Ear and body piercing has gained popularity amongst a variety of ages and both genders. While this form of self-expression through the art of jewelry is perfectly acceptable, the impractical and unprofessional methods often used are not. Many people avoid the services of a professional piercer for the simplest of piercings, opting instead to pay a visit to their local mall where the lady behind the kiosk counter is no more qualified to pierce an ear than the guy selling cell phones next to her.

The reason why people avoid professional piercers, especially for a seemingly simple piercing like ears, is primarily due to convenience. At any mall and at several salons, getting your ears pierced is as easy as buying a pair of sunglasses or getting a pedicure. However, you are subjecting yourself to a procedure that could prove to have far greater consequences than you bargained for.

Personally, I would never allow an untrained professional, absent of the knowledge of proper sterilization and bloodborne pathogens, to forcefully insert a foreign object into my body. To the contrary, there are plenty of people who would and have. As a former salon manager, I can tell you that while I was trained on the proper sterilization of certain tools of the trade, piercing implements were not included. Neither was I adequately trained to use a piercing gun. Yet, even without proper training or proper tools, some salons and worse yet, mall kiosks, offer up these services to anyone who’s game.

Before you consent to an unprofessional piercing or sign a permission slip for your minor child while you shop for a car phone charger, consider the risks. The piercing guns used at the typical mall piercing pergola are designed to be reusable and are not designed for proper sterilization, thus increasing the risk for spreading infection and disease. An untrained salon or mall employee has probably not received any formal instruction on procedure, sterilization, or recognizing medical conditions for which piercings should be avoided, such as diabetes or autoimmune disorders.

Infection risks aside, piercing guns are not always suited for every type of ear piercing. They are not designed for piercing through cartilage, such as the upper ear or the nose, and they are not well suited for people with thick ear lobes. The gun works by compressing tissue and forcing a piercing stud through the tissue. Though the initial compression allows for a stud to attach to its fitted back, as the tissue attempts to regain its original shape, the initial compression may result in inadequate blood flow to facilitate proper healing.

The benefits of seeking the services of a professional piercer are threefold; first you get a trained professional who performs autoclave sterilization of all non-disposable implements, you get the benefit of procedural knowledge, which greatly increases the long-term success of your piercing, and lastly, you are guaranteed jewelry that meets medical and industry standards.

While most adults can make a well-informed decision, minor children typically can’t. If your child has asked to pierce their ears, nose, or any other part of their body for that matter, you should discuss the issue thoroughly. If you aren’t granting consent, it’s important that you explain why they shouldn’t attempt it on their own. Kids are resourceful and they can not only purchase single use piercing guns from the jewelry counter at Wlalmart, they can order piercing kits over the internet. Self-piercing can have grave consequences, especially when unsupervised children are involved.

Whether you’ve settled on an ear piercing or a naval piercing, seek out a professional. Locate a member of the Association of Professional Pierces (and verify membership) or find a piercing-friendly physician. Dermatologists sometimes offer piercings, or can at least make a recommendation. For a complete list of answers to frequently asked questions regarding ear and body piercing, as well as how to locate a professional, visit www.safepiercing.org/FAQ.html.

Jennifer Beam is a featured writer for Xomba.com. Read the rest of her work here .