Quick and cheap isn’t always better—especially when it comes to ear piercing, you get what you pay for. At LABRET, we only use needles because safety isn't optional. Whether it’s your first lobe piercing or a curated ear stack, the method and materials matter for your health, healing, and happiness.
Here’s why piercing guns are a risk you shouldn’t take, and why needle piercing is the gold standard.
Piercing Guns: Fast But Flawed
You’ll often find piercing guns at mall kiosks, jewelry stores, or fashion boutiques. They use a spring-loaded mechanism to force a stud through the earlobe (or cartilage, in some cases), operated by a salesperson with minimal training, not a professional. Convenient? Maybe. Safe? Absolutely not.
Blunt Force Trauma: A Brutal Process
- Guns smash jewelry through your ear using either spring-loaded or hand pressure (like forcing a thumbtack through cardboard).
- By using blunt force to hammer the jewelry through the ear, piercing guns cause crushed or torn skin tissue, more swelling, and longer healing.
- Along with the pain and tissue damage, the piercing guns come with a higher risk of crooked piercings (the gun is not precise), ugly scarring, and, unfortunately, a higher risk of infection.
Sterilization? Impossible.
- Many piercing guns are made with plastic, and thus cannot be thoroughly sterilized in the traditional sterilization machines, as they would melt under the high heat.
- The non-plastic guns, which use "disposable" cartridges, don’t prevent cross-contamination as the gun itself is used across many customers.
- "But they wipe it down!" – Alcohol doesn’t kill all bacteria.
- Even if the stud is sterile, the gun's inability to be adequately cleaned poses a significant health risk. Coupled with the previous points above about guns causing tears in the tissue, you're just asking for trouble.
Cheap Jewelry, Cheap Experience
- Piercing guns are typically operated by a jewelry store salesperson, not a piercing expert.
- Starter studs are typically made of low-quality nickel, which can often cause irritation or allergic reactions.
- Butterfly backs trap dirt and dig into your skin, making lying down or sleeping a painful experience.
- There is no jewelry choice or customization—you get whatever standard jewelry is pre-loaded in the gun, which is typically a stock standard metal stud.
Needle Piercing: The LABRET Standard
Sharper = Safer
- A sharp and hollow piercing needle creates a clean hole using the sharpness to pierce the skin, not pressure.
- LABRET’s piercing needles are top of the line, coated with a proprietary material to help the needle glide smoothly through the skin.
- Less trauma leads to less pain, less chance of infection, and ultimately a better healing experience.
- Precise placement and angle of the needle piercing make it so that you do not get a crooked or misplaced piercing.
Sterile from Start to Finish
- Single-use materials, individually packed and opened fresh for you.
- Implant-grade titanium and 14K solid gold jewelry (hypoallergenic and lightweight).
- LABRET uses a high-grade autoclave (AKA sterilization machine) for any non-single-use tools that might be needed. This is the same machine that your dentist uses to clean their tools!
Jewelry That Feels Good
- Piercing jewelry is exclusively flatback jewelry for comfort and ease of wear (no stabbing your head when you sleep).
- 14k solid gold, synthetic crystals, and diamond options (no cheap mystery metals).
- We have a wide array of piercing jewelry best suited to your piercing location, anatomy, and look (it's not one-size-fits-all).
The LABRET Difference
Piercers Who Care
- Free consultations to design your dream ear stack.
- We never rush; the perfect piercing placement is checked with you first.
- Aftercare includes a complimentary NeilMed Aftercare Spray, an aftercare tip guide to take home, and unlimited checkups.
- Free checkups for life (swelling? Irritation? Come see us!).
- Downsizing included (swap to shorter posts after 6-8 weeks).
- Forever a partner and a resource for questions and concerns (DM us anytime @labret.co, or shoot us a WhatsApp).
- What to Expect During Your Appointment
