Preface: whenever I'm unhappy enough with service to leave a less than stellar review, I take a day…read moreor two to figure out if I'm just frustrated, or the service/experience was legitimately bad enough to warrant that review. I'm super glad I did in this case, since a friend pointed out something I hadn't realized.
I came in based on excessive amazing reviews of both tattoos and piercings. I went in initially on Saturday evening spur of the moment, but was told the piercer had just left for the night and wouldn't be back till Tuesday. That's what I get for not making an appointment or calling ahead, but like I said, spur of the moment. They told me she'd (Karina) be back Tuesday. I figured if they're referring to a single piercer, then she presumably has experience with this piecing and decided to come back Tuesday.
So I went back on Tuesday. I called ahead but didn't get a response. To their credit, I got a call back after I went in 20-30 minutes later and they had been packed when I came in.
I guess Karina is the only piercer that does the bridge piercing, so after she cleaned up, I came back and she prepped my face for the piercing. Maybe she could tell by looking that I had the anatomy for the bridge? Idk.
Then she put the marker on my face and let me check the placement and had me lay back.
She didn't even offer to let me see the piercing first, I had to ask. She was intending to use a curved barbell, despite many other piercers advocating the straight one to avoid changes in tension, to prevent gravity from pulling the curve downward and making the claim of reduced tension redundant, and mitigating rejection risk. I believe the piercers that I've followed online, blogs, Instagram, and tiktok. I don't think I can do research and know more than a trained professional, so I read what the professionals said.
When I asked for a straight barbell, she seemed frustrated and claimed she didn't even have any straight barbell options despite having a full container of barbells labeled as such and insisted that she's been piercing for 19 years. (Idk their gauges but it was definitely unbelievable considering the boxes were labeled "straight barbells") I'm not trying to negate her experience, but I felt very judged for both wanting to know and having an opinion on what went into my body. If I want to mitigate rejection risk, why should that option be judged? This is a piercing I'd like to keep.
It wasn't until I called my second option for the piercing and was asked a few questions and told the pricing that I realized none of that had been discussed at West End Tattoo & Piercing. I even had to volunteer my medication list as described in the paperwork, since no one asked. I wasn't told their pricing before she intended to pierce me.
I don't know what the tattoo process is like here, since I've never been for that, and I definitely verified the other location pierces with straight barbells. Lesson learned.
I will say everyone was friendly and welcoming until I questioned the piercing jewellery, and the decorations are awesome, but I won't be back, even for a tattoo.
Added after reflection: omg, no one spoke to me before any expected piercing about after care, possible migration/rejection, other risks like scaring, etc. I hadn't initially recognized that lack due to my own research following other piercers, but recognizing it now is terrifying.
2* because they were very welcoming when I walked in, and willing to squeeze me in without an appointment.