Piercing FAQ
JEWELLERY FAQ
What is the starting price of your piercing jewellery and is it including in the booking deposit?
Jewellery is not included in our booking deposit or service fees. Our frontals and posts are sold separately, starting from $89 for a solid yellow or white gold frontal, $149 for a solid gold post or $50 for an implant grade titanium post. Please note: for a new piercing, you will need to purchase both a frontal and a post.
What is the difference between booking deposit and service fee?
Your booking deposit is paid at the time of booking and is held to secure your appointment. This can be redeemed on the day of your piercing appointment in jewellery and service fee/s.
Service fee refers to the price of the particular piercing locations you choose which is decided on the day with our trained piercer and is anatomy dependent. This fee covers the piercer's time and materials used. It does not include any complimentary jewellery pieces.
For example, a 1 hour appointment = $100 booking deposit. If you decide on the day to have 2 x lobe piercings at a $50 service fee done with 2 x $89 frontals and 2 x $40 titanium posts, this would bring your entire total to $308. Your booking deposit of $100 would come off this total, bringing your final price to $208 on the day.
What does “gauge” mean?
This refers to the “thickness” or diameter of the shaft of the post. Our posts are all 16 gauge, or 1.2mm.
What are the backings like?
Our piercing jewellery has a post fixed to a round disc back. The post is what goes through your ear and the disc back is the “backing”. It is 3-4mm in diameter and very flat, smooth and comfortable - no more spiky painful butterfly backs! It also does not trap bacteria and build up like conventional butterfly backings do.
What does the length of the post refer to?
This refers to the length, in millimetres, of the “shaft” of the post. We offer 5 lengths of post: 5mm, 6.5mm, 8mm, 9.5mm and 11mm. Most initial piercings will be performed with an 8mm post - however, this is anatomy dependent and we will select the perfect post for your specific ear shape.
What materials do you use to make your piercing jewellery?
All of our frontals are handmade in our Newcastle studio from 14 carat solid yellow and white gold. The gold we use is 100% recycled and sustainably sourced from Australian suppliers. We also use salt and pepper diamonds which are ethically sourced from the Kimberley region. Our gold is hypoallergenic and nickel free, being the perfect option for new piercings and sensitive ears. Our posts are available in either 18 carat solid yellow and white gold, or implant grade titanium.
Why are your frontals made from 14 carat gold compared to your posts which are 18 carat?
The post passes through your ear and through a fresh wound, hence we use 18 carat solid gold to encourage healing and for the body to accept the jewellery and heal beautifully through the channel of your new piercing. 18 carat gold is great for sensitive ears (the high content of gold promotes great healing) and is the highest standard of piercing jewellery - hypoallergenic but also retaining strength compared to higher carats of gold that would be too soft, resulting in a potentially migrated piercing. Our frontals are 14 carat gold as these need to be stronger to withstand the pushing and pulling when fitting them to your ear, as well as everyday wear. We use stainless steel pins and 14 carat gold to retain the strength and integrity of your adornments as these are not passing through your body. 14 carat gold is still suitable for sensitive ears and for healing, but has a greater durability.
Why are your piercing studs thicker than usual earrings?
Cartilage piercings, and even earlobe piercings, should be performed with jewellery of a thicker gauge to aid healing. The body responds much better to and is more likely to accept a piercing with a larger gauge. It also creates greater stability in the ear and is less likely to result in migration of the piercing.
How does the jewellery work?
Our piercing jewellery is made specifically for cartilage and lobe piercings. They work “back to front” in comparison to standard earrings. This is for added security, to promote better healing and for comfort when sleeping. Our backings are flat, smooth and fixed to the post, and inserted into the back of the ear. The frontal has a pin attached which can be bent at a slight angle, inserted into the post at the front of the ear and held in place by tension.
Do Made by a. Piercing adornments need to be fitted by a piercer?
We do recommend having your adornments fitted in house by our professional piercer. They will ensure that they are correctly and securely inserted and can sterilise your pieces for added peace of mind. We love giving our clients the best experience possible - we want to take care of you!
SERVICE FAQ
Does my piercing appointment include your curation service?
If you have booked in for any piercing service, part of this service includes our expert team styling and recommending piercings and jewellery specific to your unique ear anatomy and lifestyle. Our piercing team will take you through the entire process from start to finish, including the selection of your beautiful adornments.
How old do I have to be to be pierced?
Clients must be 8 years of age or older to be pierced in our Atelier. We do not perform cartilage piercings on clients under 16 years of age. All clients under 18 years of age must have an accompanying parent or guardian at the time of their appointment to provide written legal consent. The client must also provide verbal consent and a complete comprehension of the services they are undertaking, with no hesitation. We also require documentation to prove the relationship of the client to the parent or guardian, such as a medicare card, birth certificate, passport, etc. All clients over the age of 18 must provide proof of age, such as a valid driver's licence, proof of age card, passport, birth certificate, etc.
Can I get pierced if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?
Unfortunately, piercings are not suitable for those who are currently pregnant, less than 6 months post natal, breastfeeding or trying to get pregnant. This also includes tapering open a partially closed piercing.
Can I get pierced if I have been drinking alcohol?
We do not perform piercings on those who have consumed alcohol or any recreational drugs before their piercing. This can thin the blood and hinder healing, it also can result in excessive swelling. We need all of our clients to be able to give full consent without being under the influence of recreational drugs or alcohol.
Can I get pierced if I recently underwent surgery, have any allergies, have a blood borne disease or are immunocompromised?
There are certain medical conditions and medications that can prevent us from performing piercings. Please contact us via email at piercing@madeby-a.com if you have any allergies, illnesses or are on any blood thinning medications and we can discuss your options. Rest assured, we will never do anything to compromise your safety. It is best to not be pierced if you have recently undergone a medical procedure or surgery as your body needs adequate time to fully heal and we wouldn’t want to interfere with this at all.
Can I still get pierced if I feel unwell?
We politely request that if you have any cold or flu like symptoms that you stay home. We can reschedule your appointment for another time and will still honour any funds paid. It is not recommended to undergo a piercing procedure when sick or run down as the energy your body would use to heal your fresh piercing will be instead fighting off illness, exposing you to a greater risk of infection. Let your body heal and recover, and then we will be more than happy to adorn you with our beautiful jewellery.
How many piercings can I get at once?
We recommend a maximum of 3 fresh piercings per appointment and leaving adequate healing time between appointments. We do not wish to overload your immune system and wish to promote comfort and ease of healing. Each piercing is a wound that needs to be treated with patience and care. Building up your curations are fun, creative and exciting, but we also want to make sure you are taking care of your body and healing your beautiful piercings in a responsible time frame.
What should I do to prepare for my piercing appointment?
Please ensure you have had a meal or snack, have had plenty of water and fluids to keep you hydrated and are well rested and feeling well. If you are prone to fainting, please let us know so we can be mindful of this. Please arrive with adequate time to choose your jewellery, we recommend arriving 5-10 mins prior to your appointment time to fill out your paperwork and to begin the process so we can take our time in curating and selecting your adornments.
Does it hurt to get pierced?
Our piercings are performed by a highly skilled and expertly trained professional piercer with many years experience. We use the highest quality jewellery, piercing tools and needles that ensure the most comfortable piercing experience possible. Everyone experiences pain differently, but we can assure you that our piercings are very quick and as pain free as possible. When high quality tri bevelled / o needles are used, they glide through tissue with minimum pain or resistance, and when handled by a professional, it makes for the best experience - we trust you will be wanting more!
Can you reopen my old piercing or re-pierce through the scar tissue?
We would need to assess your old piercing and check whether the channel is still open / how extensive the scar tissue is. Please book in for a consultation via our website or reach out to us at piercing@madeby-a.com and we can assist with this.