Category Publications

Point 85: New UKAPP Brochures

Comments Off on Point 85: New UKAPP Brochures read APP Brochures, International, Issue 85, News, Publications, Sister Organization

The UKAPP has created two new informational brochures addressing female genital piercings and national concerns regarding the same. Please read the previous articles in The Point (Issue 70, Issue 74, and Issue 77) regarding the classification of consensual female genital piercings as mutilation in Europe. These UKAPP brochures were written in full cooperation with the APP and are of interest to anyone concerned about issues of body piercing, female health, and human rights.

Print ready PDFs of these may be downloaded from the organization’s website: https://www.ukapp.org.uk/ Please note that the order of the brochure is formatted to allow for tri-folding when printed, much like the brochures available from the Association of Professional Piercers: https://www.safepiercing.org/brochures.php

Point 76: Member Updates – Aaron Pollack

Comments Off on Point 76: Member Updates – Aaron Pollack read Conference, In the Office, Issue 76, Membership, Social Media & Safe Piercing
The Point: Issue 76 - Cover

Elections
2016 Elections are in full swing at the APP office. We currently have four Board of Directors positions that will end their terms at Conference 2017. Check your email inbox for your ballot. Remember that to participate in voting or running for a position on the Board of Directors the nominee must have completed a membership renewal if necessary, and have all necessary membership documentation including BBP and First Aid/CPR on file with the front office.

Conference Certificates and Photos
Certificates and photos from Conference 2016 are being processed and will be released soon. Keep an eye out for both! The photos will be posted to an official tumblr page for easy access, and will be promoted through email and conference social media pages.

Certificates will be mailed upon completion.

Conference 2016 Recap
Conference 2016 was a resounding success. We had a week jam packed with classes, expo, and our biggest raffle ever!

By the end of the week we had 986 attendees and gave away over $165,000 worth of generously donated prizes.

Thank you to every person who attended, all of our volunteers, our corporate sponsors, vendors, and those who donated.

Conference 2017 will be held June 11–June 16, 2017
at Bally’s Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas

Point 74: Tech Tips for the Studio

Comments Off on Point 74: Tech Tips for the Studio read Business Practices, Issue 74, Social Media & Safe Piercing
The Point - Issue 74

Julie Taylor headshotAprilThomasJulie Taylor & April Thomas
APP Outreach Committee

We don’t use machines to create beautiful piercings, but for most of us, being a piercer involves much more than the installation of jewelry. As our jobs as body piercers become more multi faceted it is now common place to find more efficient and economical ways of doing all of the parts that now make up our job. This is where we can use technology; it can make many of our tasks more efficient and improve workflow; the integration of multiple technological tools can provide even more benefits. In this article we will take a quick look at some of the ways piercers can currently use technology in their studios to improve efficiency.

Point of sale system (POS)
– Create your next order automatically based on custom targets
– See inventory instantly
– Manual counting of each piece is required less often
– See sales in real time from home or away
– Track a variety of statistics, from best sellers to busiest time of day
– Use reporting features to identify business opportunities or trends

Client tracking software (sometimes integrated with POS)
– Set up and maintain client reward program
– Single out groups for marketing (birthdays, top gold purchasers in the last 6 months, all nostril piercings this month, etc)
– Generate contact list for an email newsletter
– Send reminders for check ups and other appointments
– Access sizes, wish lists, dates of services and other details for individual clients
– Commit phone clients by booking and scheduling appointments

Accounting software (also may integrate with POS)
– Track even more statistics
– Have year end figures ready at tax time
– All calculations are done by the software
– Handle payroll

Digital waivers
– Nothing to file or store, saving time and space

CCTV cameras
– Watch business from afar
– Added security

Online appointment booking (sometimes integrated with POS)
– Access schedules from home or away
– Clients can book themselves, reducing phone calls and emails

Social media
– Lower priced or free, targeted, advertising
– Easily respond to clients in a frequently used platform
– Scheduling software allows the streamlining of posts to multiple platforms over multiple days in one session.

Website
– Showcase all your info and portfolios together with aftercare, driving directions, links and more
– Collect data from here to shape marketing efforts
– Digitally book appointments to commit online shoppers
– Integrate with search engines for higher SEO results
– Integrate with social media (provide links between)

Cloud storage & file transfer systems (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc)
– Share photos and documents among team members
– Work on projects from home
– Less (or no) risk of losing work as a result of hardware failure

Google maps
– Show business by name
– Makes clients’ experiences easier
– Reduce calls for directions

Mobile phone
– Take photos to help line up paired piercings, show clients ear or other placements that are hard for them to see, as well as portfolio photos
– Access your portfolio anywhere
– Use software for many of the above tasks while at home or away, including POS, CCTVs, Google, social media, and more (this article was written entirely with the Google Docs application)

Each one of these categories of technology could have an entire issue devoted to it. This quick reference was not meant to provide you with the information to best implement and utilize each of these technologies within your shops and business models. Instead, we hope this quick reference will help readers determine which technologies could make a meaningful impact in their studio. Hopefully this reference guide will allow you to isolate an area or procedure that can be improved upon and give you the tools to begin the research process.

Point 74: Responding to Negative Criticism Online – Courtney Jane Maxwell

Comments Off on Point 74: Responding to Negative Criticism Online – Courtney Jane Maxwell read Issue 74, Lifestyle, Social Media & Safe Piercing
Star rating clipart

Courtney Jane MaxwellCourtney Jane Maxwell
Saint Sabrina’s

The internet has become such an integral part of our marketing, allowing our clients to leave feedback about our service. Sooner or later, we all encounter one of the least fun parts of the piercing gig: dealing with a bad review or negative feedback/criticism on our social media. These reviews can be true, false, simple misunderstandings, and everything in between. Some will be incredibly easy to deal with or even ignore, “they wouldn’t pierce me because I was drunk—how rude!” Others can make you and/or your studio look bad, especially if you do not take the opportunity to reply.

On many review websites, you can reply publicly to the original poster. When responding to negative feedback publicly, the first thing to consider is that this response is therefore not only for the original poster, but for the public who may be reading later. It then becomes wise to consider both perspectives (the current client as well as future ones) when writing your replies; your response doubles as a chance to show the public how you handle business. Do you handle complaints with integrity? What kind of customer service do you give? Do you keep your cool when people are being unruly? What type of policies do you have, and why? Your response is a reflection of your business, and it can have a dramatic impact on how readers perceive the negative review itself.

When deciding how to respond, having a solid idea of how you want to present yourself/your studio to the public is extremely beneficial. Using your company’s mission statement as a guideline for this will point you in the right direction. It can also serve as something to refer back to if you are unsure what the tone of your reply should be. It also keeps you from kicking yourself later. Having a well laid out plan from the beginning makes it much easier to navigate the trickier situations in business. Embarrassing online interactions from the past have a way of sticking around, so it’s always good to think about potential readers to see how any online interactions may come back to haunt you. There are many different ways to run a piercing studio and handle clients, but consistency in how you handle difficult online situations will be much more beneficial long term than playing into the negative spiral that internet arguments can create.Star rating clipart

Once you have read a critical or negative review, take some time to process what was said. There are a lot of things to consider, and jumping to reply quickly can lead to an overly emotional response. Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • Criticisms can often be dramatizations; it is habit for many people to play up a story in their favor. The perspective from the critic can make this “version” of the story seem like it is accurate. On the other hand, sometimes people are just angry and really do try to spin a situation in a spiteful way. As with any conflict, accepting the way people may think and express themselves is important in allowing you to understand the situation. You can’t change people or how they choose to express themselves, and getting angry at the way they react is a waste of time. In the end it is counter-productive to your goals. Attempting to understand them better may allow you to handle the situation more effectively.
  • Think like the client. Walk yourself through the details of their criticism and genuinely try to consider how the experience may have unfolded from their perspective.
  • Never reply without getting the full story! Speak directly with any staff members involved in the situation that led to the criticism. Also be prepared to consider that your staff/co-workers are just as human as clients. Their perspectives may create some bias in the situation as well, even if they are trying to avoid that.
  • Don’t assume that the customer is always right, OR that the customer is always wrong. Keep an open mind and remember to see past the presentation and look for the content of the complaint.
  • Don’t make the mistake of invalidating someone’s experience; it’s a sure fire way to offend people. No matter how inappropriately someone may react, telling them “your feelings aren’t real” is not going to get you anywhere you want to go.

For example: “We are really sorry if our policy about handling jewelry made you feel singled out. We have policies in place specifically to keep the shop as clean as possible for ourselves and our visitors. It may seem a little odd at first, but we like to take every precaution when it comes to our clients safety!“ Rather than, “our counter person wasn’t being rude. He was just doing his job.”

  • Don’t call someone a liar, even if it seems like they are lying. It makes people furious, and if somehow you are wrong, it makes you look extremely unprofessional. If you have solid evidence that what they are saying isn’t true, present the evidence and ask if perhaps there was some confusion. Giving people the benefit of the doubt is often the only way to “win” in this situation. If you think it’s pertinent to make it clear that something isn’t true, stating it in a way that doesn’t direct the statement at the client is a really great way to get the point across while still sounding professional.

For example: “We have a very strict policy that nobody gets pierced without doing paperwork,” rather than, “There is no way you got pierced here without doing paperwork.”

  • Remember not to disclose information about your client and/or their visit that should be considered private. Even if there are no legal repercussions, it will make potential clients reading it very uneasy to think that you could be provoked into sharing their personal information where the public can see. If details of this nature are necessary, it may be appropriate to reply publicly that, out of respect for the client’s privacy, you would prefer to contact them directly to discuss the matter. It assures that onlookers won’t think that you simply ignored the situation.

In the end if communication like this isn’t your strong suit, I suggest taking time to read other people’s reviews. Check out reviews from people who you respect and shops whose business approach you admire. Then read reviews from random other studios as well; finding examples of what you don’t like can be just as helpful. When you find ones you like, analyze what you like about them and consider why you think it was an effective response. You won’t have the benefit of knowing the entire story behind the situation, but it’s still a very helpful way to prepare yourself and get an idea for how you want to handle that type of situation. I also suggest looking for places where the original poster can publicly reply to the person’s responses. It’s good to see how clients react to these responses, as it can give you clues on which approaches work best for the type of results you would like to see in a particular type of interaction.

Developing a good method for handling negativity online is an incredibly valuable skill in our profession, although it can be a challenge. While this subject could easily become an entire novel, the points highlighted here are intended to help steer you towards better results when managing online reviews. Here’s to not having to use these skills too often!

Point 74: Communicating Effectively in the Digital Age – Miro Hernandez

2 Comments read Issue 74, Social Media & Safe Piercing
Social media icon clipart

Miro Hernandez headshotMiro Hernandez
APP Public Relations Director

With the advent of the internet and World Wide Web, times are quickly changing for all. You literally have easy access to the entire world at your fingertips. Long gone are the days of AOL and slow dial-up connections. In fact you don’t even need a computer or a laptop to access your email or the World Wide Web, and it is no longer necessary to hear the screeches and squeals from your modem just to find out “you’ve got mail.” It is all right at your fingertips on your nearest smart device. As the landscape of the World Wide Web started taking shape, turning to the internet for all your questions and needs quickly became the new norm. “Just Google it” is now the answer to any question that is posed and the internet is full of plenty of answers, both good and bad.

Along with the rise of the internet, new and different platforms have risen as a means for businesses to promote themselves. Shelling out hundreds of dollars for an ad in the YellowPages is no longer necessary when you can get free promotion through the internet. When an individual is seeking an establishment that offers a specific type of service, websites like Google, Yelp, and Facebook seem to be their first stop. Do a great job and offer the highest quality of service and people are quick to sing your praises, loud and proud, through digital reviews. However, along with the good comes the bad. If they are quick to be loud and proud with a review of an exceptional service, they’ll be even quicker and louder when the service that is offered does not meet their expectations. Having a strong social media presence has the power to either make or break businesses these days. In the case of a negative review, it is essential to be prepared to respond politely and professionally. You may be faced with a firestorm on social media, lashing out based on an inappropriate comment. Understanding the tool you are using is imperative to the integrity of your business.

First and foremost, it is absolutely imperative to understand, that once it goes out into the World Wide Web, it has been put out for all eyes to see and will become a permanent part of the recorded history, even if you delete it. The most common fallacy that I see and hear repeatedly is “but it’s my personal page. I’m free to do as I please with it.” While this is technically true, personal page or not, there is no disclaimer to let viewers know this. It is not shrouded by a safety web or warnings. By using your “personal” page as a means to promote yourself and your business, you are providing your viewers with a direct reflection of who you are and the nature of your business. In essence, the internet has made us our own bosses and masters of our own domain.

A perfect example of your personal page not being so personal and the rather serious ramifications that can result is the infamous screencap. How many times have you witnessed, in a public or private forum, a screencap of an image taken from a “personal” page or a “private” forum, used against someone maliciously? Not so personal or private anymore, huh?

Many of us, at one point or another in our life, have been told there are three things that you don’t talk about: religion, politics, and money. While this may not hold as much weight these days as in days of yore, there is still something to be taken from this. Personally, I think that freedom of speech is a wonderful thing, and having the privilege and ability to speak on topics that we are passionate about is what defines us. That being said, there is absolutely a time and place for this to happen, and a social media outlet used to promote a business is not the place to do so.

These days, we live in a society where people are very easily offended and feelings can get hurt. I’m a firm believer that the greatest thing the internet has given us is “butt-hurt”. That “friend” you thought was really cool and understood “where you’re coming from” may take offense to your thoughts and feelings on a particular topic that you may have felt was a non-issue. Not only have you lost a friend, but that person could’ve been your biggest supporter. The person that was initially quick to sing your praises is now telling the world how horrible of a person you are and telling others to no longer frequent your establishment, possibly over something as benign as not seeing eye to eye on whether New York style pizza is better than Chicago style pizza. Simple rule of thumb: if the topic has potential to offend and you can’t handle yourself in a manner that goes hand in hand with how you want your business to be perceived, don’t post it.

In Don Miguel Ruiz’s bestseller, The Four Agreements, one of the agreements was “be impeccable with your word.” While the meaning of this can be open to interpretation, I will apply it in a manner that is in line with what has been brought up thus far. When we are communicating with individuals directly in person (verbal communication), there are many things we can pick up on indirectly through the individual’s nonverbal communication: body language, eye contact, voice inflection, pause and timing, etc. The phrase “you’re not saying anything, but you’re telling me everything” will always come to mind when I think of the importance of nonverbal communication. At this point, if you haven’t caught on yet, you’re probably asking yourself what this has to do with internet etiquette and being impeccable with your word. It has absolutely everything to do with it! These nonverbal identifiers can not be translated through text on a screen. An individual reading your words and seeing your emojis has to infer the tone of the message you are trying to convey. It can be difficult to distinguish whether you are being serious, malicious, sarcastic, or genuinely concerned. The overall message is often left open and subject to interpretation by whomever’s eyes are reading it. This is where it is of utter importance to be clear and concise with the point you are trying to make; in other words, be impeccable with your word.

While I make no claims to be an expert in the field of internet communication, this is all based off of my personal observations and thoughts on the subject matter. My background is in speech communications with an emphasis on interpersonal communication. So naturally, communication, and the lack thereof, is something that I feel very strongly about. If you are touting and claiming yourself to be a professional, do so in a manner that is according to and in line with your claims in all aspects of your life, even the internet. Some people may say that the internet is not real life and should therefore not be taken too seriously. However, when it has the potential to impact your way of life, the internet should absolutely be taken seriously.

Social media icon clipart

Point 74: From the Editor – Marina Pecorino

Comments Off on Point 74: From the Editor – Marina Pecorino read Editorial, From the Editor, Issue 74, Lifestyle, Social Media & Safe Piercing, Technology
The Point - Issue 74

Marina Pecorino headshotMarina Pecorino
Managing Editor of Content & Statistics

I initially struggled to come up with direction for this editorial, partly because I feel that I’m somewhat of an outsider. I’m connected to the industry, obviously, but for now, I live my days in corporate America. On an issue geared toward technology in the industry, my brain immediately jumped to marketing, as this was one of my primary business roles during my time as a piercer. Honestly though, I think the biggest impact technology has for me currently is allowing me to connect so easily with all of you.

Throughout my life, I’ve found it difficult to stay in touch with friends when there is physical distance; I have great intentions, but my follow through can be lacking. Social media allows communication with my distant friends to become seamlessly integrated into my day-to-day life. I can now feel connected and do my introverted “lurk and like” while allowing people I care about to do the same.

Recently, I was trying to explain to my partner how supportive and appreciative the volunteer family is, even though many of us have only met in person a handful of times, if that. We’re not a daily face to face interaction in each other’s lives, but we still feel like family. I believe this to be true throughout the body modification community, which is one of the things I love most about having chosen this path. In many ways, my continued involvement in the industry is made possible because of the technology we have at our disposal.

It amazes me to realize that, as a result of my involvement with this industry, I’ve developed friendships with awe-inspiring people all over the world. Unfortunately, the last year seems to have dealt a lot of hard blows to our community. Having friends that span the far reaches of the globe can be extremely tough when someone is going through a particularly hard experience, and all I want to do is give them a hug. Technology makes connecting over these vast distances a little less difficult and allows us to show our support, even when physical proximity isn’t possible.

I have to admit that this editorial started out as a quick comment in the APP volunteers group, while curled up in bed. I only got a few words in, when I suddenly realized that what I wanted to express is my appreciation for the chance to feel so close, despite being so far away. What started as a quick comment, ended up evolving into a rough draft for an editorial. It’s pretty incredible what you can create with technology.

Point 74: From the Editor – Kendra Jane B

1 Comment read Editorial, From the Editor, Issue 74, Social Media & Safe Piercing, Technology
The Point - Issue 74 - cover

Kendra Jane headshotKendra Jane Berndt
Managing Editor of Content & Archives

We are in a world where we double tap dozens of times a day, use our smart devices to track the most minute details of our days, and start to sweat at the thought of no wifi. In a relatively short amount of time our industry has embraced technology. We as piercers know what an important role social media and technological advances have on our jobs. As someone that has been given the good fortune of being able to reach many of my peers on a regular basis; I want to take this opportunity to hopefully provide you all with for some food for thought. A few “rules” if you will to navigate the waters of the tech ocean we are all trying to stay afloat in.

To be engaged in ones work, ones passion to apply oneself fully and wholly is an amazing thing. This used to mean spending hours pouring over books, old letters, even microfiche, or (yikes) actually talking to people. The art of the spoken word is no longer what it was. The internet has made so much possible. With information a click away, one can fulfill every need and want for knowledge in seconds enabling our passions to ignite and take off. The flip side to this 24/7 access to internet anonymity (you can become someone you are not, omit the parts of your person at will, or remain completely anonymous) is that the rules of social engagement seem to be faltering; no tone or body language to accompany it. In this issue, you’ll find an article by Miro Hernandez explaining how to put your best foot forward while communicating online.

When I was younger my mom often told me if I had nothing nice to say I was to say nothing at all. As much as it may pain me, I have to admit my mom was right. This statement has saved feelings from being hurt, friendships from being ruined, and embarrassing things from happening. Inevitably, we all face some form of negative online criticism in our professional lives. Courtney Jane Maxwell has shared some tips to help you stay cool and collected when dealing with a bad review on a social media platform.

We live in a world where we are force fed the idea that more is better. I firmly and truly believe moderation is the key, not just when it comes to the donuts I eat or the coffee I drink, but very importantly in the social media I use. I choose to be choosey which means I do not use every type of new and fancy social media that pops up. I do not snap, tweet, and in fact I do not spend the same amount of time tumbling or booking that I used to. I have chosen the types of technology that work best for me and I make them work as effectively and efficiently as possible. This means that as much as technology has become part of every facet of my day to day life, it is not my life from day to day.

Read on to see how technological advances have helped to make our industry safer for clients and piercers alike; how the etiquette of more formal times in the past still have a place in our conversations on the internet today, and don’t forget to double tap and share this publication.

Point 73: Portfolio Photography: Tips & Tricks – Marina Pecorino

1 Comment read Issue 73, Social Media & Safe Piercing, Technology

Point-70-From-the-Editor-Marina-0.jpgMarina Pecorino
Managing Editor of Content & Statistics

In the grand scheme, our industry is young, but in reference to how we display our portfolios there has been quite a bit of progress throughout our short history. During the inception of the modern piercing movement, piercers displayed their work selectively in printed photographs, which resulted in a lag between when a piercing was performed and when it was available to showcase. The range of viewing audience was also much smaller as a result of this medium and its reliance on a physical print.

As the internet became more accessible, shops were able to use websites to display their collective works. Websites like BMEzine came into being, allowing piercers to reach a broader audience, beyond the bounds of geography. However, until digital photography became affordable and readily available, this medium was still limited by the lag and expense of developing film and scanning photographs.

Source: Saint Sabrina's
Source: Saint Sabrina’s

Modern digital photography has reached a level where decent digital cameras are built into every smartphone, and standalone digital cameras are widely available. Social media allows us to quickly reach an audience around the world. We hold these sophisticated marketing tools in our pockets, purses, and fanny packs every day, but do we know how to implement them to their fullest potential?

This will be a two part instructional article to help you make the most of these tools. In this first edition, I’ll touch on some tricks and tips for shooting portfolio photographs. In Issue 74, I’ll explain some ways to make sure those photographs have as broad a reach as possible, using the tools allowed through current social media and search engine optimization.

And now on to the good stuff! I hope that you find these quick techniques and tricks useful in displaying your work to the world.

Source: Dorje Adornments
Source: Dorje Adornments

• Variety—Don’t get drawn into only taking photographs of your favorite types of piercings or jewelry styles. Strive to show the full range of options available within your studio and the diversity of your clientele. Showing a mix of gender, race, age, and style helps make your portfolio relatable to a broader range of your clients and allows your potential client an opportunity to visualize themselves and their new or upgraded adornment within your portfolio.

• Composition—Your photograph is intended to display your superb piercing technique and the incredible, high polished jewelry you’ve used, so make sure that these are the main focal point. Frame collages have become popular and allow you to show the piercing from multiple angles. These are a great way to show a close up and distant view (with a smiling, happy client, maybe?), and can be especially useful in displaying symmetrically paired piercings.

• Distance and Zoom—When zooming in on your subject within your digital camera, image quality loss is irreversible. Therefore you should avoid using the digital zoom, which may leave your image looking pixelated and distorted. It is far better to take a step or three closer to your client to take advantage of the natural optics of the lens. If necessary, crop the image after the fact to get rid of extraneous or distracting aspects or achieve a closer view. That being said, be careful not to get “too close”. This can make the viewer feel uncomfortable and the piercing will lose some of its impact without the rest of the anatomy as a frame of reference.

• Focus—If a photograph is out of focus, avoid using it, regardless of how in love with it you may be. An out of focus image will not tell the viewer much about the health of a piercing or quality of the jewelry used. Using a shallow depth of field (choose a large aperture close to f/2.8, for the photography geeks in our midst) to blur the background can be useful if you’re shooting photographs in a visually busy environment. If you forgot to use this setting while taking the photograph, post-processing software like Photoshop, Lightroom, Affinity, Exposure, or photography apps on your smartphone can accomplish this after the fact as well. If you have the option, try using a minimalistic or subtle background, but still aim for some color and texture when possible.

• Lighting—If you have the environment available to take portfolio photographs outside or close to a window, choose a spot that is well-lit by indirect sunlight. Unrestrained direct sunlight can cause harsh shadows and loss of detail in highlights. If you’re shooting in a windowless room, positioning multiple light sources with natural spectrum light bulbs can simulate indirect sunlight. If you’re shooting with a DSLR, using a bounce flash directed at a white wall behind you can help evenly illuminate your client and their beautiful jewelry. Regardless of your lighting, watch out for unintentional shadows near eyes, noses, and chins.

• Color Balance—Using natural spectrum lighting is a great start to provide the truest colors for jewelry and the healthiest skin tones for your clients, but color correction can be done in post-production with most photography processing software and apps, like the ones mentioned earlier. Be careful about color balance; aim to make your whites as true as possible. Photographs with a greenish or yellowish hue may cause your client to look sickly. A reddish hue may cause your client to look flushed. If your camera has an option for white balance, set it appropriately based on your environment or take multiple photos with the white balance set a few different ways.

• Quality of Work—Avoid including angry, bloody, or otherwise unappealing piercings; happily healed piercings should make up the vast majority of your portfolio. If you are not pleased with the angle or placement, or if the perspective of the photo makes it look like something is wonky, choose a different photo or piercing. Your portfolio does not need to include every piercing you’ve performed or every photograph you’ve taken. It should be a selection of your very best work and it should show that the piercings you perform will heal well and elegantly accentuate the anatomy that surrounds them.

Source: Cold Steel
Source: Cold Steel

Point #73: From the Editor – Marina Pecorino

Comments Off on Point #73: From the Editor – Marina Pecorino read From the Editor, International, Issue 73, Social Media & Safe Piercing

Point-70-From-the-Editor-Marina-0.jpgMarina Pecorino
Managing Editor of Content & Statistics

I realized that in planning my pieces for this issue, I composed my outlines in terms of an almost methodical past—present—future format. As a result, it has become apparent to me that even when planning to discuss the current events of our industry, I can’t help but relate it back to where we came from and what has brought us to this point.

In the past, current events within the body modification community were defined within small regional groups, making the reach and influence fairly limited. Then as piercing enthusiasts became less closeted and more prevalent, conferences like the APP Conference and BMXnet, publications like PFIQ (Piercing Fans International Quarterly), and internet communities like BME became available. With this, the barriers of geography were broken and current events were defined more by the shared interests of individual communities. This allowed for a broader reach of knowledge and experience, and for enthusiasts to have more choice available in their involvement with specific interests. But information still had a trickling spread; trends were slower to be replaced with a newer, better, shinier thing.

With the overwhelming prevalence of social media and technology, the wealth of knowledge available is incredible and the reach of information is limitless. Trends change almost as quickly as they are born; in a matter of days, sweeping interest in a particular piercing placement or jewelry style can become global. Unfortunately, the same can be true in regards to misinformation and misconceptions surrounding placements, techniques, jewelry, and aftercare. It is our shared responsibility to ensure the quality and validity of piercing specific information available to our peers and the general public. Please be mindful of what you are sharing with the world.

However, even with this global reserve of knowledge, there are still specific concerns that only affect certain areas. In this issue, we are sharing some of those concerns seen during the revision process of body art laws and rules and regulations within the state of Ohio. You will also get a glimpse into the newly formed UKAPP and the issues specific to body modification artists in the European Union and the United Kingdom.

We hope that these articles help you gain an understanding and greater world view of what is happening within the professional realm of your peers.