aww RIP his ears. actually found out through that one Unus Annus (RIP) video and the comme...

Really?? I'm genuinely curious about this topic.
I didn't necessarily go to 'Claire's' when I first got my ears pierced (in the typical staring point: the ear lobes), but I did go to a store like 'Macy's' or 'Dillard's' when I got them done and I remember that they also used a piercing gun on me and I did Not have a painful experience at all. I would even go as far to say that the method used left me a good impression on how to do it based on my experience.
Do you think it's a different kind of piercing gun they use than compared to the kind used at 'Claire's'??

Claire's is known for its cheap accessories and products targeted toward teenage girls. And that includes earrings whose cheap metals can rust or oxidize and cause irritation to people with sensitive skin. I'm guessing your experience was better mostly because of the quality of the jewelry. Macy's and I'm guessing probably Dillard's too uses hypoallergenic metals which does a great deal in reducing complications since a lot of the infections are caused by cheap jewelry.

Also, I've heard horror stories of employees who used to work at Claire's who said that the people piercing these kids' ears don't even get special training for it. Also, there's no actual aftercare/advice for the new wound, they just hand you a bottle of aftercare lotion and don't really go through all the ways to take proper care of the healing ears. And you can't even sterilize the piercing guns cuz they're plastic. Sterilizing is different from mere disinfecting because sterilization kills all the bad stuff via heat while disinfecting just reduces the number of bacteria. As you can guess, adding heat to plastic would just melt it.

Either way, if anyone you know is planning on getting their ears pierced, I still wouldn't go for the piercing gun. A couple of my friends whose ears were pierced using a proper needle said they didn't really feel anything and that the only scary part was right before because they were nervous lol. So there's actually no con in going with a proper sharp needle. And thus concludes my Ted talk on this topic, thanks for hanging around to the end!

Of course, no in fact I Love Ted Talks, lol, (๑•ㅂ•)و✧ so thank you for providing such a detailed reply to my inquiry; it's really very appreciated! ヾ(❀╹◡╹)ﾉ~ Please join my Ted Talk too, Lol.
Yeah, I see where you're coming from cause the impression that 'Claire's' products gives me is that of something similar to "jewelry-like" products for mainly kids or preteens and what I clearly recall my mother insisting and the sales clerk confirming the earrings to be used were real gold(metal) in order to avoid "complications" from the piercing.

Wow those 'Claire's' horror stories do sound bad.(⊙…⊙ ) They should really raise the bar on their quality standards when it comes to people's health and body like that.(No actual hating-on from me for the 'Claire's' company though, lol.)
Maybe the piercing gun they used on me on my experience was more of like a professional-grade one??╮(￣▽￣)╭ Not sure, but now it gives me the urge to like interview a jewelry consultant at a 'Macy's' on this factor in order to get to the bottom of this investigation, Lol!
Sorry if this new question may sound like a dumb one, but what exactly is "a proper sharp needle"? Is it like a sewing needle cause that's all that I'm imagining when you say it like that, lol.(￣∇￣") The sensation I had when they pierced me, from what I can recall, was something described like "a jolt" maybe. A quick and easy action kinda like a stapler motion, but with no pain actually. Course for me too the only scary part was the anxiety that came beforehand when anticipating what is going to be done to one.

'Lene', thanks again for taking some of your valuable time to have answered my inquiry on this topic! You sound so informative on this subject matter and always remember intelligence can be attractive too!(๑•ㅂ•)و✧

Hey, no problem! And I'm not really that smart haha, I just did a little bit of online digging, trying to get them facts.

Apparently there are three types of needles one can use to do piercings but the most common one that's used for ears (and most other types of piercings) is a hollow needle. The needles come in different sizes (also called gauges). It's kinda weird cuz the smaller the gauge the bigger the hole piercing is. For example, a 20 gauge is what's typically used for ear piercing (along with 18 gauge) and it measures out to 0.8mm. Compared to a 14 gauge which is a 1.6mm needle typically used for belly button piercings!

The other two needles are a cannula needle (which is very similar to the hollow needle and it's also called a catheter cuz it works like a doctor's insert catheter) and a curve needle. The curve needle isn't really used much but apparently it's curved shape makes it safer to use for piercings since it doesn't accidentally get pierced to another side of the ear.

I'll drop the link here, if you want a more detailed explanation!
https://beautyhacks4all.com/everything-about-piercing-needles-size-types-sterilization-and-techniques/

Hi there 'Lene'. (●'◡'●)ﾉ Aw, really how sweet of you to have gone through the trouble of doing that online digging getting these facts.(▰˘◡˘▰)
Oh no, I would absolutely say you're smart because half the battle is research in the first place and without it one simply doesn't become smart without that research component,(Why do you think teachers & professors give out so much homework which requires looking info up anyway, lol) so you 'Lene' got that research aspect down
to a T!(๑•ㅂ•)و✧
Wow this info is definitely informative; no kidding!(☆▽☆) That one "Cannula needle" sounds like it would really hurt; Ouch!Σ( ￣□￣||) I clearly know about nothing on this subject matter, ╮(￣▽￣)╭ but I'm willing to learn ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶ in case I'd want to get another piercing.
Thank you for providing the detailed link for further info; much appreciated!
Hugs (づ￣ ³￣)づ