How do you become a professional piercer?

Question

Accepted Answer

To become a professional piercer, you must research the industry, meet certain requirements, and obtain a license. For more details on these steps and others you can take to become a professional piercer, reference this guide:

Research the industry. The first step to becoming a piercer is consuming all the knowledge you can about the piercing industry.
You need to be comfortable and confident in providing this service. You can look up online training videos for reference and also seek out magazines and journals that are dedicated or related to piercing.
You should also try to familiarize yourself with the different tools, equipment, terminology, services, procedures, and protocols associated with piercing.
Meet certain requirements. To be a professional piercer, you must be at least 18 years old and have excellent hand-eye coordination.
You also need to be comfortable working on all kinds of body types and piercing a wide array of body parts. Certain states have additional requirements to be a professional piercer, so you should check out the requirements within your state.
Attempt to gain a mentor. The Association of Professional Piercers (APP) recommends that anyone wanting to become a professional piercer should complete a body piercing apprenticeship.
If you can get an apprenticeship, you can learn so much invaluable inside information from a mentor.
Your mentor should be someone who has been in the body piercing industry for at least five years. The best option with this step is to find a mentor that is a member of the APP.
Complete health and safety training. Many states and body piercing studios require you to complete a series of health and training certifications related to piercing.
The nature of the work is sensitive since, in essence, you are inflicting a minor injury on a client, so most states want to make sure you are prepared for the job.
Some certifications you might have to gain include the following:
- CPR
- First aid
- Bloodborne pathogens training from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- APP's Exposure Control Plans
- APP's Infection Control Plans
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Standard courses
You can obtain all the necessary certifications before or during your apprenticeship. Look into your state's specific requirements for guidance on which certifications you must get.
Obtain a license. Certain counties and states require you to obtain a license to legally be a professional piercer.
Talk with your apprenticeship, mentor, or piercing professional to find out the exact licensing requirements in your region. You can also inquire with your state's health board for information on this issue.
Depending on your region, you might have to study and pass an exam to gain your professional piercing license.
In addition, getting your licenses will make you more attractive to potential employers.
Find employment. If you can gain an apprenticeship, you might be lucky enough to have that establishment hire you on full-time professional status.
However, if your apprenticeship does not have an opening for a full-time position, you should ask them if they know of any professional piercing openings in your area.
You should create a resume and business cards to help you find piercing employment.
Developing a piercing portfolio consisting of photos of piercings you have done on individuals is also critical. You should start building your piercing portfolio during your apprenticeship.

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	40.89%
Safety Procedures	22.65%
CPR	8.51%
Appointment Scheduling	6.29%
Front Desk	6.26%

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