Consumer awareness important when embarking into popular trend

SEASIDE, Ore. - Brandy Stanley holds a needle in one latex-gloved hand. In the other she holds a small piece of cork against the inside of her client's ear.

''I want you to breathe in so I can hear it,'' she said, approaching carefully but firmly with the needle. Then, almost before 27-year-old Heather Shaw can close her eyes, Stanley adds, ''that's it.''

''Oh, that wasn't bad at all,'' Shaw said, as Stanley attaches a small silver earring to the end of the needle and pulls it through. They have pierced the tragus, the fleshy node of skin in front of the ear.

''You get more scared, than anything,'' Shaw reflects, admiring the new earring in a hand mirror.

Stanley nods.

''Most of the time, the fear is worse than the piercing,'' she said.

She knows from experience. Stanley, 26, is a professional body piercer licensed by the state to operate within Lucky Dog Tattoo. She has been piercing ears, tongues, lips, nostrils, nipples, navels and other body parts for four years. Previously she worked in Vancouver, Wash.

''From a commercial standpoint, body piercing is a booming business,'' according to Myrna Armstrong, a registered nurse at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock, Texas.

In a clinical report about body piercing, she wrote that Gauntlet International, a California-based chain of piercing salons, has estimated each of their 30 piercers performs as many as 1,500 piercings a year.

Conducting 20 to 30 piercings a week in Seaside, Stanley can attest to what appears to be an ever-more-popular trend.

Her clients include men, women and children and range from professionals and police officers to beach vacationers.

But she also has seen and heard about botched or amateur piercings. For health reasons, she is concerned that many consumers aren't aware of the facts about piercing. She tries to poke holes in a frequent attitude of nonchalance.

''This is your body, your health and well-being,'' Stanley tells people. ''If you don't feel comfortable with a piercer, you should leave.''

Those wanting to be pierced should ask if their piercer knows about proper needle disposal to avoid cross contamination and if the business uses autoclave equipment for sterilization, for example.

Oregon is among states that require piercers to be licensed and registered.

The program, run by the state health division since 1995, requires facilities to meet prescribed safety, sanitation and sterilization standards; establishes disclosure and risk factors that must be posted for the public; and provides for a consumer complaint process.

In 1997, Oregon had 107 licensed body piercing facilities and 215 registered body piercing technicians, according to program officials.

As a reflection of the increasing popularity of body piercing, the state now has 180 facilities and 700 registered technicians.

But licenses are not always foolproof indicators of knowledgeable piercers, Stanley said, and consumers should ask questions before getting a piercing.

She said she frequently turns down potential clients, particularly if they appear to be unsure, unwilling to follow aftercare instructions or are simply inappropriate anatomically.

For example, some people do not have enough mouth room for a lower lip or labret piercing and if they proceed they could risk eventual bone loss.

''Everybody is different. What might work for Susie might not work for Joe,'' Stanley said. ''I've had to say, 'Look, I would love to do a piercing, I would love to take your money, but I'm not going to do something that will do harm.'''

Piercings typically cost $10 to $40.

She said she will pierce children as young as 6 depending on the desire level of the child as well as the parent. ''If mom's wanting it more than the kid, I won't do it,'' she said.

Jewelry is another consideration. Clients should check to see if the jewelry metal is high-grade and appropriate for the piercing, Stanley said.

Before any piercing she has an extensive discussion with the client to describe what it entails and the regimen of care afterward. For example, a navel piercing can take six months to a year to heal and proper daily care and cleaning is important to avoid infection.

So why do it?

''I like the style,'' said Larry Foley, 26, an Astoria tow-truck driver.

Foley said he started having his ears pierced years before it became as popular for men as it is today.

Shaw said she used to have her eyebrows and a nostril pierced, ''but I was working for the Warrenton School District, so I had to make a few changes.''

She now services commercial beer-dispensing equipment and said she wants to restore some piercings.

In fact, she planned to return to pierce the tragus of her other ear.

''I like the way they look.''