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★ REVOLT TATTOO ★ AMELIA WHITNEY ★ UNITED INK NO LIMITS TATTOO EXPO ★
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BUYER’S GUIDE FOR BODY MODIFICATION PROFESSIONALS
JULY 2016 #170
ISSUE 170
JULY
contents
12
Point 2 Point
SOM
16
Ask Angel
14
Revolt Tattoo
Show/Expo
28
Editor-In-Chief
R Cantu
Account Executive
Jennifer Orellana
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Editor
Sandy Caputo
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22
36
Executive Assistant
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505-275-6049
APP
38
Publisher
Ralph Garza
Contributing Writers
Elayne Angel
Jay Cousins
Austin Ray
Darin Burt
Tanya Madden
18
Company
Spotlight
staff
Best Business
Card Contest
Trends: Daith Piercing
38
Company Spotlight
Dr Piercings
No Limits
Tattoo Expo
42
Art Gallery:
No Limits Tattoo Expo
Artist Profile
advertisersindex
46
40-41
Amelia Whitney
4 Star Tattoo Aftercare
29
99cent Body Jewelry
43
AAB Style
50
Alla Prima Ink
Pull-Out Centerfold
26-27
APP 21st Annual Conference & Expo 2016
32
Bloodline Inks
13
BodyJewelry.com
31
Body Shock
47
CHAMPS Trade Show
24
DC Tattoo Expo
6
Desert Palms Emu Ranch
17
Derma Numb
21
DPS Tattoo Supply
11
Dr Piercings Aftercare Inside Back Cover, 38
Friction Tattoo Supply
33
Galaxy Tattoo Furniture
34
H2Ocean Natural Aftercare
9, 51
Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo
39
Low Rider Albuquerque Super Show
52
Metal Mafia
IFC-1, 4
Micky Sharpz USA
10
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PAINMAGAZINE 8
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Amelia Whitney of Club Tattoo Tempe, Arizona. Page 40
I
t is summer and we are lovin' the sizzlin' heat that July brings!
Our calendar is jam-packed with summer shows and we can't
wait to mingle with all of you! What are some of the shows you
will be attending in the coming months? Let us know on Facebook!
We need your help! Pain is increasing the art gallery page
count...please send your best work to editor@painmag.com for
consideration. Please be sure to include your name, shop name
and the city/state that you work in. Take this opportunity to have
your work published!
Attention all shop owners! If you would like to see your shop
featured in an upcoming issue of Pain, please email us asap! Our
staff writers are quickly filling slots for the end of the year and are
already planning 2017! Be sure to include a web link or social
media link so that we can check you out.
Big things happening here at Pain Magazine and we can't
wait to share them with you! Stay tuned for more. Cheers. v
PAINMAGAZINE 10
PointtoPoint
Jay Cousins
N
NEWFOUNDLAND
ewfoundland is a large Canadian island off the coast of the North American mainland. The island is the most populated
part of the Canadian Provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador. The island blocks the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River
creating the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, the world's largest estuary. Newfoundland has a total area of over 42,000 square
miles making it the 16th largest island, Canada's fourth largest island and the largest Canadian island outside the large
islands to the north. Bangor, Maine is the closest large United States city to Newfoundland at approximately 750 miles
northeast of Bangor, Maine.
The first inhabitants of Newfoundland were the Paleo-Eskimo, who have no known link to other groups in Newfoundland history.
The late Paleo-Eskimo, or Dorset culture settled in-Newfoundland about 4000 years ago. Newfoundland was long settled by indigenous
peoples of the Dorset culture but was abandoned when the Icelandic Viking Leif Eriksson visited the area in the 11th century. On August
5, 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert claimed Newfoundland as England's first overseas colony under Royal Charter of Queen Elizabeth I
of England. Newfoundland is considered Britain's oldest colony.
The Newfoundland & Labrador Department of Health and Community Services adopted the Personal Services Act on January 31,
2014. The Personal Services Act is a new piece of legislation that requires facilities and establishments offering tattooing, piercing and
other body modifications services to meet specific age restrictions and other requirements such as health and safety standards. The
Personal Services Act is a detailed manual with full color photos and flow charts defining every aspect of tattooing and piercing in
Newfoundland and Labrador. The PSA, also known as the Personal Services Establishment Guide, (PSE) covers tattoo facility design,
general and specific instrument use and sterilization, autoclave and sterilizer spore testing, employee hygiene, sharps handling,
disposal and removal procedures for blood borne and bodily fluid exposure, record keeping and biological monitoring. Although the
PSE document is a great starting point for tattoo and piercing operators, at this point it is only strongly recommended, not required.
Government officials in Newfoundland will be introducing health and safety standards based on the PSE in the near future. The Act
will be enforced by Environmental Health officers in Newfoundland.
The lack of solid enforcement laws regulating Newfoundland's tattoo and piercing industry was brought to the Minister of Health
in 2005 after the death of a 16 year old girl who died due to complications after getting a nipple piercing. Although the girl died from
Toxic Shock, her death was not solely caused by the piercing. Complications arose shortly after the girl's nipple piercing.
The legislation was initially supposed to come into effect six months after the fatality but did not see the light of day until 2012.
The PSE document went into effect two years later.
The act required the minimum age for a shop to tattoo or pierce a client in Newfoundland without parental consent at 16 years
old, however, the minimum legal age for a shop to tattoo or pierce a client with parental consent is below 16 years old. That means
as long as a shop will allow it, a five year old child or even younger could be legally tattooed or pierced with parental consent.
This was primarily to allow parents to have their infant children's ears to be pierced. This loophole opened up a much larger window
of opportunity to underage clients to have procedures done at Newfoundland tattoo and piercing shops.
Even if some tattoo and piercing shops in Newfoundland do not adhere to the PSE document, the Newfoundland Department of
Health and Community Services has, at least, required all tattoo and piercing shops in Newfoundland to register their tattoo and
piercing facilities with the NDHCS. Once registered, government officials can then visit the shops and promote and highly recommend
the use of the PSE guide. Most tattoo and piercing shops in Newfoundland have agreed to follow the PSE guide and
most use the guide today. O
Jay Cousins works for the Albuquerque Environmental Health Department. He started working for the city in 1985. In 1994 he started working
for the restaurant, swimming pool, and body art inspection program. He has approximately 600 facilities in his jurisdiction, including body art
establishments. He started doing body art inspections in 1999 and has conducted over 500 body art facility inspections since then.
Jay is also a high school and college baseball umpire and works as a fill-in umpire for the Albuquerque Isotopes.
PAINMAGAZINE 12
F
ans of Spike TV's reality-competition series “Ink Master” will likely recognize the
names Joey "Hollywood" Hamilton and Walter 'Sausage' Frank. Both have
proven their skills on the show with Hamilton winning season three, and Frank
finishing as runner-up in season four.
You might think that such attention would lead to swelled heads and rock star
status within the tattoo community. But these guys are really just a couple of regular
Joes – who obviously also have a talent for putting ink to skin. They might have used
their fame to book guest spots on tour, but instead they decided to return home to
Las Vegas and open a one-of-a-kind tattoo studio, and let the clients come to them.
The appropriately named Revolt Tattoo is Hamilton and Frank's answer to what
a modern tattoo studio producing top-quality work should be about. While the Ink
Master notoriety brings in the fans, every artist working at the shop is a star.
“On the show, we didn't come off as saying that we were better than anybody
else. We're just good tattoo artists, and we pride ourselves that we decided to compete
as gentlemen, and go on there and not throw anybody under the bus --- we were trying
to beat the other contestants at what they do and let the tattoos that we did speak for
themselves,” Hamilton says. “We translated that whole idea into our shop.”
“When we were on the show we were known for being able to
do everything, and when we hired the artists around us, we
wanted to make sure that they were really talented in fields
where we could push clients towards them,” Frank says.
“We peppered the shop with great artists. . . they've
been able to grow as artists as well, not only
because they're hanging around other stellar
artists, but because we're able to pass
them a lot of different clients.”
continued on page 20
100%
PAINMAGAZINE 14
Ask
Elayne
Angel
Non-Negotiable
Safety Standards
Dear Angel,
I just moved back to my hometown and got taken on at my old shop. However in
my absence of five years the owner has decided he knows best practices for piercers.
My concerns:
• The owner wants us to use Green Soap for skin prep. I've been purchasing my
own sterile iodine single use packs for my clients because my research confirmed
my suspicions: Green Soap is not suitable. Are there any resources I can show
him to help him understand this?
• The shop owner and other piercer think that soaking jewelry in 91% isopropyl
alcohol is fine for an initial piercing. I've read studies and in my opinion it is no
substitute for autoclaving! I don't see why we can't just tell the customer to come
back in 90 minutes and run an autoclave cycle. I stick with the sterilized jewelry.
• Another alarming thing in this category is that the other piercer uses Madacide
spray to clean hemostats (luckily not forceps) between customers. Sometimes
they've been in the bio room exposed to whatever pathogens are in there,
sometimes they're just left on the tray and sprayed down. I realize this is
unnecessarily risky and bad practice for cross contamination.
I'm in a hard spot because I love this profession. I'd like to stay, but improve the
quality, practices, knowledge, etc. so that when I move on I'll know I improved
piercing in this city, and the quality of the work the customers receive.
Elayne Angel Author The Piercing Bible—
The Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing
Member of Association of Professional Piercerst
Thanks, L.
Hi L.
W
orking in an environment in which unsafe practices
are taking place is surely difficult. Knowing that the
owner advocates those bad behaviors must make it
even harder. Fortunately, the issues you’ve mentioned
are actually governed by legislation in your state, which should
make them pretty easy to address. The risks involved are alarming
and unacceptable, so I would advise you to discuss these matters
with the business owner immediately.
1.) Regarding Green Soap:
It is excellent that you’re purchasing your own suitable skin
prep solution and that you are not adopting the lower standards
endorsed by your boss. But the law states that only products
labeled as FDA-registered antiseptic solutions are acceptable
for skin preparation prior to piercings or tattoos. Tincture of
Green Soap, a 30 percent ethyl alcohol solution with lavender
oil, does not fall into this category. Therefore, nobody in the
studio should be using it for that purpose.
§133. Body Piercing Procedures [formerly paragraph 28:017]
Each operator shall cleanse the client's skin, excluding the
areas surrounding the eyes, by washing it with an FDA registered
antiseptic solution applied with a clean, single-use paper product
before and after piercing the client's skin.
Even if this were not specifically regulated in your area,
industry best practices are clearly outlined by the Association of
Professional Piercers’ in the latest Procedure Manual:
ANTISEPTIC SOLUTIONS
Chemical agents selected for skin prep should have the
following properties:
• A broad-spectrum antimicrobial action
• Rapid activation and prolonged effectiveness
• Minimal irritation/sensitization potential
• Quick and convenient application
The “health care facility [body piercing studio] should use
FDA-approved agents that have immediate, cumulative, and persistent
antimicrobial action.”
“In the US, antiseptic agents are regulated by the FDA’s Division
of Over-the-Counter Drug Products.”73
2.) Regarding jewelry preparation:
It isn’t just your opinion that an alcohol soak is no substitute for
autoclaving, it is a fact. Alcohols, whether ethyl or isopropyl
(70 percent or 91 percent) are not sterilants; they aren’t even
classified as high-level disinfectants.
According to your state’s laws (and to uphold the barest
minimum level of professional ethics), we must use properly sterilized
jewelry for initial piercings! This is one of the most basic tenets of
safe piercing, and it is absolutely not negotiable.
§107. Practice Standards; Restrictions [formerly paragraph
28:004] Section J. Use of personal client jewelry or any apparatus
PAINMAGAZINE 16
or device presented by the client for use
during the initial body piercing shall be
sterilized prior to use. Each facility shall
provide pre-sterilized jewelry, apparatus, or
devices, which shall be of metallic content
recognized as compatible with body piercing.
The entire jewelry inventory in my studio
(with the exception of the items in the display
cases) was sterilized in individual autoclave
pouches and ready to insert. Using this
method, you can have pre-sterilized jewelry
readily available for most clients. If someone
wants a display piece, they can return for their
piercing once the jewelry has been properly
sterilized in the autoclave.
For further corroboration, the APP Procedure
Manual states:
…Regardless of the source of their jewelry,
a responsible piercer should put in only
high quality body jewelry that is sterilized
on the premises prior to insertion [emphasis
added]. FDA-cleared items that are commercially sterilized according to accepted
medical standards should be ready for use
without additional processing.
It is not an industry standard practice for
body jewelry manufacturers to supply sterile
jewelry. Manufacturers should not misrepresent
what is being supplied by falsely advertising
or labeling jewelry as “sterile” or “ready for
insertion,” or making other misleading claims.
Best practice for any studio is to minimize
handling, disassemble and clean new jewelry,
and then autoclave sterilize all pieces prior to
use. Consult with your jewelry manufacturer
for appropriate handling and cleaning advice
based on their production procedures. If an
ultrasonic cycle is employed, jewelry should
be processed in an ultrasonic unit reserved
for clean jewelry only, and care should be
taken to prevent damage to the surface finish
from vibration. A jewelry grade ultrasonic or
steamer should be acceptable for this purpose.
3.) Regarding tool “cleaning” with Madacide:
You didn’t specify what the other piercer is
doing with the hemostats he’s spraying with
Madacide. But if these tools are handled with
gloves that have been used during piercing
procedures, (or if they come into contact with
fresh piercings or the jewelry in them) they
must be processed as contaminated items—
because they are contaminated! This is also
covered in your regulations:
§117. Instrument Sterilization Standards
[formerly paragraph 28:009] Commercial
body art facility operators shall place cleaned
instruments used in the practice of tattooing,
PAINMAG.COM
permanent cosmetics or piercing in sterile
bags, with color strip indicators, and shall
sterilize the instruments by exposure to one
cycle of an approved sterilizer, in accordance
with the approved sterilization modes in §119
of this Part.
Additionally, page 17 of the APP Manual
discusses this in detail, elaborating on nine
distinct steps for safely and effectively
processing used instruments.
As the proprietor, your boss is undertaking
significant liability to ignore the laws in favor of
his own preferences and policies. He is at risk
of incurring fines and/or business closure by
the health department, and also lawsuits from
clients. Even if he’s focused exclusively on profits,
understanding his financial accountability should
inspire him to quickly update his methods.
You are not a bystander: you are personally
and professionally involved as a witness to unsafe
acts through which the public health can be
harmed. You have an obligation to do what you
can to bring the studio into alignment with sound
practices. If you cannot make progress through
education and an attempt to effect change from
within, I think you’d have no choice but to report
the dangerous and unlawful practices to the authorities, which could be done anonymously. O
N
o matter what your opinions are on the
current trend and associated claims
regarding daith piercings, you can't
deny their existence and the impact that
trends like these I'm looking at you, triple
forward helix have on the piercing industry.
Perhaps more important to consider, is the way
that these trends influence how clients or
potential clients perceive us. With the way that
information is shared these days mostly thanks
to the prevalence of social media there is likely
always going to be a “new” trendy piercing.
To most of us, these piercings will be old hat.
They may not (read: hopefully won't be) touted
as some sort of miracle cure for some ailment.
Regardless of the circumstances, there is much
to be gained from anything that is bringing
potential clients into your studio. Being honest
and transparent is always going to be more
important than making a sale. However, there
are many things to take into consideration
when you find someone at your counter who
likely never expected themselves to end up in
a piercing studio.
First and foremost, it's always going to be
important to dispel myths. We all know there
are many associated with piercings from not
being able to breastfeed after getting nipple
piercings to, more recently, daith piercings being
a cure for migraines, anxiety, and whatever
else the internet has come up with since the
writing of this piece. Remember, it is our job as
ethical piercers to disseminate information about
piercing to our clients and a large part of that
is diffusing misinformation, even when doing
so means potentially losing a sale. I'd go so far
as to say especially when it means potentially
losing a sale, because building trust is infinitely
better for business than taking someone's
hard earned money under false pretenses.
Since the current trend centers around
daith piercings being the miracle cure for
migraines , we can use that as an example.
When a client walks in asking about the
headache cure, we should be telling them
that there's absolutely no verifiable evidence
to support that a daith piercing cures anything
other than an unadorned ear. As ethical
piercers, these types of misconceptions should
be cleared up before talking with the client
about doing a piercing. There really isn't
any wiggle room on this, because it's fact
whether we want to accept it or not any
“evidence” that has been seen is purely
anecdotal. We should all know that individual
experience is irrelevant in relation to things
such as cures for medical conditions. Since
you can read all about confirmation bias,
case studies, and double blind experiments
in Jef Saunders's recent blog about the
speculation that daith piercings cure
migraines , I won't delve too deeply into this.
While there isn't a whole lot of reason to
define what anecdotal evidence is or explain
the general lack of scientific consensus to
someone who just walked in looking for a
piercing, you should be able to if needed. The
same way you can explain that a vertical hood
piercing isn't going to cause nerve damage to
the clitoris, you should be able to explain that
a daith piercing probably isn't going to cure
their migraines. If the client still wants the
piercing (and many, if not most will) then you
can at least carry on with a clear conscience.
The type of clients who end up in your
studio because of trends like these present a
unique opportunity. Many of them have
preconceived notions about piercing studios,
and piercers, that they will find simply aren't
true when visiting studios that meet industry
standards. Again, a huge part of our job as
piercers is to educate, and these situations
often become excellent chances. When your
client decides they still want a daith piercing,
you get to inform them that they're not stuck
with the poorly sized curved barbell that they
probably saw in whatever article they read.
You have the opportunity to inform them that
real body jewelry comes in many sizes, styles,
and implant grade materials. The term
standard, doesn't really apply the sky's the
limit now a days with body jewelry designs.
PAINMAGAZINE 18
You become an ambassador for the
entire piercing industry every time one of
these clients walks through your door. While
we should all be doing our best to give
every client the best experience they can
have, these types of people should be given
extra consideration. You can teach them
about jewelry standards, especially in regards
to what to look for when choosing a piercing
studio. You can correct misconceptions about
allergies to everything except gold, while
explaining that you offer a wide selection
of jewelry including nickel free gold, if that's
what they would like. When they ask if
you'll be using a gun (and there is a good
chance they will) you have the chance to
explain how piercing guns are unsafe. They
will inevitably pass this information onto
their friends and loved ones who ask about
the rad new piercing they got. In turn, this
single piercing experience has the potential
to save an untold number of people from
the bad experience of being pierced by
untrained hands.
I think it is sometimes easy for us to lose
sight of what we're really trying to accomplish
as piercers. Obviously we are trying to do
clean, safe piercings, but that's only one
facet of the job. Many of us are guilty of
worrying excessively about the opinions of
our peers, yet failing to go above and beyond
to impress the people who matter most: our
clients. These are the people who are literally
giving us a reason to come to work every
day. By no means am I saying that you should
disregard the opinions of your peers in a
tightknit industry like ours, they definitely do
matter. However, your personal feelings
should always take a back seat to the health,
safety,and mental well being of your clients.
So when someone is desperately searching
for relief, it is unethical to not be up-front
about your almost certain inability to provide
that relief with a piercing. However, if
you take the time to be compassionate and
informative in your response, you just might
end up with a lifelong client anyway. O
Revolt Tattoo
continued
Clayton
David Ruiz
Working alongside Hamilton and Frank are Christian Buckingham,
Clayton Howell, Eric Bush, Chad Lambert, Dwight “Bulb” Cooner,
David Ruiz, and Jason Tritten. Frank and Buckingham are also on the
air as contestants on the current season of Ink Masters.
Revolt Tattoo is a star itself. The immense 8,000 square foot
space has an industrial vibe, and is spotlessly clean with granite
countertops, custom cabinets, and glass partitioned work stations.
Being that the artists are known for being on television, it's only fitting
that each tattoo station has its own little “show” with a live streaming
feed that can be viewed on the website. People from all over the
world are watching too – they're getting thousands of hits a day.
“When we're getting our customers in the chair, it's funny to hear
them say that they've watched before coming in so that they could
see the tattoo process,” Hamilton says.
Even though appointment slots fill up fast, the guys at Revolt are
happy to welcome walk-ins when time is available. Being in Vegas,
they'll occasionally get tourists wanting to memorialize their vacation
with tattoos of dice or cards --- there was even one client who got a
huge back piece of the famous Welcome to Las Vegas sign.
continued on page 24
Chad
PAINMAGAZINE 20
PAINMAGAZINE 22
Revolt Tattoo
continued
Dwight
Eric
Revolt is located across the street from the Hard Rock Casino
which puts them fairly near the Strip – but miles away from the style
of tattoo shops found inside the mega-resort casinos. One of the big
differences is price. Casino shops typically charge by size, whereas
at Revolt it's by the hour. Also because Revolt isn't located in a multimillion dollar venue, the overhead is less, and they pass that savings
on to their customers. The biggest contrast is in the experience.
“The casino shops are more like retail stores,” Hamilton points out.
“When you walk into Revolt you see all the people tattooing and it's
right away evident that this is a tattoo shop.”
“We pride ourselves on our customers and want them to come
back,” Frank adds, “whereas casino shops are all about numbers and
getting customers in and out.”
Revolt wants to continue its great ratings, and their plan is to
continue expanding their brand, and even sharing the unique experience
they provide to other locations around the country.
“We want to grow as a company and as individuals so that we're
pushing on to new levels,” Hamilton says
“We want the experience to always be where we're bending over
backwards to treat the customer like the person on TV who is getting
tattooed and you're connecting with that person and they have a great
feeling when they leave.”
“A good thing that the TV shows have been able to do is open the
eyes of America that tattooing might not be that bad because people
can have an emotional experience and an attachment to the work. . .
it's not just graffitting your body,” Frank adds. “Now people are thinking
a lot more about what it is that they're getting done, and they're doing
a lot more research into the artists, and seeking out people who can do
quality work, and wanting to come to a shop that's more than just a
whole in the wall.” O
Revolt Tattoo
Las Vegas, Nevada
www.revolttattoos.com
PAINMAGAZINE 24
tattooshow
W
hen World Famous Tattoo Ink puts on a tattoo show
they pull out all the stops. You might even say
there are no limits --- and that's just the thinking
behind the United Ink No Limits Tattoo Expo.
Presented by World Famous Tattoo Ink and sponsored by
FK Irons, Vanish MD, Inked Republic Clothing, and Kuro Sumi
Tattoo Ink- the expo brought together over 400 of the world’s
best tattoo artists as World Famous's Tattoo Lou and Jackie Rubino
personally traveled the globe to find the cream of the crop to
bring them back to New York City for this incredible event.
Among the tattoo talent packing into the 7,000 square-foot
venue were Carl Grace, Teneile Napoli, Luka Lajoie, Poch, Sam
Barber, Jak Connolly, and Simon Cooke just to name a few. Also
doing their thing live and in-person were stars from the Ink Masters
TV series, including Sarah Miller, Saint Marq, and Matty Hixon,
as well as Big Gus and Jasmine Rodrigues of Tattoo Nightmares.
Of course World Famous hosted members of their own pro team
from around the planet including Oleg Sheplenko (Russia), Mark
Bester (UK), Nuno Feio (Portugal), and Zhang “Popo” Po (China).
Art of all kinds was on display – not just tattoos. Once
again guest were treated to the United Ink Art Gallery specially
curated by Filipa Silva – showcasing all mediums from painting
to sculpture and erotic art, with sales and auction proceeds going
to two incredible charities: Michael's HOPE for heroin and opiate
prevention and education, and Little Flower Children and Family
Services of New York. Another unique art event this year was the
Sneaker Project with artists customizing sneakers which were
auctioned off to add to the more than $7,000 raised..
continued on page 34
PAINMAGAZINE 28
TELL THEM YOU SAW IT IN
TattooExpo
There was live art too, with sideshow performers breaking world
records from sword swallowing to weight lifting with their eyelids,
entertainment from the graceful and alluring Skindicate Suspension
and burlesque performances by Raquel Reed. The two lead singers
from the Butcher Babies serenaded the crowd on Saturday night, pretty
girls took the stage for the Ms.The two lead singers from the Butcher
Babies serenaded the crowd on Saturday night, pretty girls took the
stage for the Ms. Vixen Pin-Up Contest, and there was even a beard
and mustache contest for the guys.
“We try to make it a complete weekend experience,” says Jackie
Rubino. “We want to make sure that everybody has a good time –
even if somebody is just coming in to check out a tattoo show and not
planning to get tattoo, we also have the entertainment and shopping,
but on the other end of the spectrum, especially for the artist and
vendors, while they're not busy there's something to do whether it's
hanging out in the art gallery, participate in an art project, or get
involved with a interactive events and seminars.”
Another benefit of attending the No Limits Tattoo Expo is its location
--- who doesn't want to visit NYC? Resorts World Casino is a great
place to hold the event because everyone can stay and party!
“I've had so many artists tell me that they were just coming to
check out the show – not to work, but just to hang out,” Jackie says.
“We definitely have a lot of fun putting on the show. A big push
for us is that we got tired of going to conventions and watching people
cut corners – part of our goal is to give people a higher end experience,”
she adds. “We really enjoy getting together with all the artists and
seeing all the new art –it's a great way to keep an on everything that's
going on in the industry.” O
United Ink No Limits Tattoo Expo
Resorts World Casino, New York City
April 1-3, 2016
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I
t wasn't a few minutes after posting a photo
of a daith piercing to her instagram page
that Lisa Pheanix, owner of Alternative
Connection, in Melbourne, Florida, was
getting inquiries from people inquiring about
the procedure.
The daith (pronounced doth as in moth)
sits in cartilage midline toward the front of
the inner ear. It's recent popularity so much
because it's a unique piercing, but more because
it's been proclaimed by some as a miracle cure
for headaches.
A Huffington post article went viral with
the headline, “Can Daith Piercings Stop
Migraines? Here's What You Need To Know
About The Growing Trend.” The story cited
several people who had seen relief after getting
the piercing. One migraine suffer went so far
as to say that the piercing had allowed her to
dramatically reduce her use of pain killers.
Another story on Daily Mail.com reported a
woman claiming the piercing cured the excruciating
migraines that had left her housebound and
vomiting.
In the last couple of years, Pheanix has the
piercing explode in popularity, primarily with
females from teenagers to senior citizens. Most
already have piercings, but for a good number,
this is their first or they have something basic
like a upper ear cartilage piercing. Most have
heard about it in the news and are willing to
give it a try.
One might argue that it's just a piercing,
so why not try it? Well, it isn't really "just a
piercing" as it is into the cartilage of the ear.
Because it of that and the location, the daith
piercing takes a lot of care and can take six
months or more to heal. It requires diligent
aftercare (including daily washing and soaking
with saline) for the entire healing process. These
piercings can also remain tender for an extended
period of time, making it difficult to wear ear buds
or headphones.
“When people come in and tell me that
they're getting it for a headache, I have an
honest conversation with them about how they
may not get the results they want,” Pheanix says.
“I get a lot of people who say that they did
initially feel relief for about a week, there's been
a couple that have had it last two weeks, and
there's one lady who swears that she hasn't
gotten a headache since.”
“Personally, I believe it's a placebo effect,”
Pheanix adds. “There's no kind of scientific
research that I've found that proves that it works.”
The daith does have the advantage,
Pheanix says, of being comfortable to wear,
especially when you want to sleep, as it's cupped
and protected inside your ear.
Noah Babcock, lead piercer at Evolution
Body Works, in Albuquerque, New Mexico,
has done thousands of daith piercings, and he
points out while it is necessary to allow room
for initial swelling, that doesn't mean it has to
be simple jewelry - it only means that the
geometry of the jewelry needs to be such that
it's still conducive to the healing process.
Babcock often starts with a basic ring and
custom bends it to create unique shapes.
“I use the client's anatomy as my stencil,
looking at their ear to make sure things are going
to fit properly,” Babcock explains. “I use a lot of
different gems and clusters, and I do things in
surgical steel, titanium, and gold. The daith is
one of my favorite piercings to do. I really the
aesthetic. . .the shape and placement of things
allows for a significant level of creativity to
utilized with the jewelry more-so than with a lot
of other piercings.”
As much as the daith isn't for every client,
it's not for every piercer either – especially those
without a lot of experience should be doing
because the spot is so close to the ear canal.
Pheanix points out the danger of going through
a piece of cartilage and coming out the bottom
right in the ear canal. Another difficulty is that
there's not a whole lot of skin in that spot, and
the piercing needs to be as close to the inside
of the ear as possible to lessen the chance of
rejection.
Considering the risks associated with the
daith, the question arrises again – is it really
worth the headache (or lack thereof)?
In theor y, the daith piercing relieve
migraines in a similar way to how acupuncture
is used to help ease symptoms. The Migraine
Relief Center recognizes the link.
Others are skeptical. Kristen Horner
Warren, an alternative medicine practitioner
with an advanced degree in physiology, writes
in a blog post that the specific points stimulated
by the daith are not even close to those she
would consider using to treat migraines with ear
acupuncture.
“The points most directly stimulated by the
daith piercing are related to the mouth and the
anus,” she explains, “body parts which obviously
have nothing to do with headaches!” O
PAINMAGAZINE 36
PAINMAG.COM
As state health boards and regulators continue to impact piercing services, aftercare remains an
essential component for the professional piercer to consider.
We’re here today with registered pharmacist and Dr Piercing’s managing partner, Ryan Estopinal R
Ph,, to discuss piercing aftercare and what is unique about the Dr Piercing’s aftercare product line.
PAIN: Tell us Ryan, the piercing industry is a pretty nontraditional
path for a pharmacist. What sparked your interest in the piercing
business?
Ryan: As a pharmacist, it was not uncommon to see the negative
results of poor aftercare. Infection, irritation, and scar formation
were seen when a client did not adhere to the post piercing
cleaning instructions provided by their piercer.
Most of my patients would tell me they were given basic
care instructions and they may have purchased an aftercare
product. BUT the majority of clients only used the aftercare product
sporadically and for a short period of time. And wrongly, in my
opinion, many of these patients blamed their piercer if poor result
occurred. This was my initial exposure to the piercing business
and it underscored the importance of appropriate aftercare.
PAIN: So how did you transition from the pharmacy into the
piercing aftercare business?
Ryan: We saw an opportunity. As a pharmacist, my patients
would tell me that traditional aftercare was typically messy and
bulky to carry so they just did not use them or stopped using them
way to soon. THIS WAS THE EURKA MOMENT! We had to build
a better delivery system. One that addressed the clients issues so
they could easily stick with their aftercare routine. The result is an
aftercare product that meets these four criteria:
• Effective: Simply stated, it must work to prevent infection and
promote healing
• Portable: Packaging that is easy to carry in a purse or pocket.
• No Mess: No drips, no runs, and easy to apply.
• Value: Fair price for the client, attractive profit for the shop.
This is how we came up with the concept of Dr Piercing’s
Aftercare and Hole-Istic Care Swabs. Dr Piercing’s is a practical
solution for the piercer who wants to offer a “better mouse trap”
to their clients by addressing some of the big challenges in the
aftercare space (mess, portability, value)
PAIN: That sounds pretty logical to me. How has the market
accepted the Dr Piercing’s product line?
Ryan: That’s the really interesting part. We’re a very small
company and have thrived mostly through word of mouth and the
support of professional piercers. We have a very loyal following
and are growing with the support of premier distributors like
BodyJewelry.com and Monster Steel.
Our base of sales is original Aftercare (Gold Box) and
we have added a saline solution swab we call Hole-Istic Care
(Green Box) for the person looking for a natural cleaning and
healing product.
PAIN: Wow, that’s a pretty compelling story you tell Ryan. Thanks
for your time. Any parting shots?
Ryan: Sure, this has been a very interesting space to be in.
The folks I’ve met are just great. It’s fun to work with creative
professionals that know their craft and want to provide the best
piercing experience possible to their clients. We want to be your
partner – check out our site at www.drpiericng.com or call us
at 866-476-2348. We’d love to grow with you and are so
appreciative for all those who continue to support us.O
PAINMAGAZINE 38
A
sk most tattoo artists about the person who inspired them,
and they'll likely name another tattooer who was their mentor
or whose art they admire. Amelia Whitney gives credit for
her love of art to Mrs, Bow, her fifth and sixth grade teacher.
“Her excitement and passion for art was so inspiring – was
hooked!” says Amelia. “All I can remember from her class was doing
art projects every day and nothing else.”
“I spent every chance I could practicing my drawing and painting
skills,” she adds. “I never gave up.”
Amelia immersed herself in the art scene throughout school – one
of her favorite canvases was herself. “I used to draw all over myself
with pens,” she says, “the kids at school always told me that I should
be a tattoo artist.”
After earning a Bachelor or Fine Arts degree in drawing from
Arizona State University, Amelia spent two months studying art in
China – an experience she says opened her eyes to a whole new
world of possibilities and inspirations.
Amelia picked up a tattoo machine and started tattooing in 2009,
learning the craft on her own. Armed with her art portfolio, she eventually
found an apprenticeship at Empire Tattoo in New Jersey. Upon moving
back home to Arizona, she landed a full-time gig at Club Tattoo.
“It was always my goal to be a tattoo artist. Especially being a
female, it's a scary thing going into a tattoo shop – I'd never even been
in a tattoo shop until I went in one seeking an apprenticeship. I had a
feeling I could be good at tattooing if I worked hard at it,” Amelia says.
“I didn’t get truly serious about tattooing until I moved to New
Jersey and had the opportunity of a lifetime to learn the right way to
tattoo among some of the best artists on the east coast. I learned so
much from so many different types of artists traveling from all over,”
she adds. “Working at Club Tattoo was a dream of mine ever since
college. I believe everything happens for a reason. . . I'm definitely
meant to be here.”
Amelia's art background serves her well to being a well-rounded
tattoo artist able to take on styles from American traditional to watercolor.
She works exclusively with Eternal inks; she utilizes an Inkjecta machine
for shading, and Kevin Riley coil machine for lining.
For her watercolor tattoos, Amelia starts with an actual watercolor
painting that she copies and turns into a stencil. This way, the
finished piece truly does resemble a watercolor painting on the skin.
“When I do watercolor, I try to get it bright and colorful and
saturated,” Amelia explains. “All of my watercolor tattoos have a kind
of sketched black outline – sometimes I'll freehand some black splatters
that give it a very organic look.”
“One of the biggest joys I get out of tattooing is wowing (the
client). I love the process of tattooing and making art; working with my
hands and being in the zone,” Amelia says. “Tattooing is coolest
medium because your putting the artwork on somebody's body for life!
“Art means everything to me. . . if I’m not creating, I would be lost.” O
Club Tattoo, Tempe, Arizona www.facebook.com/ameliawhitney
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K
yle Kinane made his name as a storytelling
comedian. Instead of going for the easy laugh,
he’ll let a joke build for a few minutes, hitting
beats along the way to keep it interesting, before
arriving at a worthwhile end point. It can be a
little jarring at first, especially for the ADD set, but the
reward is ultimately worthwhile, like watching a sunset
for the first time. “I Know What I Want,” an extended
meditation from his accomplished 2010 debut, covered
Bob Seger’s “Night Moves,” moving to Los Angeles from
the Midwest, people relating to each other through
regional cuisine and crashing a Ford Focus. It’s a grab
bag of seemingly disparate elements seamlessly tied
together. It’s also 10 and a half minutes long. In fact, of
Death of the Party‘s 10 tracks, only one stayed under the
five-minute mark. Kinane’s not above making a quick
joke, but the biggest payoffs on his record were the stories
clearly well-written and road-tested beforehand.
His Atlanta set was story-based as well, but in a
different way. Some of his bits—like one that began with
Orbitz and ended with charming a flight attendant into
additional drinks in order to more effectively sex
spectate—were of the tightly-written, gradually-unspooling
variety, point A to point B, origin to destination. Others—
like when he started the evening by calling the audience
members “meatballs,” almost instantly connecting that
silliness to road rage—were of the quick-and-dirty, more
standard setup-punchline fare. But throughout it all a
narrative emerged, and that narrative was based on
tolerance. More on that in a minute.
Kinane introduced tolerance into his set right at
the top. He talked of a “nonsensically racist” uncle, a
man eating pancakes on an airplane from a bag
(“bagcakes,” Kinane called them) and the acceptance
that there might be a God if only because such a creature
would make life more exciting, like vampires, aliens
and Bigfoot. All these topics detailed the myriad ways
in which he’s trying to keep himself from having a heart
attack (his words) due to his reactionary judgments of
the world around him. In doing so, though, his bits
weren’t always story-based; he in effect turned his set
into a narrative with a throughline, just like any great
piece of writing. And his classy handling of race and
stereotypes—turning the focus back on himself and his
own gradually developing sense of tolerance—should
be immortalized in textbooks. There are ways of talking
about uneasy stuff like gender, sexuality, mental illness
and race without resorting to a cheap laugh, but that is
rarely the case with many comedians.
Only one bit in his hour or so onstage came from
Death of the Party, and even it was appended with
an alternate ending. Devoting most of his time to new
material made the show a treat for fans while showcasing
just how much great stuff he’s worked up in recent years,
especially considering that excellent unrecorded bits
(buying beer, pizza and deodorant at a grocery store,
a bout with poison oak) were nowhere to be found.
With his evolving act, time spent on the road with
big names like Daniel Tosh and Patton Oswalt, voiceover
work for Comedy Central and all the rest, it’s nice
knowing Kinane won’t be short of gigs in the near future.
It’s nicer still to see he’s hungry, self-aware and restless
enough to keep pushing forward. Dissatisfaction often
leads to greatness, and if we’re to trust the quote he
gave The A.V. Club last fall, Kinane’s greatness in the
years to come will be multilayered and vast:
“Sometimes you see performers, and I think they
rely a little too heavily on their reputation. You’ll see
them just telling some story, and it’s like, ‘Despite who’s
saying this, it’s just a shit story. It’s just boring, it’s not
funny.’ And people, I think, can get jaded thinking just
because of who they are, somebody wants to hear it.
And I hope I don’t get caught in that. I’m hardly a known
name, but I don’t want to go, like, ‘Oh, people call me
a storyteller comedian, let me just go up and just talk
about my day.’ I don’t want that to happen.” v
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