Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
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Yes, with a parent/legal guardian present! Parent must present with their own *valid state or federal Photo ID, as well as an original birth certificate for the minor in question. IT’S THE LAW!
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Different piercings have different age requirements! Must be at least 6 years old for earlobe piercings. Please refer to the piercing menu for ALL age requirements.
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Please refer to the “Piercing Aftercare” section of this website.
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Piercing bumps are caused by friction and irritation to the piercing site during the healing process. It is important to treat a bump as soon as it arises to prevent the formation of permanent scar tissue.
Touching, moving, snagging, sleeping on, or not properly cleaning your jewelry can easily cause a piercing bump to form.
Do. Not. Squeeze. It.
Stop by the shop to purchase a bottle of piercing bump treatment & follow these instructions:
Spray a small amount of sterile saline spray into a small and clean dish (like a soy sauce dish), and heat in the microwave for approximately 15 seconds or until hot.
Saturate a q-tip with piercing bump oil and then dip the q-tip into the hot saline solution.
Gently press the hot q-tip onto your piercing bump and hold in place for 2 minutes. Do not move the q-tip around.
Practice this routine twice a day and be consistent!
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Walk-ins are taken in between appointments when possible. If you don’t mind maybe waiting for a bit, you can walk-in Tuesday - Saturday, 1pm - 5pm.
Please call the shop first to make sure I’m available.
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No. For several reasons, you can not bring your own jewelry for piercing - Jewelry must be implant grade material, the length and gauge must be appropriate for healing, and the jewelry must be sterile, (which requires an autoclaving process).
If your piercing is HEALED and you would like to have your own jewelry installed, that’s not a problem. A $10 fee will be charged for installing jewelry not purchased at our studio. Please see the “Jewelry Installation” service on the piercing menu.
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I carry only implant grade, hypoallergenic jewelry! Surgical steel, titanium, and 14k & 18k gold.
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No. Since babies cannot consent to being pierced, I will not pierce them.
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Swelling, tenderness, redness, crusties, and even some whitish or clear discharge from your healing piercing can all be normal. However…
If you suspect that you have an infection, contact your doctor ASAP.
Signs of an infection:
•Pus - This is different from the regular discharge from a healing piercing. Pus is thicker, may be yellow or green or greyish in color.
•Abnormal redness - Dark red rims around the piercing site or red streaks are NOT normal.
•Severe swelling, pain, and heat at the piercing site.
If you’re still not sure if you have an infection, please contact me via TEXT with photos ASAP (510) 545-9706. General piercing questions texted to this number will be ignored.
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Nope! Only your parent or legal guardian with proper identification. Please refer to the “Do you pierce minors” question in this FAQ.
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Yes! I carry only implant grade, hypoallergenic jewelry! Surgical steel, titanium, and 14k & 18k gold. No nickel or mystery metals here.
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Has your jewelry moved from its original placement? Does there appear to be less skin covering your jewelry than when you were originally pierced? If you’re thinking yes to either of these questions, then your piercing might be rejecting. Please come by the shop Tuesday - Saturday, 1-5pm so I can take a look at it.
Please call the shop first for availability before dropping in.
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Clean your jewelry with alcohol and reinsert it ASAP.
If you are unable to reinsert your jewelry, please stop by the shop ASAP for an installation service.
Call ahead to the shop to check for availability if dropping in.
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No, not at this time.
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The difference between threaded and threadless jewelry is how the ends of the jewelry insert into the post. When choosing between the two types of jewelry, please consider your lifestyle.
The ends of threaded jewelry screw into the post, making the end very secure if installed tightly. That means if you snag this jewelry, the end isn’t going to come off. On the other hand, removing and reinserting threaded jewelry can be a challenge for you at home.
The ends of threadless jewelry have a small push pin that slides into the post and are held in by tension. This jewelry is much easier for you to take in and out at home, so if you like to switch out your jewelry regularly (only healed piercings!) then threadless jewelry is a great option. However, if you snag threadless jewelry hard enough, the top WILL come off. By no means should a little bump or snag send your jewelry flying, but a significant pull absolutely will and hopefully you’re able to find your jewelry and reinsert it if this happens, but sometimes it flies into outer space, never to be found again.
I personally wear both styles of jewelry without issue. I’m also very conscious of my piercings, so snagging is rarely an issue for me and I love how easily I can switch between threadless tops.
The choice is YOURS.
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Tuesday - Saturday, 1pm to 5pm.
Since I’m also manager of Lucky 13 Tattoos, my piercing hours are limited, as I must spend time performing admin duties for the business as a whole.
Please call ahead if you are planning to walk-in. I’m the only piercer at Lucky 13 Tattoos and I’m a human being, so sometimes I have to take time off and I don’t want anyone to waste a trip to the shop.
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Yes, you may. However, keep in mind that your body has to heal your piercing and your tattoo at the same time and that can be a lot on your immune system. If you’re getting a large tattoo, we strongly recommend you give yourself some time to heal before getting pierced.
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Due to the risk of infection that could potentially spread to your baby, I will not pierce anyone who is pregnant or nursing.
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Due to the risk of infection, I suggest you do not go swimming for 8-10 weeks after being pierced.
Even chlorinated pools can harbor bacteria and chlorine itself can be very irritating to healing tissue.
If swimming in a pool is unavoidable, cover your piercing with second skin (e.g. Tegaderm, Saniderm, etc.) if possible, and soak your piercing in warm saline solution immediately after, followed by a sterile saline spray cleansing. Be advised, this will NOT eliminate the risk of infection or irritation.
Absolutely avoid submerging your piercing in hot tubs, rivers, lakes, and oceans!
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Winter time!
Cold weather can actually help reduce swelling and discomfort in a piercing. And since you shouldn’t swim with a fresh piercing, you’ll be good to hop in by summertime!
This also applies to tattoos!
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Feel free to stop by the shop to buy another bottle or visit a pharmacy.
The saline spray that I sell is designed for cleaning piercings with a gentle mist. Pick it up for $15.
Saline spray at the pharmacy is typically used for irrigating wounds with a direct stream. $13 at the pharmacy.
Saline spray is typically in the first-aide isle of pharmacies and is usually called “wound wash.” Make sure what you’re buying is only water and salt (sodium chloride) with no other additives!
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Probably not!
Most coaches don’t allow jewelry to be worn during gameplay and jewelry should not be removed during the healing process.
Ask your coach if you’re allowed to place a band aide over your piercing during games or wait until the off season to get pierced!
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Yes! But please, only one. The piercing room is already small.
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Getting pierced can be scary, especially for youngsters. It is extremely important your child understands the piercing process so they can prepare mentally for the experience.
Things to know:
Needles will be used for piercing, no piercing guns.
It will hurt. Do not tell your child otherwise. It’s important that they know what to expect and downplaying it to “just a little pinch” or telling them that it won’t hurt will only make it worse.
Numbing agents (including ice) are not used and I do not recommend them. Topical numbing agents only numb the skin superficially, so it does very little when a needle and jewelry are passing through the tissue. Numbing the area will most likely do more damage than good since your child may believe the piercing won’t hurt after numbing, which is untrue.
Here are some kid friendly youtube videos of children being pierced. It can be helpful to watch these videos with your child.
For my own safety and the safety of your child, if they cannot sit still during the piercing procedure, then the service will be terminated.
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Absolutely, not!
Only single use, surgically sharp, and sterile needles are used for piercing.
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For my own safety and the safety of your child, if they cannot sit still during the piercing procedure, then the service will be terminated.
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No, thank you. But feel free take photos!
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Yes!
Feel free to book a jewelry purchase/installation appointment or drop-in.
If dropping in, please call ahead to the shop to check for availability.
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If you’re looking to stretch your piercing, you’ll go through a series of stretching procedures until you reach your goal size.
Stretching takes time. Downtime between stretches can be anywhere from 6 weeks to several months depending on the size, location, and texture of the skin. Rushing this process can result in serious negative side effects such as tearing, blowouts, and scar tissue.
During the stretching procedure, a taper will be used to slightly widen the diameter of the piercing and a tunnel or plug will then be inserted. You are to wear this jewelry 24/7 until your next stretch.
Please refer to the “Aftercare” section of this website for stretching aftercare instructions.
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Nope! Only one appointment is necessary for multiple piercings.
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Several piercings at once can be tough on your immune system, so each client is limited to 6 piercings at one time.
Keep in mind, 6 is still a lot on your immune system and it’s a lot of piercings to clean 2+ times a day. So make sure you’re healthy, properly nourished and ready for the responsibility before considering this many piercings at once.
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My piercing portfolio can be found on Instagram. Give me a follow!