Are Piercing Guns Safe?
If you've walked through a mall, you've seen the signs: free ear piercing with the purchase of earrings. Retail locations offering that incentive use piercing guns to get the job done, and although the guns have been around for a very long time, there are good reasons to avoid them.
A piercing gun looks like a handgun, but with a piercing apparatus at the end of its barrel. The front of the apparatus holds a stud earring and the back holds a clasp, usually a butterfly clip. The piercer places your earlobe into a slot between the two areas and pulls the trigger, pushing the shaft of the earring through your ear and into its clasp.
The piercing areas of older guns (with 100-percent reusable parts) were hopefully disinfected after each use, but plastic components made it impossible to insert the guns into an autoclave. This is the process that's required for sterilization, offering the highest level of decontamination. Contemporary guns have disposable piercing inserts, but even one-use pods don't eliminate all of the problems that can be caused by guns. Here are the six reasons to avoid being pierced with a piercing gun.
1. Risk of Infection and Disease Transmission
Disease transmission is possible even with disposable cartridges when the parts are used incorrectly or when the operator doesn't understand or follow standard hygiene practices. Body fluids or common bacteria could potentially become deposited onto any area of the piercing gun and then later transferred to another client.
2. We Don't All Have "Standard" Size Earlobes
Piercing guns use stud earrings of a standard length. People with thick earlobes may find that their new earrings are tight when lobes swell after piercing. They will have little to no post length to use for expansion to relieve the pressure.
A professional body piercer has access to many styles of initial jewelry that won't inhibit comfort or the healing process.
Piercing Guns Cause Blunt Force Trauma to EarlobesMost guns force blunt-ended studs through the tissue of your ears, a painful process that can cause damage. The shock isn't typically a huge issue for the lobes, but why risk it? A piercing professional will pierce you with razor-sharp hollow needles that pierce through areas quickly without damaging the surrounding tissue. This process is usually less painful than using a piercing gun.
Piercing guns should never be used to pierce any area of the body except an earlobe. Do not use them on the harder cartilage of the ear. Ear cartilage can be shattered by guns. Many states have enacted laws to prevent inappropriate use of piercing guns, but be alert: if you opt for a gun piercing, and the operator says it's okay to pierce other areas, leave.
3. Possible Lack of Piercer Training
People who have worked in retail establishments that use piercing guns often report they began to pierce after just a short amount of training, sometimes only a few hours. With that little training, how can piercers be aware of the sanitary precautions that must be followed to prevent contamination? Or how to instruct for proper aftercare?
4. Poor Quality Jewelry
Your first earrings should be made from a high-quality material that's suitable for new piercings. Some jewelry used in piercing is not ideal for healing and can create an irritation that leads to infection when exposed to the fluids that result from a piercing.
Most ear piercing retailers will probably use studs that are either stainless steel or stainless steel plated with nickel-free 24K gold. But gun supplies are sold cheaply all over the internet to anyone who wants to buy them, and not all ear stud contents are labeled. If you must be pierced with a piercing gun, verify that materials are safe.
Butterfly backs are standard piercing gun backs. Their many crevices and folds are perfect spots for fluids to accumulate and dry to a crusty mess—it's imperative to keep them clean. Remember that plain ball earrings are easier to keep clean than fussy designs.
Uneven PiercingsA professional body piercer is far more likely to give you even lobe holes than a person holding a piercing gun. Pros have the experience required to get it right, while guns aren't designed for top-notch accuracy, even in experienced hands.
Talk to a Professional Piercer
"Free" piercings can quickly become an expense if the site becomes infected. There are no guarantees when it comes to body and ear piercing, but a professional body piercer is trained to follow standard safety precautions and help you choose the best jewelry for your new look.
A pro's procedure might cost you a little more, but prices are usually not prohibitive. Talk to a professional piercer before you make the decision to use a piercing gun.
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