Trinity Kesterke

Piercing Expert

Trinity Kesterke is a professional piercer based in Temecula, CA. With over 9 years of experience, Trinity specializes in maximal ear curations and is the owner of AVA Piercing which opened in 2020. She is passionate about piercing education and is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP), attending the annual educational conference and maintaining membership status for her entire staff. In addition, Trinity is passionate about jewelry design and has helped create a variety of designs with BVLA. AVA Piercing strives to provide the highest quality, ethical jewelry, promote a fully inclusive environment, and utilizes a single use studio for the most comfortable, clean piercing experience.

Education

Applied Jewelry Professional, GIA
AS, Cape Fear Community College

Professional Achievements

Collaborated with several fine body jewelry companies and serves on multiple professional teams, helping to highlight and promote high-quality, ethically made designs
Insights on professional piercing and studio operations have been featured in interviews such as SD Voyager
Dedicated to ongoing education, attending the annual Association of Professional Piercers (APP) Conference each year to stay at the forefront of safety standards, materials science, and client care
Continues to advocate for safe, inclusive, and elevated piercing experiences through AVA Piercing

Certifications & Organizations

Member, Association of Professional Piercers (APP)
Bloodborne Pathogens Certification (renewed annually)
First Aid & CPR Certified

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Forum Comments (1)

What do I need to know before getting a septum piercing?

A septum piercing goes in the sweet spot in between your nostrils in the center part of your nose. Basically, the septum piercing goes through a thin section of connective tissue in that area that has a lot of blood circulation, with edges that are mucous membrane. So, those three elements of thin tissue, high blood flow, and mucous membrane mean that that area heals really quickly. It's also a very easy piercing to get done. A lot of people think that they're more painful than a nostril piercing initially, and then after getting them done, a lot of people find that they're less painful than nostril piercings, and again, they heal easily. My aftercare instructions for them are minimal compared to other piercings, because it's really, really hard not to heal a septum piercing if it's done right.

That said, it's one that a lot of piercers don’t love to do. Even really good piercers can have trouble with them a lot of the time, because getting the piercing to line up straight with the ridges on the inside of your nose, the possibility of potential deviation, and locating that sweet spot can be challenging. However, it’s personally one of my favorite piercings to do. I think they're really easy to do, they're really fun to do, and they're really rewarding. They can be flipped up, so basically, if you start off with a style of jewelry called a circular barbell, which is going to be like a little C-shape with the balls on the end, immediately after getting pierced, you can tuck it into your nose and hide it. So, I think a lot of people get those when they can't have them for work or want to hide them for various reasons. You just want to keep it up for the initial healing, otherwise, the motion from up to down is going to cause complications. Then again, I always recommend checking out safepiercing.org to make sure that you're going to someone who is going to give you a straight septum piercing in the sweet spot and not in a much more painful piercing in the cartilage.

Co-authored Articles (9)

Is the Right Ear the “Gay Ear” for Piercings? Your Questions Answered

Learn about the meaning & history of the right ear piercingThese days, having your right ear pierced wouldn’t cause anyone to bat an eye, but it wasn’t always this way. Piercings have been in vogue for thousands of y...

The Different Types of Navel Piercings, Explained (Plus, Aftercare Tips)

Find your next piercing with this expert-backed guideBelly button piercings (also called navel piercings) are one of the most popular body piercings to get: they’re a classic style and can be customized with all differ...

10 Different Types of Eyebrow Piercings

An expert-backed guide to the most popular eyebrow piercings and their variationsEyebrow piercings are a cool, fun way to change up your look. And with so many variations, you can customize your piercing to perfectly sui...

The Ultimate Guide to Tongue Piercings: Healing, Cost, & More

Explore web piercings, double tongue piercings, & other popular typesInterested in getting a tongue piercing, but not sure which type to go for? You’ve come to the right place! With the help of piercing experts, we’v...

How to

Clean Navel Piercings

Keeping your navel piercing clean is essential if you want it to heal quickly and avoid infection. The cleaning process only requires a few minutes out of your day and will ensure that your piercing looks good in the mon...

How to Stretch & Care for Your Septum Piercing: A Complete Guide

Learn how long to wait between septum stretchesMany people love the look of thick, heavy jewelry in their septum piercings, but to get your piercing large enough to fit bigger jewelry, you have to stretch it first. Stret...

Is the Frog Eyes Piercing Safe to Get?

Learn about the pros & cons of the frog eyes tongue piercingThe frog eyes piercing is a trendy tongue piercing that’s placed horizontally through the middle of your tongue. But, is it actually safe to get? Unfortunatel...

The Ultimate Guide to Getting a Septril Piercing

Plus, expert advice on how to care for your new nose piercingIf you’re searching for a striking and unique piercing, the septril piercing is a great choice. This nose piercing is placed just below the tip of the nose a...

Everything You Need to Know About Getting a Nape Piercing

Expert advice on how to get & care for nape piercingsIf you’re interested in getting a unique and edgy piercing, a nape piercing is an excellent choice. This is a type of surface piercing that’s placed on the back of...