[as originally published on laweekly.com]
by Lina Lecaro
Like all forms of body modification, the art of piercing has evolved. Getting one’s ears pierced is common no matter your gender or age, and nobody blinks an eye at the site of a nostril, a bellybutton, an eyebrow or even a lip ring these days, though the latter three might seem a bit dated to older folk, visually tied to the early ‘90s punk and metal heyday when they became most popular and were seen all over album covers and MTV.
A new generation has discovered body jewelry and adornment, and it’s not even a retro thing. Fans of goth aesthetics and fashion hubs like Dolls Kill, Killstar, and the like, have re-ignited a new piercing culture. With celebrities like Demi Lovato and Miley Cyrus rocking them, they’re practically mainstream. The hashtag “piercings” has 14.7 billion views on TikTok.
Recently, this writer’s own teenager requested to move beyond earlobes to the cartilage between their nostrils – the septum – and our reaction wasn’t exactly that of a “cool mom,” despite the fact that we happen to be tattooed and have multiple holes in our own ears. For many, facial piercings go too far, even today. They may not exactly be job killers anymore, but faces are focal points and, depending on the size of the jewelry, it can still be distracting. For others, especially in South Asian cultures, it’s commonplace and represents social status and a coming-of-age, signifying womanhood. In India, nose piercing is simply tradition.
Once we came to a compromise – two piercings: one nostril, and an upper ear – and we had to decide where to go. Piercing parlors aren’t as prevalent as they once were in Los Angeles, and mall piercing stations at places like Claire’s Accessories are extremely risky and more painful than the alternatives.
Scarlett Johansson (pictured below) came to him for jewelry design and placement.
For safety and quality, a little research was in order. Google “best in piercers in L.A.” right now and one name comes up again and again: Brian Keith Thompson at Body Electric on Melrose Ave. Thompson is the proprietor and “chief piercing officer” at the second-story shop, which for many years was best known just for its tattoo work. We got our first piece of ink there in fact, so coming back would be a full-circle experience. While Thompson and Body Electric have gained attention for a consistent celebrity clientele (he is touted as “Beyonce’s piercer” by name-driven publications and tabloids), the longtime Angeleno also is known for his soulful, communicative approach to the art of piercing, which is anything but pretentious or celebrity-seeking.
When we arrived at the Melrose studio, Thompson was talking with a mother and her two young daughters, both of whom wanted to get “constellation piercings” – the term coined for his artful stars-in-the-sky-like ear designs, which usually feature clusters of tiny studs, gems and delicate hoops running from the bottom of the lobe all the way up to the top of the ear, each section with a different name: the daith, the helix, and the orbital, being just three of them.
We opted for an “industrial” ear piercing, which runs through two points of cartilage on top of the ear, and the aforementioned nostril. Thompson talked about what he was doing as he took a large needle and pushed through the skin and flesh in a calm, relaxed manner that made everyone feel comfortable. It was over quickly, with minimum wincing, flinching or blood.
Next comes the healing stage, and if you’re thinking of getting pierced, please note: It takes attention, a lot of daily care and can involve swelling and irritation, as the body adjusts to the wound. Even so, as is often the case after one’s first body modification, our kid is already itching for more… READ MORE