One of the first things you hear when you start getting piercings is to avoid piercings guns at all costs…. but why? What is so dangerous about something that is so commonly available? Well, there’s a few problems with piercing guns and some of them can cause surprisingly dangerous issues.
First of all, it’s virtually impossible to properly sterilize a piercing gun. Some of them are made of plastic, which would melt in an autoclave. Even metal ones are generally just wiped down after use – which is not enough to entirely prevent the spread of bloodborne pathogens and other nasties. Another problem with the actual gun is that it uses single-sized, standard post jewelry. These cannot be adjusted for size, meaning that if whatever you’re getting pierced is particularly thick or if you have a lot of post-piercing swelling, you may not have enough room to accommodate the swelling. If that happens, you may develop serious problems that require you to remove the jewelry. Also, this jewelry has a blunt post. A needle has a sharp point that slices right through the skin and cartilage, whereas a piercing gun uses blunt force trauma on your body. This can actually cause your cartilage to shatter! Many mall-centric chains are now offering a variety of piercings and not just ears anymore. Shattered ear cartilage is bad enough without considering shattered nose cartilage.
Another issue with piercing guns would be the people who are wielding them. Frequently, these piercings are performed by people with a minimum of training. There is no standard requirement that piercers be trained on giving a straight piercing, on proper anatomy, or on proper sterile technique. That spur-of-the-moment gun piercing can turn into an infected, crooked nightmare. Professional piercers spend months and years working as apprentices, mastering their craft, getting certified on things like Bloodborne Pathogen training and human anatomy. You want to be pierced by someone who has devoted all this time to developing their skills and learning what anatomy can support which piercing. The thought of having your piercing done by someone who isn’t really trained and is wielding a potentially contaminated and definitely not sterile “gun” should terrify you. (And look, for a long time many people got their ears pierced at the mall because that was the only place to go, and it was totally normal. Leaded gas and asbestos ceilings were also normal at one time. We’ve evolved since then, and there are piercing studios in many, many locations now. Let’s all just move into the modern age and leave gun piercings in the past where they belong.)
This leads to another issue with getting pierced at the mall – if you develop issues with your piercing afterwards, you are unlikely to find much help from your piercer. Going to an APP piercer means that if for some reason problems arise, you have a trained professional who can help you with your problems. It also means you’re most likely going to receive a straight, properly performed piercing that suits your anatomy. They spend months-to-years learning things like sterile techniques, which jewelry is appropriate for which piercing, and repeatedly performing piercings until they can do them perfectly. If you happen to be offered a gun piercing at a piercing shop, you should decline the offer and leave.
Piercing guns are the recipient of much hatred and disgust within the piercing community – and with good reason. If you want your piercing to look proper, it has to be properly done by a professional. And that means getting pierced by a needle. (If you simply can’t bear the thought of needles, Body Candy has lots of clip-on options for various piercings!) Be safe, say “no” to the gun, and happy piercing!
