Preferable ear piercing method: gun or needle?

[faroukfarouk]

Okay so this is under 'Miscellaneous' (where else?). There is often a lot of talk about which method is best for ear piercing (something that now seems to span ages and genders).

The gun (often at a kiosk)?

Or the needle (often by a professional piercer)?

Thoughts, folks?

 

[HyrulianHeroine]

I have super sensitive skin prone to over healing and hypertrophic scars. The gun causes irritation to the piercing site and more pressure than needed which escalates it so i get all my piercings by needle. I got the gun as a kid and big mistake, I had to have reconstructive surgery on my ears twice. Ever since i went needle no problems, but that's just me, every case is different.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I have super sensitive skin prone to over healing and hypertrophic scars. The gun causes irritation to the piercing site and more pressure than needed which escalates it so i get all my piercings by needle. I got the gun as a kid and big mistake, I had to have reconstructive surgery on my ears twice. Ever since i went needle no problems, but that's just me, every case is different.

You maybe have to pay a bit more, but it's often a cleaner and more precise process to put earrings in by needle, right?

 

[just_monicat]

i have a number of ear piercings, including tragus/anti-tragus and helix and i would never EVER allow a gun anywhere near me.

a professional is well worth the money/effort for any piercing. i've seen poor placement with guns, and depending upon your anatomy, pose a far greater issue with tearing or damage.

 

[Raine]

I prefer a needle and when you're a baby so you don't remember! LOL. Had mine done at 2 weeks by my Uncle who used a sanitized needle and ice to numb my ear lobes. :/ Glad I don't remember it. Parents said I only had a few yelps then was done crying.

 

[faroukfarouk]

i have a number of ear piercings, including tragus/anti-tragus and helix and i would never EVER allow a gun anywhere near me.

a professional is well worth the money/effort for any piercing. i've seen poor placement with guns, and depending upon your anatomy, pose a far greater issue with tearing or damage.

Hi Ms just_monicat. Particularly seeing as you have a tragus, an anti-tragus and a helix as well as the basic lobe ones, I'm sure you were 100% wise to use a parlor where the needle method is usually adhered to strictly. Some kiosks with guns do attempt to do cartilage with the gun, but this can lead to the cartilage being mangled and torn. The three cartilage types which you chose - and which as ear piercings have a sort of grace of their own, I guess - can be ruined by any attempt to do them with a gun.

Blessings.

 

[just_monicat]

Hi Ms just_monicat. Particularly seeing as you have a tragus, an anti-tragus and a helix as well as the basic lobe ones, I'm sure you were 100% wise to use a parlor where the needle method is usually adhered to strictly. Some kiosks with guns do attempt to do cartilage with the gun, but this can lead to the cartilage being mangled and torn. The three cartilage types which you chose - and which as ear piercings have a sort of grace of their own, I guess - can be ruined by any attempt to do them with a gun.

Blessings.

i agree.

welcome to cc.. hey, i just wanted to add, you can just call me monica or just_monicat. you don't need to address me formally. : )

 

[faroukfarouk]

I prefer a needle and when you're a baby so you don't remember! LOL. Had mine done at 2 weeks by my Uncle who used a sanitized needle and ice to numb my ear lobes. :/ Glad I don't remember it. Parents said I only had a few yelps then was done crying.

You don't remember anything; well, okay! I guess this means that you've not gotten any more pairs of holes since.

 

[faroukfarouk]

i agree.

welcome to cc.. hey, i just wanted to add, you can just call me monica or just_monicat. you don't need to address me formally. : )

Ty! Re. the 'Ms', I guess it's a force of habit on my part, because to professional women especially I'm used to calling them 'Ms'. (But a bit off-topic...)

Seems like this practice (for which you much prefer the needle) has been far from a once in a lifetime experience for you, anyhow.

Blessings.

 

[Plowman]

I have no idea which is best. The only method I had anything to do with involved two young fellows, a nail and a hammer.

Hey! It worked! And I didn't even faint, maybe partly cause it was my job to swing the hammer. My brother was the piercie.

 

[Shouryu]

Although I don't have any experience myself with piercings, I do have some experience with guns. I recommend using a very small caliber if you insist on going the gun route, preferably a .22LR or .22 Magnum if your piercer stands far enough back. I figure you only want to use 9mm or .40 if you want plugs instead of earrings.

 

[just_monicat]

Although I don't have any experience myself with piercings, I do have some experience with guns. I recommend using a very small caliber if you insist on going the gun route, preferably a .22LR or .22 Magnum if your piercer stands far enough back. I figure you only want to use 9mm or .40 if you want plugs instead of earrings.

on the upside, i think a .22 would hurt less than those crummy piercing guns. : )

 

[faroukfarouk]

on the upside, i think a .22 would hurt less than those crummy piercing guns. : )

A way of stretching immediately to 0 gauge, maybe?

(I don't suppose you've ever been motivated to go below an 18 or 16 gauge, though...)

Blessings.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Thanks for the votes in the poll so far, folks; keep them coming...

(No one likes the ear piercing gun so far, anyway...)

 

[Toska]

I don't have anything to compare to. I had my ears pierced when I was 10, the person who did it used a gun. I remember being afraid about it and then was pleasantly surprised when it did not hurt.

I had my ears pierced a second time when I was 17. Again, the gun was used and it did not hurt.

I had no problems with the pain (I have a high pain tolerance) and no problems with infections or anything like that.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I don't have anything to compare to. I had my ears pierced when I was 10, the person who did it used a gun. I remember being afraid about it and then was pleasantly surprised when it did not hurt.

I had my ears pierced a second time when I was 17. Again, the gun was used and it did not hurt.

I had no problems with the pain (I have a high pain tolerance) and no problems with infections or anything like that.

Ms. Tosca:

Well, this is good that you did not encounter problems.

Part of the issue is that a gun, with the piercing stud, can actually rip a portion of the flesh from the earlobe. While a needle does a clean cut through it.

Double pierced earlobes, as you describe yours, are now a very well established custom; do you still use both your pairs of holes for rings, maybe?

Blessings.

 

[sanglina]

Okay so this is under 'Miscellaneous' (where else?). There is often a lot of talk about which method is best for ear piercing (something that now seems to span ages and genders).

The gun (often at a kiosk)?

Or the needle (often by a professional piercer)?

Thoughts, folks?

Piercing with gun?? I thought it was a joke and I laughed but after reading some of the posts, I guess it probably is not. Seriously, I am hearing for the first time. By the way, how is piercing done with gun?

To answer the OP, I pierced my earlobe with needle. One was pierced by my parents when I was a baby, but the other three holes, my friends (back in high school days) pierced it using needle. I initially thought it was going to be a lot painful but turns out to be not so.

 

[Ugly]

Piercing with gun?? I thought it was a joke and I laughed but after reading some of the posts, I guess it probably is not. Seriously, I am hearing for the first time. By the way, how is piercing done with gun?

To answer the OP, I pierced my earlobe with needle. One was pierced by my parents when I was a baby, but the other three holes, my friends (back in high school days) pierced it using needle. I initially thought it was going to be a lot painful but turns out to be not so.

They are special 'guns' designed for ear piercing.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Piercing with gun?? I thought it was a joke and I laughed but after reading some of the posts, I guess it probably is not. Seriously, I am hearing for the first time. By the way, how is piercing done with gun?

To answer the OP, I pierced my earlobe with needle. One was pierced by my parents when I was a baby, but the other three holes, my friends (back in high school days) pierced it using needle. I initially thought it was going to be a lot painful but turns out to be not so.

Ms sanglina: The way it's done in some parts of the West is that there is a device which is loaded with the studs which will be worn in the earlobes, and then the machine rams the studs through the earlobe, and the clasp is attached to the back of the stud. This is a fast way of doing it, but the stud also rips flesh through the earlobe.

Whereas the needle usually does a clean cut.

Sounds like you have a nice total of 8 holes.

Blessings.

 

[Toska]

Ms. Tosca:

Well, this is good that you did not encounter problems.

Part of the issue is that a gun, with the piercing stud, can actually rip a portion of the flesh from the earlobe. While a needle does a clean cut through it.

Double pierced earlobes, as you describe yours, are now a very well established custom; do you still use both your pairs of holes for rings, maybe?

Blessings.

Yes, I was very fortunate to not have any problems with mine. If I ever get another piercing it will be with a needle. When I was younger, I did not realize the dangers of using an ear piercing gun.

Yes, I still use both pairs of holes. I always wear at least one pair of earrings when I leave home, most of the time I wear two pairs. Pretty much the only time I don't wear them is when I am home, sleeping, or biking. We mountain bike on trails in the woods, I worry about one of my earrings getting caught on a tree branch and getting ripped out. Not a pleasant thought at all.

And, while I do appreciate the respect very much, you do not need to call me Ms. I am a teacher and get called Mrs. all day long, 5 days a week. Please feel free to just call me Toska