The story behind the name is that initially, the studio was going to be called Pagan's, but I felt it might give the wrong impression due to the many misconceptions surrounding the word' Pagan'. So, the woman I was seeing at the time, Anna, looked up the definition in the Dictionary, and it said, "To believe something is Axiomatic." After looking up the meaning of Axiom, I knew I had the correct name.

The Oxford Companion to the English Language, © Tom McArthur 1992, defines Axiom as, "[15c: from Latin axioma, Greek axioma something worthy or appropriate]. (1) A generally accepted principle or rule, especially when framed as a brief statement; a self-evident truth considered to require no proof: What goes up must come down. Compare Truism. (2) In logic, mathematics, and sometimes linguistics, a proposition is assumed without the provision of proof, for the sake of studying the consequences that follow from it. In the linguistic theory of Noam Chomsky, it is axiomatic that a language consists of an indefinite number of grammatically well-formed sentences. Compare Premiss/Premise. See Logic, Saying. [Language]."

The business name was first coined when I was piercing at Creative Images, but I didn't use it until The Axiom opened its doors on March 28, 1995. This was at the old location of 412 1/2 E. 5th in Des Moines. In case you're wondering, the first piercing was a nostril, about 20 minutes after we opened. I moved the Axiom and began sharing space with the Skin Kitchen in October of 1999. The Axiom is a separate business from the Skin Kitchen. We only share the address and sometimes office supplies. For more information on the Axiom, go to The Axiom History Page. To avoid confusion, The Axiom uses the Est. 1994, which is when I first started sub-contracting as a piercer at Creative Images.

It is always best to set up an appointment, especially if you are on a tight schedule. To do that, go to our Booking Page.

We will try to accommodate walk-ins when possible, but please understand that scheduled appointments will take priority over those who arrive without an appointment. Meaning, if we have an appointment at 6 pm and 6:30 pm, and you arrive at 5:45 pm, you will have to wait until both of the other appointments are completed. So, it might not be until after 7 pm that we will be able to get to your piercing.

The regular Business hours are located at the bottom of the page. Thursday through Monday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. We are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, as well as on the following holidays: July 4th, Thanksgiving Day, December 24 and 25, and December 31 and January 1.

For additional schedule changes, go to the Updates page.

The Axiom shares space with Skin Kitchen Tattoo at 3800 Douglas Ave / Des Moines, Iowa 50310, which is located in Beaverdale on the Southwest corner of 38th Street and Douglas Ave.

Our piercing area is located in a separate room with a door. The only people allowed in the piercing area are staff, clients, and up to two individuals accompanying the client and wishing to be present in the room.

Yes, you are welcome to stop by and visit in advance of getting your piercing. If you would like a consultation on the piercing, please ask for DaVo. As soon as I'm free, I'll be happy to provide you with as much information as I can. You can even set up a 15-minute consultation appointment by going to our Booking Page

Yes, please, by all means, if you feel that you had a great experience, then tip your piercer. Understand that piercers do not rely on tips for their income like many in the service industry. A tip is a gift.

I feel that our prices are not only fair but also affordable. I have noticed that there is an increasing number of studios in the area that are charging significantly more. Often, they will justify this by stating that they have high-quality jewelry or that they are a member of a professional piercing association. So, higher prices do not always mean better piercings.

Also, always ask if the price you are being quoted includes the cost of the jewelry. Many studios will use the "Bait and Switch" technique. Quoting a price on the phone or through e-mail, and then once you get there, it's a substantial additional cost for jewelry.  I had a recent client who was quoted $60 for a piercing, but when it was all done, the total came to $240.

Now, there is value in the art. Suppose you're wondering why all my piercings aren't $25. In that case, it's because of my experience, the quality of the jewelry I stock, and the additional overhead involved in ensuring that your piercing is performed well and with the least amount of risk. This is also cause I'm good at what I do, and you get what you pay for.

Remember, this is your body, and you only get one of them. If your health and well-being are important to you, the price shouldn't be as much of a consideration as the experience of the piercer and the quality of the jewelry they stock.

When it comes to getting a piercing, you should always consider the experience of the person doing the piercing and not the price.

No, we will change your jewelry free of charge, regardless of where you purchased the jewelry. We may refuse to put low-quality or improper jewelry in your piercing, though.

No, we do not charge to remove jewelry from piercings. However, when removing jewelry from single-point piercings and surface-to-surface piercings, such as dermal implants and microdermals, we charge $20.

The Body Piercing & Tattooing channel is a YouTube Channel started by DaVo(Axiom Body Piercing) & Jack Lowe(Skin Kitchen Tattoo in January of 2018. The idea behind the channel was to create educational content about body piercing and tattooing. Currently, the channel features four weekly series: Body Piercing Basics, Pros & Cons by a Piercer, Q&A in the Kitchen Podcast, and Studio Update.

For additional information, go to the channel's website - https://bptchannel.com/