Lucky man: He gets paid to poke holes

KELVIN MUNENE aka Nesh is a 25-year-old body piercer who uses hands and needles to earn his daily bread. He had a chat with ESTHER DIANAH.

What is the nature of your work?

I do body piercing and tattoos. I pierce the tongue, nipples, ears, eyebrows, the navel, the nose and private parts of the body. I do it for both men and women, and that is how I earn my pay. Besides that, I also do body tattoos.

 How did you get into this line of work?

My mother had a cosmetic shop in 2013; she only pierced the ears. While in school I would pass by her shop and do the piercings, and that is where I learnt the art. After high school, I did a course in beauty therapy in Thika. I loved the way my mother did it, but unlike her, I explored other parts of the body as well.

 Who are your main clients?

Housewives, students, office women and many others. However, women are my most frequent customers. Men do come to get body piercing just like women, and the most common among them is the kuni piercing called ‘Prince Albert’.

 Which other piercing trends are common among your customers?

For ladies it is the nostril piercing, the tongue, Monroe (above the lip) and belly button (navel). The nostril is common because for many people it is a cultural aspect to pierce the nose, especially those from Hindu and Taita communities.

The tongue is common among youngsters because of peer pressure and for sexual purposes. For more intricate piercings like the nipples and lady ‘bean’, most of my clients are office ladies. I also run a mobile service so clients call me to different locations for.

 Of all these piercings, which one gives you the hardest time?

I don’t find any of them challenging. However, when I was starting, nipple and lady bean piercings were quite challenging. Watching someone strip naked was a bit difficult for me.

 Which piercing is your personal favourite?

I love the nostril and tongue piercings, they look good and the tongue one has another job! My wife actually has both piercings, which I did for her myself.

 What’s your worst experience with a client during a piercing session?

I encountered one client who was really scared; she panicked while I was halfway inserting the needle into her tongue. Thankfully I did not hang on to it tightly, otherwise I would have slit her tongue into two.

How do your clients deal with pain during the piercing or tattoo process?

Some people use substances like weed and alcohol to increase their ability to withstand pain.  However, it is not advisable to use substances as a way to numb pain. If you take alcohol before the piercing, it causes more bleeding. The bottom line is there is no remedy to withstand pain, people just need to be composed.

 Do piercings have side effects?

No. Unless one has some allergies or the piercer uses fake jewellery. The only jewellery that can be used without fear of side effects is original gold coated.

How much do you charge for piercings and tattoos?

Piercing the ears costs Sh500 and the nose between Sh500 and Sh1,500 depending on the quality of the rings used. The Monroe has a standard price of Sh1,000, the tongue between Sh1,500 to Sh2,000 shillings. If you use two rings, it will set you back Sh3,000 and the piercing is called venom. Piercing the private parts costs a bit more, with ladies paying Sh2,500 for their nipples, Sh3,500 for the bean and men paying Sh2,500 for the Prince Albert piercing. Tattoos range anywhere between Sh1,000 and Sh20,000 depending on the design.

 How did you land on Vulture’s Eye as a business name?

I wanted a name that is unique and explains the nature of my work. Vulture’s Eye is symbolic of the vulture’s ability to pierce into flesh of any kind.

 Can you dispel any myths about piercings and tattoos?

For one, society judges people with tattoos and piercings harshly. However, I disagree with the stereotype that people with tattoos and piercings are sluts. It is just a beauty choice. In fact, I have done very weird piercings on office ladies than on other ordinary folk.