How to choose the right piercer: questions to ask

Getting a piercing is exciting , but it's also a procedure that involves breaking the skin, so who you trust to do that matters enormously. One main difference between a piercing that heals beautifully and one that becomes a never-ending saga often comes down to one thing: the piercer.

Here's your go-to guide for questions to ask before you commit to anyone picking up a needle.

 

 

"Can I see your portfolio, including healed work?"

 

A piercer's portfolio tells you everything. Fresh piercings can look great in anyone's hands, but healed results are where you see the real story: placement, proportion, how the jewellery sits against the anatomy are all tell-tale signs whether the work holds up over time.

Any reputable piercer will have their portfolio readily available on their website or socials. If someone is cagey about showing their work, or can only produce fresh piercing photos, take note. Healed portfolios are just as important.

 

"Will you assess my anatomy before marking the placement?"

 

This question separates the great piercers from the good ones. Anatomy varies wildly from person to person; what works for one ear, one nose, one navel, won't necessarily work for another. A skilled piercer will always assess your anatomy before marking the placement, and will discuss options with you based on what they see.

This is especially important for several piercings (industrial, eyebrow, navel just to name a few) where placement errors could potentially result in a failed piercing right from the get-go. A good piercer will also be honest if your anatomy isn't suited to a particular piercing and that honesty is a green flag, not a red one.

An exceptional piercer will work with you to highlight your anatomical features suitable for other piercing placements so that you can live your best pierced life.

 

 

"How do you sterilise your tools and jewellery?"

 

This one's non-negotiable, so don't be shy about asking. Here's what you want to hear:

A professional studio should have two key pieces of equipment:

A Class B (chamber) autoclave: used for reprocessing tools and jewellery. A Class B autoclave uses a vacuum cycle to ensure steam penetrates even complex or hollow items, making it the only appropriate method for sterilising reusable equipment including jewellery. (A note on reprocessed jewellery: there's a whole process involved in ensuring jewellery fronts can be safely sterilised which realistically is a topic that deserves its own deep-dive, but the TLDR is that it can only be done correctly in a Class B autoclave.)

A Statim/cassette chamber: used for single-use setups, sometimes called a "disposable setup" or "disposable studio." This covers single-use items like needles, tapers, and jewellery that won't be reprocessed.

If a studio can't clearly explain their sterilisation process (or worse, if they mention soaking instruments in liquid solution as their primary method), walk away.

 

 

"Do you use sterile piercing gloves?"

 

As soon as you see your piercer pull on a fresh pair of sterile gloves right before the piercing procedure, you can exhale a little. It's a basic but meaningful signal of their hygiene standards. Alongside gloves, professional piercers should also be using a dental bib, single-use gentian violet markers for placement, and proper skin prep like iodine before the needle goes anywhere near you.

The risk of infection from a professional piercing is actually quite low when done correctly, but that's precisely because of these protocols. Aseptic technique isn't optional; it's the whole point.

 

 

"Do you use a piercing gun?"

If the answer is yes: walk away. Piercing guns cannot be properly sterilised between clients, they use blunt force rather than a clean needle incision, and they cause significantly more trauma to the tissue. They are not appropriate for any piercing (not even a lobe), as the jewellery used in piercing guns (usually a butterfly-back) is never going to accomodate for the natural swelling that happens as part of the healing process, plus it is an absolute hoarder for gross debris which can be a harbour site for bacteria.

A professional piercer uses a single-use, sterile needle that's opened in front of you, used once, and disposed of immediately. That's the standard.

 

 

"What jewellery do you use?"

 

Short answer: it matters enormously. Longer answer: it's complicated, and "implant grade titanium" has unfortunately become something of a marketing buzzword that doesn't always mean what people think it means.

Not all titanium is equal. The term "implant grade" refers to specific ASTM standards (namely ASTM F-136) that govern the alloy composition and biocompatibility of the material. Jewellery that is simply labelled "titanium" or even "surgical titanium" without referencing those standards may not meet the same benchmarks.

When asking about jewellery, you want to know:

Is it implant grade titanium (ASTM F-136) or solid 14kt/18kt nickel-free gold?
Is it internally threaded or threadless? (Both are fine; externally threaded jewellery, where the thread is on the bar that passes through the tissue, is not.)
Is it the right size and gauge for your anatomy and the placement?

A piercer who can answer these questions clearly and specifically knows their craft. One who can't (or who gets defensive) is telling you something important between the lines.

 

 

"What aftercare do you recommend?"

 

Aftercare guidance should be clear, specific, and consistent with current industry standards. The baseline recommendation from the Association of Professional Piercers is sterile saline solution (0.9% NaCl) twice daily. If a piercer recommends alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or tea tree oil, those are outdated approaches that can actually impede healing. Consider it a red flag.

A great piercer will also tailor their guidance to your individual context: your lifestyle/ healing history and the specific placement you've had done. Everyone heals differently, and a good piercer will acknowledge that while still giving you a realistic framework to work with.

As a baseline, a Piercing Spritz and Piercing Pillow make for the ultimate duo to support the healing journey; proper saline spray for cleaning and a dedicated pillow to protect your piercing while you sleep, particularly for ear piercings.

"Are you available for aftercare appointments and check-ins?"

 

Healing a piercing isn't a one-and-done situation. It's a process and it's one you shouldn't have to navigate alone. A professional piercer should be accessible throughout your healing journey: available for check-up appointments, able to assess whether something is healing normally or needs attention and willing to guide you through any bumps along the way (literally and figuratively).

Part of that ongoing care is the downsize and a good piercer will bring this up with you proactively. Many piercing placements are initially done with a longer bar or larger diameter to accommodate swelling during the early stages of healing. Once that swelling subsides (typically within a few weeks, though it varies), a shorter post or smaller piece needs to be fitted. Skipping the downsize isn't just an aesthetic issue: jewellery that's too long can move excessively/ snag and put pressure on the healing tissue, which can lead to irritation and complications. Not every placement requires a downsize, but your piercer should always communicate whether yours does, why it matters and then when to come back.

If a studio treats the appointment as a transaction that ends the moment you walk out the door, that tells you something about how they view their clients.

 

 

"Can you pierce over scar tissue?"

 

This is a question that comes up more than you'd think, whether someone wants to revive an old piercing or place a new one in an area with existing scar tissue and the honest answer is: it depends.

Scar tissue is complex, and every situation is different. What's possible for one person's anatomy may not be for another's, which is exactly why this conversation belongs with an experienced piercer rather than the internet. A good piercer will assess the site, discuss your history and give you their honest professional opinion on the best path forward.

One thing worth knowing: a healed piercing is essentially a scar tissue tunnel. Which means that a semi-retired piercing (one that's seemingly closed/ contracted but hasn't fully disappeared) can sometimes be gently tapered back open, rather than treated as a brand new piercing from scratch. Whether that's the right approach depends on how much the piercing has closed alongside the condition of the tissue and the placement in question.

If you're curious about a specific situation, bring it to a consultation. A great piercer will never pressure you into a decision and will always walk you through the options based on their expertise with your long-term healing journey as the priority.

 

 

The bottom line

 

Asking questions isn't being difficult. A professional piercer will welcome your questions and answer them clearly and confidently. Any defensiveness or vagueness in response to the above is useful information in itself.

The right piercer will take your anatomy seriously, run a clean and properly equipped studio, use quality jewellery they can speak to knowledgeably, and be a genuine resource throughout your healing process. That's not too much to ask and it's exactly what you deserve. Happy healing! xx