FAQ's

Piercings are done in your home where you and/or your child are most comfortable.   I bring everything needed for a safe, memorable experience.  This also helps keep my costs affordable as I don't have an inflated Metro DC area store front property rent to pay.

Diabetes, hemophilia, autoimmune disease, heart conditions, CHD, and conditions that cause slow or prevent healing.  Please let the nurse know if you faint on occassion or feel faint during or after the piercing.  Do you or family members have a history of keloids?  Are you on blood thinners?

All ages.  I will pierce infants that have had their first DTaP vaccine. Waiting until the infant is at least three months old is best as if a fever develops, medical protocol states a less than three month old infant has to be admitted to the hospital.   All piercings for persons under 18 must have parental permission. Parents must be onsite or have spoken with me prior to the date of the piercing. Consent is given by the terms above when bookings are made.

Baby ear piercing is a common practice across many cultures.   The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states that “if the piercing is performed carefully and cared for conscientiously, there is little risk, no matter what the age of the child.” However, they also believe that it’s best to hold off on piercings until your child is mature enough to care for it on their own.  Regardless, it is a parent’s preference when their child’s ears are pierced. Needless to say, the AAP recommends that the procedure be done by a trained professional under sanitary conditions.

A selection of earrings will be brought to the piercing visit.  Earring types are varied; titanium, surgical stainless steel, 24 KT gold plated or 14 KT yellow gold, 14 KT white gold or 14 KT rose gold. Earrings have safety backs to prevent "pokes" to delicate heads. 

You can change your lobe earrings after 6 weeks and after 3-6 months for cartilage piercings.  Earrings should be left in for a full year to prevent closure.

I can use a needle or a piercing tool.  I use a hand pressured tool (similar to what doctors use to place staples) on infants and children. I use a piercing device with a sterile, single-use cassette that houses the earrings inside.  I DO NOT use needles on infants or children too young to sit still for the sterile procedure.  If you think your child is mature enough, I will use hollow piercing needles.  We can transition to my piercing tool if they are too scared or fidgety.  Please see the research study discussing needle v gun here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17684004/

There's no proof that daith piercings affect your pain receptors or reduce migraine pain. In fact, the piercing may damage the spot where acupuncture would be performed to stimulate, not poke through, this pressure point.   See more about ear seeds that utilize the pressure points for migraine relief.

It does hurt a little.  Everyone has a different response to pain.  I can use numbing cream for children 3 and up, if requested.  Numbing cream will reduce an amount of surface pain, but will not completely remove the sensation of the piercing.  It is definitely enough to take away the "bite"!   I also will use the "Buzzy" and distraction techniques.  

It is recommended to wait until your ears are completely healed at 6 weeks to soak in bodies of water, but if you cannot do that please keep reading.  Please wait 48-72 hours before swimming in the pool.  While chlorine may kill some germs, it does not kill them all.  Please wait at least 2 weeks before swimming in ponds, lakes, rivers or oceans to reduce the risk of infection.  Clean your piercings directly after swimming to decrease the chance of infection. Swimming after Helix and/or nose piercings should be avoided for 2 months.

The regulations in Virginia regarding licensing for body piercing specifically exclude nurses as they are already licensed by the Board of Nursing and do not need to be licensed by the Board of Barbers and Cosmetology.  

I am licensed in Nursing by the State of Virginia, and New York. Also, I can practice nursing, under my multi-state Virginia license, in 38 other states.  

I am not in the Association of Professional Piercers as it is not a regulating body, only an association.  It does not license or certify piercers.  They promote and uphold the minimum standards of safety and hygiene.   

False information.  Your baby will receive the first DTaP vaccine at their 2 month check up.  then again at 4 months and 6 months.  Then later boosters.

"Ears may be pierced for cosmetic reasons at any age, and during the middle years of childhood, some youngsters will ask to have their ears pierced. If the piercing is performed carefully and cared for conscientiously, there is little risk, no matter what the age of the child. However, as a general guideline, postpone the piercing until your child is mature enough to take care of the pierced site herself. 

For the actual piercing procedure, have a doctor, nurse or experienced technician perform it. Rubbing alcohol or other disinfectants should be used to minimize the chances of an infection. At the time of the piercing, a round, gold-post earring should be inserted; in fact, some piercing instruments themselves can put the gold posts in place at the same time, thus avoiding any additional probing that can increase the chance of infection. The gold in the posts will reduce the risk of an allergic reaction and inflammation in the area. 

After the piercing, apply rubbing alcohol or an antibiotic ointment to the area two times a day for a few days; these applications will cut down the chances of infection and hasten the healing process. The earring should not be removed for four to six weeks, but should be gently rotated each day. If the area of piercing becomes red or tender, an infection may be developing, and you should seek medical attention promptly."

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/ear-nose-throat/Pages/Avoiding-Infection-After-Ear-Piercing.aspx