Frequently asked questions
Appointment Questions
Do I need an appointment? What is your availability like?
You will need an appointment to be seen at Ceremonia. This is because it is a small private studio, focusing on customer experience. In order to offer you and every client the best possible service, I ask that you make an appointment.
What’s the best way to book my appointment?
I have convenient online booking available here but you can always call or text the studio to find out about same day availability. I can be reached at (619)880-0013
I just want to shop for jewelry, do I need an appointment?
You will need an appointment to browse the current jewelry selection at Ceremonia. The studio is set up to accommodate one client and their guests at a time, so you will need an appointment for shopping.
I have created a shopping appointment that doesnt require a deposit and you can book it here
Can I bring a friend or family for support?
There is always space for your chosen support system during your appointment. Please feel free to bring your friends or family with you to hold a hand or help you choose jewelry!
My friend and I both want piercings, do we each need an appointment?
Each person wanting to be pierced or styled, or seen by the piercer in any kind of capacity, will require an appointment. Please book each person an appointment for the service they would like. I can also help you book back to back appointments for your group over the phone.
Is there a limit to how many piercings I can get during an appointment?
There is no strict limit to the number of piercings you can or should get during an appointment. Ultimately it will depend on several things, as I don’t want to set you up for a bad time while trying to heal. So I take into consideration things like what piercings you want, if you are currently healing other piercings, and what your experience with piercings is. I am happy to discuss this with you in depth during your appointment to make sure we are on the right path for your piercings!
I’m under 18, can I still get pierced at Ceremonia?
I do pierce people under 18 with parental consent, as long as we can meet the proper ID requirements. I offer the following piercings for people under 18:
Earlobes: ages 6 and up
Ear cartilage piercings: ages 13 and up
Facial piercings: ages 13 and up
What are the ID requirements to get pierced?
Anyone getting a service done at Ceremonia will need a valid ID. This can include but is not limited to:
-Driver license
-State ID
-Passport
Under the age of 18? You will need either:
-a passport or
-a school ID and birth certificate.
I am able to accept a screenshot of an online school portal with name, picture and birthdate if the other options are not available. You can also call me to verify the documentation you have is acceptable for your minor child’s appointment.
Studio Questions
What is a private studio? What can I expect at my appointment?
A private studio just means that you, and any family or friends you bring with, will be the only people in the shop during your appointment. This way I can make sure to focus on your whole experience: from selecting jewelry, anatomy consultations to ensure proper placement, and precision piercing. It also allows us ample time to make sure you completely understand your healing piercing’s cleaning and aftercare requirements and lets you get answers to any questions you may have about your existing piercings.
What is a fully disposable studio?
This means that every single thing in the studio is single use: needles, tools, skin prep, everything!
Needles of course are single use in all studios, but most piercing studios utilize a reprocessing system for tools that are used within their shop. I have worked in a lot of very well respected shops over the years and I have seen too many issues with the sterilization process, both from improper training and/or careless workers, to feel like this is a safe way to operate. In my opinion and based on my experience, a fully disposable studio is the only way to ensure that you are completely safe when receiving piercing services.
What is your sterilization like?
I utilize a Statim G4 autoclave in the studio. I also utilize third party, bi-weekly sterilization monitoring that ensures my autoclave is functioning properly. Please ask to see the latest results of my bi weekly spore-testing if it makes you more comfortable to receive piercing services here. I am always happy to share this kind of information with clients.
Jewelry Questions
Can I bring my own jewelry?
No, I can’t use your jewelry for your piercing services. I have to use professional grade jewelry that has been verified as biocompatible, implant grade material. I also have various sizes, shapes, lengths or diameters to consider for each individual person’s anatomy when doing a piercing. So because of this limitation, I strive to have a well curated collection of jewelry for you to choose from during your appointment. That way you don’t have to sacrifice style for healing purposes. I can also order you a piece of jewelry if you are not seeing what you want in store!
What is implant grade jewelry?
Implant grade jewelry means that it is made of materials that are certified to be safe for use by medical standards for surgical implants. I use implant grade titanium ASTM F-136 or implant grade steel ASTM F-138 in the studio. These are the same materials that medical implants are made from. Piercings are not implants of course, but I want to eliminate any variable for healing issues when sourcing materials for fresh piercings. Implant grade is clearly the only option for safe piercing.
What about gold, is that safe for fresh piercings?
Yes, gold can be safe for healing piercings if it meets a few requirements. So it is also an option when you are getting pierced at Ceremonia. All gold in the studio is either 14k or 18k solid gold that has been verified to be nickel free.
Why does biocompatibility matter?
What you wear in your piercing while you heal, affects how you heal. So to start you out with optimal healing, you will be pierced with implant grade materials that are verified for biocompatibility. This means it does not react with bodily fluids or tissues when implanted. This minimizes the risk of adverse reactions or inflammation in the body.
What can I expect during an ear curation or a styling appointment?
An ear styling or ear curation appointment consists of time to work closely with your piercer to create a cohesive and balanced look. This usually involves adding new piercings while changing out some of your existing jewelry to make everything look fresh, new, and intentionally styled. A styling can also sometimes include planning out future piercings or jewelry that will be added later, as I don’t want to compromise healthy healing piercings for style .
How many piercings do I need to book an ear styling?
I usually ask that you have at least 3-4 piercings on the ear that you would like styled. Don’t worry, your earlobe piercing count too!. That way we have a little base to work from and can start to really put something together!
What if I think some of my piercings are closed?
If you have piercings that were happily healed at one point but no longer have jewelry in, I can usually do a piercing recovery service. This allows me to use a simple tool to find the piercing channel and to use as a guide to insert jewelry into the piercing again.
Please note piercing recovery services will require a piece of implant grade jewelry to be put in your piercing for a minimum of 6 weeks as the piercing acclimates to being worn again. The success of a piercing recovery will depend on a lot of factors so its best for an in person consultation for these things.
For recovery services you can book a client care appointment and we can do a consultation.