You just gotta check this place out whether or not you're getting your flesh modified! Carries really awesome jewelries. *Super* friendly staff at front (didn't get her name...), and Paul, my piercer, made this whole process smooth and easy (thanks really, I decided to get my septum pierced on a whim!), a super affable guy. You will not feel intimidated even if you're not heavily tattooed or pierced at all. Definitely a gem in the neighborhood!
Review Source:I had my back dimples pierced with dermals  (at a different piercing place on Haight) a few years ago, and over time one of them rejected and came out on its own. So I was stuck with one very awkward and lopsided dermal, and the place where I got it done refused to take it out. Luckily they referred me to Braindrops instead! My friend actually had a dermal she needed to get removed too, so we went together. The lady in the front was very sweet and straightforward, we filled out release forms and Paul showed up a few minutes later to help us out. My friend went first, her dermal was already partially out so hers came out very easily. Mine was more difficult. I was pretty nervous but Paul was very conversational and nice so I felt very at ease. First he tried to see if he could just pull it out, but it was stuck in there pretty good. So he used a needle to "pierce it out." It wasn't bad at all. The best part was that it only cost $15! I was expecting a lot more because they were pretty expensive to get done and it seems like places that are willing to remove dermal piercings are pretty rare.
Overall, I am extremely happy with how quick, cheap, and relatively painless the procedure was. Paul was really sweet and funny, especially compared to the really pompous people I have come in contact with at most piercing and tattoo places. Thanks Braindrops!
My roommates and I went in as a group to get our belly buttons pierced one day in May. Paul was our piercer and Lily was at the front desk. Lily greeted us and was really friendly. She answered all our questions honestly and left the decisions up to us. She was really specific about cleaning instructions and made us really excited.
Paul let us all in the room when he pierced us. He made conversation and put us at ease. He told us the best jewelry to pick for healing and gave us tips. We had a great time.
The gem fell out of my belly button ring a couple months later and they replaced the jewelry with no hassle. They also have a great selection.
It is a little pricey but totally worth it. I've been to other piercing shops in the Haight but this one was the best. I highly recommend using their services.
I would give Braindrops 10 stars if I could. Stephanie was so sweet and helpful! She helped me pick the perfect nose ring and which side to get pierced, and believe me that was no easy feat, as I am the most indecisive person she has probably ever met. I came into the shop about 20 minutes before closing, and Paul finished his previous piercing faster than he thought, so he offered to poke my nose right then and there! I was so anxious, with my low pain tolerance, but he calmed me down and made the whole experience easier. By the time we left, it was an hour after closing time (my fault!) but he had stayed to finish the job anyway. Tons of jewelry options, amazing staff, and definitely worth a few extra dollars than other piercing places. If you want to be conformable and feel good about your piercing, go to Braindrops! I will definitely be back.
Review Source:I've only ever had one (set of?) piercing(s) done here, but between that and the two occasions I've been in to stretch up a size, the fine folks here have been nothing but a pleasure. I'll proudly be back for whatever part of my body I next decide needs to have a chunk of something stuck through it.
Review Source:I got my medusa piercing at braindrops and I've been back several times to have it downsized, looked at or put back in after I stupidly took it out once. All the staff I've encountered have been awesome, helpful and friendly.
I've never had a bad experience there and whenever someone compliments my piercing I make sure to tell them where I got it. Keep it up guys, you rock!
This place helped me out in a pinch. One of my rings fell out and I needed something to hold my piercing ASAP. Â Service was great and it looks like they have some amazing jewelry.
I'm giving a four star rating just because they didn't have a smaller ring or something cheaper to hold me over. I know, I know, I'm being a brat, but I only give 5 stars when I'm blown away. I would definitely visit again though if I was wanting to buy something original.
Amazingggg customer service, cleanliness, cute little shop, make you feel at ease, very knowledgeable staff! I was feeling a little spontaneous tonight and decided what the heck I want my tongue pierced! Being as it was 7oclock and most places were closed found this hidden gem on yelp and I am so glad I did! Paul is an amazing piercer and def knows his stuff. He talked to me throughout the whole process which kinda made it less painful ;). Kudos to them staying open so late! Will def be recommending this place to all && will be back for my spontaneousness ! Thank you Braindrops!
Review Source:Lily and paul were extremely helpful and friendly. Lily was very patient and not pushy at well when I was browsing the beautiful case of septum pretties. I ended up leaving with a beautiful piece. They even let me try it on before purchasing.
The shop has amazing and unique pieces to choose from!
I will definitely be coming back for more beautiful jewelry.
The staff here is really friendly and welcoming. I stopped by to get a new cartilage earring since the one I was pierced with at another store kept falling out and I needed something secure. After choosing the jewelry (they have such a wide and pretty selection at reasonable prices!), I was taken to a private room in the back where Paul helped put it in. He was really gentle and it didn't hurt at all! He also advised me on proper piercing care since I was not cleaning properly and the wound showed it. After it was all done and I was paying, the girl at the counter also gave me tips, as well as a bag of sea salt to facilitate the healing.
Although I was only inside briefly to choose an earring and have it put it, I had such a positive experience that if I ever decide to get more piercings, I would most definitely come here. If you are planning to get a piercing, I highly recommend Braindrops!
This is a great place for kids ear piercing!!!!
What a great experience. My 6 year old daughter wanted her ears pierced. She was so excited. Paul took extra special care of her. She even noticed how clean and sanitary( not her words exactly) the experience was. Also she was impressed by Paul because he gave her some great tips on how to make it not hurt. I can't say enough about how great both Paul and the sweet girl who checked us in and out accommodated us. We will be back for daughter # 2..... When she's ready
After being contacted by the owner, I decided to return to braindrops for my daith piercing. The staff was friendly as always and Paul apologized for his mistake and I gladly accepted his apology. He did a great job on my newest piercing and I know it will heal up beautifully! Thanks =)
Review Source:I should have reviewed this place a while ago! This is my FAVORITE place to get piercings. (I wish I would have gotten my tattoo there but I was being cheap.. DONT be cheap on a tattoo people!!) The shop is clean and the staff are beautiful, kind people. I love their jewelry selection too. I can't say enough nice things about this place!
Review Source:strolled into this place on a friday evening through a friend's recommendation. impulse took over me and i wanted to get a nose ring.
initial thoughts walking into the shop was the awesome layout and environment. lily at the front desk was super sweet and my piercer, paul, was beyond awesome too. definitely recommending this place to any of my friends that are looking to get pierced!
this place is quality and i love it!
Seriously love this place. I have several tattoos, most from different places, but the one I got here gets the most love/compliments haha (See photo.)
A friend of mine recommended this place, so I checked it out, and had a short consultation with one of their artists beforehand. Sadly, I don't remember her name, but she was great - I brought in a picture of what I wanted, and told her what little changes I wanted made. She left for a little bit, and came back with a sketch of the exact image I had in mind! I love my little moor goldfish!
Braindrops' earring selection in phenomenal too. I come here to buy wooden/bone earrings because my ears are sensitive. Oh, and last time I was here they were playing some crazy (awesome) music, and when I inquired about what station it was, the girl at the front desk told me it was just the World station on Pandora. Convenient! So if you're in need to some bomb music, check it out haha...thanks Braindrops!
I really love Braindrops.
I'm always torn between here and Body Manipulations. I feel like the people here are so much warmer, but the reputation of BM is more renowned.
I got my tragus done here briefly after my 17th birthday (much to the dismay of my mother who joyously, no really, joyously, took the opportunity to scar my then 14 year old sister with the portfolio of male genital piercings in the lobby). I got it done with a CBR (mistake) and it did not heal very well (bloody, oozey, angry bump on the back and front) until I switched it out with a barbell a year later. That's when the real healing began.
I was always worried that the piercing was placed incorrectly since It always looked lopsided when I turned my head to look at it. The fact that I got an AMAZING deal on it (piercing service was free, only paid for jewelry since it was an apprentice piercer) kept me from believing that I got amazing service. After it healed (it's perfect now!!) I took a few pictures and it turned out it was PERFECTLY placed in the middle of my tragus.
I took my friend here on his 19th birthday to get his industrial done after being denied at BM due to his expired passport from when he was 5. They surprisingly accepted it and he got the same piercer as I did. Everything went super well (except with his mom...)
Also took my sister here to get her lobes pierced a little while ago. Same piercer again (I am so stupid, I remeber his face everytime and never his name. I am really really dumb) and he remembered me this time!! I was soooo happy!!! Like in jubilation happy!! So I went ahead and bought an opal stud ($50) for my tragus and the same guy (sigh I wish i remembered his name) inserted it for me.
I'll be back soon, after writing this review, I've decided I like Braindrops better than BM.
LOVED Braindrops!
Went in for a 2nd cartilage piercing today- I had a bad experience with the 1st (at another piercing place- the guy maybe didn't sanitize the area properly, or used the wrong type of needle, but it was extremely painful and did not ever fully heal), and was honestly expecting the worst. To my surprise, the piercing barely hurt and was over before I knew it. Paul, the guy who did my piercing, was amazing. He had explained what was wrong with my 1st cartilage ring, took it out, and gave me one with the proper size.
Two of my girlfriends came along, also to get their cartilages pierced- they were both extremely anxious due to the story of my first experience. Paul's easy-going and honest demeanor, along with his knowledge and expertise, put everyone immediately at ease.
Loved Braindrops! Definitely going back!
On June 6, 2012 I had two lip piercings (snakebites) performed at Braindrops by piercer Paul.
I did my research on the type of piercings I was going in for & the aftercare techniques recommended. Â I also searched for the best piercing studio &, despite the distance, Braindrops appeared to have the best overall experiences compared to other piercers. I didn't read any horror stories about misaligned piercings or infections, nor about unpleasant customer service or piercers.
I came in at opening, but Paul had gone to get food so I had to wait for him to eat- a little obnoxious. Once in the piercing room though, Paul really took his time to be sanitary & look at my lip. Â He ensured the placements were even & to my liking. He was pretty chill & helped me relax as much as I could during placement & piercing. He had me take a big breath in & exhale as he put the needle through (no clamps). The piercings hurt a lot which surprised me because I had been told that it was not painful.
Paul noted that I have "big lips" & he wasn't sure that the initial jewelry would be long enough to accommodate for the swelling. He knew I had driven over an hour to get there, I don't understand why he would risk the jewelry being too short. The piercings were red, swollen, and painful well after the initial week and a half & my jewelry began dimpling inside & out. I called about my experience & was told I should be okay as long as it did not get any worse, but I was free to come in for them to look.
I ended up consulting with closer piercer to check for infection when it was still swollen & pussing after 4-5 weeks & also when my piercing decided to sink in entirely. They had to give me longer jewelry & the whole process was super painful, as they had to break out pliers! I was under the impression that I would be able to swap out jewelry myself, but the stud is secured so tightly it's impossible to remove just by hand.
Despite ice, Advil, & constant sea salt soaks, I've had lots of trouble with my piercings still to this day. I continue to get puss-filled blisters on both the inside and outside of my lip. I don't blame Braindrops for my experience, but I think having started with longer jewelry would have helped & prevented me from having to spend extra time & gas.
I cannot stress enough that, when you're looking for a mod/tattoo artist, you need recommendations from friends and/or a chance to talk with the shop. You should not be looking to Yelp for some sort of guidance on your decision.
Also, a quick note: Having never visited the ink studio, I can only really discuss the piercers. That said, I've referred people to the ink studio without hesitation and have heard nothing but good things afterward.
Braindrops has been my go-to place since moving back to SF (that was back when they were still on Hayes). It's an entirely clean studio with plenty of skilled hands. Their selection of jewelry gravitates more toward tribal and modern primitive pieces, but they still carry all of the token barbells and rings so, yes, you can still get your weak-ass belly button jobbie.
If you're new to body mods, they'll make sure you have enough info going into it to make an informed decision, with plenty of aftercare instructions before you leave. You'd be surprised how many places don't do this.
Of all the times I've visited Braindrops, they've only turned away one of my requests. A couple of years ago, I approached them with an idea for a transversal with custom jewelry. The jewelry wasn't going to be an issue but they were uneasy and uncomfortable with performing the work (even with less-custom jewelry). A little disappointing, but I've come to trust their gut feelings.
Sparkly clean shop - Fantastic & Quick Service!
I went in for the first time this weekend to buy two nose rings. I had a few newbie questions that they answered without any fuss. I had them teach me how to put in a hoop (lol) and the piercer was extremely patient with all my silly questions.
Even though this place is totally out of the way (there are two very popular tattoo/piercing shops walking distance from my apt.) I will definitely go back to Braindrops for more jewelry.
I went in for my first piercings other than the standard earlobe ones on Saturday. I got one cartilage/helix piercing and two more lobe piercings (one on each ear). Staff was friendly and helpful and didn't try to push anything on me.
Eric was my piercer and he was great! He helped me relax a lot. It felt different to get it pierced with a needle than with a gun (but I know it's much better). I got two diamond studs for my lobes and plain captive bead ring for my helix. Total was around $140. It was pretty expensive but I'm glad to know the jewelry is really high quality (titanium!)
A couple things though - I wish they had more earring selection other than the large gauge earrings. The selection in 16 gauge is pretty limited.
Also, the ball backing to one of my studs came off the next morning while I was sleeping. However, this was probably my fault as I am a deep sleeper and I think I physically pulled it out while I was sleeping.There was a small drop of blood on my ear but I didn't want the hole to close so I stuck the earring back in with a plastic back on it. Lol. Anyway, so I came in to get the ball replaced, and I was sorta hoping they wouldn't charge for it, but they did (fair enough). But the woman at the desk quoted $9 and then later corrected herself at $15.
Paul adjusted my earring and gave me a pity discount though lol.
On the same day I got the ball replaced, my  roommate got two cartilage piercings done by Paul and one lobe replacement. I think he did a really good job. They look great and my roommate says it didn't hurt at all. (She's a little tougher than me lol).
I would definitely get pierced again by either Eric or Paul, they were both very professional and friendly and the piercings look great!
It's only been two days but my lobes are healing amazingly fast and the cartilage one is healing well also though it's pretty sensitive.
I feel comfortable going back in with any questions, which is great.
I have been to Braindrops a few times now.
My first time was with my mom when I was 13 (this was back when they were on Hayes, not Haight. She got a tattoo and piercings and I got a cartilage and a 2nd lobe.) I was bummed at the time because they wouldn't pierce my belly button due to the high risk of infection. 2 years later, I got it done elsewhere and had to deal with an infected belly ring for a while.
2nd trip over the Braindrops, I went in to get my tongue pierced for my senior project. Paul ( I think it's Paul. I should know his name, but it's been a while) let me interview him and film the process of getting my tongue pierced. Thanks to him, I got an A and have a tongue ring that I would feel incomplete without. He had me so relaxed that upon viewing, a lot of people assumed I'd taken something to numb the pain.
3rd trip I brought my friends to get their belly buttons pierced. My two friends were scared and didn't handle piercings well. Paul was the guy who got them through the pain and the unease. They both however squeezed my hand ridiculously hard.
4th trip, and my most recent one last year, after turning 20, wanting another piercing, I went in to Braindrops on a whim and having been in the area for the Haight Street Fair. I got my nose done by Paul. When my eyes started tearing because my nose is SUPER sensitive (I get nose bleeds from charcoal and gin apparently) he came in with tissues. My one issue is that my piercing doesn't fit regular jewlerey (which I found out trying to change the stud) so I'll have to come in to get a new one. But every one is different which is why this place is great; it caters to how your body works.
The only reason I haven't come back is because I don't have anything else I want to pierce and I haven't had the money. It's not the cheapest place to go to, but it's one of the only places I'll go to now.
Andrew is truly talented as an artist, and he put me at ease through the process. Â As a second tattoo, I can compare the experience as MUCH BETTER than my first, mainly in terms of design and comfort throughout the process - I appreciate the conversation and music to help me relax, and the input on design and placement were right on, IMO.
The piercing parlor next door is equally welcoming and has a great selection of unique jewelry.
Parking is a drag, leave plenty of time before an appointment.
Being a bored college student on winter break, I ventured in here with some friends. I've been to several different piercing places including Body Manipulations but I would definitely recommend coming in here for a piercing. Some people get intimidated going into piercing shops because the workers are all tatted up with intense piercings, but everyone here is super friendly and non-judgmental.
Since my lobe piercings have closed, I came in here to get them repierced at a larger gauge. The girl working at the counter was really nice and friendly and showed me the jewelry selection but didn't make me feel pressured at all and told me to take my time deciding on what I liked/wanted for my piercing. I decided to get pierced at 8g and filled out all the paperwork.
Eric was my piercer and he's amazing! He's super laid back and made me feel comfortable and explained everything he was going to do. He also let me know that since I was being pierced with a larger needle, he would have to go through 2 steps before inserting the jewelry. Some people claim that being pierced at a larger gauge feels the same as being pierced with a smaller one... not true. The piercing did hurt but Eric worked fast and everything went smoothly. Afterwards I was a little light headed but Eric did a great job and there was no noticeable swelling or bleeding or any other issues. I've had my piercing for about a month and there's been no problems with it at all! The store itself is also extremely clean and Eric (like any good piercer) repeatedly changed his gloves to maintain sterility.
I also convinced my brother to get pierced here as well and even though they were close to closing Eric still took him and didn't make us feel rushed or that he was annoyed to have to stay past closing time.
Cost: $45 for both lobes + $27 for jewelry (15% discount for students) + $10 tip + tax = $84.50 total for both lobes
If you're pierced with a smaller needle (typical lobe piercings are 18 or 16 gauge) Â it's $15 for the 1st ear and $10 for the 2nd. Â I ended up spending a lot more than I was expecting but the quality of service here is excellent and I would recommend this place to anyone. Oh and you get a free bag of sea salt to soak your piercings with.
Just another small tidbit, my brother lost the o-rings on his glass plugs so we came in here and Eric gave us a bunch of them for free. What a nice fellow. Also, there was another piercing I wanted to get so I went to ask Eric about it and he told me it wouldn't really work out and didn't think I should do it. Even though I was kind of disappointed, I appreciate his honesty!
It never crossed my mind that a place that does body manipulations would also do kids' ear piercing and be good at it. Â
My 6 year old had been asking to get her ears pierced. Â Fast forward 9 months and we're at the store exploring trilobites, stones and crystals. Â They asked questions and then told my daughter what they were going to do. Â (I suppose it was to giver her a chance to back out but she was determined to get her ears pierced.) Â While my husband was grilling the guy who was going to pierce her ears with questions, we were checking out the earring selection. Â (There were two trays for posts or hoops for first time piercings for kids although not as big of a selection as the ear stretching jewelry.)
Q: How many piercings have you done? Â
A: I can't even put a number to how many but I am a lead piercer. Â I've been working for the here since we opened.
Q: How do you make sure that things are sterile?
A: We use surgical one time use needles. Â (He said a few more things but I got distracted by the shiny stones in the earrings.)
We went one of the rooms. Â My daughter sat on a bed similar to the one at my doctor's office complete with the paper sheet that goes on top of it. Â The piercer wore gloves and a surgical mask. Â Her ear was disinfected. She asked about the toothpicks in the jar. Â We learned that it is used to mark a spot (dye) on the ear so he knew where to make the piercing. Â He spent time making sure that the dots were centered in the front and back of the lobes. Â He told my daughter to take a deep breath then wiggle her toes which keeps the brain focused on the toes rather than the piercing. Â My daughter said that it didn't really hurt any more than it does to get her shots. Â
She chose small silver posts. Â We have to go back in a couple of weeks to get shorter backing. Â The longer backs on the posts gives a bit of room for the gunk to come out as the ears heal and make it easier to clean. Â We talked about how to clean for the piercing and received written post care instructions. Â They favor the use of sea salt and water which is more natural and less harsh rather than alcohol or peroxide. Â The piercing looks good. Â Her ears aren't red and gunky. Â So far so good.
(Note: you need to bring a copy of a minor's birth certificate and a photo ID of the parent or legal guardian.)
This one Sunday afternoon, my internal monologue went like this:
I should stop being a worthless human being
I should get out of bed and do something.
Maybe I'll go for a walk in the Haight
Maybe I'll sit in Buena Park and read for a little, until I get too cold
Maybe I'll keep walking up Haight Street
Braindrops?
Is that a tattoo studio?
Maybe I'll go in and see if I might be interested in *one day* getting a tat done here.
Then this happened:
Woman behind the counter: Can I help you?
Amanda: Yeah, I've been thinking of getting my diath pierced for a while
****WHAT???? YOU LIAR!!!!******
Woman: Oh yeah, sure, we have availability right now, do you want to go on in?
Amanda: That sounds great
****AGAIN, WHAT NOW??? YOU'RE GETTING YOUR DIATH PIERCED???******
So I picked out my jewelry, with a little help from above woman since, you know, I hadn't *really* put a lot of thought into any part of this experience.
And I walked back into the piercing room.
Erik was awesome.
He talked me through each step of the process, to make me feel comfortable.
The needle went in fast.
The jewelry insertion (normally the most painful part of the process) was painless.
Definitely one of the better piercing experiences I've ever had.
I paid $80 (including tip and jewelry)
And my piercing healed quite beautifully
Even though I'm terrible at aftercare and only cleaned it, like, twice
I would definitely bring someone here for a first body piercing experience: the shop is clean, the staff professional, and, as I discovered, incredibly helpful if you either don't know what you're doing, or walk in totally *not* planning to have anything pierced.
So two years ago on my birthday I decided that it was time to unvirginize my ears. It was the first piercings what so ever on my body and I thought hey this should be a right of passage since now i'm an adult. My friends and I thought about Claires and all but really? In my mind that place was associated with fluffy unicorns and care bears. It wasn't a legit place if you know what i mean. This was special and I wanted to remember. So thats how we stumbled upon this place in the Haight. I thought shit this is a cool name for a place like this. If anyone asks where I got mine I can say this place called Braindrops. :)
Backstory aside, Braindrops is a very clean and professional place. They took care of me like pros setting aside my worries and helping me pick out earrings that wouldn't irritate. They took me to a room in the back and the lady sanitized and sterilized everything. With gloves on hands she came at me. I'm not gonna lie, she told me to relax that I was too tense but I was in denial, I "was" relaxed, but seriously I was scared shitless. It hurt, it bled, it bruised, but that's just me. I sucked it up and I was pretty satisfied with the work. They were so nice about it being my first time and gave me tips on follow up so it didn't get infected. Â Btw they didn't use a gun. It costed around $50 or so earrings included.
So, there's two doors and I don't know why we went into the tattoo parlor where there was no one to greet us. We walked out & realized we didn't go through the main entrance. durrh, durrh. anyways! Didn't know where else to go for needle piercing and wasn't gonna be where my previous piercer was gonna be at so we let yelp help us decide.
Went here to get my ear pierced. $15 for service fee, hoop is $15 and barbell is $30. I forgot my piercer's name but he was very informative and calm. Place is clean, customer service is awesome.
No complaints.
I've been going to Braindrops for piercings and jewelry easily for the last 10 years. I discovered them because I lived around the corner when they were still on Hayes Street.
They've re-pierced my nose, advised me on stretching my ears, helped me choose high-quality jewelry and got me sorted out when I stretched my own ears initially and got them infected. (They did that very nicely, too.)
I wish every place was so professional. Don't let the tattoos and piercings intimidate you, the folks working there are really nice, really helpful and really knowledgable. They don't carry cheap, high nickel steel jewelry, either.
Do I love them? Yes.
When something is as permanent as a tattoo you want to make sure that everything is done right. It's a big f*ing deal!
One of my most favorite tattoos on my body was done two years ago at Braindrops. (this was my pre active yelping days) It was so beautiful and perfect and I loved every stinking part of it. So when I knew I was getting another tattoo AND that my drip to SF was coming up it only seemed right to call them up!
I made the appointment two weeks in advance and when I got there Andrew was ready to hash this baby out. He worked so hard on coming up with the most perfect sketch for my soon to be body art. After a few extra tweaks we were ready to go.
Andrew was very professional and friendly. His work place was spotless and I totally trusted him. Thank goodness because a collarbone tattoo is sort of intense. It can't be messed up! And it wasn't. In fact, it was even more perfect than I had thought it would be. I'm absolutely crazy about it and I'm so grateful to Andrew and the whole Braindrops team for kicking so much tattoo butt!! :)
I came here with my best friend to get 2 lower back microdermals. Â She didn't really know much about the piercings, but Paul (? I forgot his name, but I think that's it..) was very realistic. Â He explained to her that the piercings only last so long.. that for some it might stay a year, but for others it can start pushing out in a month. Â Then the ladies in the front showed my friend the choice of jewelry they have. Â After taking FOREVER to choose.. she chose the jewelry and decided to get the piercings. Â Everyone was very patient while she made her decision. (HUGE PLUS!)
During the whole process, Paul(?) was very friendly and cool. Â The room where they do the piercings is SUPER CLEAN! Â A good 15 min later my BFF was in a lot of pain, but everything was done. Â Being this was my birthday gift to her I felt a little bad how much pain she was in. Â But I am sure that various from people to people. Â Paul even took the time to explain to her the healing process even though, he had a lot of other clients waiting for him. Â
Even though, I didn't get the piercings I am very impressed with their whole process. Â I will definitively check out their tattoo shop which is right next door! :D
I went to Braindrops for my tragus piercing and I had the best, most relaxing experience. Paul is super nice and friendly and really makes sure that you feel comfortable.
There is a wide selection of jewelry but the majority is tribal. The pricing is reasonable and everything is very clean. Make sure you bring your birth certificate and a student ID along with a parent/legal guardian if you're under 18.
Again, I had the best experience and would come here for any kind of piercing.
Paul is awesome. He is trully skilled and knows his stuff when it comes to piercing. Â Braindrops and Body Manipulations are the only two places in SF that I trust.
The place is super clean. The people are super friendly and cool. The jewelry line here is not really my thing. Too tribal and huge for my taste. However, the service is just top notch!
This place freaking ROCKS!
My friend and I went in to get our nostril's pierced and had an awesome experience... We had Eric as our piercer and I think it was Paul at the front desk who sorted us out pre & post pierce.
They were both very approachable and knowledgeable, answered all our stupid questions and made us feel very relaxed.
Eric was super professional, organized, had a clean set up and ran me through everything that was going to happen. He was also totally accomodating with us wanting to take photos etc.
Would highly recommend this place for piercing and other jewelry. I would without a doubt come back here if I had anything else I wanted to get done.
Thanks Braindrops!
I've been to Braindrops a few times, at the recommendation of a previous boss who comes here for all his colourful and fun plugs and tunnels. Â I've picked up a few pieces of jewelry, but have had the best interactions when coming here for actual body art.
My first visit was to get a nape piercing removed after the surface bar had migrated most of the way out (wasn't pierced at this shop). Â The piercer was very helpful and nice and gave me some information on possibly replacing it in the future with subdermals instead. Â The second time in, I had a very large calf tattoo done. Â The artist was great, even though it wound up being a very difficult and painful experience for me. Â The third experience was just this past weekend when I went in to discuss with one of the piercers about getting a set of double flared plugs in. Â We discussed the problems I was having, and he proposed a few solutions and I walked out with a nice set of glass tunnels to stretch up to a slightly larger gauge to accommodate the flares. Â The piercer popped both the tunnels in for me with minimal difficulty and I was happy to pay the service fee plus a tip for it.
The staff has a wide range of experience and are friendly and open to discussion. Â I will happily visit here for my jewelry, piercing and tattoo needs.
I still adore this place. The folks behind the counters are so nice and friendly. I just have a simple nose piercing; they never make me feel like I'm not cool enough to be in the store (as I've felt in other places on Haight).
I had a mishap at another store recently with the fitting of my nostril screw and the guys and gals over at Braindrops helped me fix it. Ahh, it fits so much better now!
It was unfortunate that I wasn't able to buy my jewelry there this year, as I typically do, because their stuff was out of our budget. Hopefully next year will be better because the 22 karat gold that Braindrops stocks can't be beat!
Not sure what happened to my previous post, but here it goes again.
I was here with my friend during the summer and we decided to go out with a bang and get something pierced.
My friend got her rook and I got my tragus. We both went with the captive bead ring.
The piercer was Hydi whom was super nice to the both of us, she was really sweet and funny.
She took us to the room, lied down and before we knew it, it was over. She made sure it was clear that if we had any problems or questions, we could call her.
This piercing facility is also extremely sterile! They use a toothpick and some ink instead of the traditional pen.
Whoohoo! 5 stars for another beautiful piercing done by Eric! My friends and I made an appointment to come here at 11:30am before the shop opened but we were late! I asked Eric if he could do my piercing today because I had to leave back to go to school and he said he could, how awesome!
I came to get my tragus pierced and I was ready! I got to choose between a hoop ring or a barbell. For the hoop it was $12 and barbell was $30. I think I could rock the hoop so I went for that with a navy blue bead ! Cute right?
Eric did his measurements and had Paul double check it! I laid down and took in 2 breathes and I was done! It hurt just a little bit but way less than the industrial piercing I did 2 weeks ago! I think I want a rook piercing next haha. THANK YOU ERIC & Braindrops.
Paul is probably the best piercing artist I have dealt with, period. Â He's very accommodating, patient and understanding. Â Paul doesn't mind telling you, if he thinks the piercing isn't right for you. Â That type of honesty is refreshing.
The counter staff are always friendly and although I've never dealt directly with the tattoo artists, they seem in good spirits, which adds to the overall light feeling in the place. Â
If this is your first piercing or you are taking your child for a present, this is the shop to go to. Â You will not find a more knowledgeable staff or a better jewelery selection in the Bay.
Got my nose repierced here almost 2 years ago and just now writing a review!
My friend recommended Braindrops and it was just a bus ride away from my Hayes Valley studio so I went. The piercer was very friendly and knowledgeable. I have thicker nostrils so the nose ring has to be bent in a certain way so as to not irritate my skin. The piercer knew this and I appreciated it because it showed that he really knew what he was doing and that he was looking out for me.
Verdict: I'd trust them with any of my piercings or tats.
So my friend  and I went to Braindrops to get a sort of unusual tattoo. We both love love spicy food...
It says: (and fyi i will be adding a photo if you want to see it to see quality.)
i
heart *using a heart*
Capsaicin (in molecular form) *for those of you who are unaware of what capsaicin is, it is the what makes peppers spicy.
I got mine on my foot, hers on her back. I am particularly impressed with how well Alex did as he had to do very thin detailed lines and letters and on my foot nonetheless! This place was amazingly clean and everyone was really helpful.
Thank you Braindrops...if i ever get a tattoo again i'll only go to you. : )
This is the second time I have been to Braindrops and I am very impressed by the piercing staff. The first time I went in, Paul did a double nose piercing on me, although he saw that I had many piercings done but he still made sure that I knew the aftercare information and that I had all the cleaning materials before I left. He has a natural ability to make you feel calm and relaxed while getting pierced. He also was very patient and worked with me to figure out the placing for the two piercings, placement usually takes the longest but he worked with me until it was perfect.
Second time around, I went in to get a Monroe re-pierced. He first made sure that the old piercing had enough time to heal before getting pierced again, something a good piercer would do. He gave the green light. Even though it was a re-pierce and the hole was halfway closed, he still made the black markings on the outside and inside. He found out that the old piercing hole was placed wrong. Another good sign because although I didn't tell him this, this was the reason why I had taken the jewelry out and he figured out a better way to re-pierced other than going through the same hole. Now the jewelry sits comfortably in my lip without hitting the gum and without getting in the way of the teeth.
I'm glad that I went to Braindrops because it's evident that the piercing staff cares about not only keeping you comfortable during the piercing but they care about the placement of the piercing, which is something that will last longer.
I will definitely be going back for the next piercing!
I started off my 2010 by getting my very first tattoo here. I've been researching a bunch of tattoo places prior to my visit and settled on this place, mostly because a friend had recommended it since she got her tattoo here and I liked the portfolios on their website.
First off, everyone here is super nice. The lady who greeted us was really helpful. I basically walked in since I didn't have an appointment, and she set me up with Dave for my tattoo. Since he was with someone, I had to come back two hours later to get my tattoo done, and I only had to put down a small deposit (in the double digits) to guarantee my spot.
Dave was also the one who did my friend's tattoo and he remembered her.
For a first tattoo experience, I am really happy and it didn't cost too much. Dave also had a light hand, so it didn't hurt too bad, nor did I bleed a lot. Two days later, my tattoo is healing nice and fast.
Touch ups for the tattoo are free, and I'm probably gonna go back to get more work done, but for now, I say five stars. :)
I got two things done here, a cartilage piercing and a tattoo.
as for the piercing - I went on my 19th birthday since I was bored and figured I might as well get something i would remember. it took no more than 20 minutes. they had an excellent selection of rings to choose from and the piercing room was very clean/sterile. what made it an even better experience was that the guy behind the counter actually gave me a birthday discount! I dont remember how much it was [probably not much, aha], but thats far from the point! Just the fact that a piercing/tattoo place would even acknowledge my birthday made this a 5-star experience.
the tattoo - It was my first tattoo and i decided to get the little yellow bird woodstock from charlie brown on my left wrist [yea, poke fun if you want] since it was very small they charged a minimum of $80. I think thats pretty decent considering the quality and size. If I were to get another tattoo anytime soon, this would be the place.
My daughter is working on having a row of rings up her outer ear, from her lobs up the cartilage. She's been getting another set very 4-6 months for the past 2 years. I have always been very particular about who did her piercings, which is why we went to Braindrops. Andrea has done all of her piercings.
I love everyone there! There's just an excellent level of customer service, knowledge, and experience. Everyone we speak to is friendly, polite, and chill. While I know that you can get wonderful tattoo work and all kinds of creative piercings, they're also great at basics.
Got my beautiful tattoo done at Braindrops by Ken. Â I walked in on a Tuesday night with a mission. Â I showed him what I wanted done, he drew it up, and it was awesome. Â He tattood me right on the spot. Â Kept asking if I was ok.
A couple of weeks later he fit me in on a Friday night for a cover up, no problem. Â Ken is an artist. Â And a great tattoo artist. Â I won't go anywhere else now.
The Jewelry:
Braindrops is a great place to go in search of a new pair of plugs or other ear jewelry. Â The selection is truly exceptional - a huge variety of styles, materials, and sizes. Â I don't know where you would find a shop with more, in fact. Â The staff is helpful and not into hovering over you while you take your time checking everything out, which I like. Â The prices are a little on the high side I'd say, so I might not recommend buying more basic stone or steel pieces here - they're available for less elsewhere. Â But if you are looking to put a little money into something more unique for your ears, Braindrops would be one of my first recommendations in the Bay Area.
Braindrops is where it's at, and specifically Gordon is the man to trust your empty canvas of a body to when it comes to tattooin'.
I went there on a recommendation from another satisfied customer and was not disappointed. I had a piece already and wanted to grow it into a 1/2 sleeve and he did a tremendous job tying it all together to look like one full piece. Just go take a look at some of Gordon's drawings, you'll see what's up. Tell him your general thoughts on what you want and he'll draw you up a one of a kind piece. His wall is covered with works in progress and they speak for themselves. Lastly, he isn't afraid to let you know if he thinks something won't look right, and the wise will heed his words.
The other people there are friendly and fun to talk to and the location is surrounded by public transit and good food options if you're planning on being there for a long time.
Like I said, look at some books and/or drawings and you'll know what's up.
Great selection of jewelry. Â Friendly, experienced, knowledgeable staff. Â Good piercing place with fair prices. Â Trade in program for glass plugs is great great great. Â There is also no shortage of cute boys.
I've only been here for stretches and tuneups (switching out some other piercings), but I've heard great things about piercings too. Â I've been helped by Andrea at other places and she is fan-freakin-tastic. Â Paul is my usual mechanic and I really appreciate his organic approach. Â Everything he does is very natural and meticulous. Â
It is important to embrace your body as a temple, and that's what body mod is all about, right? Â I'm glad that Braindrops communicates this and gets more in touch with the history and art behind it.
I went to San Francisco for a conference this past weekend and ventured out late Saturday afternoon because I HAD to check out Braindrops! I grabbed my boyfriend and we walked the 2.5 miles from the hotel just so I could check out their 10th anniversary jewelry sale = 25% off naturals (stone, wood) + glass.
I was blown away by the selection of jewelry they have in stock. I perused for probably an hour, and the employees were very nice and helpful, going back to the jewelry cases to bring me tray after tray of (beautiful!) plugs. I finally decided on a pair of 5/8" DF adventurine plugs. They are gorgeous (apparently made by an artisan in Bali?)! There was a pair of labradorite teardrops that were TO DIE FOR, but alas, they cost $225. I probably wouldn't be able to afford much jewelry here without the 25% off, but the goods are certainly top notch.
I'm going to balance the books here and give an A+++ for the tattoo I have just acquired from Ken.
I've always taken friends who have wanted to get piercings done to Braindrops because the staff just seems so friendly and knowledgeable. Â I've never thought too much about the tattoo work because I had 2 already and wasn't really looking for more.
Well, until last year. Â Life had started to shift and change again. Â
My first (negau, inside right wrist) was done in Rhode Island. Â I was dealing with my first real heartbreak of the woe-is-me Delgrassi Jr. High kind. Â I was also thinking of leaving the East Coast. Â I got the tattoo as a marker to remember that change is good and necessary to keep life moving. Â Doesn't matter what direction. Â Just keep it moving. Â Negau means "to wish". Â It's all you can do sometimes when you've got nothing else tangible to hold on to.
My second (back of neck, Aum) was done in Los Angeles at Malu Tattoo by one amazing Miss April Love. Â I was slummin' it in Hollywood, living paycheck to paycheck with hot pink hair and dirty fingernails. Â I spent my measly paychecks on top ramen, cheap flip flops and manic panic. Â My life was late nights on the Sunset Blvd with no car. Aum was the beginning and ending of every mantra I'd whisper walking 3 miles to and from work.
San Francisco has been wrought with lots of emotions and the past 7 years have warranted a marker, to remember things, but none big enough for me to want to get more ink. Â I had told my family and others that I was done. No more. Â Until the end of last year where I had started to think about it again. Â
Ken sat down and asked me what I did for a living and I told him I had just gotten laid off. Â He apologized but I told him not to, it was all good.
In my teens I picked up a book by Erika Lopez that changed my life and let me know that I too, a messy girl from NJ, could be interesting, funny and awesome. Â Towards the end of the novel, she had arrived in San Francisco and had found somewhere to settle for awhile and do art.
See awesome pic of her artwork I had done on my left arm from her book "Flaming Iguanas".
Ken wasn't talky and I liked that since I didn't feel very talky. Â He was quick and asked every couple of minutes if I was doing ok.
To which I replied, "I'm doing fantastic."
la la la.
I got my double rooks pierced here a couple years ago at a different location that is now no longer.
Great service with free smiles. Â My rooks healed great. Â A bit on the expensive side but that's to be expected with piercing parlours in the City.
I plan on going here for all future piercings.
I live in Chicago and for the longest time had one piercer I'd always go to, but then he moved out of the country. I went to him because he was a piercing pioneer. He was up to date, and beyond, on piercing techniques, and would never EVER use externally threaded jewelry (which is a common, cheap and careless thing for many piercers to do). Â His piercing studio was full of crystals and other metaphysical items to really calm you down, you could see everything being sanitized, he would explain everything step-by-step to you, measure you with a ruler and dot you numerous times, and finally pierce you (always going away from the heart). If it wasn't perfect, he would take the jewelry out and do it all over again. Check-ups were always free and if an infection happened and the piercing closed, you could go back to him and he'd do it again, free of charge.
When he left, he didn't recommend any other place in Chicago to me, he recommended BrainDrops.
I had been there before to buy jewelry but never to be pierced and in all honesty, still haven't to this day. I have, however, had Paul (I believe it was), change a couple of new piercings for me and his demeanor is quite exact to the demeanor of my  ex-piercer. Only internally threaded jewelry is used and the whole vibe of the place really makes me feel comfortable. Everyone is super nice and very knowledgeable. The reason why I give it only four stars is purely because I think that some of the jewelry is a bit overpriced. I've seen jewelry similar to a lot of the antique replica's they have at many other places for much cheaper, and so usually I won't buy that kind of jewelry there anymore. Though, in fairness, they do have the best selection (closely followed by Cold Steel down at the other end of the upper haight) of bone, wood and tribal/antique earrings.
Braindrops will always be my first choice of piercing studios.
PAUL IS AMAZING!!!
I was just in Braindrops on Valentines Day giving myself the gift of dermal anchors. Paul was so sweet and very calm. He explained the process very carefully.. told me the risks twice just to make sure that I knew what I was getting into since I was paying so much. Since he has such a soothing voice it was easy to relax as my head hung over the end of the table. He was very quick and it could have been a lot more painful then it was.
After all is said and done, I have 2 beautiful dermal anchors on the back of my neck that sit flush with my skin and are deep!!! Well not after screaming in pain... however I knew it was gonna hurt.
I have had no swelling, pus, redness or anything.. My neck looks like it's been pierced for years.
THANK YOU PAUL!!.. I'll see you in 4 weeks for my lower back anchors!
Oh yea and the boys at the counter were super fricken cute and really nice to me. Thanks boys!
I will never go anywhere but Braindrops for any of my piercings and if I ever decided to get a tattoo. I've been going here since they were doing piercings at the Hayes location. I've gotten my second cartilage, tongue, and anti-tragus all done here. Two with Paul and one with David if I remember correctly.
Paul's my absolute favorite. My friends and I tend to come for "piercing parties" which basically means 3 or 4 of us all getting something pierced. Every time I have watched Paul or had him pierce me he is always calm and makes the whole experience enjoyable. He makes sure you are relaxed and not overly anxious. He tells you to take a deep breath in and as you exhale, he pierces. Personally, I just look at his cute face and it eases the pain :]
But anyway, David is also really nice and makes the process as painless as possible, too. I've met the girl that works there as well and she is really friendly as well. All three of them are really gentle and know what they're doing.
The prices are a little steep, but I always convince myself that I'm paying for the cleanliness, professionalism, and expertise of Braindrops.
They were also really helpful when I needed some clear/less noticeable jewelry for an interview I had. I purchased a couple things from them and then had them change it out for me for $5. They are also really helpful about educating you on how to take clean and take care of your piercing to avoid infection.
I haven't gotten anything pierced in a little over a year.. hmm, time to go back!
Went here to get my double nostril piercing (as in two right next to each other) a few weeks ago and had a great experience.  The staff was very friendly and informative, the place looked pristinely clean and had a very soothing atmosphere.  David is  highly skilled in what he does and I'd recommend him to anyone.  I've had absolutely no trouble with my piercing and it's been healing wonderfully; no pain, swelling, nothing. Â
I ended up paying around $220, but only because I went for some pricier (but beautiful!) gold jewelry. Â This place may be more expensive than most, but it is top quality and in my opinion worth it. Â I'm thinking of getting some dermal anchors in my sternum sometime in the future and will probably go to Braindrops again.
So I was walking past Braindrops around 8ish last night, and I was in one of my moods. Â I felt like I'd been slogging along in my hum drum for far too long. Â Serving my time in Corporate America was getting me down. Â On a whim, I went in to see if I could get a needle stuck through me. Â Back in college, getting something shiny put through my skin cheered me up. Â Maybe it was still worth a shot.
The piercer guy had his jacket and bag on and was just heading out the door when I walked in asking if there was anyone around to poke a hole in my nose. Â Being the hella cool guy he is, he took off his gear, scrubbed up, and stayed long enough to embed some sweet jewelry in my schnoz.
He was far and away the best piercer I've been to (not that I've been to a million or anything - but to a couple in Berkley and in the UK). He had a steady hand and a reassuring way about him. Â The piercing is comfy and well placed and the jewelry seems like it's great quality.
So anyway. Â I also dyed my hair blood red. Â Now I have to go to work. Â I hope nobody freaks out. Â God I miss college.
I've been going to Braindrops since '04/'05 when the only location was over on Hayes and I have to say the piercers, tattoo artists and counter staff are AMAZING! They're friendly, caring, patient, warm and most importantly educated about their profession - not cold, careless and ignorant like a lot of the other piercing/tattoo shops I've been in around the Bay Area. Even when I come in to browse I've never been given the 'cold shoulder', I'm always acknowledged with a hello - even when it's busy.
The jewelry selection is top-notch, by far I'd say the best in the area hands down. Glass, stone, wood, horn, bone, ethnic/tribal, gold, titanium, etc. I'm also impressed that when I ask about a piece the staff can tell me who/where it's from.
The shop itself is well laid out, brightly lit and clean, clean, clean. The first time I came here I asked to see the autoclave and spore tests and guess what? No wishy-washy excuses or "I'm sorry I can't find/don't know where ... is," like other places (that I immediately ran far away from). Paul was more than happy to show me everything and even gave a tour of the shop. That  action alone was enough to make me a repeat customer.
I come here all the way from Redwood City every time I want something done. I'd been nearly everywhere up and down the Peninsula and SF and no shop I've been in compares to Braindrops. The trip is well worth it - plus it gives me an excuse to grab a bite to eat over at Rockin' Java, haha.
By looking at me you wouldn't readily think I've been to almost every tattoo and piercing parlor in the city. But I have. Â I must say the first thing I noticed about this crew that sets Braindrops apart from most other places of this ilk is their high level of customer service skills. You don't have to cause a scene to get their attention, they're readily available, they make good eye contact when they talk to you and knowledgeably answer questions without the you're so uncool because you don't look like we do attitude. Â
There's much to be said  for subtlety and this crew gets it. Â
The place is clean, welcoming, and friendly. They have a large stock of unique jewelry in a wide variety of materials and sizes.
Plus they have a killer mosaic at their front door threshold.
I had a great experience at Braindrops! I went in for two reasons: 1) to have old ear piercings made useable again after 10+ years of no earring action and 2) to have my original nose stud re-bent so that it actually fit in my nose. The staff was patient, generous, patient and fun to talk to!
I went in without an appointment and only had to wait a little while before I was seen. It was entertaining to see the tourists trying to talk them into piercing their underage daughter without ID and watching the front desk girl remind a woman 100 times that she wasn't supposed to touch any jewelry (she was so patient!). The standards here are high. It wasn't a bad wait at all.
The woman who helped me was extremely nice and helpful. I didn't know what needed to be done to my ears - she talked me through the process of figuring out whether they needed to be stretched or re-pierced. Luckily it was the former, which meant that I was only charged for the jewelry. I also wasn't charged for the tweaking of my nose stud, and she spent quite a bit of time on it. She kept going and going until it fit perfectly.
Basically, I had a bunch of work done and only ended up paying for the jewelry I came away with. And, of course, the generous tip I gave! I'd definitely go back again.
This is one of those places where coming in looking perfectly normal is a little intimidating, but as it turns out, the staff is knowledgable and helpful to the point of surprising.
Additionally, the jewelery selection is incredible and goes above and beyond what I've seen at ANY other place here in the city. These guys sell stuff that you just can't find elsewhere, and it makes me really happy because I love finding unique pieces like what they carry.
In short, Braindrops is fantastic in every way.
This review is 4 tattoos!!!
So Erin did some beautiful cherry blossoms around my arm last week and I absolutely love them...She added her own special touch to each one of the flowers which I admired and they turned out really pretty. I'd go back to her in a heartbeat...she is really sweet too...the first time I'd ever been tattooed be a chick and I must say it was pretty cool! lol but yeah if you're ever in the city and want a simple tat head to Erin...
Let's just be clear here. Â No one would ever look at me and think "urban hip". Â Most of my friends would even say I'm "not a city girl". Â So, I felt a little out of place driving from my suburban hillside pad to Haight Street, getting out of my yuppie-wagon, and walking into Braindrops with an oh-so-unhip Coach bag on my arm. Â But I'd waited 30+ years to pierce my ears, so I was not about to have it done by some 16-year-old at the local mall. Â
Paul and the folks at Braindrops made it all worthwhile. Â It was over $90 for a basic ear piercing + basic studs (quite a bit more than at the mall, I'm sure) but the whole experience was super-clean and very professional. Â It wasn't pain-free, but my friend/hand-holder carefully dug through the big jug of lollipops to find just the right treat for me. Â No extra charge for that. Â
I regret to tell Paul I'll not be back for stretching, but I will recommend Braindrops for anyone interested in that sort of thing.
I wish making an ass of myself was a marketable skill. Â I really do. Â I'd be set for life.
Last night I went to a show at Slim's with my cousin-slash-best-friend. Â On the drive home, at 12:30 in the morning, I turned to her and said:
"I think I'm going to get my nose pierced tomorrow."
I'd been thinking about it for a while, I just decided since I wasn't busy the next day I should just go do it. Â You know. Â Just cause. Â What more reason does a 21-year-old in this city need?
I did some perusing on Yelp this morning and was thoroughly impressed by Braindrops's near-perfect five-star average. Â THANKS GUYS!
So I rolled in about 2, told the receptionist what I wanted done, and in about fifteen minutes David met me and whisked me away to the back room. Â
Now I see the error of my ways. Â I've been to some pretty dingy piercing studios in the past back in my native San Jose. Â Braindrops is supremely clean and looks it. Â David did a fabulous job of walking me through the process and keeping me calm. Â One very short pinch and that was the end of that.
After it was over, he said, "That didn't hurt too much, right?"
"Yeah," I said. Â "It's never as bad as I think it's going to be. Â Besides, I've had worse."
And then the Dumb Gun went off in my head, and I decided to follow that up with,
"...in dirtier places."
What I meant was, in dirtier studios; dirtier facilities. Â In my younger and less wiser years, I got pierced at a pretty sketchy place, and it ended up getting REALLY infected shortly after.
That's what I meant. Â But it was clear from the way David stopped what he was doing and stared at me, one eyebrow raised, his gloved hand paused in midair, that that was not how he had interpreted it.
"I mean -- oh, god."
He knew what I meant. Â We laughed about it, he took me out front and I got all squared away on the cleaning process.
I usually assume that most places with five-star reviews are going to cost me a pretty penny. Â The most impressive thing about the place is that they do excellent work and keep their prices very reasonable. Â For the jewelry, the after-care kit and the service itself it added up to just under $50.
It's been about six hours since needle hit flesh and the swelling is gone; I can hardly feel it. Â I've had shots that hurt worse and for longer periods of time. Â That, my dear Yelpers, is a testament to David's true skill.
Before I go, I would also like to clear my conscience. Â There were signs everywhere encouraging people to tip. Â I didn't. Â I usually shy away from tipping because I have a learning disability when it comes to numbers and I have a really hard time calculating them. Â On top of that, I have no idea what a good tip would be for this service. Â I know how to tip a waiter or a hairdresser, but what do piercers expect? Â I should have probably just asked him because it's eating away at my conscience now. Â Either way, I feel really guilty about it and I hope he reads this.
I realized about an hour later that during the 'dirty' incident I stuck my foot in my mouth not once, but twice -- by saing "dirtier" I implied that their studio was qualitatively dirty to begin with. Â Which it isn't. Â And I feel bad about that, too. Â I'm probably not welcome back there at this point.
edit 5/23: If I could give this place six stars, I so would. Â This thing is healing supernaturally fast. Â I am over the moon about my new piercing. Â I couldn't ask for David to have done a better job.
I got my nose pierced here and Paul did a phenomenal job. I asked to get two holes side by side. He was honest and told me it was in my best interest to get one first and then wait to get the second. He was so great (and hot) that I went back to him to get the second.
When I had a bit of a reaction with my piercing, he was very helpful and told me exactly what I needed to do to get the sitch under control. I followed his instructions and now get complimented on my nose all the time!
As an individual who is very educated and fascinated in the body modification scene I highly recommend Braindrops to anyone who is either looking to get professionally pierced or tattooed or wanting to buy some new jewelry for your piercings.
First off, whats makes it an enjoyable experience is that it is located in my favorite area of San Francisco, which is the cultural Haight-Ashbury district.What makes any day of mine an exciting one is a hop on the 71 from downtown straight to Haight.
Braindrops has an extremely large collection of jewelry for any piercing of yours.Whether it is for your navel,lip, or a one-of-a-kind organic piece for your lobes.Yes, the prices are a little high, but really, you definitely get what you pay for.And especially if they are those beautiful, one of a kind hand carved in Asia, bloodwood plugs.
The people at Braindrops are very professional, knowledgeable, kind, and will always answer any of the questions thrown at them.So get over to the Haight and check them out, you wont regret it.
And be aware, their other location on Hayes will be very soon closing for good.So, the Haight location will be its main and only site.
I highly recommend Braindrops.
They've handled my ear-stretching project and my nostril piercing. Â The staff is really sweet, helpful, knowledgeable and relaxed. Â They take their time and don't pressure you into anything. Â Plus, they're lovely if you're nervous. Â After seeing lots of different places, I'm relieved to have found someplace with zero attitude.
The jewelery selection is also great. Â Lots of sizes and materials and colors. Â I've always found exactly what I'm looking for here. Â They're never out of my size or have to special order, they just have it. Â Sure, you'd pay more than you would online, but it's worth supporting your neighborhood piercing place.
I've also never had to wait; they handle walk-ins with no problem whatsoever. Â Excellent.
I'll trust them with any future work, absolutely.
1. The staff here has a refreshing lack of the usual more-modded-than-thou attitude -- everyone I've talked to behind the counter here has been friendly, helpful, and informative. Â
2. They have a gorgeous selection of jewelry. Â Prices are higher, but totally reasonable for the beautiful bone, horn, glass, wood, etc.
3. Paul  is super knowledgeable and radiates a zen-like calm... he's great (easy on the eyes, too!). Â
I went to him for my stretch from 2g to 0g, which we did in stages: he went in with a taper and told me that my ears were a little tight, and gave me the option of going straight to 0g (which would tear my lobes a little) or going to an intermediate '1'g size for a month. Â I appreciated having the option. Â I decided to go to the intermediate. Â A wonderful girl at the counter helped me pick out '1'g plugs and some really pretty 0g glass talons on which I put down a deposit. Â When I came back for my stretch to 0g, I was able to trade in the glass plugs for 1/2 the original price and put that towards the talons. Â Again, Paul did the stretch, and was gentle, calming, and sweet.
UPDATE 5/05/08: Up to 00g, and always excited to buy freakin' gorgeous, unique jewelry there!
I went two year summers ago now because I decided after many life changes I wanted instant big holes in my ear lobes for some pretty hematite and my nose re-holed too. The guys were very calming, everything was well-done and thoughtfully placed.
Only drawback was having to wait for help just about anytime I went in, even if there were only a person or two waiting. Sometimes you get the feeling on this coast that you have entered some kind of time warp and no one has anything else to do...ever. Or perhaps they are all metaphysical time benders or something. I mean a long, long time when I say I waited.
The jewelry, though very expensive, has long since come out. But overall if you must go get it done (as opposed to just doing it yourself like people did back in my early day), this was a good clean place with a beautiful selection of high priced stuff to stick through new holes.
I paid a lot of money for the piercer at Braindrops to stick needles through some very sensitive bits. Â At one point, I actually thought I was dying. Â Not in a euphemistic, "oh my God Becky, I was totally like *DYING* when I saw the hipster on the bus with acid-washed jeans!" Â No, I mean I really thought I was dying. Â And I was terribly ashamed that I hadn't worn clean underwear that day. Â Fortunately for me and my ugly chonies, I survived. Â
The piercer was calm and professional, and even snickered at my lowbrow jokes. Â It's been about six months, and my piercings have healed nicely thus far. Â If I had any extra body parts still in need of metal, I'd definitely be back in at Braindrops.
Braindrops provides a professional environment with an incredibly down-to-earth, comforting atmosphere. Â The staff is knowledgeable and so uberly friendly! Â Seriously, I've never felt so confident about the future of my piercings and yet was fully relaxed about getting body modifications and asking ridiculously stupid questions.
Excellent varied selection of jewelry in all kinds of metal, wood, stone, bone, etc. Â Some of the best choices I've seen in the city by far. (Oh and they have Yerba Mate tea in the waiting room too!)
Braindrops is one of the few places in the city that will do body modifications -- and Paul did an absolutely wonderful job on my dermal anchors. Â Unbelievably smooth!
Highly recommend them.
Just had Paul stretch all six of my ear holes to fit new jewelry, and I'm very happy with the experience.  He was very patient and soothing and all went very smoothly.  The place is clean and bright yet not spare or clinical, more like one of those stylish new boutique hotels in Playa Del Carmen with its open ceilings, tropical tile, and pan-cultural decorations.  I found the absolutely staggering selection of jewelry  -- from all over the world in all kinds of materials (intricately carved bone, vivid blown glass, solid gold, iridescent butterfly wing) -- very inspiring! Â
The counter help was also excellent; one lovely young woman patiently served all types of customers without an attitude, and did not appear to favor those who looked "cooler" as I have witnessed at other shops. Even though there were several people shopping at once, she definitely didn't rush anyone, not even the lookie-loos.
I also looked at the tattoo books while I was waiting and found Gordon's book particularly compelling. Â I can't wait to visit again!
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