Is getting your ears pierced at Piercing Pagoda safe?

Answer 1

OK bottom line Claire's, Piercing Pagoda, Ardene's and any place where a piercing gun is used to provided piercing services are generally not licensed to provide any form of piercing service. Nor are they inspected by the local Health Protection agency to ensure public safety. So are they safe? Well your guess is as good as mind.

Fact: All body piercing studios must be licensed by the city they are in and inspected by the the local Health Protection branch to ensure public safety.

Fact: All piercing gun boutiques avoid inspection and licensing requirements by licensing for "retail sales" only and never mention "ear piercing services" in the license application to the city, and because of this omission on there part they never get inspected by the Health Department because they never register with the Health Unit to provide the services they have omitted on the business license.

So you are taking your chances, if they have a business license (they do all businesses have to have one and post it for consumers to see not hidden around the corner in the back room) it will not mention anything about piercing services or ear piercing. If it does mention these services you need to see a *health inspection report as well to make the business license valid ( *generally this may not exist ). So pay your money and take your chances, and if you get hurt contact the local health inspection agency and file a complaint, just dont go home and say "My Bad" and leave it at that. The health unit is there for your protection and they need to know when there is a risk to publuic safety. Want it done right and professionally see a professional body piercer.