Body piercing - How body piercing is carried out

Before carrying out a body piercing, make sure the piercer explains any complications that may arise.

You'll usually need to sign a consent form to confirm that you wish to go ahead. Children under the age of 16 may need to have a parent or guardian with them.

The skin is disinfected with an alcohol solution and allowed to dry before it's pierced. The piercing equipment must be sterile.

Earlobe and ear cartilage piercing

During an ear piercing, a hole is made through the fatty tissue of the earlobe or the cartilage at the top of the ear, and an earring is inserted.

This is often done with a piercing gun, either by a jeweller or a professional body piercer. Piercing with a gun should only be carried out on the ears and not on any other part of the body.

Most piercing guns have sterile disposable cartridges to help ensure that the piercing is clean and sterile. If you don't want your ears to be pierced with a disposable piercing gun, you can go to a professional piercer who can pierce ears using a sterilised hollow needle.

Whichever way you choose to have your ears pierced, make sure it happens in a clean, no-smoking environment. The person carrying out the piercing should wash their hands first, disinfect the area of skin, wear surgical gloves during the process and throw them away straight after use. 

If you feel at all unsure about the person who's doing the piercing or where it's being done, go somewhere else.

Other types of piercing

All other types of piercing should be carried out using a hollow needle, which is pushed through the skin and tissue of the body part being pierced. This ensures that there are clear entrance and exit holes. A piece of jewellery, usually a decorative bar or ring, is then inserted into the hole.

Some other types of piercing are discussed in more detail below.

Belly button

A belly button piercing is usually made just above the navel. A curved bar is inserted through the hole and metal balls are screwed on each end. A small metal ring fastened with a clip-on ball may also be used.

Special care must be taken with a belly button piercing as this area is difficult to keep clean and dry. You'll need to wash the belly button with soap and water before the piercing. Make sure the piercer cleans the area properly first with an alcohol solution.

Afterwards, you should wear any belts well below the area until it's fully healed. Expose it to air as much as possible.

Nose 

A hole is pierced through the skin or cartilage of the nostril. A nose stud is then inserted through the hole. 

There are also some disposable gun-like devices that are designed especially for the soft outer parts of the nose, but not the areas of cartilage.

Tongue

The tongue is clamped to hold it in position while it's pierced. A bar with a screw-on metal ball at each end is inserted through the hole.

Nipple

The piercing is normally made through the end of the nipple. A thin metal ring or straight bar is then inserted.

After a piercing

When a piercing is finished, the area may bleed slightly. This should stop after a few minutes, although it may bleed again for short periods over the next few days.

There may also be some clear or whitish-yellow odourless discharge that forms a crust over the jewellery during the first few days after a piercing. This is normal and is not usually a sign of infection. Do not touch any crust that forms, as it can help protect against infection.

A new piercing can be tender, itchy and bruised for a few weeks after it is carried out.

It is important to take good care of your piercing to reduce your chances of problems developing. This involves keeping the area dry and recognising the signs of infection. See caring for a body piercing for more information.