PETALING JAYA, Dec 10 — Ronny Lai didn’t know the first thing about body piercings when he first started in 2002.

He spent more than a decade learning about the art form from his mentor Spec Ung, who would later become his future boss and a friend for life.

The body piercing veteran now has 17 years of experience under his belt and is the proud owner of a tattoo and body piercing studio in Subang, where human bodies transform into artistic canvases

Lai is passionate about helping his customers express themselves through various forms of piercings thanks to the lessons that he learnt from Ung, who is the studio’s founder.

 

 

"I was just a young punk in 2002 with nothing to do. At the time, I was just selling soft toys at a stall in a shopping mall and the hours were tiring

"I had zero knowledge and no prior interest in tattoos or piercings at the beginning. I couldn’t even speak English properly and I was a typical ‘ah beng’,” Lai told Malay Mail.

His mother initially expressed concern that Lai wouldn’t be able to support himself in this line of work, but Lai bit the bullet anyway and dove straight into sharpening his piercing skills.

"My first ever piercing was done on my mentor Spec’s arm and that’s how I got my start in the industry.

"I remember when I did the piercing, I got such an adrenaline rush and that’s why I still love doing it to this day.”

Carrying a legacy forward

It’s easy to see the impact that Ung had on Lai, who took on the studio after Ung passed away from lung cancer in 2016.

A selection of jewellery customers can choose for their piercing. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Lai described their relationship as similar to those seen between an apprentice and a sifu in Chinese martial art films.  

"I had a master who guided me and I am now carrying on his legacy.  

"If it wasn’t for Spec, I wouldn’t be who I am today,” he said as he prepared tools for an upcoming piercing appointment.

Getting a piercing at Spec Body Art starts with a consultation where Lai double-checks that a customer is capable of taking care of a piercing, adding that a piercing that takes eight seconds to complete can take up to eight months to heal.

He strongly believes in service, education, and aftercare and always ask customers if they were ready to take on the responsibility of looking after their piercing throughout the whole recovery period.

"We are not like car salesmen, we cannot push people to get a piercing if they are not truly prepared to look after it.”

Lai works on an industrial piercing for a customer. — Picture by Choo Choy May

These values were imbued in Lai thanks to his time with Ung, who not only taught him to excel at his art but encouraged him to chase his dreams.

"Until today, I still remember how Spec let me pierce his hand when I did my first ever piercing. He always told me not to give up.  

"We went through a lot of hard times together, but no matter how difficult things were, we persevered.

"All my achievements are not for me, it’s for Spec Body Art. When I’m not around, I want the next person who runs the shop to feel proud to be part of our family.”

While Lai admitted that being a body piercer wouldn’t bring him riches, he finds fulfilment in looking after his employees in the same way that Ung looked after him when he first started.

"Spec always taught me to treat our crew like family instead of employees.

"I’m not a business-savvy guy but I do my piercings with love and honesty, and that’s why our customers keep coming back.”

The evolution of Malaysian body piercings

When asked what sort of piercings were most popular amongst Malaysians, Lai said that ear and nose piercings were coming back into vogue amongst his mostly urban, millennial clientele.

A customer poses with his newly-completed industrial piercing, which involves two pierced holes connected with a single piece of jewellery. — Picture by Choo Choy May

"Belly piercings used to be really popular in the early 2000s when I first started out.

"Now it’s all about the ears and the nose. Septum piercings are especially popular because you have the option to hide the jewellery.  

"People here also get genital piercings, either to enhance their sex lives or as a form of self-expression.”

He added that such piercings are equally popular among Malaysian men and women.

Lai, who has a split tongue and a silicone implant shaped like a power button on his left hand, now has his heart set on learning methods of body modification.

He’s committed to lifelong learning and hopes to find new ways to allow Malaysians to express themselves through body art.

"As long as you keep learning, you’ll find solutions to your problems and become better at what you do.

"The truth is, this industry cannot make your rich. You won’t be able to drive a fancy car if you work as a body piercer or tattoo artist, but you shouldn’t be aiming for that.

"If you love what you do, you’ll be able to withstand any challenge no matter how hard it may be.”

For more pictures of Ronny’s work, check out Spec Body Art’s Instagram.