FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why come to Happy Stabber for your piercing?

 

We pride ourselves on giving a high level of care and attention we give to all of our clients. Whether it be a basic earlobe or a massive project with custom jewellery, we do everything to keep our clients happy, healthy and informed throughout the entire process from consultation to ongoing aftercare.

 

What kind of jewellery will you use for my piercing?

 

We follow the standard set by the APP (Association of Professional Piercers) with all piercings and through our years of training and experience have discovered what is best for every piercing. ALL initial piercings are performed using ONLY internally threaded or threadless, hypoallergenic, genuine implant grade materials, these are:

 

• Ti6Al4Va ASTM F-136 Implant Grade Titanium (that's the stuff pacemakers and synthetic joints of)

• 316 LVM ASTM F-138 Implant grade stainless steel
• Niobium, A pure element hypoallergenic to all humans
• 14k+ nickel free white or yellow gold
• Nickel free platinum
• Glass

 

If your piercer doesn't know this and care enough to ensure you have safe materials in your body, you're at the wrong place.

 

Okay, what materials should I avoid?

 

I'm glad you asked! The industry is wrought with terrible materials that are no good for you and as a

piercing professional, it is my duty to inform you of them.

• “surgical steel” is a name that means nothing, its like saying space age plastic. This whole group of

  metals could be made of anything! Too often have I removed poor quality metals from piercings

  performed at shops in the mall and other “professional” piercing places that have developed large, lumpy

  scars and even chips of rust!

• Sterling silver. Although not harmful for most people it does have a decent amount of copper in it. When

  copper is in touch with sulfur, chlorine and oxygen (all things in our water supply and atmosphere) it

  develops an oxide layer known as tarnish. The tarnish is not dangerous but it will seep into the skin and

  cause darkening of the skin and it's PERMANENT. It's a condition known as localised Argyria, the only

  way to remove it is to slice out the darkened tissue and sew it back together.

• Acrylic, people usually get acrylic as plugs and tapers. When industrial acrylic is up at the temperature of

  the human body it exudes harmful chemicals including known carcinogens and exposing it directly to the

  bloodstream is just something we cannot suggest.

• Silicone, Although there are genuine implant silicones on the market, the vast majority are cheap

  materials that grip the skin and can even fuse to it which in the end can leave you needing to have it

  surgically removed or having really unsightly scarred and blown out lobes.

• FIMO or other polymer clay.... These materials exude a high concentration of chlorine for many many

  years! It's toxic to the body and can lead to necrosis, the rotting of tissue inside a living entity.

 

 

Do you pierce with a gun?

 

No, never. These piercing devices are impossible to sterilise and get used on multiple people, the biological contamination alone is dangerous and shouldn't ever be used. Another reason they shouldn't be used is they pierce using blunt force and can cause irreversible damage to your ears, especially in the cartilage.

 

What do you pierce with?

 

Single use and sterile tri bevel needles, chamfer needles, biopsy punches and when required scalpels. All of this specialised piercing equipment is specific to each job and requires specialised training an experience to use, the vast majority of piercers in Adelaide have no experience with these.

 

What is the chance of infection?

 

Due to the use of single use disposable equipment, high quality jewellery, impeccable aseptic technique

and top of the range medical sterilisation equipment the risk is extremely low. In fact I have performed

over 4000 piercings and not a single one has resulted in a genuine infection.

 

Will my piercing reject or grow out?

 

There is a possiblity of this when improperly pierced with the wrong jewellery in the wrong place. This is

always covered in your consultation and I strive to leave you with a piercing to live with for many years

to come.

 

Does it hurt to get pierced?

 

The short answer is yes but much less than you think it will. I have had hundreds of clients over the years

leave astonished at how little it hurt. I work very hard at finding ways to comfort even the most distressed

of clients.

 

What should I do to prepare for my piercing?

 

Ensure you've eaten beforehand and I will take care of the rest.

 

Can you use numbing cream?

 

I advise against it in most cases. Topical anaesthetics can affect the healing process and are generally not

necissary, I will be with you the whole way through the process and take great care of you. My goal is not

to harm you, I't is to adorn you with something you love and have you leave happy as can be.

 

I'm under 18, can I still get a piercing?

 

In South Australia, persons under 16 require parental consent. Persons 16 years of age and over can get

almost any piercing they want. Excluding intimate piercings of course.

 

That being said, we do find it unethical to do so and require parental consent for all piercings. 

 

If you are under 18 years of age, we will require photo identification from you, your parent or guardian and proof of their parenthood or guardianship.

 

How many piercings can I get at one time?

 

This is really dependant on what kind of piercings you are getting, Generally any more than 4 is a lot toask the body to heal.

 

I want to get nipple piercings but I'm scared of losing sensation in them and I heard the can prevent breastfeeding in the future, is this true?

 

Extremely few people have ever reported losing sensation in them. It is far more likely that you'll develop hightened sensitivity in them (that's actually their purpose) As for breast feeding, I have never met someone with this problem. The milk ducts are deeper in the breast than the nipple and would need extensive damage to prevent them from working.