Posts tagged association of professional piercers

2023 Legacy Scholarship

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The APP is pleased to announce that the Legacy Scholarship Program is now taking applications to attend the 2023 APP Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas!

This is funding for approximately 8 piercers in need of financial assistance to attend this educational event and recipients are required to work more than 30 hours during the Conference. Accommodations and Conference registration are included in the Scholarship, but you must provide your own transportation to and from the Conference and cover your own meals.

So, do you qualify? Here’s a few things that are required for eligibility.

-You must be 21 years or old by the time Conference happens.
-You must have never attended Conference before (some excepts do apply).
-You must be working in a studio and have at least six months experience before Conference.

All applicants will be judged on the following by the Scholarship Committee.

-Financial Need: This scholarship is for piercers who cannot attend the conference without assistance.
-Participation in the industry outside of your own studio.
-Demonstrating interest in bettering your skills/circumstances.
-Enthusiasm for the opportunity.
-Spirit of volunteering / Demonstrating work ethic / Humility

Do you feel that this scholarship applies to you? Take a peek at the detailed information and the application right here through this link: 2023 Legacy Scholarship Information and Application.

You have until January 15, 2023 to apply.

Good luck everyone!

Volunteer Group and Scholars from the 2016 Conference. Photo by Fabricio Cardoso

For me, attending the conference was almost the best week in my life. I couldn’t believe that I’m in the place I always wanted to be although all the difficulties and everything. Everyone there was very helpful and trying to make it easy on scholars in work and also outside work. Imagine people from all over the world and they all meet in one place and there’s no piercer who feels alone or anything. When it was the last day and we were finalizing everything, I stopped for a minute wishing that this week could repeated again and the idea was in my mind mind until I returned to Dubai. I miss the people there, the work, the activities and classes. All the best to everyone who made this a thing for piercers to feel that they belong to a place.
Fatma Ahmed, United Arab Emirates ~ 2022 Scholarship Recipient

This was hands down one of the best decisions I have ever made to apply for the scholarship. The doors this will open, the people you’ll meet, and the things you’ll learn. This scholarship changed everything about my life and career and I’m eternally grateful for the opportunities it has presented to me. If you are thinking of applying for any of the scholarships please do, this is a life changing experience for me, in both career and learning opportunities.
Zakk Boyer, United States ~ 2018 Scholarship Recipient

2022 NEHA Review

Comments Off on 2022 NEHA Review read Events, Legislation, Medical, Other Conferences, Public Education

Shortly after the APP’s 2022 conference in Las Vegas, APP member John Johnson traveled to Spokane, Washington to represent the association’s Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Committee (LRAC) at the annual education conference hosted by the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA).

APP members Matt Bavougian, Steve Joyner, and John Johnson each have positions on NEHA’s body art committee which created the Body Art Model Code (BAMC). NEHA represents health inspectors around the United States who visit body art studios and enforce local codes. This NEHA conference in Spokane featured four days of body art inspector training and the APP’s John Johnson was there to speak on behalf of body piercing facilities and discuss the most practical and effective methods for their inspection.

The NEHA conference is similar to our APP conference in many ways, lectures and other presentations take place each day with topics related to environmental health, opportunities to network are everywhere, and of course the exposition hall where vendors display their products and services is a main attraction.

Like piercers who attend the APP’s conference, health inspectors and other environmental health officials attend conferences such as NEHA to stay up-to-date with trends, technology, and information relevant to their profession. Today, these environmental health specialists have great interest in body art like professional piercing.

Body piercing is now considered mainstream by many and regulators are very interested in effective health codes and their enforcement. The APP’s LRAC works closely with organizations like NEHA who have a need for body piercing health and safety information. We appreciate everyone at NEHA who supports the APP’s mission of safe piercing.

At the time of this article NEHA is accepting change requests for the Body Art Model Code.

Point 76: From the Editor – Marina Pecorino

Comments Off on Point 76: From the Editor – Marina Pecorino read Conference, From the Editor, Issue 76
The Point: Issue 76 - Cover

Marina Pecorino headshotMarina Pecorino
Managing Editor of Content & Statistics

“Good morning. Today is going to be epic!” A note with these words is how my conference experience started, and they couldn’t have been more true. is conference experience for me was epic. As my third APP Conference, this one takes the cake, but I’m sure future Conferences will be even sweeter.

I started the rough draft for this editorial after attending the week’s opening festivities at the pool party. As early morning light started peeking through my hotel window, I had an almost giddy appreciation of the events of the previous evening. For the first time at an opening party, I felt like I finally broke out of my shell. I willingly and enthusiastically floated between groups, sharing conversations about professional and personal topics; social media marketing techniques, obstacles faced by international piercers, organizing state-wide groups for piercers. I credit the awesome APP unisex underpants largely for my brazen approach.

Truthfully though, the credit should go to the incredible people in our industry, this community, and my tribe. Conference is a week of hardcore learning and aisles of unbelievably gorgeous merchandise, but it’s also a week for connecting with a much larger family. We welcome new people from around the world with an open attitude and without judgement.

My first class of Conference this year was a round table about disorders in the industry, and I heard many attendees mention social anxiety. This is certainly something I face especially in such a large crowd in such an overwhelming city, but support is strong with this group, and I feel that is a vital component for many of us. This support and lack of judgement allows Conference to serve as a safe space where ideas can flow.

Every year, I’m continually impressed by our international attendees traveling so far to share in the event. For some, the experience was only possible because of generous donations from others in our community. As an industry, the self improvement of one piercer benefits us all. The give and take of knowledge is a communal effort. Sitting around the “Splash Bar”, there are never ending opportunities to learn from exposure to new perspective through a casual conversation.

On Thursday night at the annual Banquet dinner, everyone was sporting their most futuristic attire. Quite a few folks won life-changing prizes. The scholars and volunteers cheered each other on for a week of hard work. The Board of Directors had another changing of the guard, allowing some great leaders to move on to new projects and others to take on new responsibilities. We said hello, goodbye, and thank you to members of our industry family.

And then, before we knew it, the week was over. The vibe died down and the piercing tribe dispersed. We all trickled back home and started counting the days until our next chance to gather. For many, this count-down will be short, thanks to opportunities like guest spots, Camp APP, and conferences like UKAPP (congrats on the second annual!) and BMXnet. Personally, I can’t wait to see you all in Vegas for the 22nd annual APP Conference; mark your calendars now for June 11-16, 2017.

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 73: Children’s Ear Piercing – Kendra Jane B

2 Comments read Issue 73, Medical, Public Education, Sterilization

Kendra Jane BerndtThe Point Issue 73 - Professionals dont use piercing guns
April Thomas
Julie Taylor

Most of us receive at least one phone a week— sometimes even a day—from a concerned parent wanting to know the best option to pierce their child’s lobes. We are frequently seeing that the safe piercing message is reaching the masses. However, we are still seeing many piercings done with piercing guns. Whether it is because they are unable to find the information in the places they are visiting or because they are intimidated to visit their local tattoo or piercing studio to have their questions answered, parents are using less than favorable methods to pierce their children’s lobes. Perhaps they are leery of taking their six or seven year old daughter or son into said studio because of things that have nothing to do with piercing, such as the music, a worry of profanity or inappropriate behaviour, etc.

Within this article, we have presented similar information in two forms. The first is intended for an audience with a more complete understanding of piercing industry jargon and intricacies. The second presentation has been simplified with our clients in mind. Our intention was to provide something that you are able to print and send home. You can choose which presentation is most appropriate for your target audience. Either way, we encourage you to share the link to this article and repost on every site that questions the safest way to pierce children’s ears.

What is the APP’s position on ear piercing guns?
It is the position of the Association of Professional Piercers that only sterile disposable equipment is suitable for body piercing, and that only materials which are certified as safe for internal implant should be placed inside a fresh or unhealed piercing. We consider any procedure that places vulnerable tissue in contact with either non-sterile equipment or jewelry that is not considered medically safe for long-term internal wear to be unsafe. Such procedures place the health of recipients at an unacceptable risk. For this reason, APP Members may not use reusable ear piercing guns for any type of piercing procedure.

Reusable ear piercing guns can put clients in direct contact with the blood and bodily fluids of previous clients.
Although they can become contaminated with bloodborne pathogens dozens of times in one day, ear piercing guns are often not sanitized in a medically recognized way. Plastic ear piercing guns cannot be autoclave sterilized and may not be sufficiently cleaned between use on multiple clients. Even if the antiseptic wipes used were able to kill all pathogens on contact, simply wiping the external surfaces of the gun with isopropyl alcohol or other antiseptics does not kill pathogens within the working parts of the gun. Blood from one client can become aerosolized, becoming airborne in microscopic particles, and contaminate the inside components of the gun. The next client’s tissue and jewelry may come into contact with these contaminated surfaces. This creates the possibility of transmitting bloodborne disease-causing microorganisms through such ear piercing, as many medical studies report.

The Point Issue 73 - childrens ear piercing Frankie PistoneAs is now well known, the Hepatitis virus can live for extended periods of time on inanimate surfaces, and could be harbored within a piercing gun for several weeks or more. Hepatitis and common staph infections, which could be found on such surfaces, constitute a serious public health threat if they are introduced into even one reusable piercing gun. Considering the dozens of clients whose initial piercings may have direct contact with a single gun in one day, this is a cause for serious concern. Babies, young children, and others with immature or compromised immune systems may be at higher risk.

Additionally, it has not been documented how often piercing guns malfunction. Some operators report that the earring adapter that holds the jewelry will often not release the earring, requiring its removal with pliers. These pliers, which contact contaminated jewelry immediately after it has passed through the client’s tissue, may be reused on multiple customers without full sterilization. Few, if any, gun piercing establishments possess the expensive sterilization equipment (steam autoclave or chemclave) necessary for such a process.

Piercing guns can cause significant tissue damage.
Though slightly pointy in appearance, most ear piercing studs are quite dull. Therefore, these instruments use excessive pressure over a larger surface area in order to force the metal shaft through the skin. The effect on the body is more like a crush injury than a piercing and causes similar tissue damage. Medically, this is referred to as “blunt force trauma.” At the least, it can result in significant pain and swelling for the client, but it also has the potential to cause scarring and increased incidence of auricular chondritis, a severe tissue disfigurement.

Occasionally the intense pressure and speed of the gun’s spring-loaded mechanism is not sufficient to force the blunt jewelry through the flesh. In these cases, the earring stud may become lodged part way through the client’s ear. The gun operator, who may not be trained to deal with this possibility, has two options. S/he can remove the jewelry and repierce the ear, risking contamination of the gun and surrounding environment with blood flow from the original wound. Alternately, the operator can attempt to manually force the stud through the client’s flesh, causing excessive trauma to the client and risking a needlestick-type injury for the operator. How often such gun malfunction occurs has not been documented by manufacturers, but some gun operators report that it is frequent.

When used on structural tissue such as cartilage, more serious complications such as auricular chondritis, shattered cartilage, and excessive scarring are common. Gun piercings can result in the separation of subcutaneous fascia from cartilage tissue, creating spaces in which fluids collect. This can lead to both temporary swelling and permanent lumps of tissue at or near the piercing site. These range from mildly annoying to grossly disfiguring, and some require surgery to correct. Incidence can be minimized by having the piercing performed with a sharp surgical needle, which slides smoothly through the tissue and causes less tissue separation. A trained piercer will also use a post-piercing pressure technique that minimizes hypertrophic scar formation.

Cartilage has less blood flow than lobe tissue and a correspondingly longer healing time. Therefore infections in this area are much more common and can be much more destructive. The use of non-sterile piercing equipment and insufficient aftercare has been associated with increased incidence of auricular chondritis, a severe and disfiguring infection in cartilage tissue. This can result in deformity and collapse of structural ear tissue, requiring antibiotic therapy and extensive reconstructive surgery to correct. Again, medical literature has documented many such cases and is available on request.

The Point Issue 73 - childrens ear piercing - Courtney MaxwellThe length and design of gun studs is inappropriate for healing piercings.
Ear piercing studs are too short for some earlobes and most cartilage. Initially, the pressure of the gun’s mechanism is sufficient to force the pieces to lock over the tissue. However, once they are locked on, the compressed tissue cannot return to its normal state. This constriction causes further irritation. At the least, the diminished air and blood circulation in the compressed tissue can lead to prolonged healing, minor complications, and scarring. More disturbingly, the pressure of such tight jewelry can result in additional swelling and impaction. Both piercers and medical personnel have seen stud gun jewelry completely embedded in ear lobes and cartilage (as well as navels, nostrils and lips), even when pierced “properly” with a gun. This may require the jewelry to be cut out surgically, particularly in cases where one or both sides of the gun stud have disappeared completely beneath the surface of the skin. Such risk is minimal when jewelry is custom fit to the anatomy of the client, and installed with a needle piercing technique which creates less trauma and swelling. Custom fit jewelry should allow sufficient room for swelling and can be downsized to fit snugly on healed tissue.

Jewelry that fits too closely also increases the risk of infection because it does not allow for thorough cleaning. During normal healing, body fluids containing cellular discharge and other products of the healing process are excreted from the piercing. But with inappropriate jewelry, they can become trapped around the fistula. The fluid coagulates, becoming sticky and trapping bacteria against the skin. Unless thoroughly and frequently removed, this becomes an invitation for secondary infection. The design of the “butterfly” clasp of most gun studs can exacerbate this problem. Again, these consequences can be avoided with implant-grade jewelry that is designed for ease of cleaning and long-term wear.

Not all piercing jewelry is safe for prolonged wear.
Most ear piercing studs are not made of materials certified by the FDA, ASTM, or ISO as safe for long term implant in the human body. Even when coated in nontoxic gold plating, materials from underlying alloys can leach into human tissue through corrosion, scratches and surface defects, causing cytotoxicity and allergic reaction. Since manufacturing a durable corrosionand defect-free coating for such studs is extremely difficult, medical literature considers only implant grade steel (ASTM F138) and titanium (ASTM F67 and ASTM F136) to be appropriate for piercing jewelry composition. Studs made of any other materials, including nonimplant grade steel (steel not batch certified as ASTM F138), should not be used, regardless of the presence of surface plating.

Misuse of ear piercing guns is extremely common.
Even though many manufacturers’ instructions and local regulations prohibit it, some gun operators do not stop at piercing only the lobes, and may pierce ear cartilage, nostrils, navels, eyebrows, tongues and other body parts with the ear stud guns. This is absolutely inappropriate and very dangerous.

Although gun piercing establishments usually train their operators, this training is not standardized and may amount to merely viewing a video, reading an instruction booklet, and/or practicing on cosmetic sponges or other employees. Allegations have been made that some establishments do not inform their employees of the serious risks involved in both performing and receiving gun piercings, and do not instruct staff on how to deal with situations such as client medical complications or gun malfunction. Indeed, surveys conducted in jewelry stores, beauty parlors, and mall kiosks in England and the US revealed that many employees had little knowledge of risks or risk management related to their procedure.

Considering that a large proportion of gun operators’ clientele are minors or young adults, it is not surprising that few gun piercing complications are reported to medical personnel. Many clients may have been pierced without the knowledge or consent of parents or guardians who provide healthcare access. Therefore, the majority of the infections, scarring and minor complications may go unreported and untreated. Furthermore, because of the ease of acquiring a gun piercing and the lack of awareness of risk, many consumers fail to associate their negative experiences with the piercing gun itself. They believe that, since it is quicker and easier to acquire a gun piercing than a manicure, gun piercing must be inherently risk-free. Often it is only when complications prove so severe as to require immediate medical attention that the connection is made and gun stud complications get reported to medical personnel.

Despite these pronounced risks associated with gun piercing, most areas allow gun operators to perform piercings without supervision. Recent legislation has begun to prohibit the use of guns on ear cartilage and other non-lobe locations, and the state of New Hampshire has made all non-sterile equipment illegal, but these changes are not yet nationwide. It is our hope that, with accurate and adequate information, consumers and the legislatures will understand and therefore reject the use of gun piercing in the interests of the public health.

References Cited:

Pediatric Emergency Care. 1999 June 15(3): 189-92.
Ear-piercing techniques as a cause of auricular chondritis.
More DR, Seidel JS, Bryan PA.

International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. 1990 March 19(1): 73-6.
Embedded earrings: a complication of the ear-piercing gun.
Muntz HR, Pa-C DJ, Asher BF.

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2003 February 111(2): 891-7; discussion 898.
Ear reconstruction after auricular chondritis secondary to ear piercing.
Margulis A, Bauer BS, Alizadeh K.

Contact Dermatitis. 1984 Jan; 10(1): 39-41.
Nickel release from ear piercing kits and earrings.
Fischer T, Fregert S, Gruvberger B, Rystedt I.

British Journal of Plastic Surgery. 2002 April 55(3): 194-7.
Piercing the upper ear: a simple infection, a difficult reconstruction.
Cicchetti S, Skillman J, Gault DT.

Scottish Medical Journal. 2001 February 46(1): 9-10.
The risks of ear piercing in children.
Macgregor DM.

American Journal of Infection Control. 2001 August 29(4): 271-4.
Body piercing as a risk factor for viral hepatitis: an integrative research review.
Hayes MO, Harkness GA.

Journal Laryngology and Otology. 2001 July 115(7): 519-21.
Ear deformity in children following high ear-piercing: current practice, consent issues and legislation.
Jervis PN, Clifton NJ, Woolford TJ.

Cutis. 1994 February 53(2): 82.
Embedded earrings.
Cohen HA, Nussinovitch M, Straussberg R.

Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology. 2001; 30(5): 311.
Does mechanical insult to cartilage trigger relapsing polychondritis?
Alissa H, Kadanoff R, Adams E.

British Journal of Dermatology. 2002 April 146(4): 636-42.
Decrease in nickel sensitization in a Danish schoolgirl population with ears pierced after implementation of a nickel- exposure regulation.
Jensen CS, Lisby S, Baadsgaard O, Volund A, Menne T.

Toxicology In Vitro. 2000 Dec 14(6): 497-504.
Cytotoxicity due to corrosion of ear piercing studs.
Rogero SO, Higa OZ, Saiki M, Correa OV, Costa I.

Journal of the American Medical Association. 1974 March 11; 227(10): 1165.
Ear piercing and hepatitis. Nonsterile instruments for ear piercing and the subsequent onset of viral hepatitis.
Johnson CJ, Anderson H, Spearman J, Madson J.

Journal of the American Medical Association. 1969 March 24; 207(12): 2285.
Hepatitis from ear piercing.
Van Sciver AE.

Journal of the American Medical Association. 291.8 (2004): 981-985.
Outbreak of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections caused by commercial piercing of upper ear cartilage.
Keene, William E, Amy C Markum, and Mansour Samadpour.

Point 73: Count All The Things – Christina Shull

1 Comment read Issue 73, Procedures

Christina Shull headshotChristina Shull
Owner of Integrity Piercing

One of my favorite parts about December is counting every little piece of jewelry in my studio for end of year inventory. For most people, that line was read in a sarcastic tone. In my case, it is true and should have been ended with an exclamation point and been followed with a smiley face. While this article will probably not have any effect on the enthusiasm you may or may not have while counting your jewelry, I do hope to share some tips that could make the experience a little smoother and hopefully more pleasant for you.

3088809I would love to address why end of year inventory is so important and the impact it has on your financial statements and taxation. You are spared from that info in this particular article. It would be a very long article otherwise, maybe even a small book, and I do not want to bore you to death if you are not a current or future business owner. If you are interested in learning more about the administrative aspect of piercing, stay tuned in January for the debut of my blog “The Business of Piercing” which will be filled with plenty of information on the business side of the industry: taxes, accounting, employee relations, legalities, financial statements, and all the aspects that go into keeping your business profitable and compliant with local, state, and federal regulations. For now, let’s delve into how to make your end of year inventory count as smooth as possible.

IMG_1311
Photograph by Kendra Jane

There are many reasons for needing an accurate count of your inventory, with the most relatable reason being that none of us want to pay more taxes than we absolutely have to. An accurate count can significantly reduce the chance that you will overpay for taxes related to jewelry investments. Shrinkage, or losses, which can happen in our industry fairly easily: jewelry being dropped on the floor and rolling into the abyss, small parts easily end up in the sink drain of the processing room (along with almost every threaded or pin taper you once had), and the often overlooked comp jewelry that a client received as a nocharge upsize/downsize/“oops, the piercer grabbed the wrong size/ color/etc.” An accurate inventory count at the end of the year allows you to properly determine your Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), which directly affects the amount of tax you will pay.

Planning your end of year inventory count is the best way to minimize stress and increase accuracy. Inform your staff members in advance about inventory planning and give them clear and specific instructions, preferably in writing. During your planning, consider the following:

Photograph by Marina Pecorino

When will the count be done? Ideally, inventory counting will be done when the studio is closed, or at least during a day when business is expected to be slow. I personally opt to perform the count on a day my studio is closed. It is worth it to me to pay a little bit of overtime in return for a count that is done in a shorter period of time and is more accurate when there are no interruptions from clients or vendors.

Who will be counting the jewelry and what will they be counting? In my two person studio, we split the responsibility pretty much down the middle. My staff member counts and records the jewelry in the front of the studio – everything in the display cases and the bead totes used to store backstock jewelry. I count and record the jewelry in the piercing room, clean room, and any potential defective jewelry that has not been replaced yet.

IMG_3322
Photograph by Kendra Jane

It is uncommon to have jewelry that should be excluded from the inventory count, but there are a few situations where it can happen. Those situations should be explained in advance. For example, the majority of the jewelry I have on display are items that I would sell if needed, such as jewelry in “body bits” that is switched out periodically or a threaded end that I would sell if it was the last in stock of its color, size, style, etc. However, my anodized captive display has the rings stabilized with glue inside of a shadow box. Upon assembly of that display, I knew the rings would never be sold in the future and they were re-categorized from Jewelry and Aftercare (COGS) to Displays and Decorations (Expense). Another studio I worked at years ago had jewelry on display that was not going to be sold – discontinued “collectors’ items” and antiques. Those items needed to be excluded from the jewelry inventory because they were not items for resale.

What can you do to prepare? Pre-counting preparation can make the inventory count go smoother. The day before the count, make sure that jewelry is organized and items are in their designated places. If you have recently received a jewelry order, have all jewelry checked in, processed, and put away. Every studio seems to have a place, if not many places where jewelry just ends up; a special cup or drawer can be found in almost any room that often contains random beads, balls, and o-rings. Defective jewelry has a habit of ending up in a variety of different locations. Check for all of these miscellaneous pieces of jewelry and put it all away where it belongs.

PhotographybyMarinaPecorino-1236
Photograph by Marina Pecorino

How will the count be recorded? If you have a Point of Sale system, you may have inventory worksheets available that are ready to print and go. I just recently discovered that QuickBooks has printable inventory sheets that I am very excited to use this year! (Reports>Inventory>Physical Inventory Worksheet, for those who are interested). If your POS program does not have dedicated inventory sheets or if you choose not to use them, you can print an item list and use that to record your count. Many studios use the same inventory sheets that they would when counting stock items before placing an order. Blank paper can work as well, although the less detailed the documentation system, the easier it can be to overlook or miscount items.

Marking items that have already been counted is important. Keeping track of what has and has not been counted is not as simple as it may seem. For example, I have multiple threaded end options in one display frame and when following inventory sheets, they are far apart alphabetically on the sheet. In this case, I have used something to mark the rows or particular items that have already been counted; masking tape or little strips of post-it notes have both worked well for me. Sometimes I have drawn a quick diagram of the display and what is in it, crossing off pieces as they are counted. It may be easier for you to remove the jewelry from the displays entirely and replace them later. This provides a perfect opportunity to refresh displays for the new year. The important part is finding a method that will easily communicate to all staff members what has already been taken care of.

Double counting is suggested to ensure accuracy and this is when having a POS definitely comes in handy. I consider my POS stock numbers to be fairly close to accurate, with a physical count done to confirm. If the physical count matches the amount in the POS, I consider the single physical count to be fine. If the physical count does not match the amount in the POS, I double and sometimes triple or even quadruple check the physical count before I alter the amount in the POS. Double-checking is crucial when we have large quantities of small items that can be found in many locations. For example, 14g 2mm threaded flowers in my studio can be found in numerous places: a frame that has the more decorative 14g threaded options, in a few display body bits, in the middle of an assembled industrial barbell, on the top of some displayed navel curves, in one of the bead totes for backstock items at the front counter, and with flower navel curve posts in the piercing room. With 6 different places to find one particular item, it can be easy to miscount.

Photograph by Marina Pecorino
Photograph by Marina Pecorino

Employees need to be aware of what is counted separately versus together. You need to have consistency between how an item is entered into the POS or otherwise introduced into inventory and how it is counted. For instance, if a double gemmed navel curve was entered into the POS with the top gem and gemmed post being received as a single item, staff members need to consider both components when counting inventory. If there is a gem curved post without a top (usually because individual gems were out of stock when one was needed), this needs to be documented. Failure to document this would result in an assumption of the whole piece, which would lead to a lower COGS and result in paying tax on an asset you do not actually have.

Once you have completed your end of year inventory and extracted the information that you need for filing your taxes, don’t toss the inventory sheets! End of year inventory counts will serve as helpful tools for a variety of things including documentation of the actual inventory count (really useful if you are unlucky enough to be audited), your starting inventory amount for the next year (which you will use along with your next end of year inventory and purchase receipts to determine your COGS next year), and is very helpful when making adjustments to desired inventory stock numbers.

Now is a good time to start preparing for your year end inventory count. Create or update existing inventory sheets, draft a protocol for inventory counting, pick a day and time for the count and schedule some staff members specifically for this project, research additional tips and tricks to make your inventory count smoother. Most importantly, if you don’t want to pay more taxes than you absolutely have to, start getting your inventory numbers down in the next couple of weeks, which helps get your COGS amount up!

Photograph by Marina Pecorino
Photograph by Marina Pecorino

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: President’s Corner – Brian Skellie

2 Comments read Issue 73, Medical, President's Corner, Sterilization, Technology
Brian Skellie working with asepsis

Brian Skellie headshot at 2014 APP conference by April BerardiBrian Skellie
APP President

The APP is always going to be a work in progress, since standards are ever changing with new evidence. Lauded among the guiding principles we maintain as safety standards for our membership is the practice of asepsis. We refer to many procedural acts as practice, as they are rarely ever perfect and require a profound theoretical understanding coupled with regular exercise and critical self observation for improvement. Asepsis requires the right combination of cleaning and sterilization with touching and not touching manual, instrumental and environmental surfaces for infection prevention and control (IPC).

We apply two types of asepsis to reduce or eliminate infection transmission: medical asepsis which emphasizes protection for the client and their environment is more concerned with cleanliness and prevention of the spread of the clients own organisms to other clients, while surgical asepsis which focuses on sterilization and maintaining sterility for items that will be introduced to a wound or piercing cavity or penetrate the skin, thus preventing the introduction of organisms to the client. Medical asepsis can be referred to as clean technique, and surgical asepsis as sterile technique. A thorough and effective means of surgical asepsis should be implemented for all body art procedures. [CE resource]

“Sterile technique is not one set-in-stone method, this is a guideline for establishing your own individual technique.” Nor is it advocating precautions beyond what our sort of minimally invasive ear piercing procedures require for antisepsis and sterility. For those who are curious to learn more about Maximum Sterile Barrier precautions, the CDC HICPAC describes further steps that can be taken for more seriously invasive punctures such as a central venous or arterial catheter. For body artists, an achievable version of surgical asepsis (sterile technique) maintains barriers such as sterile gloves, masks and eye protection, and removes obstacles likely to compromise these barriers such as hanging earrings and necklaces, long hair, rings and watches.

“I think that when you say ‘aseptic technique,’ a lot of people automatically think ‘operating room’ or ‘surgical procedure,’” explains Kathleen Meehan Arias, MS, CIC, president of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) and director of Arias Infection Control Consulting LLC. “That’s rightly so because that is where the bulk of it is. But whenever you are doing anything that bypasses the skin barrier, you should automatically think aseptic technique.” — Applying Aseptic Technique in all Clinical Settings

This outline of technique suggestions comes from the AORN, APIC and CDC standards and recommended practices as well as a number of textbook resources such as Asepsis, the Right Touch. Much of it needs very little interpretation for our purposes. Safety precautions should result in greater control of the procedure, clinical benefits, reduced harm, and limited liability for negligence.

Rationale: There exist standards for prevention of surgical site infection that apply to even minor invasive elective procedures, and piercing falls within this category by definition.

“When implemented, these guidelines should reduce the risk of disease transmission in the piercing environment, from piercee to piercer, and from piercee to piercee. Based on principles of infection control, the document delineates specific guidelines related to protective attire and barrier techniques; handwashing and care of hands; the use and care of sharp instruments and needles; sterilization or disinfection of instruments; cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces; disinfection and the decontamination room; single-use disposable items; the handling of previously worn piercing jewelry; disposal of waste materials; and implementation of recommendations.”— Piercing Experience adapted IPC standards from the CDC

My personal observation is that these policies have helped limit risk at my studio. They have been reviewed by legal counsel, qualified bioscientists, medical professionals, and university professors. That said, I’m sure that they could always use more input and adaptation. Body art safety is an ever-evolving field of interest.

One might say there is no single right way to pierce. Many variations are possible with an understanding and application of asepsis. We are an industry in which studios market based on their specialties, and for some that is participation in continuing education, gaining knowledge, and raising standards. Maintaining a positive tone one can show those as strengths without diminishing others. This is crucial to developing the bonds between us as fellow professionals. If you believe something you do has advantages, feel free to share that with your customers in a way that does not end up overly critical of our other colleagues.

2013 APP Procedure ManualIt should be clear that these position statements in support of surgical asepsis are neither contradictory nor accusatory of others currently using APP minimum standards for medical asepsis according to our 2013 revised Procedure Manual. They build upon them as we are all encouraged to do as Members, employing additional precautions and elective limitations based on evidence and strong theoretical rationale. My preference is to demonstrate best practices as an educator instead of the minimums. If we all did no more than what was required, the industry would not be as interesting.

I believe that it is the responsibility of each of us to uphold the values we feel are important, and to continually advance our standards in order to achieve our goals. I do have romantic hopes that over time the industry will move in the direction of pure, validated, ethical materials and practices that are as harmless as possible. A predictable, consistent, safe, simple, and gentle piercing experience is attainable today and can be refined based on these principles and open communication among colleagues. The recommendations that I make in addition to APP minimums result from a continually researched process of elimination and adaptation, and they are freely shared for peer review. Please consider this a formal request for comments.

Point #73: From the Editor – Jim Ward

1 Comment read From the Editor, Issue 73

Jim Ward headshotJim Ward
Managing Editor of Design & Layout

November 17th this year marked the 40th anniversary of Gauntlet, the world’s first body piercing studio. For most of you reading this, it will be difficult to conceive what things were like for body mod enthusiasts back in those days. For many of us, our piercings were a sexual fetish that were well concealed under our clothing and revealed only to our most intimate of friends and acquaintances. We remained firmly in the closet.

With the exception of tattoos, other body mods were rare or nonexistent in the United States. Unless you lived in a colorful ethnic neighborhood, you were likely to see only piercings of the ears. Even then people with visible piercings could lose their jobs. Despite Gauntlet’s efforts, it was almost 15 years before things began to change. When that change came, it was explosive.

Modern Primitives appeared in 1989 and soon thereafter Shannon Larratt began advocating for more extreme body mods. Piercing shops began springing up like fungi after a spring rain. We saw fashion models strutting down runways sporting navel and nostril rings. Alicia Silverstone appeared in the Aerosmith music video Cryin’ getting her navel “pierced” by Paul King (admittedly, the piercing was staged). Suddenly, visible body mods were everywhere. They have become so common that virtually no one raises an eyebrow anymore.

As most of our readers know, I do the design and layout of The Point. When I was sent the image for this issue’s cover I was a bit taken aback by the lack of visible body modifications. Don’t get me wrong; it’s a great image of Rob Hill, a well-known and respected member of the APP community. But what, I asked my fellow editors and the APP Board, did it have to do with piercing. The response stunned me: “We are seeing more and more people that work in our industry who are choosing not to have visible modifications. We also realize that not everyone that reads our publication is a piercer or modification artist and we want to increase our readership, even having an article specifically aimed at reaching our clients in this issue.” [emphasis mine]

I have to laugh. It has been 40 years, and we have come full circle. While people may be choosing to keep their piercings private again, I can’t help wondering if piercings will ever be as erotic as they were all those years ago.