Heh. My Mom did my ears for the first time in the kitchen with a sewing needle when I was six days old. The second with a gun in the mall when I was nine. My bellybutton... two and a half years ago (or so) and my tongue a year ago this Thanksgiving.

Of all of them, the tongue hurt the least (that I can remember, anyway) and the bellybutton the most. I've found, between the two most recent piercings, that the best way for me to heal is to completely ignore the piercer's instructions. They told me to use the antibacterial soap and no alcohol/peroxide on the bellybutton ring. Six months later I was still getting infections. When I ditched the soap and started using hydrogen peroxide, it finished healing in less than a month. On the tongue they told me to suck on ice (which doesn't work for me. Ice is too cold; it makes my mouth hurt) to keep the swelling down, and swish with mouthwash X times a day. Having had my previous experience, I completely ignored that and just lived off Slimfast shakes for three days. The fourth day was Thanksgiving (yeah, great timing, huh?) and I wasn't about to miss my mother's cooking!

Now, as for the peircing gun.... they're BAD. What they do is take a (slightly) sharpened ear stud, fit it into a gun, and ram it through your ear, then put the backing on. The gun is never steralized because it 'doesn't come in contact with bodily fluids', never mind the fact that the impact causes such fluids to spray, and the lack of a truely sharp needle means the hole is ragged and takes longer to heal. I've also found that this piercing tends to close up quicker than holes done with an actual piercing needle. If I'd been a little smarter at nine and done some research, I'd never have gotten it done there. It'd be better to go to Tractor Supply and pick up a few of the hypodermic needles they use for horses, of the appropriate size, and do it yourself then be subjected to the gun.

Though I wouldn't recommend that to anyone, honestly. Especially if it's a nerve-rich area. When it comes to having new holes put in your body, find someone trustworthy.