1. Is it safe to go into a hot tub or chlorinated pool with my fresh piercing? We recommend waiting two weeks before you go swimming in a pool and wait until your piercing is totally healed before entering a hot tub.

2. Why can’t I get pierced with gold? We don’t pierce with gold because of the impurities of the metal. Once your piercing is healed you can wear gold in it.

3. Your aftercare says that I should be using the Tea Tree soap twice a day for 8 weeks. What do I do after that? Just clean it once daily in your daily shower or bath as you would clean any other part of your body.

4. The skin around my piercing is very dry form the soap. Can I use a moisturizer on it? Instead of using a cream on your fresh piercing, try switching to a glycerin based soap, it will be less drying. Remember that a little dryness is good for your healing.

5. Is it ok to work out and get sweaty with a fresh piercing? Yes that’s fine, just rinse with fresh water afterward.

6. Can I get pierced with a barbell instead of a ring? Yes many of our piercings are done with your choice of a ring or barbell, such as navel, nipple, eyebrow, ear and most genital piercings.

7. How long do I have to wait until I can change my jewellery? You should wait until it is completely healed, usually 8 weeks or so.

8. My ring stops turning in my piercing after only a few turns… This just means all the soap has been flushed from your piercing. If you want to be extra cautious, soak it in hot water and try again. Don’t force it as you may cause the tissue to tear.

9. If I get my nipples pierced can I still breastfeed? Because the female nipple has many small ducts that secrete milk, you can be assured that although some may be damaged by a piercing, there are plenty more that remain safely functional.

10. Are there any things that I can’t do after getting pierced? It really depends on the piercing. Your piercer will go over anything that specifically applies to you and your piercing but generally a new piercing will do little to disrupt your regular routine.

11. Can my 18 year old cousin sign as my guardian? Unless they are your LEGAL guardian with paperwork to prove it then they cannot sign for you.

12. I think I had an allergic reaction to the metal in my piercing and took it out. What can I do if I want to get pierced again? Allergic reactions to surgical stainless steel are very rare but can happen. If you are sure it was an allergic reaction, usually characterized by localized redness and followed by the appearance of small white dots, then you can get pierced with Titanium, which will greatly reduce or eliminate this threat.

13. Do piercings hurt? Most piercings are very quick and the pain is minimal. Though it can vary from person to person, most people are very surprised at how easy the process can be.

14. Can I buy different jewellery from you? We do carry a large range of aftermarket jewellery on hand.

15. Is there any truth to hearing loss being connected to a Tragus piercing? No! Hearing loss is caused by either damage to the ear drum (inner ear) or the brain-No part of the outer ear, which we pierce, impacts hearing.

16. Is it possible to wash/clean a piercing too much? Yes! By cleaning more than is recommended by your piercer, you can irritate a piercing and create dryness, swelling etc… Follow your aftercare instructions given to you by your piercer!

17. What gauge and diameter do you use for navel piercings? We typically use a 14g ring or barbell for the initial piercing , with a diameter ranging from 3/8” to ½” depending on the customer.

18. Do you carry gift certificates? Yes, New Tribe gift certificates are available year-round with no expiry date. They are fully transferable and are available in denominations of $10, $25 and $50.

19. Can I bring in a friend with me to take some photos of me getting my work done? You are allowed one guest in with you. As long as you ask your piercer it should not be a problem to take photos.

20. Is it possible to have a woman do my piercing? Yes we currently have a female piercer on staff. You can call or email the shop to find out her seasonal schedule.

21. How do you unscrew the bead from the ring? I am having trouble taking my ring out! The bead is held in the ring by tension. Picture the ring as a letter “C” with the bead filling the gap. You need to pull the bead out and away from the ring, freeing it. With one thumb/forefinger, hold the bead and with the other thumb/forefinger hold one side of the ring, next to the bead. Gently but firmly pull the bead and ring away from one another, releasing the bead form the ring. Then turn the ring gently until it comes out of your piercing. If you still are unable to do it, you can come in the shop and a piercer will do it for $10.

22. Can I bring in my own jewellery to get pierced with? You may bring in your own jewellery as long as it’s PROPER for the piercing you are getting. It must also be run through a full cycle in our autoclave to insure total sterility. In lieu of this, it is best to come in an hour BEFORE you scheduled appointment.

23. Do you sell clear retainer? Yes we stock clear, almost invisible retainers for many of the more popular piercings including Labret, Tongue, Navel, Eyebrow etc…

24. Do I need to make an appointment to get a piercing or can I just walk in? In almost all cases you can walk in and get pierced without an appointment. Some exceptions to that are if we are really busy (on most Saturdays) or if you require a consultation beforehand (for some genital or surface work etc…). Even if we are very busy, the waith is usually only ½ hour at most. You can also just phone ahead if you are concerned about time.