Piercings FAQ

Piercings are fast becoming one of the most popular forms of body art in the world. But with the cool look of piercings also comes the responsibility of knowing what you’re actually doing to your body. Here we answer some of the most frequently asked questions that you might have about piercings.

Piercings FAQ #1: How do I choose a piercing artist?

The first thing you want to do is visit the studio or shop where the piercing artist works. This should not be the day you get your piercing done. You want to go beforehand and be able to check out some of their work. Maybe talk to some previous customers. It’s likely the artist doing the piercings has a portfolio for you to look at.

While you are there, take a good look at the studio. Is it clean? Are the instruments sterilized? Are disposal items like gauze pads and needles actually disposed? Make sure that the artist is willing and able to answer all your questions. Don’t forget that you’re the one getting pierced.

Piercings FAQ #2: Should I go with a needle or a gun?

The needle gun was originally designed for assembly line ear piercings done in places like the mall and is therefore not appropriate for other types of piercings. But even with strictly ear piercing work, it’s not entirely safe. Many of the older piercing guns are made of plastic. Plastic is near impossible to sterilize all the way. So even if the ear stud is sterile the actual mechanism isn’t---meaning you’re screwed!

And remember that an ear stud in a piercing machine takes out a huge chunk of tissue with its work. (It’s got gun in the title—so that should tell you something) A needle is much easier on the tissue and usually leads to less scarring and migration of the piercing.

Piercings FAQ #3: Do they hurt?

A subjective question deserves a subjective answer. Yeah, piercings sort of hurt. But it’s more discomfort than pain and a good artist who’s done a ton of piercings should take no more than a second to actually complete the piercing process. (Obviously some areas of the body are more sensitive than others.)

There are things you can do to make the piercing experience more pleasant. It’s typical boring stuff, but it really works: get lots of sleep, eat a good meal (empty stomachs can lead to fainting), don’t drink caffeine, don’t drink alcohol (thins your blood), and if you can-relax. Breathing exercises work really well, and a good piercing artist will actually work with your breathing pattern to make sure they do the piercing on an exhalation.

Of course if you want to learn more about piercings check out the rest of rankmytattoo.com. Piercings are cool…and they’re even cooler when you do them safely.