Sarah Conway, Rowhedge based founder of Psara Piercing, began training to become a body piercer with the British School of Body Piercing in 2015.
She currently owns and leads her business Psara Piercing, which provides high quality ear and body piercings and aims to augment inclusivity within the industry.
I interviewed several of Ms Conway's patrons to encapsulate their piercing experiences and provide useful insights into the reasons why individuals choose to get piercings.
Local students Florence Urand (10) and Rachel Watson (13) recently got their first lobe piercings at Psara Piercing with the intentions of accentuating their individuality and personal styles.
Rachel describes her experience in August 2022 at Psara Piercing as "great" and elucidates towards the salon's congenial environment.
She says Ms Conway, and her staff, were "really friendly and very welcoming" and admits her older sister having her ears pierced the year before influenced her to follow suit.
Analogously, Florence reveals how the aesthetic facet of piercings prompted her to get her ears pierced last year - also at Psara Piercing.
She describes her piercings as "pretty" and "unique" and says she would love to get more.
In June 2024, I got my tragus (and triple lobes) pierced at Psara Piercing in an attempt to subdue chronic migraines.
Admittedly, online conspiracies claiming tragus piercings can eliminate migraine headaches haven't been completely true; many of my peers agree on the piercing's stylish mien regardless.
I also asked sixth form students Izzy Cowan (17) and Lily Locke (16) about their piercing experiences outside of Psara Piercing.
Izzy discusses the alternate motives that prevailed her to get her triple lobe, helix and forward helix piercings - including "on holiday to mark the occasion" or because she wanted a change more subtle than "cutting [her] hair dramatically".
Similarly, Lily discloses how the aesthetic possibilities of ear piercings swayed her into getting her tragus and double lobe piercings at the age of 13.
She describes the benefits of utilising jewellery to "accessorise" and "match [her] outfit[s]" and says they provide "more options".
People from all walks of life get piercings for an assortment of reasons.
Whether you are motivated by the aestheticism rendered by piercings or influenced by potential outfit supplementation - be sure to consider Psara Piercing.