Ear Piercing Gun

The Ear Piercing Gun

We do not perform any piercing in our studio with an Ear Piercing Gun. This is for several reasons including hygiene and suitability. Firstly a gun cannot be sterilised in an autoclave in between customers. This can lead to cross infection from one person to others exposed to the same gun. The main risk is from hepatitis which is much longer lived outside the body than, for example, the AIDS virus and also much more contagious and more prevalent in our society.

The general consensus among experts is that jewellery used in ear piercing guns is incompatible with good body piercing, being in most cases too thin, too short, too tight and of inferior metal (stainless steel, silver, 9ct gold plate etc.). All of these can have serious implications for the success and healing of your piercing. Nickel allergies are common with piercings performed with this jewellery. The closure of the jewellery, normally a butterfly clip usually pinches tight preventing the natural swelling that occurs in some new piercings. This can cause the jewellery to reject or even imbed into the flesh. I once saw a tragus that had been pierced with a gun on a market stall(!) with the result that the stud and fastener were so far imbedded in the ear that only a tiny circle of gold was visible where the very top of the stud was showing through the skin. The unfortunate victim had to go to casualty to have the stud removed and antibiotics to treat the subsequent infection.

The piercing itself is actually worse and often more painful too as the stud itself is the piercing implement. These studs are not as sharp as the piercing needles that we use and have to force their way through the flesh, resulting in more damage to the surrounding tissue/cartilage. Ear rim and nostril piercings performed with the gun are far more prone to unsightly scar formation than those done with a proper piercing needle, performed by a professional piercer.

There will always be people who are prepared to risk their health and enjoyment for the sake of a few pounds difference in price. Where ever you decide to get pierced, please make a wise and informed decision.

For more details and professional opinions on this matter please check these articles:

http://tattoo.about.com/cs/psafety/a/piercing_guns.htm

http://faqs.cs.uu.nl/na-dir/bodyart/piercing-faq/getting-new-pierce.html

http://www.safepiercing.org/FAQ.html

http://stason.org/TULARC/art/body-art/piercing/3-3-Ear-Piercing-Gun.html

If you use a search engine to look for 'piercing gun faq' you will find plenty more too!