For the love of all things good try to avoid using a piercing gun at ALL if you possibly can. They're hard to sterilize in a correct way and you don't EVER know what kind of bacteria could be on them. You have no IDEA how many people could have been under that thing, just that day! Honestly. I have four piercings. A septum, a belly button ring, my tragus, and my lobes. My lobes were the only things pierced with a gun and they hurt the WORST.
When you go to a shop to get pierced, 1)you're supporting local business, 2)you can be POSITIVE you're been pierced with clean and sterile items. Like, could be used for surgery sterile. (Seriously, that's why tattoo and piercing shops get checked super duper often for health standards and they MUST open the supplies they are using in front of you), 3)They are TRAINED. They know what to do if something goes wrong, although it vary rarely does, and they inform you of risks. They know how to take care of your piercing once it's all said and done, 4) Blunt force trauma like from a peircing gun can and WILL cause permanent damage to other areas of the body, especially if it's a cartilage piercing 5)having the area clamped down like how piercing shops do it also hurts SO much less!! It's honestly a blessing.
If you or anyone you know decide to get pierced again, I HIGHLY recommend you go to a tattoo or piercing shop. Contrary to social stigma, they're honestly so clean and nice, and usually the people you meet in there are so nice and helpful. They're usually more than willing to sit down and explain EVERYTHING you need to know about it. Healing process, how to clean it, placements that will look nice, and even cute jewelry suggestions too! Plus, their needles are usually hollow, which is much safer for your body to heal properly. On top of that, needles are also MUCH more accurate, and you don't run the risk of developing a nickel allergy or metal intolerance (yes, they BOTH are usually caused by piercing guns).
Overall, it's safer, healthier, hurts less, and is often a more helpful and enriching experience than getting it down in three minutes at some mall kiosk. Plus, you can recommend other people to them and help someone else make a living doing something they love! The only downside is that shops ARE a little more expensive than the mall, but honestly, they are so worth it.
Sorry if this was long, I just had to explain a little bit about the other option and why it's important.
