piercing guns: just say no!
Our opinion is that piercing guns should never be used. Lobes are the only piercings that should be done with a gun, but preferably with a needle. More information below:
quick facts
1.Lobes are the only piercings that should be pierced with a gun, but it is still preferably pierced with a needle.
2.piercing guns cause excess scar tissue.
3.a piercing gun cannot be sterilised.
4.using a gun can cause misaligned piercings.
5.Guns Can be difficult to heal and cause other problems.
6.Jewellery with guns are made with cheap materials, a lot of people are allergic to them.
7.Jewellery used with a gun leaves no room for swelling.
8.The butterfly backing is perfect for trapping microorganisms, leading to infections.
swelling
When the earring is inserted the back of the earring leaves little room for swelling (even lobes can swell) which can lead to the jewellery being imbedded in your skin which could result in having to have them surgically removed.
jewellery
The butterfly backing is a perfect design to trap bacteria, dirt and hair close to and on your piercing leading to infection. The studs used in guns are made with very cheap material that is unsuitable for a healthy piercing. 15% of people are allergic to the nickel material that the studs are made of. The best material to use is titanium which contains no nickel at all. Piercers using a needle will use jewellery that is easy to clean and doesn't have the same problem.
scar tissue
Piercing using a gun causes excess scar tissue. This happens because the skin is punctured by blunt force. Instead of a sharp needle piercing your skin quickly with a small slit, the studs used in guns have a blunt end. The stud is forced through the lobe which can lead to an infection by taking all the microorganisms living on your lobe inside your ear.
lobes only
If a gun has to be used, they must only be used on lobes. Even the manufacturers who make them say that it’s dangerous to use them to pierce anywhere else. Using them to pierce other body parts can lead to deformities and shattered cartilage. If someone offers to pierce you anywhere other than your ear lobe, then they obviously don’t know what they are doing.
sterilization
You cannot sterilise a piercing gun which means they can spread hepatitis and HIV. Wiping it down is not enough, which is why all proper piercing equipment is sterilised in an autoclave.
misalignment
Piercings made using a gun can often be misaligned. This is due to the way they are made. They are not a precision instrument. Piercings like this can be difficult to heal and may cause problems in the future. You may have been lucky and had a gun ear piercing and had no problems, but there are plenty of people out there that have.
So, next time you are passing a high street store offering a piercing service, think twice. Are they using a gun? Are they a professional piercing studio with properly trained, experienced staff with a local council certificate? Have they got a separate dedicated room, that isn't on the shop floor?