So i got a forwarded message from someone about an app that was created that basically asks if SpearMe charges too much.

Now as I am not mad at all i do feel the need to clarify to everyone as to why we at SpearMe charge what we do.

I want to start by stating that I ,Jayson of SpearMe, have been employed by SpearMe for 9 years.  In that 9 years my prices have gone up a total of $5.00 for the actual piercing cost ($25 as aposed to $20, 6 years ago), and Cleanser has gone up from $3 to $5. Other then that my jewelry prices have not changed a bit.

So now with that said i want to explain what you get from SpearMe when you get pierced.

Actual Piercing:

Precision Placement: I go above and beyond what, in my opinion, is considered to be standard placement of a given piercing so not only is it correct but is more esthetically pleasing.  I care about how all of you look with piercings and want to set my piercings at a higher standard so you get the best service possible.

Guarantee of Precision Placement:

If, god for bid, I do happen to blatantly mess up a piercing, I DO NOT LET YOU WALK OUT WITH IT.  I will either re pierce immediately to the proper standard that i carry or have you come back once the initial hole has healed and re pierce.  Also because i have so much compassion for all of you i give you a free future piercing because it is so rare that i screw up i want to make sure that you are completely satisfied by the end of your experience.

Guarantee of Clean and Sterile Procedure:

We guarantee our piercings to be free of infection FOR TWO WEEKS, which in our opinion is far beyond the acceptable  amount of time it takes to get a bonified infection from an unclean initial pierce.

Free Downsizing of Piercings With Barbells Which Require Shorter, Post Swelling, Jewelry:

Tongue, lip, monroe, labret, cheecks and any other piercing that requires a shorter "post" once the swelling has gone down is shortened FOR FREE.

Extensive Aftercare And Post Piercing Support:

After ever piercing you will recieve a Care Sheet from us that I personally go over with you to make 100% sure that you have the proper information to take care of your piercing.  Also once you have your piercing and if you have questions i am not only available to answer you in a constructive, clear way in the shop, but i am also available here on myspace,  facebook and myspace skype.

Cleanser:

The main form of aftercare that we give you with your piercing, that we have tested tried and true for close to 20 years, is EarCare.  This product, if used the way we advise, works extremely well for post piercing care.

Body Jewelry:

We at SpearMe only pierce with, what we believe to be, the highest, best quality jewelry we can possibly use.  The reason for this is lower quality jewelry brings up risks of infection and allergic reaction, not to mention has a greater chance of workmanship failure (gems falling out, stripping, oxidizing).

Jewelry Replacement Guarantee:

Should your jewelry, that we pierce you with or comes from our cases (exluding costume jewelry from the black wall), break from manufacture error (stones falling out, stones changing color, stripping of threads anddiscolor of stainless products (not included is anodized jewelry as this material fades over time as normal wear and tare)) we will replace your jewelry at no charge to you.

Free Jewelry Installs with purchase:

We offer free jewelry installs with purchase, other shops will charge you $5 to $50 for jewelry installs.


Afterthoughts:

So what I am trying to prove by this lengthy post is that, yes we cost more then a majority of the local shops, but you receive A LOT for what you pay for. 

Now on the other end of the spectrum...

Think about what has happened when you have gone to a shop that only charges you $20 for piercing and jewelry:

You get no aftercare
No gaurantee's
Highly likely improper placement
Low quality jewelry that often breaks
No post piercing support
Improper initial jewelry for said piercing (too short, wrong gauge, non autoclaveable (plastic), high allergen material like silver or plated material).
And a piercer who is often inexperienced, careless and gets paid minimum wage to "tolerate" his/her customers.

So please, before you think that we charge to much, realize that we really really care about you. We want to you to have the best experience possible in our shop and with that we have to charge a bit more to ensure your and our safety and our level of customer service.

Thank you,
Jayson and all the staff at SpearMe.

Original Bulletin:
Paul Carpenter:

You can tell where a culture is headed by examining whom its members seek to emulate.


Just a few centuries ago, there was a culture still mired in the Stone Age, with no written language, no science, no math, no architecture, no nothing requiring thought. Its members had not even managed to invent the wheel.


That culture's only contribution to the world was the decorative ''tatu.'' In most other parts of the ancient world, tattoos were disfigurements used only to identify criminals or slaves.


Now that Polynesians can read, use wheels, count and appreciate musical instruments other than drums, they've advanced to a point where most of them have abandoned tattoos.


As one culture ascends, it seems, another declines.


This week, we learned that 36 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 have tattoos. It was just last year The Morning Call reported that 16 percent of all Americans were thusly self-mutilated.


The sight of Mike Tyson's gorgeous artwork, no doubt, has persuaded millions to flock to tattoo joints. Or maybe it's the growing popularity of ''mixed martial arts'' bloodfests, which put tattooed subhumans into cages to brutalize each other.


''Proud parents bear tattoos honoring their kids,'' said a headline over Monday's story.


''It's super big right now,'' the story quoted Steve Lemak as saying of the mom and dad tattoo trend. He owns The Quillian joint in Allentown.


''You'll never find a more meaningful tattoo than one for your kids,'' said Kiel Ferrari, described as an ''artist'' at the Minds Eye Tattoo in Emmaus. (I also have seen graffiti vandals described as ''artists.


Along with the story, there were photographs of bodies mutilated with hideous ''artwork.'' One was of an arm with a truly unfortunate depiction of a child's face. I am sure the real child is cute; no child could actually be that homely.


On the very same day that our eyes were insulted by those vulgar photos, the paper ran another story elsewhere, plugging the premier showing of a new television program about the joys of prostitution.


The show was imported from England, where, the story said, ''it was aired last September and was blasted in the media for glamorizing prostitution.


'' (We have an MTV show glamorizing pimps, so why not glamorize their pathetic puppets?)

I can't say I'm an expert on prostitution. I'm too parsimonious to gain first-hand knowledge. (Stories on Eliot Spitzer's $4,300 dalliances nearly gave me apoplexy.) Nonetheless, I've said a lot about both prostitution and tattoos, which, come to think of it, always seem to go together.


No one can deny that the heaviest concentrations of tattoos occur in the lowest segments of society -- prostitutes, pimps, pugs, prison inmates, Ku Klux Klansmen and the members of street and motorcycle gangs.


Now, according to this week's story, 36 percent of young people have decided to emulate such lowlifes.


And some news media want to glamorize them.


Do not glamorize accomplishment. Do not glamorize intelligence, insight or integrity. Don't glamorize courage, generosity, leadership, skill or diligence. Such qualities are for nerds. By all means, glamorize pimps, prostitutes and those who emulate them. That is the future of America's culture.


Aware of how some of these devoted self-mutilators are going to react, I am compelled to emphasize that I do not favor any restrictions on personal behavior. If an idiot wants to get a tattoo, he or she should be free to do so. I just think responsible news media organizations should not glamorize them.


What's next? Glamorizing child molesters or kluxers?

In some older cultures, influence traveled from the top down. Early Americans marveled at the intellect of people like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison and decided that education was a good thing, so they developed public school systems.


In some modern cultures, influences travel from the septic bottom up. In no time at all, we'll catch up to the Stone Age cannibals of the South Pacific.


paul.carpenter@mcall.com

610-820-6176

Paul Carpenter's commentary appears Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays

My thoughts on this:

First of all, his concept of de-evolution of modern society becuase of tattoos and the glamorization of them is (screaming) bull-shit!  If anything i would have to say that we "as a civilized modern society" are embracing the vary roots and ideals of past societys by becoming modified and tattood.

This is my original response to this:

There are people just like him all over the place and they, for the most part are of our parents generation.  if he has chosen to make his life more difficult and stressful by feeling this way then thats his problem.  What he lacks to realize is that no matter what he does he will never win. so many of our generation are so heavily modded these days that the ideas of "screwed and tattooed trash" are quickly being diluted.

They have no choice but to be around it on a day to day basis.

Good example: Wal-MArt! if you go into the walmart by my house at least every other floor level employee has at least one visible tattoo and or a few visual piercings.  and im not talking about the little wrist tattoo or a couple of ear piercings, im talking neck tattoos and labrets!

Another great example. Mcdonalds, one of the most major fast food industries in the world, who might i add gets sued on a regular basis over stupid shit, allows their employees to have minimal facial piercings and visible tattoos. (every time i go there when im hung-over and need an egg mcmuffiin the girl who runs the drive through has her labret, her eyebrow and tattoos on her HANDS!!!

And yet another: Denny's, an american favorite food chain. I have pierced every employee that works at the local denny's!! Noses, eyebrows, labrets, monroes, offset lips, massive ear projects!  If you go in there it looks like a body piercing modeling school!

Now that i'm really thinking about it, Starbucks and Save-mart, California's hugest contribution to Nevada.  Both of these businesses have "strict body piercing" rules, yet i have regular customers, with visible piercings that work for both.

So the point im trying to get at is, is that this guy is really just making his life miserable by attempting to single us out as an intollerable minority group. And let him be afraid of his "de-evolution of society", frankly he his becoming the minority group.

I have taken this information directly from my website SpearMe.net.  If you have questions or need help above and beyond what is listed here either message me (Jayson), or call (775-883-4434) or stop by the shop!

Your Basic Piercing Care Instructions:

The purpose of cleaning a healing piercing is to remove any dead cells and discharge excreted by your body, as well as any external dirt and bacteria picked up during the day. You will not be treating the wound with medicine or making it heal, but rather, keeping the area clean while your body is healing itself.  Basic hygiene and common sense, with particular attention to the specific area, are all that are required.  You will be the best judge of what works for you.  Pay attention to your body.  It will let you know if you are doing something  wrong.
New piercings should be cleaned at least twice a day.  Also, clean after fondling, swimming, sweating, etc.  Bear in mind that over-cleaning or using too many products can also irritate your piercing.

A piercing is considered "healed" when a flesh tunnel has formed through the skin around the jewelry.  It is a good idea to establish a good cleaning regime to care for your pierced are for the rest of your life.  The oil and sweat that you secrete, and normally is exposed to your daily cleaning, is also being secreted into the flesh tunnel around your jewelry.  If you don't clean it routinely, it will cause an unpleasant odor or irritation long after you are "healed".

Liquid Soap and Water:

The best thing that you can do is to wash away dirt and bacteria from your piercing.  It is irrelevant whether it be an antibacterial soap or not.  If the piercing is "clean", it won't require the antibacterial ingredient.  (Besides, while many soaps contain "antibacterial" ingredients, in reality the contact time required for these to be effective may be greater than the time it will be on your skin.)  Many different brands of liquid soap are on the market.  Choose one you are comfortable with.  You may want to stay away from heavy fragrances and fancy additives, as they may be irritating.

To clean the piercing, first wash your hands with soap (clean is 30 seconds worth of washing).  Then lather the piercing and surrounding area, taking care to remove any hardened discharge (crusties) on the jewelry.  Once the jewelry is clean, soap it up and work it through the skin so the lather is pulled all the way through the piercing.  After a few seconds, rinse well, again moving the jewelry through the piercing while rinsing.  We have found cleaning with soap twice a day to be most effective.

Ear Care Antiseptic:

Benzylkonium Chloride is the active ingredient in most pierced ear solutions such as Ear Care and Sensitive Ears.  While not as effective a cleanser as soap, these solutions serve as a quick and soothing way to chemically clean and sanitize piercings when you are away from home.

First, wash your hands.  Next, saturate a cotton swab, cotton pad or tissue with solution.  Gently swab away any discharge until the jewelry is free of foreign matter.  Now, saturate th swab again and begin working jewelry up, down, or around through the piercing while swabbing the section of jewelry under the skin.  Repeat this procedure four times a day for best results.

Warm Salt Water Soak:

Warm salt-water soaks can work wonders in assisting th body to heal piercings.  Salt is not an antibacterial or sanitizing agent. It should not be used as such.  The salt is soothing and hydrating to the skin during the soaking process described below.  The prime benefit of this process comes from the gentle draw exerted by the cooling of the water.  When properly done it helps draw out discharge, flush out cellular contaminates and prevent infection.  It also stimulates circulation and encourages speedy healing.  You can use soaks both for general healing and to treat minor infections and irritations.  We highly recommend soaking your piercings several times a week, once a day when infected.

Sea Salt (non-iodized; available from health food stores and some grocery stores) works best. as it is most pure.  Most table salts contain extra chemicals (aluminum, magnesium, iodide, etc.), which can irritate and sting, and dextrose (sugar), which can cause yeast infections.  Many non-iodized salts and kosher salts are natural sea salt.  Read the label: if it contains only sodium chloride (salt) and maybe form of calcium (phosphate or silicate to minimize clumping), it's good.  Also, stronger than recommended concentrations of sea salt WILL irritate the skin.  More is not better! Epsom salts are really too strong and are not meant for surface wound soaking. Don't use them.

The Soak: Put 1/4 teaspoon (3-4 pinches) of sea salt in an
8 ounce glass of water as hot as you can stand (distilled if possible).  Leave about 1 inch of air space at the top.  Tip the glass and hold it over your piercing  until the water cools, pressing the opening against the skin to form a seal.  This process does not work on piercings where you can't get the glass over the piercing to form a seal.  From our experiance, those piercings usually do fine using soap, water and earcare.

Do not use Rubbing Alcohol:

Alcohol is great to remove oils from the skin, however the contact time required to actually disinfect is substantially longer than you will get by wiping down your piercing.  It is irritating and dries out the skin, and can delay healing.  It also burns and stings.  In short, while common belief says alcohol is a good disinfectant, it's simply not true.  Witch hazel solutions also contain alcohol and should be avoided.

Do not use Hydrogen Peroxide:

Peroxide does kill many bacteria, but it also destroys the healthy skin around the piercing. Used long enough, it can eat away at the skin and actually keep your piercing from healing.  Stay away from it.

Do not use Antibiotic Ointments:

These include such products as Neosporin, Bacitracin and Triple Antibiotic Ointment.  You have a puncture wound and not a skin or surface wound.  While they work on a surface wound, they will clog a puncture and create the perfect warm, moist environment for bacteria to breed.  This makes them worthless for healing piercings.  Read the label:  "DO NOT USE ON PUNCTURE WOUNDS".

Do not use Iodine Products:

These solutions may be used for first aid or surgical wound care, but for long-term care, they are actually too strong and may delay healing.  Betadine may be useful to clear up an infection, but when used too often it can actually kill healthy skin cells.  It will also discolor gold jewelry.  Some people will develop a sensitivity to these solutions over time.  For everyday cleaning, try one of the milder solutions under Basic Care.

Infections

These come from exposure to bacteria and other contaminates (by contact with dirty hands, other people's body fluids, dust, unclean clothing, unclean jewelry, swimming in dirty water, etc.).  They are often easily avoided by common sense and good hygiene.  You will usually know your piercing is infected if the surrounding are becomes red, swollen, hot to the touch or itchy.  There will be a discharge which is dark yellow, and/ or bloody, and it may have an unpleasant odor.  A facial piercing infection is often accompanied by a small fluid-filled pimple in the hole.

Note: Normal piercings secrete a white/pale yellow liquid during healing.  This is not a sign of infection.  It contains dead cells, lymph and blood plasma and is a sign of healing.  Healed piercings may secrete a stinky white substance (sebum) from the oil glands.  It is also normal and comes off easily in cleaning.  If discharge is light in color and not accompanied by pain, swelling, itching or redness, it is probably healthy.  Step up your soaks and cleaning and it should come off.

If an infection occurs, do not remove the jewelry!  In our experience, infections are more easily treated if an opening exists for antiseptics to enter the wound and for discharge to exit.  Without jewelry, the surface closes over, trapping the infection inside and turning it from a local surface infection into a generalized body infection.  In addition, you lose your piercing unnecessarily.

Warm salt-water soaks are the best way to calm a minor infection.  They help draw out discharge and contaminates, soothe raw tissue and stimulate the body's natural healing mechanisms.  Follow directions under "Warm Salt Water" and repeat as needed.  However, even if the infection clears up, it will return if you do not eliminate the original cause of contamination.  Pay close attention to how you treat your piercing and try to find the problem.

Of course, In the event of a serious infection, see your doctor.  Bear in mind that s/he may not be familiar with healing patterns and problems specific to body piercings.  If you wish to keep your piercing, firmly and clearly explain this.  If infection (rather than allergy or scarring) is indeed the problem, leaving the jewelry in will not cause complications.

Irritations:

This happens when you subject your piercing to abnormal pressure, excessive movement or abuse. Anything that puts pressure on the jewerly or holds it in an unnatural position will cause the skin to be irritated.  More often than not, what you think is an infection is really irritation.  If your piercing is red, swollen right around the hole, peeling, excreting white or yellow fluid or blood, or the skin around it has formed a solid lump or bubble of discolored skin, it is probably irritated.

Common causes are: wearing restrictive clothing over the piercing; sleeping on it; cradling your phone against jewelry; sex too soon; piercing was hit or jewelry was pulled on; rough play.

If your piercing gets irritated, figure out what's causing the problem.  Be particularly aware of automatic actions (unconsciously playing with it, grinding teeth with tongue piercings, etc.).  Usually the symptoms will go away if you eliminate the cause.  Warm salt-water soaks can help ease irritation and heal any existing tears, and prevent infection of the raw tissue.  If this does not do the trick, contact us for other suggestions.

Allergic Reactions:

It is always possible for living bodies to react to foreign substances introduced into them.  Some people are extremely sensitive to certain jewelry materials or to cleaning solutions.  Allergic reactions often appear as rashs, excessive clear fluid discharge, redness, itching, or the skin pulling away from the jewelry.  They usually show up immediately.  This occurs rarely when using implant grade body jewelry and the recommended cleaning solutions.  The jewelry you were pierced with is implant grade and of the highest workmanship.  If you think you may have such a reaction, stop by the shop so we can see you in person.  Keep in mind that many cases of irritation and scarring are mistaken for allergic reactions or infection.

Materials That May Cause Allergic Reactions:

Most often metals that contain high levels of nickel are the culprits of allergic reactions.  Silver jewelry has the highest amount of nickel also low quality stainless steel usually has enough nickel in it to create problems.  Other materials such as carbon, brass, copper and aluminum create reactions as well. 

Natural materials such as rose wood and ocasionally coconut also cause allergic reactions. These materials cause problems because the oils from the wood are toxic to humans.

You also have to be carefull with plastic products such as pvc and abs.  Both of these plastics contain chemicals that cause reactions to the skin if left in contact for long periods of time. 

Other Sources of Allergic Reactions:

Although Tea Tree oil, Lavender, Jojoba and Emu oil are all good products to reduce scar tissue and help with healing they also are strong allergens to some people.  If you are unsure if you are allergic to these products, you may want to consult an allergen specialist before using them.  If  you want to try essential oils anyways always test them in a small spot somewhere else on your body and see if you react to it or not.  Reactions include redness, itchiness, burning and blisters or burns.  If any of these happen discontinue using the product.

If you do not react to essential oils still keep an eye on the area it is being used on.  If you develop any of the above symptoms over time, discontinue using the product and consult us so we can find an alternative.

Healing Times:

Below are approximate healing times for well cared for piercings for most people.  Keep in mind that your piercing may heal more quickly or take even longer. Since most piercings have periods of both doing well and "acting up", do not assume that the disappearance of discharge means you are healed.  Continue suggested aftercare for at least the amount of time listed below for your piercing.  After this amount of time, if your piercing no longer has discharge or "bad days", and has not done so for at least a month, it may be healed.  If you pay attention to what your body is doing over time you will know when it is done.

At the end of the healing time, cleaning often is no longer required, although cleaning once a day is still suggested.  At this point, jewelry can be safely changed, but should not be left out for any piercing for extended periods of time.  Even once the hole becomes permanent, it can still shrink and make jewelry reisnertion difficult if not impossible without a taper.  If you need to hide the piercing or need a non-metallic/ flexible jewelry for surgery, pregnancy, etc, call the shop.  As a general rule, if you like your piercing, keep jewelry in it.

We hope this information proves helpful for you.  Remember that we are neither doctors nor miracle workers.  We promise that you will leave our shop with a clean, beautiful piercing.  We give these suggestions based on our experience and research in our field.  What you do from here is up to you.  You must be responsive to and responsible for your body.  We are here to help.  If at any point you have any problems or questions, please feel free to stop in or give us a call at (775)-883-4434.  Enjoy!

What type of jewelry should i carry more of (if any)?

Is there something you've seen at other shops that you like that we don't do or have?

Have you ever had a bad experiance with me (Jayson).  If so what happened?

Whats your favorite piercing?

How many piercings do you have?

comments?

So there are a lot of people who ask me "what happened with Lisa, why doesn't she work here any more", and my answer in short is: Lisa had plans on moving within the year to pursue other interests. With the stressed economy that we are all feeling, it worked out better for her, and us, for her to leave sooner than later.  In no way shape or form was it the angry, spitefull, get the hell out, we hate you sort of thing.

As it stands now, Lisa, Perry, myself and the rest of the employees at Spear Me are all still very good friends and Lisa still comes to visit and hang out from time to time. 

If you have any questions or comments let me know,

Jayson.