Ear Piercing Gun image is public domain via Wikipedia
Mama Gets A Piercing
or Things About Piercing I Never Knew!
Mama needs a new pair of piercings
Recently I, a 40-something mommy of twin 4 yr olds, decided to visit a tattoo parlor.
No, I wasn’t there to get a ‘tat’ for myself. Instead, I visited for their other specialty: body piercing!
Just regular, run-of-the-mill earlobe piercings though. I’d been deprived of my earrings for a good while – 4 years, in fact – in fear that my twins would try to remove them the hard way, and in the meantime my piercing holes had closed up. Now, finally, my kids are (barely) civilized enough to not rip out my earrings, so I needed to get my ears re-done.
And apparently the only safe way to do that, according to my research, was at a tattoo parlor or piercing studio.
Having chosen to forgo the ol’ ‘sewing needle and ice-cube’ method that I employed with my 2nd attempt at piercing my ears back in ’94, I first googled for the nearest mall chain-jewelry store where they have young women, still in the first flush of college-hood, wielding piercing guns with a jaded air.
Surprising info about mall-style piercing guns
It was during my online search for such a place, that I stumbled across some disturbing information: piercing guns are the WORST way to get a piercing done. (followed closely by the sewing needle method)
According to the APP (Assoc. of Professional Piercers) the guns cause excessive and unnecessary damage to earlobes and cartilage, and despite claims of being sanitary because of the disposable cartridges used, they are not autoclaved. Autoclaving is the only reliable method of properly sanitizing surgical implements.
The problem of sanitation for cartridge-loaded mall-style piercing guns, is that they have ‘blowback’, the fine aerosolized spray of blood from the blunt force trauma of forcing the piercing through the flesh and cartilage, which stays on the gun and accumulates, user after user after user.
Such piercings are ripe for infections and contamination from blood-borne diseases.
Another problematic feature of the gun-piercings, according to Jorge, the pleasant young man at Jerzey Ink who performed my piercings one Saturday afternoon, is that the earrings themselves that are used with such guns have posts that are too short to allow for the initial swelling. This causes further tissue damage and makes it harder to keep the wound clean while it heals. The APP also concurs on this point, as well.
Jorge demonstrated with his lip piercing. Indeed the post was a bit longer than what had been used on my ears with my 1st piercing which had been with a mall gun back in ’85, and there was a fair bit of clearance between the skin surface and the post clasp.
Well, Jorge really knew his business, because my ears did initially swell a bit, but were still comfortable and had plenty of room to do so. The swelling quickly went down by the next day, and when it came time to clean the wounds, the longer bar did make it much easier than had been my previous experience using standard sized earrings with my first and second attempts at piercing.
While going over the aftercare instructions, Jorge also cautioned me against another thing that I had done in my previous piercings – using hydrogen peroxide to clean my ears. Apparently it’s not the best choice in preventing or treating an infection with the piercings. He persuaded me to instead try the piercing aftercare spray sold in his shop.
Since he was so knowledgeable, I decided to put myself in his hands and trust him. And after perusing the spray bottle’s list of ingredients, I was quite relieved to find that there were no toxic or carcinogenic ingredients, such as propylene glycol, sodium benzoate or other harmful things commonly found in commercial cosmetic products.
This wasn’t what I thought a tattoo parlor would be like
Jerzey Ink, located in Harrison, NJ was also a lot different from what I expected a tattoo parlor to be. It was bright, spacious, with the clean lines of the minimalist decor giving an air of competent professionalism to the place. In fact, the entire place was scrupulously clean. There were no offensive images decorating the place, and it rather resembled an upscale salon.
The staff there were friendly, helpful, respectful and very patient with all of my questions. They also took no offense at my questions regarding their sanitizing procedures and volunteered to show me their latest spore-count report for the autoclave. They have it inspected every month, and it gets broken down and reassembled every other month.
Aftermath
It’s now several months later, and despite a small setback wherein I learned that I had a metal allergy and had to resort to hypo-allergenic post-holders, my ears are healing nicely without any of the problems I had with my first two attempts at ear piercing.
And so far my twins, after initially requesting a closer look at my earrings (“We’ll be gentle Mama, we promise!”), have left my ears alone.
So, if you’re in the market to get yours or your child’s ears pierced, I strongly recommend that you visit the Assoc. of Professional Piercers’ website first, to learn more about how to have a safe piercing.
EasyAzon Plugin
Twitter: esther98
says:
My 10 year old recently had her ears pierced, but the healing process wasn’t what we expected it to be. Like you, she had a mild allergic reaction to metal. Her ears are fine with gold, but anything else makes them sore and bleed – not a great sight.
annelg recently posted..How To Paint A Room
Twitter: twiceblessdlife
says:
Ouch! I’m sorry to hear that your daughter had that experience!
I also tried gold and it worked at first – but since earring posts aren’t made from solid gold (metal too malleable) it’s usually mixed with something that might still set off an allergic reaction, or it’s gold-plated. The problem with gold-plated, is that eventually it’ll wear through to the underlying metal which could set off an allergic reaction.
Some people recommend surgical-grade stainless steel, or titanium or food-grade plastic.
I used Earrs Pierced Ear Protectors (food-grade plastic) that I just insert the post of my favorite earrings into – that way I don’t have to buy expensive special earrings which may or may not set off the allergic reaction.
Here’s where I get mine:
http://aaajewelry.com/HypoallergenicEarrings_Help.html
Pic of front of package:
http://aaajewelry.com/E%27arrs%20Pierced%20Ear%20Protectors.JPG
Pic of back of package:
http://aaajewelry.com/E%27arrs%20Pierced%20Ear%20Protectors.Lg..jpg
I hope things work out for your daughter.
-Lara
Twice Blessed Life recently posted..30 Meals In One Day Review & Giveaway
Twitter: BlazingMinds
says:
With any form of piercing, caution should always be taken, we all have different healing properties and some may be prone to infection more than others, luckily I’ve never had any issues with my piercings, but I have know others to have really bad allergic reactions.
Karen recently posted..How To Write a Twitter Bio That Gains You More Followers
Twitter: twiceblessdlife
says:
Hi Karen!
Thanks for reading my article on piercings. You’re absolutely right – caution should be taken when piercing.
And I liked your blog article on writing a Twitter bio! Very informative, thanks!
-Lara
Twice Blessed Life recently posted..I just got an article published online!!
I have not tried piercing and I am not planning of having one.
Noypi recently posted..Pacquiao vs Marquez 3 Live Stream Free | Ways to watch online
Twitter: twiceblessdlife
says:
Hi Noypi!
Thanks for reading my article and commenting
No, piercing isn’t for everyone. My mom made me wait until I was 17 the first time I had it done, to make sure I knew what I was getting into and wasn’t just wanting it done on a whim, and I decided I didn’t really want to be bothered with it within a few months afterwards anyway, so I let the holes close up.
Then, when I was 24, I thought I’d try it again, but due to metal allergies, it just didn’t work out – and back then, the internet wasn’t available to learn more about the allergies and how to manage them, so I didn’t mind so much when I couldn’t wear earrings when my kids were born.
Now 4 years later, and knowing about my allergies and how to deal with that, I’ve decided to go for it again, and I’m happy I did, but like I said, it’s not for everyone.
Lara N. recently posted..30 Meals In One Day Review & Giveaway
Twitter: jbc15
says:
Hi,
Yikes. Just thinking about getting something pierced gives me the willies especially with the health concerns. Tattoo parlors and nail places have popped up all over the place. A lot of the nail places have gotten into trouble because of unsanitary health practices. It seems the tattoo parlors are better health wise and they must be making good money because they are staying in business. Lots of piercing going on.
Thanks,
Jim
Jim Calaman recently posted..New Penny Stocks To Buy Now – Tips To Find New Penny Stocks Ready to Explode
Twitter: twiceblessdlife
says:
Hi Jim!
LOL! I know what you mean about the willies – I actually have a phobia about needles! But it doesn’t really hurt that much – kind of like a quick pinch if you’re getting your earlobes done. But yeah, the health concerns are nothing to sneeze at.
A lot of places that have the public trust that they’ll maintain a certain level of health and safety practices, have let us down. I heard that even the restaurant at the Ritz hotel in NY was supposedly the #2 worst health violation in the city!
And there are alot of horror stories out there about nail salons that I’ve heard.
I really recommend that someone check out the Assoc. of Professional Piercers (the link is in my article above) to find a local piercing studio that conforms to industry-recognized safety standards.
Lara N. recently posted..Buford, we jest cain’t have nice thangs!
Hygiene always concerns me when i get something done with needles or anything that pierces. It’s good to know that your piercing is doing well. I’m considering of getting a second one on my two earlobes and i’ll try to check that site you recommended.
Nikki recently posted..how to pick up women
Twitter: twiceblessdlife
says:
Hi Nikki!
I’m glad that my article was helpful! It’s always good to research carefully when undertaking any sort of body modification. Even henna ‘tattoos’, which aren’t done with a needle can be dangerous if the right materials are not used.
Have a great week!
-Lara
Lara N. recently posted..‘Tis The Season – Tips for making it jolly!
Twitter: troyp
says:
Natural Henna – the gateway drug of body modification.
I look back a few years when I found a good source of real henna and would draw henna tattoos on our whole family. I really shouldn’t be surprised that they both want tattoos; and I want more.
I haven’t been pierced, yet. Not sure that I’ll go that route. But you are so right to avoid the “gun” and get the piercing done right with the proper tools.
Troy recently posted..Key To Happiness | Workout And Send Romantic SMS
Twitter: mythuat24h
says:
With any form of piercing, caution should always be taken, we all have different healing properties and some may be prone to infection more than others.
Thanks for reading my article on piercings. You’re absolutely right, caution should be taken when piercing.
jnomanh recently posted..Nâng cấp mới trong Internet Download Manager 6.07 Build 2
Twitter: twiceblessdlife
says:
Hey jnomanh,
I’m a little concerned as your comment above is word-for-word cut and pasted from Karen’s comment above and my reply to her.
If you could make the effort to do all that cut and pasting, surely you could write some of your own words.
I visited your site and I see that it’s all in Vietnamese (?) so maybe English is a problem, but if you could fill out the response form to comment here, then you probably have enough English to make a proper comment. I don’t mind if it’s not perfect, as long as it’s real, but if you’re just trying to get a backlink, it really would be better if you could actually read and respond to the posts you’re commenting on.
Lara N. recently posted..I just got an article published online!!
Twitter: elayneangel
says:
Thanks for your informative article, Lara. Many people are unaware of the risks presented by ear stud guns. Additionally, there is a wide range of quality in piercing studios and the jewelry they stock, so you must be an educated consumer to get a safe piercing.
A great start is to look for a member of the Association of Professional Piercers. For those who desire additional information, the APP’s website FAQ contains a great start. Those who desire to learn about piercing in depth may want to read my book, The Piercing Bible–The Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing.
Elayne Angel
President, Association of Professional Piercers
http://www.safepiercing.org/
Twitter: twiceblessdlife
says:
Hi Elayne!
Thanks for stopping by and reading my article on piercing safety!
I used to be one of those people who were unaware of the risks of the piercing guns until I looked around the internet and found the APP’s website. Thank you again for including the link to that – the Assoc. of Professional Piercers offers a great resource to educate oneself before undertaking this proceedure.
-Lara
Lara N. recently posted..Buford, we jest cain’t have nice thangs!
Twitter: CPASiteSolution
says:
Never knew this. Thanks for sharing this as I will be a mother soon and will need to get some ears pierced for my kids
Now, I know which way to go..
Twitter: twiceblessdlife
says:
Hi Sue!
One of the things I immediately thought of, when I first found out this information, was the children that get their ears pierced – how many of them or their mothers knew about this? I don’t think many people are aware of all this!
I’m glad I could help point the way to a great resource to learn more! And congrats on your upcoming birth! I hope all goes well
And remember – get all the sleep you can now, because when the baby(ies) comes – sleep will be like a distant dream! (pun intended 
)
-Lara
Lara N. recently posted..I just got an article published online!!
Interesting stuff. You tend to think of a place like the mall as a place where they are bound by certain rules that would require piercers to follow specific safety procedures. Everyone goes to the mall, so they have to make it safe, right? But apparently not. Thanks for that eye-opener!
Norm recently posted..Incorporate Search Strategy into Your Firm’s CPA Website Design
Twitter: twiceblessdlife
says:
Hi Norm!
You’re absolutely right! I think most people do take it for granted that a certain standard of health and safety will be adhered to in such a public venue as a mall. But to my dismay, I found that it ‘ain’t necessarily so’.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
-Lara
Lara N. recently posted..Plenty of Twinnyness
Very informative post, I need to travel every now and then so i can’t afford to have those nasty infections.Thanks for sharing..
Liana recently posted..Ideas to Help the World updated Tue Sep 13 2011 12:27 am CDT
Twitter: twiceblessdlife
says:
Hi Liana!
Glad I could help out! And I hope you have very safe traveling
-Lara
Lara N. recently posted..A Birthday Fiasco
Omg i just pierced my ears like one hour ago. Since I got a very sensitive skin I can’t wear every earring I want. I’ve got a titanium earring now, and hoping my ear doesnt get infected!
Thanks for this great post.
kristeen recently posted..allrent
Twitter: twiceblessdlife
says:
Hi Kristeen!
I wish you a very speedy recovery for your piercing! I hope the titanium earring works out. That was another thing that I was never warned about, the first time I got my ears pierced at a mall – metal allergies! I had no idea about such things, and no idea what to do to fix the situation except let my piercings close up.
Now that I know, I could fix things up right away!
Have a great week – and don’t forget to keep up with the piercing aftercare regimen!
-Lara
Lara N. recently posted..Plenty of Twinnyness
Twitter: elayneangel
says:
I wanted to share this on a related and important subject:
Infant and Child Ear Piercing
From The Piercing Bible–The Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing
The debate about piercing the ears of infants and children has two principal elements: the philosophical considerations, which include ideas about cultural identity and ownership of the body, and the practical aspects. As examples of different philosophies about body modification, Western parents readily subject their own children to bands of metal that painfully force their teeth into new positions, but they shudder to see youth of the Matsés tribe of the Amazon sporting sticks through their pierced lips. Similarly, many people think nothing of circumcising a male baby but condemn practices like female genital cutting, or female circumcision, in which the external genitalia of an underage girl is altered, or partially or entirely removed, for cultural or religious reasons.
Every society has its own customs, standards of beauty, and marks of identity; they are part of the glue that holds groups together. Parents naturally want to adhere to established norms and create their children in their own image. Piercing the ears of young girls is a fairly established practice in the Western world, and some piercers are amenable—but no ethical piercer would consider piercing any other part of a youngster.
I will perform piercings only on individuals who specifically consent to the act and agree to comply with maintenance procedures during healing. Obviously, this includes declining to pierce babies or toddlers who are too young to grasp the situation—and all animals, of course. I will pierce the earlobes of a child who is old enough to knowingly make the request for it. He or she must also comprehend the need to keep dirty fingers away during healing and promise to abide by my instructions, usually with a parent’s help. Many of my colleagues share my standards, though some are more accommodating, and others even stricter.
If you decide to proceed with piercing the ears of your child who does not meet those common minimum requirements, one practical consideration is that you might find it difficult to locate a qualified piercer who is willing to do the job. You may be tempted to visit a jewelry kiosk or accessory store that uses an ear-piercing gun. Don’t. Your best option may be to seek a sympathetic pediatrician or dermatologist who is trained in ear piercing.
If you are interested in having your child’s ears pierced, consider the following practical matters.
• The risk of infection is high if your child is not old enough to refrain from touching the piercings, either because she is too young to understand the instructions or she does not yet have the self-discipline.
• A piercing positioned in the center of your baby’s earlobes sometimes ends up being too low or close to her face when she’s grown.
• Established earlobe piercings seldom close completely, and they do leave a permanent mark (however small) if abandoned later.
• Doctors blame the rise in nickel allergies on the popularity of ear piercings done with inferior-quality jewelry. Once they have developed, these allergies may be severe and lifelong. For more information, see “Dermatitis,” page 212.
Elayne Angel
Twitter: twiceblessdlife
says:
Hi Elayne!
Thanks for following up with this article! I really appreciate your comments, especially the information on child/infant piercing that you’ve just presented.
You make some valid points – both about cultural relativity, and about the special health concerns/risks that child & infant piercing entail.
Thank you for stopping by to help out on this issue
-Lara
Lara N. recently posted..What color is your parent-chute?
I think the piercing and tattoos are very cool! But until now I have a phobia of needles even though many people say it does not hurt.
Twitter: twiceblessdlife
says:
Hi Romeo!
You’re not alone in your phobia of needles! I’ve got that too, especially ones from the doctor or dentist!
But a simple earlobe piercing isn’t that painful, just a quick pinch and it’s over if you get it done at a reputable piercing studio. The gun piercings are more painful.
-Lara
Lara N. recently posted..What color is your parent-chute?
Several times I wanted to try it, but I always assume it’s pain!
Twitter: twiceblessdlife
says:
Hi Garry!
Nope, if it’s done right, and it’s just the earlobe, it’s not that painful at all – just a quick pinch and it’s over with. It hurts worse to stub your toe on the coffee table
-Lara
Lara N. recently posted..What color is your parent-chute?
My younger sister is going to be getting her ears peirced for the first time. After reading this article I forwarded this article to her email so she could read it. Thanks!
Cheyenne recently posted..Shopping with Coupons!
Twitter: twiceblessdlife
says:
Hi Cheyeene!
I’m so glad you could get this information to your sister before she had her piercings done! It’s always best to be able to make informed decisions
I hope all goes well with your sister.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
-Lara
Lara N. recently posted..You know you’re a tired mama when…
Twitter: twiceblessdlife
says:
OMG! I’m so sorry Cheyenne! I mis-spelled your name in my reply above. I must be tireder than I thought! Sorry about that!
-Lara
Lara N. recently posted..You know you’re a tired mama when…
Twitter: Ileane
says:
Lara, I tried to hold out as long as possible on getting my daughters ears pierced. When she was about 10 years old she came home from a trip to the mall with her unsuspecting Dad with her ears pierced. I was fuming, but most kids have them done before they turn 1 so I let it go. Unfortunately, she ended up with metal allergies like you and swollen ears for a few weeks and of course I was able to convince her that Mommy knows best. HA!
Ileane recently posted..Thesis Awesome Blogskin Black Friday Sale
Twitter: jerzeyink
says:
Hi Lara,
Funny how I fell into this article. Wasn’t even looking for it. But nonetheless, I clearly remember the day you stopped by my shop, Jerzey Ink (Harrison, NJ). You were very informative and did your homework. Im glad you had a great experience with us and pride ourselves on making that happen with everyone.
I would like to chime in, if I could, about baby/child ear piercings and ear/nose piercings. Most piercing “guns” are usually made of plastic and some metal and are unable to be properly sterilized in an autoclave and ultrasonic. Most barely get a pass w/ some rubbing alcohol. We, on the other hand, only use sterilized surgical steel or titanium needles and jewelry. Most of our products come pre-sterilized but we take no chances and sterilize everything ourselves once we receive them, just for our safety and piece of mind. Furthermore, as you previously stated, we do spore tests monthly and post our results. Once in a while, it does fail, and that’s when we do a total breakdown of our autoclave and the whole clean room in general, and sterilize everything by hand and do another spore test to see if we pass. We will not use anything until we receive our results and it says we passed.
We do lots of baby/children ear piercings. But trying to teach the public is a huge hurdle. None the less, when we do have their ear, they tend to understand and agree. I’m very pleased to see someone else, not in the industry, carry the torch. Can’t begin to tell you how many people have come to us w/ horrible stories of getting their ears pierced by a “gun” and the plated jewelry that they usually use. Not only are there allergic reactions but, we’ve seen countless infections and permanent scarring. People don’t understand that unless something is properly sterilized, then disease, blood, infections are what’s waiting for you. Hep B and C are very prevalent, so don’t think it can’t happen to you, or worse, your baby/child. Im not trying to scare anyone, more trying to inform! Same goes for the nose!
Wherever you go, do as Lara, and ask to see the autoclave (don’t just take their word for it), ask to see their latest spore test results for the last few months. Also, look to make sure that every needle and piece of jewelry is opened in front of you. They should all be sealed, in an autoclave bag (clear front and paper back). Plus, make sure the piercer has his Bloodbourne Pathogen Certificates. And it doesn’t hurt to ask about his set up and break down procedures. If he/she doesn’t sound right, go with your gut and get out of there.
Again, thanks for bringing this issue to light. It was a pleasure meeting you and I’m happy to hear your doing well.
IF you have any questions you can post them up on our facebook page (facebook.com/jerzeyink) twitter (jerzeyink) or email (jerzeyink@gmail.com). We aren’t always the quickest but we do get back to you.
Twitter: hbusinessteam
says:
I must be honest. I don’t get it. I have an ex that is 46 and recently got a little stud earring in her nose. To each his or he own I guess but maybe it was my upbringing about poking, prodding, and taking what God created and changing it. Its a different world I guess but kudos to you for taking the plunge. I would be scared to death..LOL
Jeff Casmer recently posted..Beat The Economy By Starting An Internet Business in 2012
Twitter: jnomanh
says:
I would like to chime in, if I could, about baby/child ear piercings and ear/nose piercings. Most piercing “guns” are usually made of plastic and some metal and are unable to be properly sterilized in an autoclave and ultrasonic.
Tina recently posted..Thiết kế logo Công ty TNHH thương mại và dịch vụ Rồng Việt
Twitter: Elena__Anne
says:
Interesting article Lara. I agree that it is very dangerous to get your ears pierced in an inappropriate place. I have a nose piercing and it’s a sensitive area that needs sanitizing very often.
I have allergies to some metals too, and I recommend you to wear earrings made of surgical steel.
elena_anne recently posted..Black Currants & Alzheimer’s Disease: The Super-Fruit Your Brain Will Thank You For