Reasons To Get Pierced In October

So, you're thinking about getting a piercing or maybe a Tattoo, and you're wondering when the best time is to get it? Without a doubt, October marks the best time of the year to get tattooed and pierced. This is especially true in the upper Midwest and other regions of the world that experience all four seasons. Surprisingly, it is often the slowest period for most studios. There could be several reasons for this, and for the last couple of decades, I've been trying to figure out why, when we are less likely to engage in activities that may cause issues when healing a piercing or tattoo, people just don't consider body art in the fall. It's possible that people are wearing clothing that covers their body art, making it less visible, or they may be saving up for the holidays, or simply not thinking about exposing their body and showing off new art. Whatever the reason, especially with piercings, the healing process may take anywhere from 6 months to a year. October through early January is by far the best time of the year to get it done.

If you are one of my many clients, you know that I always conduct a consultation before every piercing. Often, many repeat clients can almost recite the introductory speech about cleaning, care, and cross-contamination prevention as well as I can. The idea is to provide the client with a clear understanding of the commitment and changes that will be required in lifestyle, hygiene, and daily habits. Then they can make an educated choice about whether to get the piercing. If there is one thing that causes clients to consider delaying getting a piercing, it is the prohibition on swimming, followed by sports, summer activities, and vacations. 

Those who have read my blogs in the past know that I have covered a number of these issues. For those who haven't, I would suggest reading theml, but here are a few of the problems and risks with getting pierced in the spring or summer:

• Swimming - I recently wrote a blog just covering this subject, called Swimming and Healing Piercings, but the main reason that you do not want to swim while healing a piercing is that there is no way to ensure that there are no microorganisms in the water. With treated water, there is always a risk that the piercing may react to the harsh chemicals in the water. With tattoos, there is an added risk that soaking in water may affect how the tattoo heals.
• Sports and Outdoor activities - This may be a year-round issue for some, but we tend to be a great deal more active in the summer months, and here are some of the concerns:
  • Sports can result in trauma to the piercing, which can lead to more extended healing periods or other problems. Depending on the location of the piercing, you might experience pain or discomfort with isolated movements. Usually, this is a sign that you are putting stress on the piercing, which might result in healing problems. Specific piercings require a period of less activity or stress to heal correctly.
  • With outdoor activities like camping or even a day at that outdoor musical festival, you are placed in a situation where you can not control your environment at all. Although often found in urban indoor environments, a small space can harbor a broader range of pathogens. However, exposure can be reduced through proper hygiene and cleaning practices.  If you don't believe me, think about something as simple as how easy it is to wash your hands.  Also, consider that whenever you are outside of your own control environment, you come in contact with several foreign pathogens.
• Vacations - There are five major concerns with traveling:
  • Not being able to control the cleanliness of clothing, bedding, towels, etc...
  • The effect of differences in the hardness and softness of public water systems and the quality of the water.
  • Exposure to pathogens that your body may have less resistance to.
  • A less regimented schedule that makes cleaning times less consistent.
  • The last would be when we are on vacation; we are often more prone to partaking in activities that we usually wouldn't. It doesn't matter if it's a day at the beach or a day riding thrill rides; we are placing our healing piercing or tattoo under the stress of exposure to different pathogens and stress.
• Tanning and the Sun - Though piercings are not as affected by tanning as tattoos are, tanning during healing has two primary risks:
  • Discoloration or darkening of the scar tissue that forms around the piercing.  With tattoos, where the act of tattooing is in fact changing the pigment color, exposure to sunlight and tanning can cause tattoos to discolor, fade, or lose detail as the lines thicken or spread outward.
  • The effect of Sun Block and other tanning products when introduced to a healing piercing or tattoo.

Whenever someone stops by with an issue or calls me about a concern with a piercing, I start off addressing changes in lifestyle or environment that might be at the root of the problem. It can feel like I'm drilling the client, but the reality is that often it's as simple as a change in schedule, lifestyle, or bathing product that's causing issues. When the weather is nice, we tend to spend much more time outside and engaging in activities that we wouldn't do if it were 10 degrees out with a foot of snow. Additionally, we tend to be more inclined to deviate from our regular schedule to take advantage of the good weather. Control of exposure and consistency are the two key factors that can ensure a quick and easy recovery. In the fall and winter, fewer distractions can lead to mistakes. So, when you are thinking about how good that piercing or tattoo will look at the beach or the Festival, plan and get the piercing when it will be healed by the time those activities that put healing at risk are reduced. Get pierced and tattooed in the fall and early winter.