How Do Tattoo Shops Pierce Ears?
Julia
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A tattoo shop may be the safest place to pierce your kids’ ears, even if the mall seems more family-friendly – I got my ears pierced a lot later than some kids. I desperately wanted them done, but my mom said no — she hadn’t been allowed until she was 17.
- Then, when I was 11, I opened my Christmas stocking to see the most exciting gift I had received in my young life: a set of colorful earrings;
- I remember asking my mom, almost in tears, if it was OK for me to pierce my ears;
“If Santa says it’s OK, I guess it’s fine,” she answered. A few days later, we went to the mall to get it done. I loved my newly pierced ears, but they hurt. I put up with it for a few days before asking my mom if it was normal for them to be so sore. She took a look, and my lobes were angry red and oozing.
My brand new earrings had to be taken out so the infection could heal. After a few months (and a lot of begging), we went back to the same store to have them pierced again. Again, they became infected, only this time, so badly I had to go to the doctor for antibiotics.
I gave up on having pierced ears. Fast forward to college, where I was friends with a tattoo artist, who talked me into coming into the shop where he worked and having my ears pierced by a professional with a needle. I was wary, but I gave it a shot. Now, I have 13 different piercings in my ears.
All of them were done in tattoo shops. None of them got infected. When I was a kid getting my first piercings, my mom wouldn’t have let me set foot in a tattoo shop. I wish she had. Brian Keith Thompson, owner and chief piercing officer at West Hollywood’s Body Electric Tattoo, is part of a growing movement of piercers advocating for parents to take their kids to tattoo shops instead of the mall for piercings.
“I don’t prefer (the mall) because I had it done with my first piercing, and it didn’t go well for me,” he told Pop Sugar. “They got infected because I have sensitive skin. ” Thompson, whose Instagram is filled with adorable photos of the piercings he does for kids, also explained that piercing guns make for a more painful piercing, since they don’t use needles, and are dangerous because they can’t be properly sterilized.
“The stud gets placed into the gun and the gun uses blunt force to get it through the ear. It punctures it , not pierces it,” he said. “The needle is made to pierce the skin. It heals faster. You can sterilize it.
” Piercing guns, on the other hand, can’t be sterilized because the plastic would melt under the heat required to properly sterilize a tool. “You can sanitize it, wipe it down with MadaCide, but you can’t sterilize it. It’s made out of plastic. To properly sanitize something, you need heat and steam.
- ” According to the Association of Professional Piercers, piercing with a needle is much safer than the guns used in many jewelry stores and mall kiosks;
- It echoes the sterilization concerns that Thompson shared;
“It is the position of the Association of Professional Piercers that only sterile disposable equipment is suitable for body piercing, and that only materials which are certified as safe for internal implant should be placed in inside a fresh or unhealed piercing,” the Association’s website states.
“We consider unsafe any procedure that places vulnerable tissue in contact with either non-sterile equipment or jewelry that is not considered medically safe for long-term internal wear. Such procedures place the health of recipients at an unacceptable risk.
For this reason, APP members may not use reusable ear piercing guns for any type of piercing procedure. ” Thompson isn’t the only piercer who takes that standard seriously. Sarah LaRoe, a mom and professional piercer with several facial piercings of her own, told Time magazine that she supports petitions to ban piercing guns altogether.
- “There is a stigma attached to tattoo parlors that they’re dirty and will be bombarded by foul-mouthed people,” LaRoe added;
- In reality, though, tattoo parlors in many states face far stricter regulations for cleanliness than any store at the mall;
Thompson, who has pierced ears for clients as young as three weeks, did empathize that not every piercer wants to work with kids, so doing some research and calling ahead is important. “Go to Yelp, read reviews, and check websites out. If they have positive reviews, then call,” he said.
“Not all places will do it. Some states have different regulations. It’s not bad that they don’t want to do it, but some people don’t want to work with kids. So call and ask. ” This article was originally published on 3.
2017.
Contents
- 1 Is a needle or gun better to pierce with?
- 2 What hurts more needle or gun piercing for ear?
- 3 What piercing hurts the most?
- 3.1 How do you shower with a new ear piercing?
- 3.2 How much does a ear piercing hurt on a scale of 1 to 10?
- 3.3 What should you not do before a piercing?
- 3.4 Kids Ear Piercing: My 9 Year Old Getting Her Ears Pierced At A Tattoo Shop!
- 3.5 Which ear piercing method is best?
- 3.6 How do you make your ear piercing not hurt?
- 4 Why is piercing with a needle better?
How do professionals pierce ears?
– Whether you choose a piercing studio or salon for getting ears pierced, here’s a basic rundown of what you can expect:
- You’ll fill out a consent form and choose your earrings.
- The piercer will mark the piercing site for you to approve.
- The piercer will clean those areas with an antibacterial solution.
- Your piercer, alone or with another piercer, will use a needle or gun to pierce your ears.
- If they use a gun, the sharp end of the stud will pierce your skin and insert the earring in one “shot. “
- If they use a needle, they’ll place the earring in your ear immediately after making the hole.
- They’ll finish up by cleaning the area again and providing instructions for aftercare.
Does getting your ears pierced hurt more than a tattoo?
SWEAR FACTOR – Expletives may be dropped but rest assured you won’t be swearing like a sailor! Even children have their ears pierced, so this isn’t generally something to worry about. Overall, getting a tattoo or a piercing are two completely different experiences and it is like comparing apples with oranges.
One takes longer and is less intense whilst the other is short and sharp. Whichever way you choose to express yourself, know that you’re in good hands with the team at Celebrity Ink™. Published 24/06/2020.
12:06am.
What to expect when getting ears pierced?
How do you know if you have an infected ear piercing? – A. It’s normal to have some redness, swelling or pain for a couple of days after getting your ears pierced. But your ears should look and feel better each day. If you find that your ears do great and then suddenly start to become red, inflamed or crusty a week or two later, that’s usually a sign of infection.
Is ear piercing done with a gun?
Piercing Gun: What You Should Know – The piercing gun is usually used to pierce earlobes, often in mall settings. It’s a handheld gadget that pushes a pin-like material through the body part in one swift motion. If you want your ear piercings done quickly, you can request to have two piercings done at the same time with separate guns.
Is a needle or gun better to pierce with?
Which Is Better for Piercing: A Gun or a Needle? – The quick answer: A piercing needle is much better than a piercing gun, for many reasons. Needles are generally cleaner, more accurate, and less painful than guns. Below, you’ll find the pros and cons for both piercing guns and piercing needles.
Read them. Study them. Make the decision that you think is best. When it comes to your body (or your child’s!), you don’t want to make a bad decision. Since piercings are common among people of all ages—parents get their babies and young children’s ears pierced, and many adults add additional piercings as they mature—many people want to know which piercing method is best.
No matter who you are, you’ll want the fastest, safest, cleanest, and most pain-free piercing method. Note: When it comes to the method used for the piercing—needles or piercing gun— the technique is as important as the aftercare techniques that follow. A truly professional piercer will not use a gun. Nope. Kaylee Eden via Unsplash.
What hurts more needle or gun piercing for ear?
Ear piercing methods: gun vs needles – The two popular methods of ear piercings offered by most salons or jewellery outlets are the gun and needle piercings. While the gun is usually equipped with a traditional puncture and clap stud, the needle does not come with its own set of studs. Here are some details to consider before settling for a technique: 1. Piercing gun – Guns are used to pierce the non-cartilage area of the earlobe only.
- It requires little to no training and can be used if you want to have a stud put in your ear right away;
- It is quick, the shock value can mask the pain and has the same kind of aftercare as getting pierced by a needle;
Needle piercing – Needles are used for piercing all parts of the ear, even the cartilaginous areas. Interestingly, needle piercings have been deemed less messy and less painful than piercing guns. This is usually the case because needles are hollow and have a sharp point to create a clean hole.
It also removes some of the skin and tissue at the piercing site, making it easier for your wound to drain out and heal. They do require a trained hand, so make sure you are getting it done from a professional at a piercing studio.
The general consensus is that needle piercings are the safer option, as the action is controlled by the seasoned hand of the person doing the piercing.
What is the most painful spot to get a piercing?
What piercing hurts the most?
How do you shower with a new ear piercing?
Body Piercing Aftercare: What to Expect: The first few days after being pierced you may notice bleeding, swelling, and bruising which are all normal signs of a healing piercing. Your body is trying to flood the wounded area with blood and plasma to achieve homeostasis (when your blood clots to prevent further bleeding). In the next few weeks/months your body will produce a base layer of cells made up of collagen and protein that will grow through the piercing and around the jewelry.
- The skin will also start to contract and tighten around the jewelry;
- New skin cells will start to form at both edges of the piercing and grow inwards to connect and form a fistula (flesh tunnel);
- This process causes a clear/yellow liquid discharge made up of dead cells and other fluids (these fluids dry into what are commonly referred to as “crusties”);
It is fine if “crusties” come off during cleaning; otherwise, do not pick at them. At this stage the initial healing is complete, but it will take several months for the skin to mature and strengthen. Care must still be taken with your piercing, as any trauma might cause it to regress back to an earlier stage in the healing process. DO NOT TOUCH YOUR PIERCING!
- This is a major cause of infection as your hands come into contact with many dirty surfaces. If you must touch your piercing make sure to thoroughly wash your hands first.
- Change bedding and towels weekly and wear clean clothes around the piercing.
- Disinfect all objects that come into contact with your piercing (e. phones, ear-buds, etc.
- Try not to sleep on the piercing, bump it, or cause any trauma to it.
- Eat a healthy diet, get sufficient sleep, drink plenty of water, and take daily vitamins, which will help with the healing process.
- Avoid stress, alcohol, caffeine, and smoking.
- Avoid tanning as it may cause permanent discoloration in the new skin formed around the piercing.
- You can exercise as long as you are not bumping, causing trauma, or exposing your piercing to dirty surfaces or environments. Your sweat is sterile to you, so shower like you normally do and clean the piercing afterwards with saline or sterile wound wash.
- Do not swim in rivers, lakes, hot tubs, pools, or oceans until your piercing is healed.
Body Piercing Aftercare in areas other than oral: Showering : Shower like you normally do; the last thing you will do while in the shower is clean your piercing. Lather up some mild, fragrance free, non-antibacterial soap in your hands and gently wash your piercing. You want enough friction to clean the piercing, but not so much that you cause trauma to it. Do not rotate or move the jewelry, but if it moves slightly that’s ok.
- The hot water from the shower will open your capillaries/pores, flush the area, and increase oxygen, which helps healing;
- Sea Salt Soaks: These should be done 1-2 times a day with a 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt to 1 cup of distilled water, or for a larger batch, 4 teaspoons of sea salt to 1 gallon of distilled water (do not use iodized salt which has an additive to prevent clumping);
Heat the water so it is comfortably warm, do not burn yourself! Use a clean shot glass, cup, or bowl to soak the piercing for 5 minutes and then rinse with distilled water or shower to get rid of any salt crystals that might form when dry. You can invert the piercing itself and hold the container of sea salt solution tight against the skin to create a seal, then flip back over to soak.
You can also soak sterile gauze in the sea salt solution to make a compress which can be applied to hard to reach piercings. Just like showering, the warm sea salt solution will open up capillaries/pores, flush the area, and increase oxygen.
Saline Cleanings: These should be done 2-3 times a day with saline solution or sterile wound wash that does not contain hydrogen peroxide or alcohol. Apply the solution to a few Q-tips and clean each side of the piercing. The first cleaning should be done after hair and makeup or the last thing you do before leaving the bathroom.
This will clean out any hair/body products and makeup that might have migrated into your piercing. Clean your piercing one more time during the day and before going to bed. If you do any exceptionally dirty activities do an extra cleaning afterwards.
Do not rotate the jewelry again. Oral Piercing Aftercare: Mouthwash Cleanings: These should be done 4-5 times a day with a non-alcohol based mouthwash after eating, drinking anything other than water, and after brushing your teeth; rinse for at least 30 seconds.
In a pinch, you may also dilute an alcohol based mouthwash with water (50/50). Eat, drink, and talk like you normally do, but do not play with the jewelry until the piercing is healed. You may chew on some ice chips to help alleviate any swelling.
Avoid drinking alcohol. If you are a heavy smoker add an extra mouthwash rinse during the day. If you have any questions or concerns contact the shop: 402-474-5151 or just stop in we are always happy to help.
How much does a ear piercing hurt on a scale of 1 to 10?
A standard lobe piercing is most individuals’ first piercing. Many people get this lobe piercing as a child or many years before they plan more placements. Therefore, it should not be surprising that it ranks low on the pain scale – the general rating seems to be 3/10.
What should you not do before a piercing?
Don’t arrive drug or alcohol affected. Wear clean, comfortable clothing that is suitable for the piercing e. g know that if you wear a dress for a nipple piercing appointment – it will be coming off! If you want to – arrange for a supportive friend to go with you.
How do you sleep with a newly pierced ear?
Kids Ear Piercing: My 9 Year Old Getting Her Ears Pierced At A Tattoo Shop!
Headaches – If you wake up with frequent headaches , wearing your earrings overnight could be to blame. You may be at an increased risk if you sleep on your side, as the earring can press against the side of your head and cause discomfort. Try sleeping without earrings to see if your headaches improve.
Which ear piercing method is best?
Can you use numbing cream for ear piercing?
We do not administer numbing cream for piercings as it can irritate the skin and become inflamed due to allergies which can affect the piercing. As the piercing is going through the ear, topical numbing cream will not numb the ear all the way through. The piercing procedure itself is over in seconds, and most people say there is no pain.
How do you make your ear piercing not hurt?
Always wash hands before touching newly pierced ears, and wash ears with soap and water at least once a day. Leave the earrings in six to eight weeks – even at night. Removing the studs too early may cause the piercings to close. Twist the earrings a few times each day to keep the holes open.
Why is piercing with a needle better?
A needle gives a cleaner piercing, more precision, shorter healing time, it hurts less and the type of jewellery you can choose is greater. In comparison, the piercing gun uses great force to push a blunt stud earring into the skin causing it to tear the wound open.
How do you pierce your ear without it hurting?
– Even if you’ve gone months or years without wearing earrings, you may still have a usable hole there, though it’s likely partially closed. With a partially closed piercing, a thin layer of skin has grown over the hole, but there’s still a tunnel underneath it. Instead, try this on a partially closed ear piercing:
- Take a bath or shower. The warm water will help soften the skin.
- Lubricate your ear with a non-antibiotic ointment (like Aquaphor or Vaseline) to keep the skin pliable.
- Gently stretch your earlobe to help open up the area and thin the piercing hole.
- Carefully try pushing the earring through the back side of the earlobe.
- Experiment with different angles, always using gentle pressure.
- Once in, keep the area clean and keep your earrings in for a few weeks to prevent the holes from closing.
If reasonable force doesn’t work, you’re better off contacting a professional who can re-pierce your ear(s) for you. You don’t want to cause pain or damage by using too much force. Wondering why you should stick with a non-antibiotic ointment? Unless you have an infection, using any type of antibiotic is not necessary. Also, antibiotic ointment can aggravate an open wound if you manage to break through the skin with an earring.
What’s the most painful cartilage piercing?
The snug piercing is known to be the most painful ear piercing for the majority of people to receive. On the pain scale, it ranks at around a 9/10 compared to other piercings. However, keep in mind that even the most painful piercings will likely hurt less than getting a paper cut.
Can a dermatologist pierce ears?
Should You Pierce Your Ears at Home? – In a word: no. Although you can purchase sterile needles, starter earrings and ear piercing kits, having a professional perform your ear piercing decreases the rate of complications such as infection and improper placement.