Just Another Body Piercing
The sudden desire for a body piercing is becoming a popular trend among college students at Bloomsburg University. Whether it’s an ear piercing, or a back piercing, the wide variety of body piercings are clearly an “in thing” and Stormi Steel is the place to go according to a majority of students.
Stormi Steel, located at 364 East St., in Bloomsburg, Pa., is a tattoo parlor that also does body piercings. More than 3,000 piercings have been performed at Stormi Steel, by a woman piercer, Leanne. Students who have gone to her have said only positive comments about this woman, and everyone that was interviewed was pleased with the outcome of their new piercing.
There are many types of piercings that can be performed, and in this generation of college students, having them is an appealing aspect of a person’s look. According to many students, just getting your first holes pierced on your earlobes is not enough—getting piercings becomes addicting. According to 20-year-old Lauren Kelly, “Getting something pierced is so exciting! I love the sudden urge that you get when you see someone else with a really cool piercing, and decide that you want to get that done as well.” She then goes on to tell of her most recent piercing that she got done at Stormi Steel. Located on an inner part of the cartilage, called the rook, Lauren shares, “Getting my rook pierced was like adding a new piece of jewelry to my collection. Also, when I went to get it done, I convinced a bunch of my friends to come with me, and they all ended up getting something pierced, too. It was exciting getting a new piercing because personally, I get tired of my usual look, and feel the need to change something, or in this case, add a little something.” In Lauren’s opinion, piercings are simply an accessory, and an attractive addition to the overall look. She also comments on Stormi Steels’ environment where she got it done. “They had a cute little spot where all of the piercings took place. It made me feel really comfortable as I was nervously waiting for my piercing to be done. And when it was over, I couldn’t be more happy with the outcome.”
Dermal piercings are another type of piercing that students seem to be raging about. Different than a typical puncture piercing that is performed with a needle, dermals are surgically put in. They can basically be put in anywhere, and they’re little jeweled studs that are noticeable on the surface of the skin. Many people tend to get them on either side of their lower back, on either side of their collar bones, on the back of their neck, or on the top of their forearms. The procedure of putting in a dermal consists of the piercer digging out a small portion of the skin in the desired area. They then place the dermal in. Dermals cannot be taken out by hand either; they must be surgically removed from the skin. One student who got two dermals on either side of her lower back, Brianna Moller, tells of her experience. “They really didn’t hurt as bad as people think when they hear the process of the procedure. It just feels like a really long bee sting,” she adds chuckling. Brianna then goes on to say why she wanted to get these, “I like trying new things, but things that others might not try, like the dermals. They seemed rare and I liked the way they looked. And as far as getting permission from my parents to get this done, I still haven’t told them, but I figured I’d take the risk, no matter what they say. I’m at college too, so what can they do.” Also, being warned of all the risks of dermals, like the chance of rejection, when one’s body forces them out on its own, Brianna comments, “I have never had any problems with any other piercing, or my skin becoming irritated or rejecting, so I wasn’t worried and took the chance.” She then tells of her opinions on Stormi Steel, where she, too, got it done. “I always like to ask a lot of questions and get a feel for the person or place I am receiving my piercing from, and I could tell the woman, Leanne, had a vast knowledge of piercings and made me feel really comfortable with the procedure.” Despite all the pain body piercings cause, it’s apparent that it is all worth it in the end, as they add some new “bling” to a person’s look.
An Inside Look On The Piercer
It is surprising, but intriguing to know that the piercer at Stormi Steel is a woman. Having been piercing for three years, Leanne is thrilled to say that she really enjoys her current profession. Leanne reveals her past, saying, “I was a nurse before I started piercing, but you can only work in the medical field for so long before you get burned out.” It seems like a pretty drastic change though, to pick up a new profession in piercing, but Leanne shares, “My husband is a tattoo artist, so that was what brought my attention to body piercings, and I’ve always had an interest in them, so I decided I’d like to start piercing for people.” Leanne has done every piercing anyone can think of, and the thought of this brings up the question if Leanne gets bothered by any of the piercings she performs. Without hesitation, Leanne shares, “Being a nurse, prior, I’ve seen everything, so nothing really gets to me. I don’t get grossed out, either, and I am very confident with my work. My goal is to make everyone that comes in happy with the piercing that they had in mind that they wanted to get done.”
As for the bulk of customers that come into Stormi Steel for piercings, Leanne tells, “You would think the majority of people coming in for a piercing would be college students, but it’s actually fifty-fifty among students and locals.” And with a number of other tattoo places in town that also do body piercings, competition would be an assuming issue. Leanne simply states, “We don’t compete, we just do what we do, but other shops may say stuff to compete with us.” Leanne’s experience in piercing has surely made her confident in what she loves to do for a living.
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