of 71 surface anchors would run several thousand dollars just in jewelry alone. Even if a reality TV production company were footing the bill for the service, the jewelry cost would likely be outside of their budget. That means the client would be expected to pay several thousands of dollars for this project if it were done with adequate jewelry. Knowing the temporary nature of these piercings, and knowing that this many at once will likely lead half or more of them to rejection in little time, a conscientious piercer would refuse to do this project. We all have bills to pay and would love to bring in a sale in the thousands, but agreeing to perform this project is simply negligence. It is a complete lack of care for the outcome and for the scarring and possible other issues the client will endure. An area this large with so many puncture wounds and possibly impure materials contact will leave the client far more prone to infection by potential bacteria, virus or fungus. In a worse case scenario this could land the client in the hospital praying experimental medicine keeps them alive. I hate to sound like an alarmist here, but similar situations have occurred from unethical and improper piercings before. There really is no substitute for paying for quality jewelry and a well trained and reputable piercer (not just a TV personality).
Now in the photo above we can see from the get-go that the area being pierced (thigh) is a curved plane, not extremely flat. We also know that the area gets lots of movement every time the client walks, sits, or lays down. The skin expands and contracts as the knee bends, pulling the jewelry in different directions as it does. In addition, certain clothing options like skirts and pants will likely rub against the jewelry and in some cases even get caught or snagged. Bed sheets and bath towels may also have a similar effect if the client is not extremely cautious at all times. The finished product looks as if some of the surface anchors are at varying heights, meaning some will be more likely to get snagged and possibly yanked out of the piercing placement. And let us not ignore the fact that the television famous piercer who initially performed these piercings has been known to either intentionally lie or accidentally confuse his social media posts, claiming he uses Anatometal jewelry in photos where he has used substandard jewelry or a combination of Anatometal tops with substandard bases. He has also posted the exact same photo of piercings in the past but claiming the "healed" times in the photos shown were different. One photo might show a piercing he claims is two years healed, then a few weeks later he reposts the exact same photo claiming this time it is three years healed, and so on. Could this just be an honest mistake? Sure. Could it happen to be an intentional lie to give himself more credit than he deserves and to try to capitalize on the seeming credibility his television self demands? Only he knows the truth. I mean, sure it could just be a mistake that he used mystery metal craft supply sprockets to create a "steam punk" project on an unsuspecting client's face in a similar fashion - but the alarming thing with that case as with this is the practitioner's unwavering defense of the mistaken actions and excused justifications. It takes a big man to admit he has made a mistake, not so much can be said about someone who fights tooth and nail to try to convince everyone else he is larger than life and mistake proof.
Any piercer worth his salt can tell from this first photo that this project would not last long. Even before the claimed "3 months with no rejection" banner was added, hundreds of piercers questioned this practitioner publicly and privately about his rationale and the viability of such a project. He was evasive, elusive, and defensive. He stood firm that he knew better than the countless reputable piercers, many of whom had far more experience with these items and better quality jewelry and tools than he. He tried to gain credibility and composure by posting a banner with the slogan "71 Dermals, three months, no rejections" almost as if to taunt anyone that had expressed initial concerns. The reasonable voices had been labeled "haters." And now not much later, we see the truth that all those piercers tried to warn would happen. Here this poor girl's leg is left with less than half of the original piercings. She has significant scarring. She has likely been through some uncomfortable healing and emotional stress when the first piercings started to be lost. And even if this saint of a piercer offered to repierce the lost ones for free, in several months she would be right back to this same conclusion. In fact it is highly likely over the coming months she will lose more of the piercings that are still hanging on.
Sure this was a cool concept. Sure the client was probably overjoyed and ecstatic upon the completion of the piercings. But sometimes a piercer has to know when to refuse a project. Personally I would not have been comfortable performing this project on a client. I could express until I was blue in the face how it would likely turn out, but if they still accepted the possible complications I don't think I could do it. Thankfully with photos like these we have some FAIL pics to show clients to help explain what could be in store for them. But a caring and compassionate piercer would try to find some other way to help the client transform their wishes into something viable. A great piercer would try to come up with a less risky idea that had minimal complications to overcome, because in the end we want our clients to be happy with their piercings and not be scarred (literally) for life. I've said many times when counseling younger piercers that they should think of themselves as little more than educated tools, whose purpose is to help the client achieve a desired goal in a safe and clean manner. It makes me chuckle though when some people don't understand I mean the definition of tool as in a device used to carry out a specific function, not the slang definition that is more along the lines of a foolish jerk. I'll let the reader decide which definition of tool the piercer who performed this surface project was trying to embody.
Always research your piercers. Check their education. Have they taken seminars, classes, or other advanced courses pertaining to their field? Are they members of professional safety and health related trade organizations? Do they have great reviews from past clients? Do they seem not only knowledgeable, but also caring? Are they willing to offer you a no-obligation consultation to discuss everything involved with your potential piercing BEFORE it is performed? Do they openly warn of potential complications that may occur and advise on how to avoid them? Do they seem passionate about what they do? Here at Anomaly we believe in being the best we can and we have been blessed with clients who seem to value the service we offer. We have been voted the Best Of Pasadena for Body Piercing for the past three years (reader submitted votes in the Pasadena Weekly). We have attended the Association of Professional Piercers educational conference every year to further our education and stay abreast of industry changes. We have piercers who are members of the organization as well. We always offer no-obligation FREE consultations for any piercing you may be considering, and we try our best to paint a fair and accurate picture of what healing will be like based on the information we have gained in our decade of existence here in Pasadena, as well as the combined decades worth of experience from all of our piercers. We truly want you to be happy with your healthy and healed piercings, and we know several shops around the world who have piercers that are just as conscientious. We will gladly suggest one for you if you ask. Unfortunately though, the majority of piercing studios out there put profit first and cut corners by ordering substandard jewelry and hiring under-trained piercers who are willing to work for less while they teach themselves by practicing on you. It is imperative to avoid these businesses. After all, your health is more valuable than that.
For more information on selecting a safe piercer or information about the Association of Professional Piercers, visit safepiercing.org. As always I thank you for your time and patience as I share my thoughts with you, and I welcome any dialog you may have about the matter. Feel free to write me at anomalyart@gmail.com.
Wado (Thank You),
-Brett Perkins
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