Ball State students are taking a stab at a new form ofexpression.
Muncie offers several venues to get body piercings, includingArt & Soul and Dragon Slayer, both on North Wheeling Avenue;Ground Zero on West McGalliard Road; and The Ouch Gallery in theVillage.
Unlike tattoos, piercings aren't permanent, which helps studentswith professional careers ahead of them.
Piercer John Wright of Dragon Slayer has been licensed to piercefor four years. He said the most common piercings requested are inthe navel and tongue.
Some of the most unusual piercings he has done are calledsurface piercings, where people are pierced at the nape of theneck, the top of the wrists or at the base of the throat.
Dragon Slayer has steady business, Wright said. Most of itsclients are repeat customers or have been referred by a friend.
Before he could legally pierce, Wright said he had to have anapprenticeship with a professional piercer.
"When you open a shop, the Board of Health will inspect theequipment to make sure it's sterile, but there isn't anyone whochecks to make sure you're doing piercings right," he said.
Paul Morrow, a piercer for The Ouch Gallery, has been certifiedfor 10 years. He said he is extremely disappointed in Indiana's laxrequirements for piercing certification. In Florida, where Morrowworked, he had to have practice and take several writtentests.�
"That's the way it should be," he said. "The only steps someonehas to take to obtain a piercing certification in Indiana is toshow proof of employment at a piercing parlor, watch a video aboutsanitation and pay $50."
Morrow said only one person has come in with an infection duringthe past 10 years, and it was because of a disregard for followingafter-care instructions.
He also said about 10 percent of his customers return thinkingthey have an infection, when it's just part of the healingprocess.
He said about 80 percent of The Ouch Gallery's business comesfrom Ball State students. Since the start of school this fall, themost common requests for piercings have been for the nose, eyebrowand tongue.
Once a piercing has healed, Morrow recommends returning to whereyou got your piercing for the initial jewelry changing. Mostpiercing shops sell jewelry that is good quality but is oftenexpensive.
Mall stores such as Pac Sun, Gadzooks, Claire's, Afterthoughtsand Hot Topic offer body jewelry for more reasonable prices.
Prices at The Ouch Gallery:
Below-waist piercings: $50
Double piercings: $40
Ear piercings: $25
All other piercings: $30
Things to Remember:
Will you be able to remove the piercing for a professionalsetting?
Will the piercing leave a permanent mark once removed?
Do you have the ability to follow the after-care instructionsverbatim?
Questions to ask piercer:
How long have you been certified to pierce?
How many piercings have you done?
Is all of your equipment sterile and unopened?
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