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It's important to consider which piercing technique you're most comfortable with. Piercing guns, like the ones used at Claire’s and Icing, push the earring straight through the skin.  Piercing guns, while quick and inexpensive, often cause more infections. The guns can be disinfected but not completely sterilized because they are made of plastic and do not hold up under sterilization techniques used for needles and other professional tools.   Although this method is not widely recommended, as it does cause some blunt-force trauma to the ear, it is still common and many people choose it out of convenience. Tattoo shops and professional piercing studios use the hollow needle method, which creates a clean hole instead of forcing the earring through the skin.  This method sounds more painful, but many report that it's actually less painful. The hollow needle method is preferable because it won’t infect as easily or heal over as quickly if you go without earrings for a long period of time. A good piercer will have ample experience. If you’re not confident that they are prepared and experienced enough, it may be worth finding a different piercer or location.  It's okay to ask the piercer how much experience they’ve had. At locations like Walmart, the piercer receives very little training and may not have any experience, so it's better to ask than have something go wrong. Generally, professional piercers should have at least a year of experience before they start working alone.  Checking reviews online is a great way to get a feel for the piercer's experience and the quality of service. A dirty studio is a red flag, so look around for general cleanliness. Make sure the piercer uses disposable gloves and sterile packets for each new needle. This is a crucial safety measure. If they don’t use proper sterilization techniques, you should probably find a different studio. When you get your ears pierced professionally, you will likely have to choose from the in-store selection. It’s important to know how to choose the best and safest earrings, since these will stay in your ears for the next six weeks. Look for earrings free of nickel and cobalt, as these materials commonly cause allergic reactions. The safest earring materials are surgical stainless steel, platinum, titanium, and 14K gold. If these are over your price point, gold and silver are generally safe options as well. The piercer will use a surgical marking pen to place dots where the earrings will go. Examine the dots in the mirror and make sure they’re placed where you want them. The piercer can always wipe off and re-draw the dots if needed. Prepare yourself by taking a deep breath and the piercer will guide you through the process, which, for lobe piercings, is usually painless and takes less than a minute. You’ll feel a slight pinch on your earlobe, and then you’re done. For less common piercings, the pain may be higher and the piercing may take a bit longer. Cartilage is harder to push the needle through, so it may take a few moments to complete the piercing.
Decide whether or not you want to use the piercing gun method. Consider the benefits of the hollow needle method. Make sure that the piercer is experienced. Check for cleanliness. Pick the earrings you want to have your ears pierced with. Be careful about choosing a hyper-allergenic material, particularly if you have any metal allergies. Fine-tune the placement of the piercing. Take a deep breath.