You might think that getting a piercing or tattoo makes you look like a badass, but part of the reason that body mods are so sexy is because they're dangerous, painful and permanent.
"People always ask if getting a tattoo is painful," said Glenn Gentzke, a senior with two tattoos. "Of course it's painful. You're getting stabbed with a needle several thousand times ... But the result of all this pain is a piece of art."
Plenty of things can go wrong during the minor surgery of getting a tattoo or a piercing. Here's a guide to getting the safest, cleanest and wickedest body art ever.
Decide What You Want
Not all nose rings are created equal. Figure out what kind of jewelry you want and exactly where you'd like it placed. Don't just get an eyebrow barbell because it looks great on your friend. Make sure that your piercing will work with your face, too.
You may feel like a dork, but go to Claire's and buy some stick-on rhinestones or an eyebrow cuff and experiment with placement, size and color.
Visit http://www.bmezine.com for ideas. This site hosts hundreds of thousands of photos of piercings and tattoos.
Tattoos are permanent, whereas piercings can usually close up.
"Sit down and realize that this [tattoo] is going to be part of your body for the rest of your life," advised Gentzke. "Personally, I find a design that I like, and then I wait a year before I get it."
Gentzke, who co-designed both of his tattoos, keeps a graph paper notebook filled with hundreds of sketches and revisions of tattoo images.
Pick an Artist
"I hate to say it, but 60 or 70 percent of piercers are no good," said professional piercer Luis Garcia of the Association for Professional Piercers. Garcia, who's pierced upwards of 750,000 holes in his 13-year career, came to deliver a lecture sponsored by the Health and Wellness Center regarding piercing safety on Nov. 3.
"Ask to see [a piercing artist's] portfolio," Garcia said. "Make sure [the photos are of] healed tattoos and piercings. Anything looks great right after it's done, but you wanna see a picture of it six months later, to see if the ink's run or the jewelry has been absorbed by the skin."
Talk to others on campus about where they got their work done. Ask them how much they paid, whether the shop was clean, if the artist used sterile instruments and if they got the piercing or tattoo they wanted.
Feel free to visit different shops and talk to different artists before committing yourself.
If you want to get a tattoo or piercing while in Charm City (and bring it home to Mom and Dad as a Thanksgiving surprise) search bmezine.com for "Baltimore" to find lots of brutally honest testimonials from people who've gotten pierced or inked in the area.
A good artist should care more about your safety than his profit.
"I'm not here to give you what you want, I'm here to give you a safe, clean piercing that will heal," is what Garcia tells his clientele.
For example, Garcia will try to dissuade customers without sufficient "navel lip size" from getting their belly buttons pierced as it is very difficult or impossible for these people to heal.
Get It Done
You might want to bring a friend along for support.
A good piercer or tattoo artist will walk you through the procedure before actually poking you with big needles. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions!
"You can always ask, 'Can I see the marks where you're going to put [the jewelry]?'" said Garcia.
Garcia also noted, "An artist shouldn't just wear disposable gloves; he should change the gloves at least three times during the procedure. If you see your guy answering the telephone or even touch a counter top without changing his gloves, just leave."
Be prepared for pain. Major pain. Remember there's nothing that doesn't hurt.
"The pain of getting a tattoo can never be quantified, ever," said Gentzke. "But once the machine stops, so does the pain. With piercings, it's different. They can be sore for months afterward."
Yet. there's more to it -- How you care for your new body art can mean the difference between a beautifully healed tragus and, as Garcia warned, "a tongue the size of a loaf of bread. I've seen it happen."
Aftercare
Different types of piercings require different types of aftercare and varying heal times. In general, Garcia recommended washing the hole with either a store-bought or home-made saline solution.
"You can make one by combining 1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt and 8 oz warm, distilled water. The salt actually gives the skin nutrients that allow it to heal faster."
And don't even think about using the bottle of ear-care solution you've had in your bathroom cabinet since you got your ears pierced in 4th grade.
"That stuff goes bad in about a month," said Garcia.
Tattoos also require specific care.
"With a tattoo, you wash it right when you get home, and then you don't wash it again for the next three days," said Gentzke. "You can literally squeeze the ink out if you scrub too hard. You don't want a spotty tattoo."
Show off!
Show off your new body art to friends, family and strangers who couldn't care less -- especially if you have a butt tattoo.
