This review is for Eldo and Alex. I had my conch piercing done at a reputable place in LA (not body manipulation) before I moved to SF but during the last 4-5 months ran into a number of issues- swelling back of ear, etc. I went to body manipulation twice for consultation and to get my earring swapped out and both Eldo and Alex were so knowledgeable and so helpful. They took the time to walk me through what was happening and also recommended that if the swelling and fluid filled bump behind my ear didn't settle down, to go get it drained (which I did and it's been great since). I wish I had gotten my piercing done here originally. Their pricing is reasonable and knowledge far deeper than other places I'm aware of. The after care service is insane and I recommend this place 10/10! read more

I have nothing but wonderful things to say about BM. I stopped by 4 years ago to take a rook piercing out since it was bothering me and I received great service back then. I came by today again to get my upper helix pierced and I had a very pleasant experience. An Asian gentleman (I think his name is Eldo?) assisted me with deciding where exactly I wanted to get pierced, as I was deciding between lower helix and upper helix/flat. I brought my own jewelry and he was able to sterilize it for me at no extra charge! He was super nice! Kenny did my piercing and explained the entire process to me, even though it wasn't my first piercing. I think that shows they take their job very seriously to ensure customers know how to care for their new piercings. I paid $40 for the piercing and tipped in cash. Parking can be tricky but overall, I highly recommend BM. read more

This review is long overdue!! Eldo and his staff are the best!!! From piercings to helping my daughter and I troubleshoot botched piercings (not from body manipulations). Eldo always goes above and beyond in everything he does. No message or question ever goes unanswered with him!! Even works after hours! We truly appreciate everyone's level of customer service, professionalism, and passion. We've had the pleasure of working with Steve who is so amazing along with Jess and Alex! My daughter now has a whole plan for her next piercings and tells me she only wants to come here! Thank you all at BM for taking such good care of us! read more

I remember when Body Manipulations used to be back in the Mission. This was the spot to get all your piercings...and TBH, it still is. I made the mistake of getting pierced out of state. My ears got infected and the swelling was terrible. I came to Body Manip and the piercer saved my ear...and my piercings! Apparently, the jewelry originally utilized was not the biz...and they switched it out to new ones. They left some space for the ears to swell and cleaning instructions. No joke but my ears felt immediate relief. Now, my ears are awesome. My spouse recently got a double helix here. Loved the person who pierced her. Gave such professional info and care. He also tested out placement with hoops just to be sure it looked right. Just amazing from start to finish. Make no mistake...this is the place to go for all your piercings. The jewelry is expensive but worth it. read more

A delayed post but I wanted to wait and see how the healing process went. I got three old/healed-shut ear piercings redone. Everyone was kind, non-judgmental, and knowledgeable. It's a long way from their old studio on 16th but the same vibes from the workers. Just a shiny space. Huge actually. Highly recommend. read more

Everything went well. I admire the professionalism of all of the staff. I am very satisfied with my nose and toung pierce. The jewerly were kind of expensive but was well worth it. read more

Not fast or cheap but it is the best service and expertise your money can buy. They are very friendly and experienced. Can't ask for better service and staff. read more

Everything went well! Eldo was the best! I know this is a super late review, but my experience here completely changed my fear of piercing I came in without an appointment but every piercer was able to fit me in 30 minutes after I walked-in. I explained my previous piercing situation to Eldo about how my first ever lobe piercing was misaligned and never healed properly. It kept getting inflamed and pus coming out - super gross stuff haha What I appreciated the most was Eldo empathizing with my previous experience and not only assuring me of what was done wrong but how they will do it differently. He was patient, kind, understanding and I can go on and on about how wonderful he is as a person. We also talked about college life and some advice or adventures he's been on in the past that made me feel even more relaxed because I related to photography with his piercing journey! What's interesting is Eldo studied I think sciences goes to add to his expertise haha Besides that, Eldo thoroughly explained the cleaning process and made sure it was clear to me while my first piercer at a different business didn't as much. Eldo even gave me his work email to reach out if I had any worries or questions about cleaning and more. I for many many months have a fully healed lobe piercing YAY! Thank you for making me feel safe in an area I know nothing about! P.s. all the staff here are so supportive! We are lucky to have them. Body Manipulations has my whole heart and even more if you have heard the long history here! read more

Body Manipulations - Me emailing Eldo with after care questions! - Piercing Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very nice workers here. The explanations of services were helpful. They are really busy, which means they are really good.

Michael was amazing. Hubby and I came into get couples piercings and Michael put us to ease. So kind, informative, and understanding. He didn't push us and let us take the time to decide. When they didn't have the right gauges he was honest and open about what he could do. The piercings went seamlessly. We had a great time hanging with Michael. If you want a piercer with a chill and kind vibe, he's your dude. Come see him. 5 stars for his service and demeanor. The rest of the cool was super cool too! read more

The whole process was super smooth! As soon as I walked in I was greeted by Alex who ended up also doing my nose piercing. Once I filled in my paper work I selected a nose ring and was out the door about 15 mins later. As for the piercing. It was super fast and shockingly painless! He made me feel super comfy the whole time and was very thorough with explaining the tools he was using and what he was doing! Coming back for sure and asking for him when I get the other side pierced! Also the current space is really nice and super clean! Last time I got a piercing from them it was at there old location 21 years ago lol read more

Stellar service from beginning to end. On a recommendation, came here to get my daughters' ears pierced. We booked appointments easily online and you're able to fill out necessary paperwork beforehand. Word to all parents, you need to show a birth certificate of your child. Check in is easy, space is open and clean. My girls were both pretty anxious - Steve and Ayana were excellent in educating them on the process, giving them the space and time they needed. The ear piercings went quick and we left with smiles. read more

02.25.2024 - An unforgettable experience. Oh. My. Friggin. Goodness!!!!!! How do I start my review? Where do I even begin?? Long story short - I got a "spur of the moment" piercings in Morro Bay on 2/21/24. Since then, my ears started to swell, feel hot, turn red and it began affecting my other already healed piercings. Even with salt soaks, saline wash, warm compress, ice packs and dabbing a tiny amount of antibiotic ointment, my ear was getting more inflamed, angry and large. When I woke up this morning, 1 of the 2 new piercings was completely eaten by my skin. I couldn't find the jewelry...omg, my heart dropped and I was in shock. Let me just say, I've had 12+ piercings throughout my life and never have I had this kind of problem. My hubby found Body Manipulations on Yelp and drove me to arrive there right when they opened. As soon as I walked in, one of the front staff greeted me right away and listened to my concerns. She was so sweet and reassured me that they'll take good care of me and my angry piercing. I didn't wait too long until one of the piercers, Jess, came out to get me. She's super friendly, knowledgeable and kind. After letting her know my concerns, she took one look at my ear and she knew what needed to be done. She started preparing her table with all the tools and supplies while informing me with the steps. Every time she touched something new, she would change out her gloves. This tells me the level of cleanliness and how sterile everything this establishment is. The process of removing the earring that was embedded into my skin was so painful. Worst than getting a tattoo. But Jess was so gentle and compassionate, talking me through each step of the way, and within 35-45 seconds, both of my new piercings were out! What a relief. I felt instant relief. It appeared the embedded piercing was pierced at an angle causing tissue damage and since both jewelry were made of poor quality, it added to all the mess. We couldn't salvage the embedded one, but Jess was so awesome in helping me salvage the second one. She helped me choose a new, quality made jewelry (titanium) and made sure she inserted the right sized post to allow it to properly heal. Jess also provided me with helpful tips to help with the healing process at home. After all the dreadful/painful parts were finished, Jess showed me a QR code that I can scan, which all of her information was provided. She encouraged me to reach out to her with updates on how my piercing is healing and if I had any other questions, she'll be available to give me consultation via email. From beginning to end, my experience was never short of exceptional customer service. Very accommodating to my emergency situation. All and all, I'm so grateful to my husband who found Body Manipulations and so happy to have found my new favorite piercing shop. Thank you Jess for help alleviating my pain and saving my life! Cleanliness = A+ Professionalism = A+ Friendliness = A+ Customer Service = A+ Price = A+ Overall Experience = A+ Can't wait for my ear to fully heal so that I can get it properly pierced by Jess. I love Body Manipulations!! read more

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Had the loveliest experience here with Jess today! We did my septum and repierced my third earlobe piercings. While I always prefer services with another woman, I have seen the highly experienced guys here for piercings and they are equally awesome. read more

Booked an appointment a few hours before heading to the city. Very quick process, incredibly professional, and of course -- super cool + kind employees! I got my vertical labret pierced by Steve; it was my first lip piercing, but I wasn't stressed at all since the environment was so calm. The placement is perfect and exactly what I wanted! read more

Body Manipulations - freshly pierced vertical labret - Piercing Near Me - San Francisco, California

Daughter went here for help on botched piercing another place, got a septum piercing and her first tattoo (by Marisa, who is absolutely awesome) - all done exceptionally. They are friendly clean and professional and reasonably price, i would recommend them any day of the week read more

I was a bit nervous at first, but the artist made me feel comfortable right away. The studio was clean, and everything was explained clearly. Very happy with the result. read more

Jess McLaughlin was absolutely amazing! She clearly explained every step of the process, was quick and efficient with the piercing, and had really great positive energy! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! read more

Body Manipulations - nose pierce - Piercing Near Me - San Francisco, California

Absolutely would NOT recommend this place for children's ear piercing. I called ahead to confirm they pierced kids' ears and was told yes, they do a great job, and was given instructions on what to bring plus told to book an appointment online. We arrived 10 minutes early for our appointment and were the first ones in the door, yet we ended up waiting 42 minutes while walk-ins and people behind us were helped before us. The person who pierced my daughter's ears was extremely rude with zero bedside manner. He never spoke to her, never explained what he was doing, and then tried to blame her by saying she "didn't want them done," when in reality she was just nervous because he made no effort to make her comfortable. Despite that, my daughter sat perfectly still, didn't shed a single tear, and did everything he asked--yet he did nothing to make it a positive experience. After paying $250, we walked away with a completely disappointing and unnecessarily stressful experience for our little girl. I'm truly upset we didn't go somewhere else. I would never recommend this place to anyone, especially for children. read more

Celebrated my baby's sister 35th birthday by getting our 3rd lobes pierced! Thank you to our piercer Jess and Jasmine at the counter for helping us out with our selection! We got there 10 minutes before they opened by Uber since parking is tricky. Once we got in, Jess and a green hair girl that we did not like based on her customer service helped us out. My sister didn't like her unfriendly behavior and ended up engaging more with Jasmine who was super friendly and helpful! My appointment was at 11:00 and my sisters was at 11:30 so they just combined our appointments. Clean and sterile environment and process. Jess was helpful with our aftercare instructions and with the QR code. Everybody (Jess, Jasmine, Alex and Eldo) get a 5 star but knocking a star down for the green haired girl at the counter. read more

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Eldo Chan is very knowledgeable and I've been to two other piercing places for my 3 kids and this place has been around 36 yrs and the best. Wish I knew about them a decade ago. read more

Just took my teenage daughter for her double helix piercing today. Really clean and professional place! Eldo did an amazing job at explaining to her the process and took his time to explain how to take care of it. We left very happy and will be returning when she is ready to pierce the other ear. read more

Body Manipulations - Helix piercing - Piercing Near Me - San Francisco, California

Walked in after doing some research, Steve was exactly the piercer you'd hope for. Calm, clear, and technically sharp. He marked placement carefully, test-fitted a hoop that I plan to use months later, to make sure it was perfect. Whole process was clean and efficient. The studio is professional and friendly, confident and welcoming. read more

Editing to add: it took almost 3 years for my sister's nose piercing to heal. Every other piercing place she went to, they told her that both the placement of the piercing and the jewelry they used was bad. read more

i have gotten my double forward helix by eldo. tragus, conch, and flat by jess. mid helix by steve. also had my daith pierced here (don't remember his name..) and not done yet, can't wait for my next! read more

Body Manipulations - tragus, flat, and conch done by my fav jess! - Piercing Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've been here twice (in about the span of 2 weeks). I have seen 4 piercers in SF and one in NY within the last year and a half, and Alex is one of my top 2 favorites! He helped answer questions I had about a helix piercing that has not wanted to heal for me. He also warned me about a tragus piercing I had recently that wasn't done well. (A second piercer told me the same thing, and I ended up taking it out for now.) And then because I love pretty jewelry and am a little addicted to poking holes in my ears at the moment, I ended up getting my third lobe pierced here. A week or so later, I got my forward helix pierced here. Requested Alex the second time because I like him and trust him. Lobe piercings are pretty easy, not so painful. I was a little nervous what the pain would be like for the forward helix, but it was surprisingly quick and (almost) painless. Just the usual quick pinch feeling! Alex claims the small amount of pain is because he's such a good piercer which is probably partially true. ;) But he's also good at making you feel comfortable and answering all questions you might have. Highly recommend him! Only reason I give 4 stars instead of 5 is because the front desk service is a little mixed. First time, the service was very attentive and friendly. Second time, service was still friendly but a little slow (no one else was there...) And the only thing I don't like about this spot is that they charge you a lot of money for the real gold earrings, but they don't even have diamonds, just cz's. I've been to other shops with comparable pricing for the real gold earrings, but they have real stones or diamonds. They also charge for the earring back separately. I haven't experienced that anywhere else, so the cost of one piercing adds up quickly. But I would come back to see Alex if I wanted another piercing. :) Both times I came in were on a weekend in the late afternoon/early evening, and my friend and I surprisingly didn't have a long wait. Maybe 10 minutes, which is awesome! They usually have 2-3 piercers working at once (I think) which helps a lot. Overall, I would recommend this spot for a piercing! read more

Body Manipulations - Forward helix and third lobe piercings/earrings from here - Piercing Near Me - San Francisco, California

Re: Male nipple piercing with Jess The location is clean, airy, and welcoming. The piercing room was perfectly clean and everything was handled with gloves & asceptic material. As a first time candidate for a piercing, I had tons of questions about the procedure and after-care, placement of the barbell, size that would best suit my anatomy and Jess was just the best at providing top-notch information about what to expect, the sterile material and implements used and the after-care. When it came time to perform the piercing, it took very little time (1 minute total?), the sharp pain lasted maybe 10 seconds and really wasn't that bad. No blood to speak of. Very smooth and the placement was perfect at the base of the nipple (guided by sterile ink dots she had made on my skin). So, thank you Jess: you're the best! Two days later and minimal inflammation. Pain is marginal. And very happy about the result! O. read more

I went in to get a tattoo to honor my mom on her death anniversary. I came in with an idea for a tattoo and showed Colin. He cleaned up my sketch and made the design look even better. I am naturally pretty shy and awkward. Not only did I feel comfortable around him, but the time flew by because he was just a really cool and interesting guy with great stories. Every time I catch a glimpse of my tattoo, I can not help but stop to admire it. I have one other tattoo, and this one is on a whole other level. The lines are so clean, and you could tell it was done by an artist. Anytime a friend catches a glimpse of my tattoo, they say how nice it is and how much they want a tattoo now. I admit that after the experience, I am tempted to get more. I met a few other people at the front desk, and they were also really sweet and professional. read more

Body Manipulations - Piercing Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Collin was great at his work and very nice. He has a light hand and creates work that fits you. Love him. read more

Body Manipulations - Piercing Near Me - San Francisco, California

Ayana did a great job on both my girls (5 and 6 years old). Her "bed side manner" was excellent. She was patient with the younger one who has a lower threshold for pain. Most importantly about 3 weeks later and not a single sign of infection. The healing has gone great. Not even a tiny bit of redness or discomfort post piercing. Everything was very sterile and clean. We appreciate her professionalism. read more

Body Manipulations - Piercing Near Me - San Francisco, California

Jess was the best! She helped me feel comfortable and relaxed throughout the entire process. She was thorough, informative, and swift, I barely felt any pain! I will be back for more piercings with Jess. Staff is extremely welcoming and helpful! Don't second guess your visit to body manipulations, you'll walk out feeling like an EMPOWERED BADDIE ;) read more

Straight-forward procedure, good source of information, and overall a positive experience. I got my daith pierced here and I love it. I plan to come back for future piercings and potentially tattoos. read more

I had bought a cute, small flat back post from an Etsy store, and, with a lot of sweat and cussing, put it into my 6+ yr. old ear piercing by myself, a few months ago. Then I slept with it in, because it didn't bother me enough to take it out, and it had been a bitch to put in all by myself (a huge disincentive for removing it, LOL). Over time, the flat back, which is about 3mm small, began to sneak inside my piercing at the back; I was only aware after I did try to remove the earring to clean it. Reluctant to risk infection, I went to this place ASAP, since I'd already had infections in other body parts after medical procedures, and it sucks. The site is in a beautifully updated cannery bldg. along 3rd St. in Dogpatch, with a chill, professional vibe, a lovely display front desk, and super nice staff. I was greeted and advised at the front, and then decided to treat myself to a new opal post, but with a larger flat back (great advice!). After a short wait, I was seen by the kind and caring J., and I can't say it wasn't totally uncomfortable, but she expertly guided and assisted me (by this point, I was committed to just get on with it). It did bleed a little--no surprise--but then quickly healed up fine. Yay! Now I have a new earring with a larger backing, super relieved and happy read more

Body Manipulations - After less than an hour, a slightly swollen but happy earlobe with a new set! - Piercing Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Alex was great. He made the process quick and easy! Gave me some recommendations where to get it peireced and expalined the after care. Highly recommended read more

Body Manipulations - Alex was great, made the process quick and easy! Highly recommend! - Piercing Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was probably on my phone when I absent-mindedly promised my daughter she could get her ears pierced for her 8th birthday, which is a good reminder to never text while parenting. Anyway, she remembered and kept me to my word, so here we are. When I was a kid, my mom took me to Claire's in the mall, which is why I have one wonky earring and a fear of gum-chewing teenagers named Tiffani. I vowed to never repeat the mistakes of my parents, so I made an appt for my kid at Body Manipulations. The facility was clean, the staff were professional, and our piercer, Ayana, was absolutely terrific. She explained the whole process to my 8yo, and made very clear that this was my daughter's choice - no one was going to make her pierce her ears and she could back out at any time. 8yo took her sweet, sweet time and Ayana didn't pressure her even a little bit, even though I'm certain her arm cramped hovering over my kid's ear with that needle. When, after about a thousand hours, 8yo took a deep breath and said she was ready, the actual piercing was easy-peasy. The experience was really empowering for my daughter, and, honestly, I wish I could take my kids here for vaccines because there would be much less screaming involved. Will come back for future nose piercings, tattoos, etc. read more

Top notch work with deceptive pricing. The super expensive earrings you sell don't include posts in their price. Would recommend it if you can afford 450$ earrings all included. They deserve praise for the selection improvement though, a year ago I could select from 3 different pairs read more

The best spot in the city every time I come here they're so professional. Did a walk in and was out in less than 20 minutes. Pain free with a smile. Eldo you're my guy (sorry if I butchered your name) read more

I really like their jewelry selection! I've had my nose ring for 6 years and love the rose gold hoop they gave me. It's been hard for me to find just the right one, and it fits so nicely and I always get compliments on it. This past weekend, I went in to go change my rook piercing to a hoop. I was also having irritation after having it done almost a year ago from another place and came in to have it checked. I was told that the bar I had in was slightly coming off, which was causing the irritation and I also had to change the bar to smaller jewelry, so they were able to help with that. I wish I remembered the name of the girl who changed out my piercing because she was so nice and made me feel comfortable after being nervous for having it changed out since it was getting irritated. I'd definitely come back here! read more

I've gotten pierced here twice, and both experiences (with different piercers) were comfortable and I felt like the person piercing me knew what he was talking about. Last time I got my left tragus pierced with a 14k disc which healed very well, so I decided to get my conch pierced and jewelry changed for a cartilage piercing I had done a month prior somewhere else. I got an appointment a few days before for today at 1pm and there were a couple of other people there in line, but I got checked in pretty quickly by the front desk and picked out jewelry. I am primarily interested in solid 14k gold jewelry so I really appreciate the large selection of threadless ends, but be prepared to pay at least $115 for the smallest/simplest gold balls and a lot more for the jewelry with cubic zirconia, which is a lot pricier than what I've seen at other shops/jewelry places that have real gems in their gold pieces. I ended up picking a 14k threadless piece with a black diamond for $255, and a titanium post for $20. The piercing service itself was $50, so the total for one piercing was $325 (before tip!) Pretty pricy in terms of the jewelry itself, but the selection is great and I'm glad I'm able to find pieces that fit my ear very well. My piercer was Jake, who helped me change out my previous cartilage piercing jewelry to a new simple 18k gold ball threadless end ($125) and titanium post ($20) since my previous jewelry was snagging on my hair and was too long. I really appreciated how much effort and care he put into easing out the old jewelry (which was stuck) from my recent piercing. He also did a great job with the conch piercing, marking a dot on my ear and making sure I liked where the earring would be placed. I really appreciate the service from the two piercers that I have received both times, and would come back the next time I want more fine gold pieces and have money burning a hole in my wallet. read more

Body Manipulations - 14k gold disc in tragus and sun rays 14k threadless end with black diamond in conch - Piercing Near Me - San Francisco, California

Got my nose pierced and 2nd lobe piercing. Clean facility. Friendly staff. No issues with quality or healing