There are several reasons why we do not use ear piercing guns for any type of piercing. First, there is no way to sterilize piercing guns. Most guns are made of plastic and will melt under the extreme heat and pressure of an autoclave (the piece of equipment used to sterilize implements) and chemical sterilization has not been proven to kill all blood borne pathogens; this is extremely dangerous since fluid micro-spray (microscopic particles of tissue, blood and other body fluids) might be present on the gun after a piercing.
Second, guns are considerably more painful than a piercing needle because guns use the blunt end of the jewelry to do the piercing – actually tearing the skin, traumatizing the area, and complicating healing.
Third, since both the instrument and the jewelry were designed for earlobes, they are not compatible with other areas of the body, increasing the risk of infection and further complicating the healing process.
Fourth, standard piercing gun studs are usually made of a poor quality metal that can cause additional complications.
Lastly, the jewelry is poorly designed in that the backing traps and collects waste, hair and debris, holding it against or close to the piercing. This is far from an ideal healing environment.