Ear Piercing Procedure

Preparing the Customer

1. A consent/release form should be completed with piercee details including date, name, address, age, ID details, a disclosure of pertinent information with respect to infectious diseases and conditions that may have an impact or be impacted on by the procedure. 

2. Sit the customer down in your designated piercing area. The piercing should be carried out within a sterile field zone.

Preparing Yourself

3. Always wash hands with antibacterial soap. Personal hygiene is important.

4. Dry with a disposable towel

5. Disposable gloves should be worn.

6. Check the lobe area for any movable lumps under the skin that could be a cyst. Scar tissue will not move. A cyst should not be pierced through. Scar tissue can be with no ill affect.

7. The piercing gun should be stored in a “clean” environment.

8. When carrying out the procedure a “sterile field” should be set up containing all of the pre-sterilised products used to carry out the piercing. Ancillary products not used in the piercing should not breach this space.

Marking the Ears

9. Have any “extra” jewellery and/ or hair removed from the area. 

10. A pre-packed alcohol prep pad should be used to clean the area before piercing.

11. Mark the area with a non-toxic alcohol based studex pen.

12. Make sure at each stage in the piercing process the customer does not touch the area of piercing.

The Piercing Process

13. For a lobe piercing the Studex Universal Gun (white) with a disposable cartridge and System 75 are both excellent. For a cartilage piercing System 75 is a push system with ultra sharp studs that will not cause trauma. Consult the equipment handbook for the respective operating instructions.

Aftercare

14. Instructions with respect to aftercare should be conveyed to the customer and stated in a simple instruction sheet.

15. Aftercare should err on the mild side with twice-daily rotations of the jewellery with hands that have been well cleaned using either an aqueous Benzylkonium Cl solution (Studex Aftercare) or antibacterial soap (or even sterile saline solution if available) as the aftercare regime. Alcohol based solutions should never be used.