By Amy Taylor | August 19, 2021 | 0
Body piercing has been around for over 5,000 years. In recent years, piercing using a piercing gun has become very popular in places like shopping malls. Some people go so far as to order their own off the Internet and pierce at home. Despite its popularity and convenience, it’s not the best option for piercing. We will dive into the details of needle and gun piercing to show you why you should opt for traditional needle piercings.
Gun Piercing Isn’t Sterile
Even with a disposable cartridge, it’s possible for a piercing gun to harbor bacteria and body fluids. Piercing guns are made of plastic so you aren’t able to sterilize them in an autoclave because they would melt. You don’t want to risk getting a disease from a blood-borne pathogen left on a piercing gun or an infection from lingering bacteria.
When you get pierced with a needle, each needle is single-use, so you don’t risk getting someone else’s blood or bacteria in your piercing. Other piercing instruments are made of metal and sterilized using high-pressure steam in an autoclave so you can rest assured that everything is safe and clean.
Needle Piercing is Less Painful
When you get pierced with a piercing gun the studs used to pierce your ear are fairly blunt, which makes them more difficult to pierce your skin. Gun piercings on ear cartilage can even shatter the cartilage with the force of a blunt stud.
When you get pierced with a sterile piercing needle, the needle is sharp and hollow, allowing it to easily go through your tissue. Piercers have extensive training in piercing techniques, so they know how to avoid hitting nerves.
Needle Piercing Helps Avoid Infection
Piercing studs usually have butterfly backs that can harbor bacteria and cause infection. They aren’t always made of high-grade metal. Low-grade metal can cause your piercing to become infected, have an allergic reaction, or scar. When the blunt stud goes through your ear, the gun firmly pinches the back of the jewelry, holding it in place. However, it doesn’t allow proper airflow for the piercing to heal properly.
Most needle piercing jewelry is made of high-grade titanium or stainless steel to give you the best chance of not developing an infection or allergic reaction while your piercing heals. The jewelry is also designed to move so that bacteria doesn’t build up and give the piercing enough air to breathe so you can heal properly.
Gun Piercing Can Be Inaccurate
A piercing gun is hard to aim properly causing you to get uneven lobe holes or crooked piercings. If you’re getting a young child’s ears pierced, the gun is somewhat loud and can startle your child. This can cause the stud to get stuck halfway through. The gun will have to be co*cked again and the piercing redone, causing more pain, swelling, and risk of infection. Additionally, the training required for gun piercing isn’t nearly as thorough. So, the person performing your piercing may have as little as two weeks of training.
Needle piercing is much more accurate. Using a needle gives the piercer has more visibility of the area being pierced. Piercers also have extensive training in proper techniques.
Have questions about piercing? Our wonderful piercer, Peri, is now in the studio Wednesday through Saturday during our normal business hours. You can secure your piercing appointment online or in the studio. Come see her for your next beautiful bling and check her out on Instagram @piercedbyperi!
**DUE TO COVID-19***
*We are currently NOT doing any oral piercings or tooth gem procedures. Email us if you would like to be added to our list to be notified when we do begin again.
*Please be careful when taking off masks with new piercings. If your piercing gets snagged it can affect the healing time of your new piercing.
*Always wash your hands prior to cleaning your piercing. We advise cleaning twice a day. Do NOT over-irritate your piercings.
