The following interview is with Brian from
Piercing Experience in Atlanta, GA. Piercing Experience can be reached via their
website - http://www.piercing.org/ - or
phone by 1 (800) 646.0393 and email info@piercing.org.
Reproduction in whole or part is strictly prohibited without the written
consent of Donnie and White Skies Burning. There are no understandings verbal or
otherwise to the contrary.
To the left is a photograph of Brian and his
STRETCHED (!) cartilage piercings (Pyrex eyelets in) - the cartilage was
stretched over a period of 2 years and 6 months - from a teeny 16 g piercing.
Donnie:A little bit about your
studio, Piercing Experience, please?
Brian:The name expresses my purpose, to instill respect for
the body, for the intellectual leap, and for the event itself, as well as a life
with piercing.
I have been working under that business name for eight
years now.
Donnie:How
many employees and what is their experience time like?
Brian:I am a one man show with occasional
interns right now. I have had numerous helpers and colleagues over the last
years.
Donnie:Piercing
Experience is located in Atlanta, GA - Kind of an unlikely place to find a high
quality studio - What landed you in Atlanta
Young Brian (18) and his mentor Jack Yount.
Brian:Atlanta is where I grew up, and my studio is and has
been within a mile of my old neighborhood for the entire time.
Donnie:What previous job
did you have prior to Piercing Experience?
Brian:I was a student, and had part time work here and
there, delivering sandwiches, washing dishes, cleaning workshops, and my
favorite, selling music at Criminal Records here in Atlanta. I'm a big geek in
the sense that I try to learn all about whatever I do from a fundamental level
to make my experience the best it can be.
I started my own piercing
business at 18. I was lucky enough to have learned through research how to
pierce myself, and had my hand held to steady it by Jack Yount, my mentor.
Donnie:Jack Yount is
known all through out the piercing community and is a respectable figure. What
had he done to influence you most?
Brian:Jack was a dear friend and mentor. He was the only
person who I could find who used responsible standards of asepsis when I first
started looking for someone to pierce me. I tracked him down and he supervised
my work, I had already pierced myself dozens of times successfully. He made it
safe for me to pierce others by having expert, hands on enrichment to the
techniques that I had developed. My methods were very simple and
straightforward, and were very similar to his that he had refined over the past
four decades. He and I were very much on the same page when we met, and he made
it easy for me to get my wings and leave the nest. He cared about what he was
doing deeply. That is what most profoundly touched me about Jack.
Donnie:So did you ever
formerly go through an apprenticeship or was it pretty much self taught?
Brian:No formal training was available at the time. Not
that I considered legitimate, at least. Gauntlet had been teaching their own
clique how to do non-sterile piercing with questionable materials and
disproportionate jewelry, and they even had a video. I didn't want to go near
that, and it was considered the gold standard at the time. What a guessing game
they had. Blind men about an elephant...it's a wall, it's a serpent... I wanted
to pierce myself alone, at first. It was not for about two more years that I
conceded to the echoing request for me to do the same for my closest friends. I
would only do so under expert supervision, to ensure that I would not get anyone
sick. The early methods were incredibly crude compared to what I know and
practice now. I wouldn't go back. I have a clear conscience of my previous use
of safety measures to prevent infection and disease transmission. The methods
have been refined to further ensure the safety of the person on the spot, and to
prevent the risk of infection to such an extent, that it takes a good bit of
outside influence for trouble to raise it's ugly head. Most people are all well
quickly without any sort of effort other than being sensible, now. Protecting it
from getting dirty or irritated by the most simple and natural of means.
Simplification and grace are the touchstones of the new piercing
practice. Beyond safety risks, you can work on the qualitative and important
interactive aspects of the experience.
Self taught, through much
research and development, and that continues every day.
Donnie:Its listed on your site that [few]
piercers actually perform sterile technique -- any others in Atlanta or even GA
that performs that same sterile technique?
Brian:Not that I have come in contact with. Most don't
think that it is necessary to use entirely safe jewelry, asepsis or atraumatic
means.
The closest people in practice of very similar levels of safety
are in South Carolina, Body Rites in Columbia, and Factor Five in Charleston. I
have audited their practices, but I can give no wholesale guarantee of the
quality of service or materials for jewelry. There are others
Donnie:You also mention
a lot of only using jewelry that meets ASTM implant standards -- what metals
meet these standards?
Brian:Jewelry is the one thing in this field that can be
documented and credentialed. Implant certification is easy to have for jewelry,
as anyone can buy biomaterials intended for implant. The problem is that most
manufacturers can get away with less. Look to www.astm.org for implantable
materials. As for what you will find for body jewelry, titanium in a variety
of grades will work, provided that the standards are documented. Steel intended
for implant can be used. Some refined platinum, some ceramics, a few plastics
[NOT ACRYLIC] I have been trying to work mainly with titanium, ASTM F-136, as it
has been documented to exceed the biocompatibility of steel and most other
commonly available body jewelry materials. Anything that does not meet the
standard for human implant should only be worn for short durations and special
occasions. Not in wet conditions or for extended periods of time. This will
limit your exposure, and help reduce the occurrence of allergic reactions.
Donnie:You say a few plastics - Such as Teflon? What grades
of Stainless Steel are acceptable?
Brian:PTFE [poly-tetra-fluoro-ethylene] Teflon
® can be made for implants, although the commercially available grades are not
intended for internal use. Once again, check the standards, and get
certification on all biomaterials.
As for steel, I [no longer sell it,
but] occasionally use the
ASTM F-138 grade for short term wear [in my own body], for less than a week. Implantable steel must
meet more than just chemistry standards, though, so check the certificate to
guarantee that it is intended for human implant. Any random mixture [i.e.:
316lvm] does not a biomaterial make.
Most 316[lvm] steel is intended for high corrosion resistance like a propeller,
boat shackle or pool slide--or surgical tools [why it is so often referred
to as 'surgical' steel] and has to be polished and refined
specifically for F-86-00 implant purposes.
Donnie:Your studio does not condone the use of
clamps -- in which the tissue is held by fingers -- what is this procedure like?
Ever suffered from needle stick?
Brian:We do not use clamps for the same reason that a
phlebotomist does not while drawing blood. They represent excessive force. I
have had about the same experience with needle sticks as any piercer. With
unused, sterilized needles during transport, and on a friend long ago when still
practicing because of risks in developing techniques I have since eliminated.
Fortunately, we remain close to this day, and both have been tested for
.:everything:. for years without a trace. As of about sixty days ago, I was
still clean, and have not even come close to another incident
Donnie:What are some pro's/con's of the
clamp?
Brian:Dirty,
pinching contusion creators that were intended for colon surgery. They are
designed to dissect, cut off and remove anal polyps [Pennington forceps are for
rectal surgery]. They are difficult to reprocess with any degree of certainty
for sterilization. They are often serrated, to make the tissue even more
uncomfortable.
They have no useful purpose for any sort of piercing that
hands cannot overcome. The oft repeated cant of the industry is that it cuts the
circulation off, to make it more uncomfortable...oops, I mean more insensate
during the procedure. They also are very helpful to increase pain and bleeding
after the circulation returns to the area. Clamps are the number one complaint
on the list of uncomfortable and or traumatic things during piercing procedures
that I hear.
Donnie:
Also aftercare is very minimal (basically leave it alone -- no picking scabs --
no washing, etc.) -- what kind of healing times come out of this type of post
piercing recovery?
Brian:For care, nothing is proven to
work better than nothing. Your immune response, and tissue regrowth are
faster when unimpeded by chemicals and agitation. External sources of moisture
[including IV quality sterile saline and anything less] add to tissue maceration
if introduced to the forming canal. This can increase the likelihood of fungal
and yeast infection as well as the piercing equivalent of a nasty diaper rash.
For similar reasons, you don't want to leave fluid in your ear canal or soften a
scab in water.
Healing generally takes less time than with all the
reactions and fighting your body has to deal with if there is not anything
introduced to the natural course of healing. This really only works for
piercings done with a bar of some form, going flush from point a to b with just
the right amount of room to allow for changes in the tissue during healing..
Donnie:Are people ever
quick to leave and go elsewhere because they do not agree with your standards or
are most very convinced?
Brian:People would have a hard time disagreeing with the
science fundamental to the care and protection that we suggest. It is the same
care practice used for minor surgical sites for decades. What were you told to
do for your stitches after surgery [provided that the surgery was not
contaminated]? You were told the same thing, leave it alone, don't wash it or
get it wet, and let it grow. I have never had a client walk out because of a
disagreement over recovery. People are free to wash their piercings, squirt on
all the antiseptics that they want, and it may seem like heresy to suggest
anything less to someone convinced that they are going to get a horrible
infection from the procedure. Frankly, with any less of a standard of practice,
I would be introducing infection for them to fight off, and they would be crazy
not to clean themselves, just like getting cut or poked by a dirty object out in
nature. The practical application of surgical asepsis eliminates the liability
on my part for infection. It is then in your hands as a client to prevent
further contamination, by not getting it dirty in the first place. It works the
same for a shot or an IV. don't contaminate the site after we cleaned it and
made the opening with an aseptic practice. There is nothing to fight off until
you put contaminate the opening, and it seals itself before our surgical
preparation wears off.
Donnie:so is the piercee instructed to keep it dry? for how
long?
Brian:A person
should ALWAYS keep their piercing dry while healing and when healed. That does
not mean that they can't get it wet when healed, just to dry it off completely,
and with something disposable and lint free to prevent fungal and yeast
infections.
If a person is healing, their piercing should be kept dry,
and dried with sterile gauze or swabs if there is an excessive fluid build up.
Showers and bathing should be done covered while healing. Macerated
tissue is more susceptible to infection and irritation.
Many allergic
reactions are helped along by moisture, prolonging and exacerbating the exposure
to irritants.
Donnie:what do you suggest to keep it dry?
Brian:The judicious use
of a plastic cup or membrane seal such as Tegaderm to keep it dry.
The
membrane seal is sterile, looks a lot like plastic wrap and is gas permeable,
but water tight. They often can be worn for weeks depending on the size and
quality of the seal.
Donnie:About how many piercings are done on average per
day?
Brian:In my studio,
I do on average, about ten per busy day personally.
Donnie:What is your view on the practice of large
gauge initial piercings? Per say 8g+ for nipples - 10g+ for tongues - 8g+ for
most genitals? Do you condone this practice or are most of your piercings in
that area kept below that?
Brian:I pierce more large gauge than small, on average. I
pierce a range of 18 g up to 2 g for most average bodies. It is all dependent on
the anatomical allowances and restrictions. Nothing that would cut off the
circulation or stress the tissue too much. Most piercing should not be done,
small or large by an inexperienced technician. Larger initial piercing sizes are
just as safe as the smaller if the right methods are used to protect the tissue
from trauma.
I encourage larger piercings for some people, and smaller
for others based on their level of interest and their anatomy.
I just
saw a pair of earlobes that looked great that I pierced last week with 4 g
single flared eyelets. They were clean, healthy and not at all distorted or
inflamed. This is the most common result from aseptic, atraumatic techniques
that employ implant certified materials for the jewelry. No reaction is a great
result. He had not cleaned them at all, and said that he didn't feel anything
bad at all.
Donnie:In
choosing a piercer -- what are some obvious things a piercee should look for off
hand when they enter the studio and look around the piercing room?
Brian: 1. Certification
of tests for any and all parts of any jewelry to be used for the piercing are
critical. The right size and shape of bar for any piercing is second most in the
scale of things. Rings are impractical for healing because of contamination.
2. Practical working knowledge of asepsis, not just cross-contamination
and OSHA blood borne pathogen standards. This means every object that will come
in contact with your body is sterilized prior to use by autoclave, and asepsis
is maintained by not touching anything other than sterile objects and the skin
immediately adjacent to the area to be pierced [i.e. a sterile drape should be
used to prevent contamination from the surrounding area.] Use of a PCMX
surgical preparation agent instead of iodine products or CHG
[Hibiclens] such as Technicare. [www.caretechlabs.com/] Sterile gloves,
sealed and packaged individually or in pairs. The use of a mask for all piercing
procedures for protection against droplet and particulate contamination.
3. No clamps or forceps. No corks. No rubber bands. No sundry jars full
of bulk products.
Donnie:What do you mean by the ring is impractical for
contamination?
Brian:Contamination by a ring is simple: the dirty, scabby
part, and everything that is trying to eat it gets pushed inside when you move.
Even if this didn't feel like barbed wire, it would still be a problem.
Donnie:No corks?
Brian:Corks harbor
fungus and more...do you want ground water from Madagascar in your piercing, or
any little particulate organic matter? I don't even ever use latex or powdered
gloves because the particulates granulates scar tissue when in a wound.
Donnie:Are you ever
picky about who does and doesn't get a certain piercing? Such as if they are an
everyday drinker or else if they have had a piercing before (in regard to if
they are wanting a piercing that's a little more intense/advanced)?
Brian:In regard to
piercing anyone who comes to me is welcome. There is something occult and
delightful about leading someone over the threshold of this path, through the
gates of their senses... I have to be choosy, though. Some people just don't
take it seriously, and should not do it until they do. This is one of the
reasons that it has been used traditionally as a rite of passage. I get to
select who is ready on the basis of my experience and intuition.
Obvious
caveats: if a person is under the influence of something, I will give them a
rain check. If the person is a jerk, I will nicely tell them that I am not ready
for them, and ask them to come back later, when we both are feeling better about
it. If someone is a true neophyte, and wants something that will take more
effort than they might realize, I will talk them through it, and may actually do
the procedure for them if they need it as a learning experience.
Donnie:Ever have
requests for modifications other than piercings? Meatotomys? Implants?
Male/Female Circumcisions?
Brian:Requests galore. Legally, I can't touch it. My high
school policy debate partner went through Harvard law with honors, and I
wouldn't want to have to use his skills for something as easy to say no to as
that. Good counsel strongly suggests against it.
If I could do that sort
of thing, free of prosecution for others, I might consider it amusing. Some
things are better left to plastic surgeons. Some people are better left to their
own devices, if you know what I mean ;)
Donnie:What's your opinion on the APP? Anything you feel
they should be doing differently?
Brian:I was working for change at the heart of the
APP for several years.
Donnie:elaborate.
Brian:I refused to join
for the first three years that they were struggling loosely existed. Several of
my acquaintances were involved, people that I liked and respected. I visited the
first public meeting in Las Vegas, and decided to help out. I gave them my
procedural standards, and was met with, "Oh, we already have a procedural manual
in the works, and this stuff won't work anyway." I asked to see the APP manual
to no avail, and was invited to join.
Donnie:Accept?
Brian: I never had my questions and application answered
completely, but they liked what I was about, and I was in. Next year in Orlando,
they appointed me to the board of directors. I found out right away that the
organization, as it were, was not yet truly incorporated, but on its way, and I
put my back into it. Jeff and René Martin and I got the organization officially
incorporated as a non profit, and put together the bylaws, trusteeship, etc.,
(with the help of Sky Renfro and others) We worked together to make the
organization legitimate in the eyes of the medical and scientific world. We
began a peer review of the practice and jewelry standards, and collaborated with
scientists and doctors over what needed to be the lowest common denominator.
This was the emperor's new clothes.
Donnie:Are you still an APP member?
Brian:Jeff and René quit, disillusioned
after all their hard work. I encouraged a few allied colleagues to get voted
into place on the board of directors. Then I left graciously, without
animosity. I am a trustee, and therefore the organization will have to cease to
exist for me to no longer be a member. I am carved into the bedrock of that
organization. I am unofficially a consultant and research advisor to them. I
have separate agenda to address.
Donnie:Any future plans for the studio? Adding more
piercers?
Brian:More
vacations, less studio time. More inspiration and fun, less stress. The studio
is an organic creature with a life all it's own. It will continue to develop and
get prettier as time progresses. The techniques have come a long way, only to go
exponentially farther. In the future, piercing may not be sharp. New interns
come through with the seasons. Maybe I will keep one or two... I am going to
enjoy it, I never will be bored with change.
Young Brian (18) and his mentor Jack Yount.
Close Up of Brians ear.
Brian - In a nice little tie.
