How to find a reputable piercer?

[JennTheMomma]

Originally Posted by yanyan Why is it better to use a needle than one of the piercing guns?

Piercing guns are also not sterile. Only the earing itself is sterile, but the gun is plastic and isn't able to get washed that well. A needle is always brand new and they open it in front of you.

A gun causes damage to the lobe, while the needle pierces the lobe. You can look it up at the Professional Piercers Association, that have a lot of why the gun is not recommended. They may also have a list of reputable parlors in your area.

[7 for now]

I just refuse to let some teeny bopper goofy teenage girl pierce my babies ears, which is mostly what the mall type places have. I do get my girls ears pierced at 8 weeks old but we go to a tattoo/piercing parlor. They do an excellent job, use the needle and get them nice and straight. The needle is much gentler than the gun and more accurate.

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[iris0110]

Originally Posted by JennTheMomma Piercing guns are also not sterile. Only the earing itself is sterile, but the gun is plastic and isn't able to get washed that well. A needle is always brand new and they open it in front of you. A gun causes damage to the lobe, while the needle pierces the lobe. You can look it up at the Professional Piercers Association, that have a lot of why the gun is not recommended. They may also have a list of reputable parlors in your area.

The piercers are also professionals who have apprenticed and trained to do piercings vs a teenager who may have taken a course for a couple of hours before being handed a gun. A piercer is trained in how to maintain a clean work area, not so much for the teen. The piercer is more likely to leave you (or your child) with a properly placed piercing. Also as has been mentioned but cannot be stressed enough, tattoo shops are licensed and inspected, Claires, Walmart, or any of the mall piercing shops, are not. "Just choosing a random tattoo shop" is still better than using a mall shop because that piercer is still superior to a gun piercing by a teen. Honestly a professional piercer is going to give your child a better piercing than a pediatrician. I wouldn't go to a piercer if I was sick, but I wouldn't go to a doctor to get a piercing.

Laws may vary area to area but many shops will pierce minor children with their parents present. Sometimes the choice is left up to the piercer so you may have to call around. Locally there is no law against it but some shops won't do it and even more piercers will not (or will only do it if they know the person in question). I would start with friends, relatives or co-works who have tattoos or piercings and ask them where they were done and go from there.