I have a confession to make...

I have not always been concerned with quality body jewelry. As a new piercer in the 1990s, I was interested in being a part of someone's transformative experience, but also being able to support myself with my new occupation. I had sacrificed a much better paying job and it cost me a good deal of money for my apprenticeship to learn to be a piercer. I needed to be able to focus on my new life without having to make ends meet in other industries. As a relatively unknown piercer I thought my pricing needed to be competitive to help build my clientele. And to be honest I simply did not have the knowledge or experience to know why jewelry quality was so important. Times were different and it simply was not a part of my apprenticeship training. In fact, I did not start using quality jewelry until about six years into my piercing career. It took that long for me to actually seek out the education that could explain the chemistry and molecular importance of proper metal standards. Many of the world's best piercers would probably have a similar story to tell. The most unfortunate part about it is that most piercers worldwide are stuck in that same mentality to this day.

There seems to be a plethora of reasons those piercers predominantly use crummy novelty pieces instead of what I refer to as quality jewelry. Let's be honest, what I'm calling quality jewelry should really be the "standard". We should be viewing internally threaded, implant grade, hand polished jewelry as the norm. Instead so many piercers use jewelry that is sub-par, that the average consumer has come to expect novelty pieces. They believe the junk is the standard, and is safe and acceptable (despite there being quite a bit of scientific evidence otherwise), and it is hard for them to tell the difference with the naked eye unless someone has taken the time to educate them. And of course unless they have been receptive to that education. This is why I view my role in life as that of an "ambassador" for the modification community to the more vanilla members of society. Not only do I want them to have good interactions with modified people so they feel comfortable accepting us in work places and other areas of life, but I want them to feel receptive to any outreach or educational possibilities. Even if someone seems to never have a desire to get pierced themselves, you can bet someone close to them does. Education carries on even if indirectly. I sincerely thank every piercer, client, friend, and family member who welcome those seemingly annoying interactions as a chance to carry the torch of ambassadorship. It is not always at the most convenient time that someone asks you if your piercings hurt, but it can sometimes be the most transforming for that person depending on how you approach the interaction.

The way I see it, piercers get stuck in a rut of using crap jewelry for several reasons (often completely oblivious): Fear of change, poor mentoring, low self opinion, blind subservience, and lack of education. I can say this without casting judgement, because I lived it myself for six whole years. And quite honestly I choose to believe these are the reasons because anything else seems to point to gross negligence. Honestly, I don't want to believe anyone in this beloved industry has knowingly chosen poor quality jewelry for their clients, to put profit before safety and ignore science. So let's take a moment to explore these slightly more acceptable reasons together.

Many of us are creatures of habit. We don't often welcome changes in our accepted routines. The same can be said for some piercers. In some cases using quality jewelry may require new skill sets or purchase of specialized tools in order to get similar results when switching to a new style of jewelry. Internally threaded jewelry for instance, sometimes requires more finesse to insert into the piercing or to thread small beads on. Without a full commitment to change and time for adaptation, the piercer may find the new jewelry frustrating and just abandon it altogether. The important thing to keep in mind is that proper internally threaded jewelry forms a water tight seal and is less traumatic to tissue on entrance and exit. It is well worth the investment to learn and overcome the differences in practical use as they are minimal anyway.

Sometimes the fear of change can lead to or exist simultaneously with a low self opinion. If a piercer is already unsure of some of their abilities, trying to better themselves can be a challenge that ends up making them feel out of their league. As with many things, a lot of obstacles are simply overcome with training and practice. It is hard to swallow your pride and seek this help when your very essence of survival as a piercer relies on the confidence you portray to your client. Many piercers avoid interactions with more skilled who they could learn from simply because they are worried they will be judged by their peers or worse, walk away feeling even more enlightened than when they arrived. There's an old saying that has stuck with me most of my life, "the smarter you are; the dumber you are." In other words enlightenment often exposes just how out of touch we are. Introspection at these times is crucial for self growth.

Apprenticeships are the foundation of a piercer's career. Habits are formed and learned that can be hard to break. If they are good habits this is for the better. If they are poor habits it can really set a future piercer up for potential failure. It can specifically set them up for the failure to evolve or grow within their chosen career path. Everybody wants to be good at what they do. Most people strive to constantly excel. Whether it is the junior associate at a law firm, or the Junior Piercer at a studio, whether for job security and a raise, or to offer the cleanest, safest and most gentle procedure possible; I would venture to say none of us want to perform poorly or become stagnant. This is why obtaining the best apprenticeship with the best guidance is absolutely crucial. It is also why those like myself - who feel there is more to learn than what their apprenticeship held - need to constantly pursue avenues of continuing education. Having a poor mentor, whether they are otherwise too occupied to give you much guidance or whether they themselves are not fully educated on the important issues, is no excuse to keep you from being the phenomenal piercer you know you can be. Blindly following one leader whose ego keeps you from progressing is a sure red flag to find better avenues of learning. The education is available these days at trade shows like the Association of Professional Piercers Annual Conference in Las Vegas, through focused classes like Fakir Intensives workshops, and in a much smaller form through social media formats like industry forums on Facebook and the like. But what is even more overwhelmingly awesome, is the generosity and caring of reputable piercers the world over who would gladly volunteer their time to meet up and help other piercers understand the difference in jewelry quality. Jewelry is just one small component in what we do but you better believe, ignoring jewelry quality as a piercer is ignoring the safety and comfort of your clients and their piercing experience. If you are a piercer or a piercing enthusiast who would like more information on safe body jewelry standards, please feel free to email me at anomalyart@gmail.com. And also, check out the APP website at safepiercing.org.

Wado (Thank You)
-Brett Perkins

With a New Year comes new change...

Here it is January of 2014. The last time I wrote a blog on here, it was published in the first half of 2011. I keep telling myself I am going to continue blogging and make it a regular thing. But the truth of the matter is, I now doubt it will happy very often. I find myself much more willing to post movie reviews on Facebook, or write things about my personal life on other forms of social media. For some reason I have the hardest time actually updating this blog at all. Perhaps if I was intelligent enough to figure out how to get it to post automatically into our studio website I might be more motivated to try to make it work. Note to self: find someone to teach you how to make this happen.

We have moved locations, right at the beginning of November (2013) we relocated the studio to 1842 East Walnut Street in Pasadena. It's near the corner of Allen and Walnut. This is a great move for us, both in terms of geography and in terms of financial standing, as we now save over a thousand dollars per month on our rent. Which means we should be able to re-invest that savings into having a greater stock of jewelry, or getting some more precise specialized tooling for our jewelry manufacturing department. We can also afford even more continuing education for our piercers and support staff. It is an exciting time, indeed. Geographically we are now within walking distance of Pasadena City College. This should be pretty helpful for those students hoping to stop in before or after a class, or needing a break from their hard studies. We have board games for playing and WiFi, just saying. The street parking here is much more lenient, two hours free parking on the side street and one hour free parking directly in front of the building. The beauty is, there is almost always a spot or two free right in front of our door just about any day of the week.

Another thing that has changed is our hours of operation. We are now opening a couple of hours earlier, but also closing a couple of hours earlier as well. This gives our piercers the opportunity to still have personal time after working their shifts. We are always willing to consider staying late or coming in on Sunday (the only day we are closed each week) on a case by case basis, so feel free to ask - the more advanced notice, the more likely we can oblige. Another benefit of this move, is a change in our pricing. All standard piercings will have the exact same piercing fee regardless of who the piercer is (with the exception of Apprentice Piercers - if we ever have one of those ready to pierce, the price will be $10 plus jewelry to cover materials). All standard piercings are now $50 for the service, no matter who the piercer is. The $50 service fee is good for up to 3 piercings on the same person. That's right, if you get one, two or three piercings in the same sitting you only pay a flat $50 fee for the service portion no matter who the piercer is. This value bundle has been brought to you as our way of saying thanks for the patronage and continued support over the years. We are hoping our new lower rent will help make this change something we can continue to facilitate from here on out. So if you like the idea of new lower pricing on piercings, make sure you tell everyone you know to come get pierced. We can only afford to offer this deal every day if people are actually taking advantage of it. The same deal applies for more advanced piercings like surface and genital work, but the service fee is $100 for up to three piercings on the same person in the same visit. That means single point surface projects that used to cost sometimes upwards of $480 for three of them would go for $280 now. That's a savings of $200 off our old prices. Surface and genital projects are definitely much more affordable now. If you have some piercings you would like to get done but you're a little confused by the new pricing, just give us a call and we will help get you the best deal we can while maintaining our stringent quality and safety guidelines. Our number is still the same, (626) 793-8930.

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to read this little blog, I will try to update a new pricing guide page to link to our studio website within the next few days. If you have any questions or suggestions, call us or write us at anomalyart@gmail.com. Thank you very much!

Wado (Thank You)
-Brett Perkins

The Evolution of Understanding...

Are there any fans out there of the TV Show Dexter? It wasn't until somewhat recently that I finally broke down and put the series in my cue. Now several seasons into the show, I've got to say I do often find myself not only empathizing with the lead character - a serial killer who works as a blood analyst for the Miami Metro Police during the day, and strikes with deadly force against those who slip through the cracks of the law by night - but I actually sometimes find myself trying to justify parts of my life by comparing my reality to Dexter's fictional existence. I catch myself almost performing a certain self diagnosis while watching the show thinking "Well I don't see the big deal here, so does that mean I'm a sociopath too. Does that mean I'm incapable of having genuine emotions. Does that mean I play by the rules in life simply because I feel the need to not stand out and be noticed for what I really am?" Of course the real answer is no.

I feel genuine true emotions, I feel empathy for those around me. I feel the need to reach out and try to make a positive change in whatever capacity possible in this world. The writers of the television show have done an excellent job (in no small part thanks to the actor that plays Dexter) of making this conflicted "good" bad guy seem understandable, approachable, worthy of our empathy. This is the power that the entertainment industry has over us.

It wasn't so long ago that people who chose to pierce or tattoo themselves were thought of as dirty sailors, outlaw bikers, whores, convicts, gang members, etc. We had a pretty bad rap for a while, and there was not just one single cause for this. Part of it was because the unsavory characters in society were quite often the ones that were getting visible tattoos and piercings. Part of it was because various religious beliefs viewed body adornment as body desecration. Part of it was because there were not many positive role models coming out to speak on behalf of the tattooed and pierced people of the world. Why should they, afterall it is your right to keep your body adornments private. Isn't that the beauty, you can choose who you share that special part of your life with, whether it is everyone or no one.

As time passes and our society sways towards a more liberal viewpoint, it became somewhat more acceptable for some figures to emerge and publicly display their accentuated skin. Sports figures and rock stars especially took a great lead in this movement. As our idols revealed themselves and their modifications, it not only made them more human and understandable to their audiences but it made those with more conservative views feel ok about relaxing some of their ideas. Movies like Dee Snyder's Strangeland, A Man Called Horse, The Cell, Ichi The Killer, and many others usually depicted body modifications as a form of torture and those choosing to get them as being deranged. These movies were important though to breaking through the barrier of disbelief and introducing the public to acts they may have never consciously acknowledged. Sure there were publications (National Geographic being one of the most well known) but movies seemed to appeal to the American mass at such a greater rate. There of course is also the burden of misinformation, realizing fictional movies cannot be taken completely at face value. Nevertheless our minds and perceptions are expanded, and we are free to ponder what such a thing would be like, and perhaps come to terms with some instinctual ancestral calling we couldn't quite pinpoint before.

Enter reality TV, now the freaks and the deranged become human to the viewer. We see their back stories, interviews with their family. We understand they aren't so different from us. We learn about all the good they are contributing to this world and we learn about how hard their lives have been. We feel a sympathy for them that we never thought we would have for someone so... unique. Movies begin depicting tattoos as a humorous right of passage (Dude, Where's My Car, etc.) and we start accepting those with piercings and tattoos into our lives. Shows like Inked, Miami Ink, LA Ink, and the like teach us that every tattoo has to have a back story. It has to have some deep meaning that is personal for the individual receiving it. And perhaps now we think we are ready to try it ourselves. Movies like Apocalyptica cast heavily modified characters (whether real or prosthetic doesn't matter) into the role of hero and lead. Everyone wants a tattoo or piercing....

Granted these are generalizations and opinions, but the thing we keep overlooking by viewing everything as a society of spectators instead of a society of participants, is that we are still adding a level of novelty to these acts. These modernized forms of ancient medicine, these important rites of passage. We fail to see the beauty in the inspiration and instead try to impose our own limited beliefs onto the bearer. We don't feel the years of anguish the victim of sexual assault/abuse went through before finally becoming comfortable enough with their genitalia to reclaim ownership and adorn it the way they felt inside that they needed to. We don't understand the heartache and confusion one may try to break through when those hooks are inserted into their back and they defy gravity for their first suspension. We don't completely see the beauty they might capture in that portrait tattoo, perhaps it is a lost relative or an important influential person in their life. We don't always realize that sometimes a cartoon of a penis with wings tattooed on someone chest has exactly the effect it should. It makes us laugh, it makes us relax, it makes us contemplate our lot in life and juxtapose it against all those others - brothers and sisters indeed - around the world. We need these acts, these adornments, these accents to get us through life. We need them to reaffirm who we are and what we believe, not because without them we are nothing... but because they have always been a part of us.

Cultures have lived for generations with supposedly little to no contact between them, yet some piercings and tattoos are found in indigenous people all over the world. What is it that drives us to do these things to our bodies, it is indeed different for each modification enthusiast, but one constant is for sure: "It Cannot Be Explained, It Must Be Experienced."

-Brett Perkins

ANOMALY

Differences in Initial Jewelry Materials and Design

Most body piercing studios worth mentioning use similar materials for initial piercings, some are more exclusive than others limiting their initial use to titanium rather than steel, or only materials with implantation standards excluding niobium and glass. We will attempt to explain the differences in these materials and some ways consumers can make sure they are buying only the best quality and safest jewelry.

Implantation Standards vs. "Surgical" Steel

The most common jewelry material for body piercing is a steel alloy. You may be familiar with phrases like "surgical steel" or even possibly "316L" or "316LVM", none of these catchy little phrases mean the jewelry is safe for your body. Surgical steel in fact is not even a technical classification. The steel used for surgical implements and implants varies greatly and covers many different "recipes" for the steel alloy. The alloy we use in the body jewelry industry is 316LVM (the LVM means the mixture has a low carbon content and has been vacuum melted to form a consistent molecular grain pattern). The important thing to know as a consumer is that the recipe for 316 steel does not mean the alloy itself is safe for your body. In order to make sure the metal mixture is safe for piercing needs, we look for a scientific basis to compare it to for consistency and safety. Enter the American Society for Testing and Materials (astm.org). The ASTM is a volunteer organization that establishes standards and practices for all types of products. If you have a child safety seat or a bucket of house paint, they will more than likely have a tag somewhere that reads "Conforms to ASTM...", this is also true for metal alloys used for surgical implantation. We of course are not trying to suggest body piercing is on the same level as a surgical implant, but we want to use material that meet similar bio-compatibility standards to ensure their safety in the human body. The ASTM standard for implantation grade steel is F-138. If body jewelry conforms to the implantation standard, the manufacturer will be able to gladly provide a mill certificate that states on it ASTM F-138. Implantation grade steel may still be 316LVM, but the standard F-138 will be more specific as to the amount of each ingredient in the alloy. Similarly, Implant Grade Titanium has an ASTM standard it conforms to. Titanium's implantation standard is F-136 for the alloy (which contains low levels of aluminum and vanadium), and F-67 for commercially pure titanium (which is over 99% solely titanium). Many shops prefer titanium jewelry because it is strong and light, it does not contain any nickel and it has the ability to represent colored metal via a process known as anodizing. ANOMALY primarily stocks Titanium over Steel whenever possible, at no additional cost to the client despite the higher wholesale cost of the material, all of these materials meet implantation standards and we have the mill certificates to prove it.

The Importance of a Pretty Polish

Another important thing to look for as a jewelry consumer besides an implantation standard on a mill certificate is a mirror finish on the actual jewelry you plan to purchase. The mirror finish will be a good indicator that the jewelry has a sufficient oxide layer (Chromium Oxide for Steel and Titanium Oxide for Titanium) to help protect you from any possible impurities within the jewelry. A very simple test is to compare a cheap piece of jewelry purchased at a mall kiosk or beach boardwalk shop (not to suggest all of these places carry inferior jewelry, but most of them do) to a finely polished piece from a respected shop in your area. The quality jewelry should be significantly more shiny and reflective, while the cheaper piece will be a dull gray color. The dull gray is a significant indicator that the jewelry should not be worn in a fresh piercing. It means the oxide layer may be lacking or depleted and your body will be exposed to any impurities within the jewelry's metal composition. Gray dull finishes also often suggest inconsistent grain patterns on a molecular level, the boundaries where two different grain patterns meet are often the site of corrosion and impurities within the alloy. ANOMALY only carries jewelry by the finest companies on the market who use the best manufacturing and polishing practices to create the most consistently great jewelry on the planet.

Precious Metals

Gold and Platinum are both materials that have a long history of use as body jewelry. Gold also has bio-compatibility requirements. While we don't necessarily have ASTM standards to follow for these materials there are other bio-compatibility related precedents. Gold must be 14 to 18 karat solid yellow gold or white gold based in palladium (rather than nickel). Gold higher in karat is usually too soft to be used as body jewelry, and lower in karat it has too many other ingredients in the alloy. Gold plating is never appropriate for initial jewelry as it can wear or chip off easily. Platinum is extremely inert, but is rarely used due to its high cost and difficulty to work with. ANOMALY carries an excellent selection of appropriate white and yellow gold jewelry, we also offer the option to custom order specific pieces and platinum as you desire. We highly recommend making the investment in gold or platinum and commit to helping you find the perfect piece of jewelry for your piercing.

Glass

Although it has been used for generations as jewelry in indigenous peoples, glass has only more recently been accepted as initial piercing jewelry by the body piercing community. Soda Lime and Borosilicate Glasses are excellent for jewelry due to their ability to be autoclave sterilized and due to the fact that they are nonporous. Clear glasses make excellent retainers to keep your piercings from being a distraction during work or school, and colored glasses can be used to manufacture unique patterns of beauty within the jewelry. It is important to purchase glass from reputable manufacturers and to make sure the jewelry is made with consistency as a test of the manufacturer's understanding of the material and commitment to quality. Glass is handmade and may vary slightly from piece to piece, but typically the quality is pretty self-evident. Glass plugs are also an affordable alternative to stretching with substandard jewelry like plastics or natural materials. ANOMALY carries glass jewelry from the finest manufacturers the world over and we have the ability to custom order many exciting and different pieces as well.

Plastics

Many plastics are not suitable for initial jewelry use. Some of them start to deteriorate at temperatures lower than the body's own normal temperature, potentially leaching toxins into the body. They are also often unable to be sterilized in an autoclave. For these reasons it is suggested to avoid plastics as initial jewelry unless they meet some form of bio-compatibility testing. A prime example would be PTFE, a white bio-compatible polymer that meets the ASTM implantation standard F-754. While ANOMALY rarely uses these materials, PTFE can be effective for use as a somewhat flexible navel retainer during pregnancy, or for those who seem to display extreme sensitivities to other more traditional bio-compatible materials.

Niobium

The final material we would like to discuss is Niobium. Niobium is a reactive metal that can be anodized, similar to Titanium. Niobium does not have an implantation standard but it does have a long track record of being used in the body. One advantage Niobium has over Titanium is the ability to be anodized black (more like a dark charcoal color than true black). Titanium and Niobium both may lose their coloring depending on body chemistry and amount of friction in the area the jewelry is worn, but this is not harmful to the wearer and often can be remedied by re-anodizing every so often. ANOMALY carries a large selection of Titanium and Niobium for your jewelry needs, and we offer anodizing services for a mild fee.

Design Considerations

It is also important to recognize that appropriate materials are not enough, the design of the jewelry must also be appropriate so as to not hinder proper healing. Threaded barbells should be internally threaded having the male end of the screw protruding from the ball and the female end tapped into the actual shaft of the barbell post. This internal design helps to eliminate possible trauma to the healing tissue during insertion and removal of jewelry. Other benefits of properly made internally threaded jewelry include the ability to easily find replacement ends across the country, and it also helps the customer identify the possibility of quality jewelry as most externally threaded pieces are not manufactured or polished properly. A newer design in body jewelry is the threadless barbell, using a press fit design to eliminate the need for the barbell pieces to be screwed together. They literally attached like a push-pin. This also creates the possibility for much smaller gauge barbells and opens multiple possibilities for ear lobes, nostrils, cartilage and other piercings that typically benefit from small gauge sizes. Rings or hoops should be annealed, a heat process during manufacturing that keeps the metal pliable. Properly annealed rings are often opened or closed by a trained piercer without the use of pliers, thus limiting the potential damage sometimes caused by these tools. All gemstones should be set into the metal in a traditional method like a prong or bezel setting. Gemstones should not require the use of adhesives to keep them in place.

We hope this information is useful to you as a consumer, should you have questions feel free to email us at anomalyart@gmail.com or stop by and visit us in person.

-ANOMALY-

Year Of Change

Only we can affect the environment and society in which we live. Many near me of late have probably heard several references or jokes coming from my mouth about "my reality" and how nothing can exist in my reality without my recognition and approval of its existence. To some extent I do actually believe in this mindset. The dispute here lies within the understanding of the subconscious and the power and hold the mind has over us despite our level of consciousness. But all of that aside, and despite whatever personal beliefs you have, it seems to me that dominion and shepherdhood of our social and conscious existence depends greatly upon our level of participation within that existence.

In other words, there can be no change without those who are willing to make change happen. There can be no leaps without those willing to take the first step. In order to reach great heights man must often stand on the shoulders of the giants before him. And further, we must become directly involved in being the change we wish to see around us individually.

On more than one occasion I have been told by friends how anxious they are to relocate. How life will be better in a new town, a new state, a new country... maybe simply just a new neighborhood or job. I try to humbly express my personal motto learned many years ago by virtue of punk rock and veganism (and the relatively difficult task of finding either in late 1990's rural Midwest America - another story for another time). Put simply, "a place is only as good as you make it." No matter where you go, there you are. The thing that differentiates between most locations for me is the people located in each, their morals, ethics, values... the lengths they are willing to go to in order to progress their local communities. Even today I have to take inventory and look around, I ask myself what are WE doing to better ourselves, our environment, our community. What battles are we willing to fight what efforts are we willing to support.

Of late I have taken to catching an episode of the television series The Tudors in my spare time. Some may say that quoting or referencing a popular television show over the history it represents is juvenile and ignorant but I feel the medium has become for better or worse a relevant part of our culture. In the third season of the show, the commoners from the North of England start a rebellion of sorts in an effort to save their holy houses of worship from desecration and to maintain the right to honor ceremony, rite and ritual of a belief system that was under the threat of complete reformation, in this case Roman Catholicism (If you don't know the show is essentially about Henry VIII and how his insatiable lust changed politics and religion forever). The thing that really stood out most to me was the reoccurring theme that these men were not only willing to fight for their beliefs, but willing to die for them as well. And die they did, most without any recanting of their forthright beliefs.

I do not ask any of you to die for your causes, quite the opposite. I ask you to live for them. I ask that in this coming year we ALL do what we can to execute a change for the better in our lives, our communities, our cities and states and countries, and our world. If we all apply ourselves in this coming year of 2011, the effect will be monumental. Here at ANOMALY we have already taken a head start, and are looking forward to continuing with pride.

I personally have made a change for myself and my health to a macrobiotic diet, one that requires abstinence from refined sugars and processed ingredients along with a healthy intake of balance in all things in life. We as a shop just had our annual Jeff Edgarian Bowl-A-Rama which raised $500 for the Glendale Humane no-kill animal shelter. We have plans in the works to do fundraisers for the Pasadena Bad Weather Shelter (a high tolerance homeless shelter here locally), The Pasadena Ronald McDonald House, a charity that houses families with children hospitalized far from their homes, a holiday portrait event for the low income families of the Pasadena Area, and we also plan to host an art show and donate a percentage of our daily sales in January to help raise funds for relief in Haiti (it's been a year and things are still ridiculous there). We will update and announce more information for each of these events as they progress on our website at www.anomaly2.com, you can also find information on our facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/anomalypiercing. We are very interested in what you are doing, how you are making change, and if you need our help... what we can do to assist you. Please feel free to tell us by commenting on this blog or by emailing us at anomalyart@gmail.com. I apologize for any typos, this netbook loves to drop letters and add extras when I'm hunting and pecking.

Happy New Year to you all, let's make 2011 the best yet of our lifetimes. Remember, according to some it may be the last full calendar year we have. :)

Sincerely,

Brett Perkins

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

EXACTLY ONE YEAR LATER!

Well I seem to have consistent timing this go round, it was exactly a year ago that I last posted on this blog. I was never able to get it to function properly with our website at anomaly2.com, so I have given up on that. Now what I'd like to do is save a plethora of information on this blog, like aftercare suggestions, and biographical information about ANOMALY employees. Then link specifics from our website to the blog post related to that information. Surely you tech nerds out there know an easy way to do this.

Anyway, we are preparing for several things coming up: bowling event on the 28th, new year's eve on the 31st (Christmas is in there too)... so much going on and the next year will only be busier. Let's see if I can actually start using this blog for something besides complaining about never using it. I changed the layout on it today, much happier about that.

Soon we'll get it all going and linked together.