Are piercing guns dangerous?

[Simone.]

Sorry for the random question.
I'm getting my helix pierced on Friday & I'm really nervous, I'm planning on getting it done with the gun but I keep hearing people say that it's dangerous and can shatter the cartilage.

Anyone know anything because I'd be **** scared of having a needle stab through my ear. :shrug:

[ange7]

ask a doctor.

[Nicky.]

Yea, it can shatter your cartilage... and you won't get it done with a gun - unless your friend is doing it or something xD

If it's a proper piercing place, they will do it with a needle... otherwise your ear will like go into a Cauliflower ear -

http://www.uwec.edu/kin/majors/AT/aidil/images/cauliflowerear.JPG

[ange7]

lol yuck. Rugby union players get that unless they play with their ears taped down. Gross.

[Simone.]

GROSS!?

But my mum & a couple of my friends had theirs done at the tattoo place near mine & they do it with a gun, I mean they can do it with needles aswell but there's have all been fine.

[pinkmichk]

yes it is not only through the risk of damaging the cartilage but there is also the risk of infection cos a gun can not be cleaned no where near as well as it should whereas a needle is different cos will be new needle for each person
any decent tattoo place would happily do it by needle for you you can always ask for it to be numbed before hand i had my ears done by gun before i knew the risk now its needle only for me and i have so far had lip belly and nipple done this way

[Tom]

probably a daft question but are your ear lobes not cartilage?

[Simone.]

Originally posted by pinkmichk
yes it is not only through the risk of damaging the cartilage but there is also the risk of infection cos a gun can not be cleaned no where near as well as it should whereas a needle is different cos will be new needle for each person
any decent tattoo place would happily do it by needle for you you can always ask for it to be numbed before hand i had my ears done by gun before i knew the risk now its needle only for me and i have so far had lip belly and nipple done this way

Ahh so they'll be able to numb it if I ask?
I'm just really scared of the pain, I have non excistant pain threshold. But I've had the lobes done three times with the gun & I've not had any problems really.

[pinkmichk]

yep they are tom and there is still the risk there but sadly people (my self included in this before i got wise to the body modding world) go to places like claires accessories with the guns cos its generally cheaper

[pinkmichk]

Originally posted by Simone.
Originally posted by pinkmichk
yes it is not only through the risk of damaging the cartilage but there is also the risk of infection cos a gun can not be cleaned no where near as well as it should whereas a needle is different cos will be new needle for each person
any decent tattoo place would happily do it by needle for you you can always ask for it to be numbed before hand i had my ears done by gun before i knew the risk now its needle only for me and i have so far had lip belly and nipple done this way

Ahh so they'll be able to numb it if I ask?
I'm just really scared of the pain, I have non excistant pain threshold. But I've had the lobes done three times with the gun & I've not had any problems really.

yep may cost a little extra though but not much maybe a couple of pound the only one i had numbed was my nipple but the others i didnt feel it til they put the bar in

[Nicky.]

Originally posted by Tom
probably a daft question but are your ear lobes not cartilage?

No they're not xD But a helix is this -

http://bestuff.com/images/images_of_stuff/210x600/helix-piercing-57989.jpg

Xx

[Nicky.]

(Oh, well I didn't think lobes were anyways...)

[Simone.]

Originally posted by pinkmichk
yep they are tom and there is still the risk there but sadly people (my self included in this before i got wise to the body modding world) go to places like claires accessories with the guns cos its generally cheaper
I refused to go in Claire's.
First ones I got done in some beauty and nails place, random place but ah well. Then the second at some tattoo place near mine but I don't fully trust them so I'm going somewhere else.

[Lauren]

Originally posted by Nicky.
(Oh, well I didn't think lobes were anyways...)

They are, but not as much. Still a risk, and I've seen it go wrong.

[Nicky.]

Originally posted by Lauren
Originally posted by Nicky.
(Oh, well I didn't think lobes were anyways...)

They are, but not as much. Still a risk, and I've seen it go wrong.

My friend apparently got the gun stuck in her ear xD

[lily.]

Piercing guns should be banned.

They are impossible to sterilise, therefore carry a huge risk of HIV and other infections.


My friend - who is a piercer - informed me of that.