"My piercing fell out..." Why accurate language matters:
Language matters, especially in body piercing, tattooing or any other industry in which one can permanently alter your body in some way. As anyone who has been coming to my studio can tell you - I am an absolute STICKLER for what we call things.
Example 1: It is NOT “gauging”. It is called “stretching”. Because that’s physically what is being done to the skin. To gauge something is to measure it or estimate it, as in distance. It is also the physical measurement of wire, metal, some gun barrels and, you guessed it, body jewelry. But it is just not something you can do to someone physically.
Example 2: There is no type of body jewelry called “gauges”… There are rings, barbells, plugs, tunnels, flares, pincers, omega rings, constructs, and quite a few more. But you cannot order an item called a “gauge” from a wholesaler nor any self-respecting and ethical retailer. And, while I get that this term is used to broadly encompass some of what I listed above, we already have that covered. It’s called… BODY JEWELRY. Or, heck, even EARRINGS. Lol!
Example 3: We do not provide service for “dermals” in this studio. They are called “surface anchors'“. Because that’s what they are: under the surface of the skin and anchored in place by the body’s connective tissue. Oh, and that’s what the guys who invented them call them, so…
My usual response to someone claiming their jewelry “fell out” is to say something along the lines of, “Body jewelry does not usually just fall out. It has to get caught on something.” Unless it was improperly beaded or closed, that is just the truth. But this is an extremely common saying relative to piercing jewelry, in general.
Side note 1: I like the visual of the jewelry just saying, “Forget you, man! I’m outta here!” And then it storms off. Lol! Not a very likely thing to happen, right?!
Side note 2: I also love it when people come in touching their piercing and telling me there’s something wrong with it and they don’t know why… And that they NEVER touch their piercing… SMH, for real! I usually laugh and let them know that it’s not MY hand touching their piercing. They are astonished!! Lol!
Anyway, back to language. We are easily led astray by faulty or inaccurate language. And it is always far easier to blame the equipment (in this case, the jewelry or the piercing itself) than it is the operator. It’s super easy to claim one’s jewelry “fell out” rather than to just admit that we are all prone to not paying attention and snagging things out of our faces with a towel!! Lol! So don’t get defensive when I ask: “So what REALLY happened?” I just need to know the facts so that I can better help you and so that you can avoid future damage or issues. I cannot help if I don’t understand exactly what happened.
The last language focus I’ll bring up before wrapping this up is this: if you’re not sure what something is called, how can either of us be sure you’re getting the piercing that you want? Scarily obvious, but easily overlooked. And its 100% why I ask so many darned questions!
True Story: I once worked with a piercer who mistook a request for a “philtrum” piercing (center of top lip in the cleft under the nose) for a “frenum” piercing… Umm, that’s definitely a male genital piercing… Oops! Lol! No worries - I intervened before it went awry. But, SHEESH!
Language MATTERS. What we call things MATTERS. We don’t need new words for existing concepts. And, no, I will not call the outer conch piercing a “flat”. If anything, it should probably be called a pinnae piercing, but those amazing founding mothers and fathers of modern body piercing called most piercings by their anatomical names. Not to make them sound cool. Just for accuracy. Imagine that… ;-)