The biggest factor deciding whether your first piercing experience will be a positive one or a frightening one is internal. While everyone tends to feel a certain amount of anxiety during their first piercing, controlling that anxiety and learning to appreciate the extremity of the experience will play a big part in how you feel about it. Many people familiar with body piercing enjoy the piercing process for the rush, and the pain comes to be a part of that rush. Since that pain is inevitable, it might help you to come to terms with it before you enter the booth.

In the ideal studio--and you should do everything you can to make sure you find the ideal studio--your experience will begin when you meet a responsible piercer. You will usually be required to show some verification of age and the piercer will verify that you are not especially intoxicated. While a little alcohol might dull the pain and your anxious inhibitions, a responsible body artist won't want you too far under the influence; a drunk piercee is less coordinated and might complicate the process by moving around and, more importantly, you should be making the decision to receive body art in a state of sobriety. Tattoos and some piercings are permanent, and even those that aren't cost a good deal of money, and all body art carries an associated risk. Don't make your decisions on a whim, but plan them out, think and talk about them. If possible, have a friend or family member accompany you on your first studio visit. For some, piercing can be something of a bonding experience, and it helps to have someone there to offer their support.

Before the piercing begins, examine the studio. Is it clean? Is it really, really clean? Infection is decidedly not your friend in the game of body piercing, and it's all too easy to come by. Watch your body artist as he or she prepares the studio, taking note that they sterilize the work space with a disinfectant (they may do this in advance), wash their hands -and- use a fresh pack of gloves (pre-packaged), and take the needle from a fresh, sealed package, preferably in front of you. You should ask to see the needle they're using as they open it, and you should demand, if necessary, that it not be opened until it is ready to be used. Some body artists prefer that clients not see the needle until they are pierced, because it tends to make people more anxious. If you feel skittish, have a friend or family member watch them open the package. Needles are sterile in the package, but if they lie around they can pick up bacteria, and if they are used on more than one recipient they are a sure-fire method of disease transmission. AIDS, hepatitis, and most venereal diseases can be transmitted as effectively through a needle as through sexual contact. It's your body at risk, and you are the client, so make some demands--they're reasonable.

When the body artist is ready to pierce you he or she will sit you down (or sometimes stand you up, depending upon the piercing and their personal style) and examine the location of the piercing. By now they should be cleaned and gloved. This is when your piercer should determine whether or not your body can handle the piercing you've requested. Usually it's a formality, but more intensive piercings may not be suited for everyone. The body artist will then mark the location of the piercing, either by sight or with a skin marker. You might want to request that a marker be used if your piercer passes on this--it's a simple step that can help to make sure your piercing is placed correctly.

Your piercer should now be preparing his or her instruments. If you don't feel confident that they are sterile, you should feel free to ask them about their sterilization methods or even to sterilize them again, in front of you. Again, needles should not only be sterilized, but opened from sealed, sterile packages. Don't feel awkward about asking for reassurances--you might hurt your body artist's ego, but you're keeping yourself safe and healthy.

Once the piercer is ready to begin, he or she will begin to place his needle and, if it seems appropriate to the piercing and the artist, clamp the area to be pierced with a pair of forceps and a rubber band. A cork may be placed on the exit of the piercing to catch the needle, but this depends again upon the specific piercing and the style of the piercer. When everything is in place, you will be asked if you are ready, and the piercer will slide the needle through. This should happen quickly--the buildup is really the most anxious part of the experience. Specialty piercings, such as surface or genital piercings may take a few moments longer and the pain may be more severe, but a basic piercing is usually over in seconds. The body artist will then insert your starter jewelry through the needle and leave it in place while removing the needle.

When the piercing is finished, your piercer will examine and clean the area once more. You should receive instructions on caring for your piercing at this point. Soreness and minor swelling is normal in the days to come, but over time your piercing should come to feel more natural as it fully heals. This process can take anywhere from a few weeks to many months, depending upon the complexity of your piercing and the quality of care you give it. Piercings in parts of the body inclined to move around (such as the navel and tongue) will take the longest, while your ears and other more stationary parts will tend to heal rather quickly, under ideal circumstances. Be sure to consult piercing care guides in the days and weeks after your piercing experience if you are unsure about any of the specifics.