Truly a thing of beauty

PIERCINGS have become a common way for people to express themselves as individuals. For some, it’s just exhilarating, or they’re following the newest fad. However, not all people have the same opinion about piercings, whether on themselves, or on other people. People in today’s modern society need to have a deeper understanding and regard for others who seek to express themselves through their ‘body art’.

theSun reached out to Ronny from Spec Body Art (@specbodyart on Instagram), a piercing and tattoo parlour located in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. Some piercing enthusiasts may already be acquainted with his work, but we decided to ask him to take us behind the scenes to help us understand the details. We asked him variety of questions, such as how he became interested in piercing, what are some of the challenges he faced, as well as what is his best advice is for his customers.

Everything began in 2003. At the start of his journey as a piercer, Ronny hardly knew how to handle needles. At the time, there was limited access to the Internet, and most people learnt the craft by undergoing apprenticeships. Being the clueless guy he was, Ronny was able to acquire the technique of piercings from his master.

There, Ronny learnt about different types of piercings, its effects on the body, and how to become a piercer. It is reasonable to conclude that Ronny’s master had a significant impact on his current successful profession. Being a piercer is like creating art in and of itself. It is so much fun and a delight to create amazing beauty. Helping his customers express themselves creatively, according to Ronny, is extremely satisfying. Some even approach him and use their body piercings to show how they feel about themselves.

The adrenaline rush he has every time he does a piercing is profoundly fulfilling, he continued, and becoming a part of a person’s life is already one of the nicest parts of being a body piercing artist. It’s a passion that veers close to obsession. It’s a fulfilling career where you can make a difference in someone’s life.

Piercing is a form of body modification, and there is a more extreme side of it which involves the non-medical alteration of the human body. This includes modifications like tongue-splitting, earlobe enlargement and the like.

Ronny mentions that his good friend and body modification artist Chase Campbell (@zentriratna on Instagram) is his all-time favourite body mod artist/piercer. He does loads body piercings and modifications. Ronny really believes that Campbell’s work has captured his interest and propelled him to the top of his list of all-time favourite artists.

Nothing valuable is free, especially when it comes to one’s job. Every job has advantages and disadvantages. In Ronny’s situation, his biggest challenge is to inform the clients of what is right and wrong. Some people just don’t get some of the most basic rules.

Nowadays, an increasing number of individuals are using internet resources. Even while Ronny thinks the internet is one of the quickest methods to get the solution to any query, not all the information you find is reliable, particularly when it comes to the healing and aftercare procedures.

Ronny claims that Asian culture is still highly conservative and that all tattoo and piercing practitioners are gangsters who should be despised. They assume that their job is a shame while in fact it is not.

When asked if there was ever a moment when he regretted piercing someone, Ronny responded that there is never a 100% guarantee. Even when the piercing is done correctly, the healing and aftercare process can occasionally go wrong. Ronny emphasised that acknowledging mistakes is the best course of action. Honesty, as the phrase goes, is the key.

A piece of advice by Ronny for anyone considering this career is: “Do your research, always make sure you find a reputable piercer to be an apprentice for. Always learn only from the best.

“The easiest way is to check out www.safepiercing.org. They are a worldwide organisation for piercers. They have a list of all the reputable piercers around the world. “

He ended the interview by reminding people to “stop touching your piercing!”

Ronny Needles

Instagram:

@ronnyneedles

@specbodyart

For appointments Whatsapp 017-2112 789