The Dangers of Piercing Guns
An ear piercing gun is a rather primitive devise that was designed to do only one type of piercing; an ear lobe.
Unfortunately, many uninformed wanna-be piercers seem to think these handy little things will do well on any body part that has two sides to it. By the same token, many uninformed piercers have been led to believe these are the most safe and least painful ways to have piercings done. In our experience, this is simply not the case. The following are just a few of the reasons piercing guns are unsafe and unethical.
1) Ear piercing guns are not sterile, nor have we found one that can be sterilized. This is extremely dangerous because fluid micro-spray (microscopic particles of tissue, blood, and other body fluids) will be present on the gun, and blood borne pathogens can easily be passed from person to person this way. We consider cleaning methods such as wiping with alcohol or bleach solution to be inadequate to insure that no disease can be transmitted to subsequent piercers. We feel all piercings must be done with a sterile piercing needle that is disposed of after each use in a sharps container, that disposable latex gloves must be worn, and all implements used (such as forceps) must be sterilized in an autoclave after each use.
2) Ear piercing guns are extremely traumatic on the body. They use a dull stud to rip through tissue. The result is a jagged and uneven hole which complicates healing. It is significantly less painful to have the piercing done with a piercing needle that was designed just for body piercing.
3) Ear piercing guns are inaccurate. They are loud and sudden, often causing the piercee to jerk back. This can result in the stud getting stuck half-way through, in which case it must be removed and then re-cocked in the gun (thus further contaminating the gun with body fluids) and shot back through the tender, bleeding tissue. The inaccuracy of piercing guns can be disastrous in piercings such as the nipple, or the navel where improper placement will result in scarring, and the body's rejection of the jewelry, if not worse. We feel it is absolutely vital that appropriately designed forceps be used in such piercings to insure a safe and proper piercing as well as a straight piercing. The forceps must be autoclaved after each use.
4) Ear piercing studs are terribly inappropriate for new piercings. They are most commonly made of very low quality metals, thus causing many piercee's allergic reactions. Most studs lack a long enough post to allow for swelling, so oxygen and circulation to the area are limited. A tight fitting stud is also a danger in that it doesn't allow the body to discharge fluids, and bacteria will become trapped inside the piercing thus causing infection. It can be very difficult to work any kind of cleaning solutions into such a tight opening. This is especially apparent when ear piercing studs are used to pierce ear cartilage or the nostril. In our experience we have found that the most suitable jewelry for body piercing is body jewelry. Body jewelry is made of high quality metals such as Surgical Grade Stainless Steel (316L), solid 14 carat or 18 carat Gold, Niobium, Titanium or Platinum. Jewelry that is made of Sterling Silver, or is Gold plated or Gold filled should never be worn in a still healing piercing. The jewelry should not have any sharp edges that would cut or irritate the tender tissue of a fresh piercing. Also, the jewelry should be of a large enough size to allow for proper cleaning.
If someone approaches you with a piercing gun, run away! You are much better off having your piercing done by a professional who is safe and ethical rather than place yourself in "The Dangers of Piercing Guns".
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