Pronouncing an open tone towards other forms of modification

December 14, 2020May 1, 2013 by Brian Skellie

I've been a member now since 1996 — I’ve been a member now since 1996

Here is some progress to be proud of:

The Association of Professional Piercers is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the dissemination of vital health and safety information about body piercing to piercers, health care professionals, legislators, and the general public. Socially and legislatively, body piercing is situated within the greater body modification community. As a result, we recognize that our role extends beyond the discipline of body piercing. Our position on body art practices such as tattooing, cosmetic tattooing, branding, scarification, suspension, and other forms of body modification is as follows:

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APP for Nonconformists

December 14, 2020July 16, 2012 by Brian Skellie

Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist. He who would gather immortal palms must not be hindered by the name of goodness, but must explore if it be goodness. Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind. Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the suffrage of the world.
— “Self Reliance,” Ralph Waldo Emerson

You may find this conversation interesting or useful as a colleague if you are on the fence about joining the Association of Professional Piercers.

LESS THAN 30 DAYS UNTIL THE APP CONFERENCE!

May 20, 2012May 18, 2012 by Brian Skellie

Less than 30 MORE DAYS UNTIL THE CONFERENCE!
ONLINE REGISTRATION CLOSES THIS WEEK!

Our 17th Annual Conference and Exposition will be in
Las Vegas, Nevada on June 17-June 22, 2012.

You need not be an APP member to attend the Conference!*

How smooth is smooth enough? Surface finish standards for body jewelry

April 28, 2023March 7, 2012 by Brian Skellie

A superficial proposition:

Professionals and clients have a right to know the roughness of the surface finish of body jewelry from each manufacturer they choose to do business with. Roughness can be measured as R_a to the microinch (µin) or Metric: micrometer (µ) or nanometer (nm). (The final smooth finish for many polished surgical implants is specified at 0.025µm to 0.05µm (1µin to 2µin)). This would alleviate confusion and allow a more frank discussion of the merits of different processes to arrive at a desired finish.

Smoother is better in our case, but how smooth is smooth enough?

Brian Skellie guest piercer at InSide Tattoo Shop in Trento, Italy

March 10, 2012March 6, 2012 by Brian Skellie

I will be piercing in Italy before the APTPI conference at InSide Tattoo Shop

Questionable jewelry project

October 2, 2011June 22, 2011 by Brian Skellie

Have you seen any body jewelry that made you wonder whether or not it was safe to wear?
Please add any manufacturer to this list who makes body jewelry that does not seem to meet appropriate safety standards. Our work group is collecting a list of examples for body jewelry review. You can email pictures, too. Your comments will be used in our ongoing project to help inform the public and improve body jewelry quality worldwide.

Selected freehand piercings

April 13, 2020April 13, 2011 by Brian Skellie

Here is a glimpse of a few piercings I performed during an exhibition for colleagues in New England. I enjoy sharing ideas and techniques with my peers. Let me know what you think.

My goal is an atraumatic aseptic technique: Primum non nocere

All of these piercings were performed without clamps using the STATIM 2000 autoclave, sterilized single use equipment, sterile nitrile gloves, and the titanium jewelry was anodized with the Reactive Metals Micro anodizer.