Editorial and medical review policy

Authorship

Every article names its author. Authors are professional piercers; their experience and memberships are listed on their profile pages.

Medical review

Articles that touch on healing, infection, scarring, allergies, pregnancy, medication or any other health topic are reviewed by a licensed medical professional (registered nurse, nurse practitioner, physician assistant or physician). The reviewer's name and the review date appear on the article. Reviewed articles are re-checked at least once every 12 months or sooner when guidance changes.

Sourcing

We prefer primary sources: professional bodies (Association of Professional Piercers), medical organisations (American Academy of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, NHS), standards documents (ASTM F136, ISO 5832) and peer-reviewed studies. Sources are listed at the end of each article.

Independence

Best Piercing does not own or operate a studio or a jewelry store. We do not accept payment, free products in exchange for coverage, or any influence over recommendations. Affiliate relationships are disclosed and never affect what we recommend.

Photos and data

Photographs are of real piercings and jewelry, taken or licensed by us. Cost data comes from our own dated surveys of studios. Pain scores are the consensus of our piercer authors on a fixed 1–10 scale explained on the pain chart.

Corrections

If you find an error, contact us. Material corrections are noted at the bottom of the article with the date.

Not medical advice

Our content is educational. It does not replace assessment by a piercer or a clinician. Seek medical care for any piercing that is hot, swollen, spreading redness, producing coloured discharge, or accompanied by fever.