While piercing guns are a very common practice in the US, there are many reasons why professional piercers recommend against them. The first being sterility. Most places that offer this form of piercing do not have an autoclave to sterilize between clients. Meaning the risk of infection is much higher due to cross contamination. Our tools are sterilized before and after every procedure and our staff has gone through in-depth blood borne pathogen and cross contamination classes to give you a safe and sterile environment.
Second is trauma to the tissue. When a piercing gun is used the slightly pointy jewelry is pushed through with sheer pressure. The actual jewelry is not sharp enough to puncture the skin without extreme force causing tears, excess scar tissue and sometimes permanent damage. piercing needles are hollow, single use and sharpened to precision to offer an easy glide through the tissue with minimal resistance and allowing room for the jewelry to be inserted. This makes the process much smoother and healthier for your tissue.
Third is precision. With piercing guns, it is simply an aim, shoot and hope you hit your mark. Whereas with needle in hand, we are able to be more precise and less likely to miss out marks and distort angles. More control=better outcome.
Lastly, I'd like to touch on the amount of knowledge our professional piercers have vs a person using a gun. We are constantly learning new techniques, attending and continuing educational classes and staying on top of CPR, Blood Borne Pathogens and First Aid training. We have years and years of collective knowledge to offer you the best and safest service possible. This is our career and passion not just something we do as a part time interest. We know needles can be scary. We will be patient and understanding and also give you the confidence to make it through the procedure with a smile on your face!