Young Brunette Girl With A Genital Piercing Posing On Stairs In Shoes

- The dermal punch
A dermal punch is used to remove a circular area of tissue, into which jewellery is placed, and may be useful for larger cartilage piercings. They are popular for use in ears, though not legal for use by nonmedical personnel in some parts of the United States.
- The piercing gun
Piercing guns, which were originally developed for tagging livestock, are typically used for ear piercing, but may be used for other body parts as well. Piercing guns are generally not favoured by professional body piercers. Guns use relatively blunt, solid studs that punch through tissue; thus they cause more trauma to tissue than proper piercing needles, which are sharp and hollow. They are also considered unsuitable for hygienic reasons. Piercing with a piercing gun causes microsprays of plasma and blood; the guns frequently contain plastic components which are unable to be cleaned in an autoclave system, while surface cleansers do not kill all bacteria. Piercing guns are frequently encountered in retail outlets, where those wielding them may be inadequately trained. The Association of Professional Piercers recommends that piercing guns not be used for any piercing, including ears. Nevertheless, the vast majority of women in the west have their ears pierced with a piercing gun.