Ear Piercing - Wellington-Dufferin

For more information, contact
a public health inspector at
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph
Public Health.
Source:
Central West Personal Service Settings Network
The Network includes representatives from Brant County
Health Unit, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health,
Halton Region Health Department, Niagara Region Public
Health Department, City of Hamilton - Public Health and
Social Services, Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit, and
Region of Waterloo Public Health. The Network provides
consistent, evidence-based information on personal
service settings to operators and the public.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
519.846.2715
1.800.265.7293
www.wdghu.org
ear
piercing
Ear Piercing
There are two ways to have your ears
pierced:
• Hollow, sterile needle. Used by most tattoo or
piercing shops.
• Piercing gun or device. Used by most hair salons or spas. (This tool should only be used on the earlobe).
Know the risks
When you use these services, there are risks. These
include blood-borne infections (hepatitis B, C, and
HIV), as well as bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Choose carefully
After your piercing:
• After your ears have been pierced, the cartridge must
be discarded.
• Before leaving, you must be provided with written
and verbal aftercare instructions.
Caution—Piercing gun
It’s okay to use a piercing gun or device on the lobes
of your ear. But it should not be used on other parts
of your ear that contain cartilage. A gun or device
can crush the cartilage and cause infection and/or
deformation of your ear. If cartilage is being pierced,
use a hollow, sterile needle. Other parts of the body,
such as the nose or navel, must be pierced using a
hollow sterile needle—not a piercing device or gun.
The personal services worker needs to use good
infection-control practices to keep you safe. Here’s what to look for:
7
When you enter:
An example of a gun
or device that is not
approved for use.
It does not have a
disposable cartridge.
Also, the gun is
partially plastic and
cannot be sterilized
properly.
• The salon should be clean. A dirty, messy, or
unorganized space shows poor hygiene and
infection-control practices.
Before your piercing:
The worker should be prepared for you—not quickly
cleaning up around you before starting your piercing.
The piercing gun or device must be stored in a clean,
closed container. It should not be sitting out on a
counter top.
• The person piercing your ears must wash his or her
hands first and wear disposable gloves.
• The ear must be cleaned using a skin antiseptic,
marked with an iodine pen, then wiped again with
the skin antiseptic.
• The piercing gun or device must have disposable
cartridges that are used once only and then discarded.
The only part that touches your earlobe should be the
cartridges—not the actual device. HPDCD(FS) 47-09/2007
3
An example of an
approved piercing
gun or device. It
has a disposable
cartridge on the
end. The cartridge
must be removed
and disposed of
after each use.