Express Yourself Tattoos & Body Piercing — Local services in City of Lackawanna

I'm only giving this place 3 stars because when I went to get my piercing a few years ago, they were amazing. I went the other day to get my piercing changed, as well as another one they didn't pierce. I specifically asked for stainless steel because I had a MRI appointment coming up. I immediately got attitude about how I shouldn't leave any metal in because the MRI machine will pull out the metal. I said I understand that but I specifically asked the place who was going to do my MRI and explained to them I had piercings I couldn't just remove and replace on my own. I also explained how I would really just like the stainless steel (if they had it - which she never told me if they had or not), because I live 45 minutes away, and I didn't want to have to come back. Mind you, this whole time I'm trying to explain, she is talking over me and not listening, and once I mentioned I said I drove 45 minutes to do this (I know there are places closer, but, like I said, I had a pleasant experience the last time I went there), she had the nerve to say "well I drive 30 minutes to get here." At this point, I was appalled and disgusted, but was out of options because of the timing, so I just had her put the plastic in to keep the holes open. I won't be returning here to purchase or replace anymore of my jewelry. This girl was extremely rude and made me feel like because I wasn't all tattoed up (I have 8 by the way), or didn't have any visible body piercings that I shouldn't be in there. And if the business is reading this - stainless steel isn't magnetic. That's what they use for plates/screws/pins etc in people's bodies, and those obviously can't be removed before a MRI. Maybe if your employees actually listened instead of talking over your customers and acting rude and like she was better than me, your piercer would have learned something...

I do not recommend this shop for piercings.

Years ago, I got my Monroe piercing here and it became infected. I decided to give them another chance, assuming maybe it was something I had done wrong. This time, I went in for a nostril piercing.

I didn’t have an appointment, but they were accommodating and let me walk in. The woman at the counter was polite, though I had to ask for my credit card back, which felt a little careless. The piercing itself cost close to $100, which seemed steep given the very small stud I chose.

The piercer left me uneasy. He marked my nose, but the color was so faint I couldn’t even see where it was placed. As he prepared to pierce, he made an unprofessional comment: “You’re a nervous little girl, aren’t you?” I’m a 40-year-old woman, older than he was, and the remark was inappropriate and made me super uncomfortable!

Within a couple of weeks, I was in severe pain. The bar of the stud was so short that it pressed painfully into my nose, almost pushing through the skin. It had a flat back and left no room for swelling, which caused constant discomfort. Removing it was a nightmare! It hurt terribly, and I couldn’t understand why such poorly sized jewelry was chosen.

Could I have gone back for help? Maybe. But considering they caused the problem in the first place, I didn’t trust them to fix it.

Bottom line: I will never go here again for a piercing. If you want a safe, professional experience, I highly suggest finding a piercer who is skilled...

So I walked in to this shop and there was an artist in the front that didnt even speak when I walked in. He ignored me, went to the back and then a woman, Came to the front to talk to me. I asked her if there was anyone available to do a small tattoo. The same rude person from the front that didnt greet me reappeared to ask me what I wanted to have done. I pulled out a piece of paper with my husband's handwriting on it. Mind you, we have been married I have 2 tattoos already of his name. The man with a demon-gargoyle-skull tattoo on HIS NECK proceeded to tell me he wouldn't do my tattoo because he has done so many name cover ups. I showed him my other tattoos( just to prove a point) in which he says I'm not going to be able to convince him to do it regardless. I would have NEVER let him tattoo me even if I could have convinced him. He was extremely rude and the last thing he said was "I'm not going to tattoo something so bold on you" says the guy with the demon-gargoyle-skull combo as big as freaking day on his neck. The looks I was given while he spoke down to me as if he was my father were extremely disrespectful. To be a shop called "express yourself" but you wont let people "Express"themselves is insane. I should've asked him for the name of the artist that did the monstrosity on his neck, I bet he wouldve done my tattoo in a heartbeat. I went elsewhere and got the tattoo done. Dont go here unless you want to be shamed for...