Each human body is different than the next. Each piercer exhibits a unique piercing and healing style. Regardless, there are certain things we can all agree upon: if you eat tons of calories you'll gain weight; if a piercer tilts a needle too much you'll end up with a crooked piercing. The same is true with healing and aftercare. No matter how many unique variations may exist, there are certain methods that seem to always work well.

I first thought about writing this article after receiving my newest batch of emails beginning: "I have had my piercing for four weeks now and it still seems to be red and itchy …" I must receive 20-30 emails like this a day. And they all seem to point out the same culprit: "I have been cleaning my piercing with alcohol …" or "I use Neosporin twice a day …" Now I know some piercers will recommend Neosporin. And I know some claim to have had success using this ointment. But alcohol? Come on! There is no chance of skin healing properly if you constantly burn and dry out the top layer of fresh skin. Hence, the "red and itchy." And although some piercers swear by Neosporin, I have to believe that the percentage of unsuccessful users has to make one wonder whether it's worth recommending this stuff at all.

For those unaware, the debate over proper healing and aftercare can get very heated. Some people defend crazy ideas as if Jesus himself whispered the secret to them personally. But this is a free country and they should pronounce whatever they believe. However, I argue that the best strategy for dealing with this touchy subject is to minimize and simplify. The easier it is for a piercee to heal a piercing, the less chance they will have for complications. I have thousands of emails that attest to this.

For example, what is the point of using Neosporin? Although it might be a reasonable healing agent, it has proven to be a great way to harbor bacteria near a piercing, in turn, causing redness, itching, and sometimes infection. I don't care if you think you are a Neosporin Shaman, most of your unhappy customers are not complaining to you - they're scared of you! You are supposed to be the trusted guru and here you are getting them all red and itchy, possibly even infected. So they end up turning to another piercer in town or emailing a friend (maybe even me). And here they are, back to square one … maybe even a few feet in the hole.

Why all these problems? Because it's too complicated. If you want to heal a piercing with Neosporin (or any other ointment for that matter) you have to use just the right amount. Can't glob it on; can't use too little. Then you have to wash it off a certain amount of times a day to prevent the harboring of bacteria. Then you can't get too much on the inside of the piercing (especially if it isn't fresh out of the tube). Wow. Maybe you should stand on your head for 15 minutes before you apply it. Actually, I have a better idea, maybe you should cut out all the crap and minimize.

Every legitimate basic healing plan starts with one thing: antibacterial or antimicrobial (for those more advanced) soap -- with no fragrances, of course. If you are washing your piercing once or twice a day with antibacterial soap, you're well on your way to successful healing. The most important ingredient that must accompany this product is keeping your hands away from your piercing. Playing with your piercing is fun, but you'll have plenty of time to do that once it heals. So leave it alone in the beginning. Only handle your jewelry or put your hands near your piercing if you just finished scrubbing your hands with antibacterial soap. And if you want to be really safe, I recommend doing all this fun stuff in the shower.

If you have more patience than being able to clean your piercing with antibacterial soap, then the next best thing is sea salt. Shit, the ocean has been the best wound healing agent in the history of mankind. Doesn't it make sense to use some of it's powers to help land lovers out, as well? Not to mention, it's simple to use. Just dissolve a quarter tea spoon in a small cup of clean (preferably distilled) water and soak. Every time I reply to a "red and itchy" email, I always have the piercee downsize to antibacterial soap and sea salt. The result: extremely happy people offering many, many thank you's.

Let's be honest, unless you're super interested in biology or piercing, you're probably barely helping to heal your piercing. I know piercers who hardly tend to their piercings. So why recommend too many complicated aftercare methods? Everyone baths sooner or later. So why not encourage them to clean their piercing without having to go too far out of their normal routine. And performing a sea salt soak before or after bathing isn't too big a deal. But ointments and potions start to confuse people… Dear Damien, this dude bumped into my shirt and I accidentally touched my ointment laden piercing with it. What should I do?

For the sake of argument, some people believe that healing a piercing without anything is the way to go. I believe BME recently conducted a survey that proved "Nothing" to be a great way to heal a piercing. But I would argue that those people avoided touching their piercing and at least rinsed it well while bathing. Most people won't even do that. So I think antibacterial soap is a must. And there are some great minimalist guidelines on the Web. For the sake of brevity, I recommend the Association of Professional Piercers Healing and Aftercare Guidelines (http://www.safepiercing.org), and Tribalectic's Healing and Aftercare Guidelines (http://www.tribalectic.com/Aftercare.asp). These two sets of recommendations were compiled in the interest of making healing simple and thorough. There are other wonderful Tattoo and Piercing shops with excellent aftercare recommendations as well, but they all focus on the same basics.

I'm sure this article will generate some good responses. I'm sure we'll see Neosporin supporters degrading my assertions. But that's cool. I don't think Neosporin is evil - I just think a majority of piercees do not have the time or the know-how to use this stuff correctly. And I'm sure others will pop up recommending some 'Piercing Magic' crap. Don't believe it. If it has any alcohol in the ingredients it will most probably make you red and itchy. So if you want to avoid having to worry about or hide your beloved piercing, minimize and use common sense.

If you'd like to discuss this issue further, please post your welcomed opinions here.

As the Internet brings our global community into greater contact, there are no limits to where we can venture to learn about professional piercers and their careers. This month I got the opportunity to peak into the life of a dedicated man of the art: Mark Perry from Immortal Ink in Essex, England. Not only is Mark an excellent piercer, he is well trained in first aid and has a passion for people -- a combination that sets the standard for piercers in the new millennium.

Mark, how and why did you get in the piercing game?

I have been interested in both Tattooing and Piercing for as long as I can remember. Getting Tattooed came first to me, and I first had my nipples pierced about 10 years ago, when this was still very unusual and I had to work hard to find a professional piercer. I had just graduated with a B.A. in Youth Studies, and I worked in several places in England for a voluntary organisation and then the Local Education Authority as a professional Youth Worker. When the opportunity to get involved in the body modification industry first arrived, I welcomed it with open arms and happily gave up my place in the rat race!

I felt that there was still a shortage of ethical and professional piercers in the area, and I certainly want to make sure that my clients are fully informed. I always feel pleased with myself when I refuse to carry out a piercing, although I sometimes suspect that despite my explanation (which may be about age, placement, jewellery, or not being prepared to use a gun) they will go down the road and get it done anyway! I would really like to see UK piercers getting together and agreeing a proper code of ethics, which I would want to be similar to the APP standards, although I feel they need some changes or modification for the UK. I really hate to see jewellers and beauticians piercing ear cartilage with a gun.

I know there have been some recent changes in the UK law regarding stainless steel jewelry. What do you think about this since your favorite jewelry is the classic stainless steel captive bead ring?

We now have to use a special low-nickel grade steel since the European Union came out with new laws which prohibit the use of any metal which contains more than 0.05% nickel (Despite the fact that Grade 316L or 316LVM Steel does not release nickel into the body, and there is an exemption to allow this metal to continue to be used for surgical implantation by medical professionals). The new law just means that jewellery costs more, as I understand that the low nickel is much more difficult to manufacture.

Of the piercings you have, which is your favourite? Why?

I think my favourite is probably my Septum piercing. I wear a keeper most of the time, but when I wear my tusks or a 3.2mm circular barbell it really freaks people out!!

What is your favourite piercing to perform?

The first piercing on anyone, wherever it is … that piercing is a real opportunity to conquer and overcome fear. It is a real delight to see the face of a freshly pierced person, and to hear them say "it didn't feel at all like I expected". I also enjoy upper ear piercings, scaffolds and cartilage piercings.

What is the craziest or funniest piercing story in your arsenal?

This story is crazy rather than funny, although Jason the Tattooist enjoys telling the story! The tattoo and piercing studios are upstairs in the shop. Towards closing time one Saturday, two men came in and one asked to have his eyebrow pierced. When we had completed the release form/ questionnaire, his friend asked to come up into the studio to offer support. I pierced the eyebrow, and the client's friend said he was going downstairs. After dressing the piercing and giving the aftercare talk, I returned downstairs with the client to see the front door closing. There was a thud, and the client's friend had passed out outside the shop! Unfortunately, he had hit the back of his head on the pavement and there was some bleeding. We ended up having to call an Ambulance (much to my consternation, because it looked like the Ambulance was needed because of something I'd done). After a check-up the bloke decided that he'd make his own way to the Hospital to have the wound dressed, and all was OK in the end.

What is the most important thing in your life besides piercing?

A difficult question, because Immortal Ink has only been open for about 14 months, we've been working like crazy, so I'm not sure I have much of a life outside work at the moment!

What are a few of your other major interests?

Anything that involves people. I enjoy socialising. Friends of mine opened a pub just before we opened Immortal Ink, and I often go down there after work (sometimes I also help behind the bar).

I enjoy walking in some of the beautiful areas in the UK and camping, I used to be a voluntary First Aid trainer and carry out some First Aid and Ambulance crew duties as well.

I am also Treasurer of the South Woodham Ferrers Business Association.

Who are your favourite piercers? Why?

Russell my apprentice. Because he's hard-working, does exactly as he's asked (when in the studio anyway), and he's a freak!!!

Seriously, any other properly ethical piercers. In the UK I could name a handful of people who I look up to, but I wouldn't really say I could name them without their permission.

You can take part in the Immortal Ink experience by visiting 15 Trinity Square, South Woodham Ferrers, Chelmsford, Essex England, or www.immortal-ink.co.uk.

There is a great piercer in Finland who started making some of his own jewelry three years ago. Now Samppa Eerola, the owner of Mad Max Tattoo & Piercing, is beginning to branch out into designing brand new custom jewelry that has never been seen before. Samppa has been in this business for seven years, and he's ready for some fresh body ornaments.

Samppa, how long have you been involved in the art of making jewelry?

I started three years ago with standard piercing jewelry and surface-bars. Now I have made custom jewelry for six months.

How did you start making your own jewelry and why?

I am a piercer and I wanted to be able to do everything considering piercing -- including making jewelry. After I learned to do standard jewelry I wanted to try something new because standard piercing jewelry are boring and kind of dull.

What is your favorite material to work with?

Titanium because it's kind of hard to work with. I get a kick out of the challenge it gives me. I also like to work with gold because you can easily get good looking jewelry out of it, and the profit is good too.

What is your company's most popular jewelry?

Because the people here in Finland are so dull the favorite piece at the time is jeweled navel bananabell.

Do you have any piercings? If so, which is your favorite?

I've got a piercing in my eyebrow and tongue. I've got a septum and streched earlobes. I also have Prince Albert (8mm) witch is my favorite and frenum (6mm).

What are your major interests besides manufacturing/designing jewelry?

To be the best body modifier in Finland. People say that I am the best piercer in Finland and I'm the first and only implant artist here. I like to modify body and jewelry. I've always loved cyber and biomechanical stuff. H.R.Giger is my favorite artist and has influenced my work. I want to mix cyber and biomechanics into the human body by making such jewelry for piercings, transdermal implants and pockets. For example, I'm going to make a pocket piercing into my friends forehead. I'll make a biomechanical bar for it, so the piercing will look like a tube is coming on her skin from inside of her head.

I'm going to make that kind of jewelry for transdermal implants, too. In Germany there is a titanium foundry with witch I'm probably going to work together to make beautiful cyber jewelry. I've also sketched some clothes with my designer friend. The clothes are Cyber and Matrix influenced too. Now I'm looking for a manufacturer for them and someday, I hope, they will be on sale.

Where do you see the body jewelry industry heading over the next 5-10 years?

I think that the only way is up. People will want more custom jewelry and the standard jewelry will maybe be less popular. People are going to want new exciting trends in body jewelry and are willing to pay for it too.

You can learn more about Samppa by visiting him at Mad Max Tattoo & Body Piercing at Satakunnankatu 14 33100, Tampere, Finland or his website www.madmaxtattoo.com.

View my pictorial discussion of what happens when piercing guns are used on body piercings  
(may not be suitable for all viewers...)

See a comparison of a piercing stud and professional piercing needle.

See a comparison of professional body jewelry and a piercing stud.

First of all, it's called a gun.  This should be enough to scare most people away.  For those who want more explanation, please read on.

All professional body piercing shops use tri-bevel, hollow-point needles to pierce with.  There is a reason for this.  The hollow-point needle is razor sharp and makes a very small, clean incision in the skin and then opens up the piercing to the desired gauge.  This means less pain, quicker healing and less opportunity for scarring and infection.  There is typically no bleeding when the same gauge needle is used as the piece of jewelry that is being inserted.  Check out the comparison of a professional piercing needle and piercing stud.

The jewelry that is then inserted is a professional quality surgical steel.  Due to its length, it allows for free movement through the piercing to allow for cleaning and the expanding and contracting of the piercing as the person moves.   There are no solder points such as are used in piercing studs which are perfect places for bacteria to hide.  Check out the jewelry comparison for a visual description.

A piercing gun uses the piece of jewelry that will be left in your body as the piercing mechanism.  It is a dull point piercing stud that basically tears it's way through your flesh.  Additionally, the piercing gun was initially designed so people with very little training could pierce ear lobes.  The piercing stud and gun were never meant to be used for any other purpose such as cartlidge and definitely not other areas of the body such as navels, noses or nipples.  The piercing stud is designed with the ear lobe in mind.  It is simply too small for any other piercing and the back will cut into the skin if it is not against a flat surface.

I have created a pictorial discussion showing what happens when a body part such as a nipple is pierced with a gun.  There are some graphic photos so if you do not want to see such things, please don't look.   Click here for the discussion. 

Yeah. What the phuck is Tribalectic? Grammatically, it's the fusion between the universal nature of the tribal and the powerful expression of dialectic-the place where all communication originates. Linguistically, it's the symbol one uses to convey the evolutionary merger between humankind's tribal and technological characteristics.

Humankind is becoming immersed in all types of technological goodies. We've got cell phones, computers, DVDs, electronic music, email, the Internet, and tons more. Consequently, the primal nature of who and what we are is quickly evolving into something technologically enhanced.

There's still something to say, however, about tech-less items and activities-about the bare truth of what we are: intelligent animals. With all this technology permeating our daily lives we slowly lose touch with the enigmatic essence of exercise, fresh air, and face-to-face contact.

As our society faces a crossroads leading us to the next evolutionary stage of our existence, we will soon have to choose how much, and for what reasons, we will allow technology to assist our lives. I, on one hand, believe that technology is an extraordinary tool that our species will use to better this experience we call 'life'. On the other hand, there are those who believe technology should become the centerpiece of "progress" (and what the hell is "progress" anyhow?).

As I sit here on the beach with my laptop, I envision a future where people will be very spiritual and naturalist while still benefiting from, and not over-indulging in, technology. I see a globally connected society in which we can all communicate and empower one another to live more independently and free. I see the post-post modern human dividing his or her day between learning, laboring, exercising, creating, meditating, socializing, and enjoying multiple forms of entertainment.

This post-post modern human, the Millennial Renaissance Person, will also embody high ideals of honor and respect. As our globe becomes more connected we will have the opportunity to find and apply the greatest aspects of each nations' cultures. Slowly but surely, humans will have the technological means with which to appreciate the advantages and beauties of foreign cultures, in turn, creating the first-ever global society.

Conversely, if we choose a more technologically gluttonous lifestyle, certain facets of what we are will surely disappear. This is one of the reasons I believe body piercing has become so popular with humans. Body piercing can express many things to each person, but the one thing that remains universal is the primal characteristics the experience offers. And this connection to the root of what we are is something spiritual and divine.

So, as we begin to set precedence for the millennium's new culture I look forward to seeing more ornate and expressive people-more people reflecting their inside on the outside. I look forward to seeing more people encouraging body piercing as a tribal rite of passage-a way to fully fuse our technological evolution with our primitive nature. And in this fusion we will embody the enlightened understanding of who and what we truly are: one tribe communicating in the form of tribalectic.