The most basic tools tend to be used by any piercing artist, professional or personal: gloves, sterile needles, towels, forceps, piercing corks and medical supplies like gauze and cotton swabs. More specialized tools, including advanced sterilization equipment and piercing instruments meant for particular parts of the body, might only be owned by a professional. Some tools may also vary according to the personal preference of the piercer. Different styles of piercing needles, for instance, are popular with different artists, as different brands and styles may require different methods to pass the jewelry through the piercing while the needle is inserted. Forceps and some other tools also come in several styles, each of which is thought more useful for a specific type of piercing.

The professional who may be responsible for hundreds or thousands of piercings should also have a medical autoclave, a machine used to thoroughly sterilize the tools he or she will use in her business. An autoclave is essentially a pressurized water heater that does not vent steam, allowing the water to be heated to temperatures above boiling point. 121�C is the usual temperature of a medical autoclave, making the machines even more effective at sterilization than boiling water.

Captive bead rings are popular, especially as starter jewelry, for their ability to be cleaned easily, but if you want to remove them or replace them in your ear you�ll need a special tool for each. A pair of specialized pliers is used to expand the ring in order to remove the bead that closes it, while another pair, specialized differently, is used to close the ring when you replace the bead. If you have a number of captive bead piercings or are pierced often, it may be in your best interest to invest in these tools, even if you are not a piercing artist.

Forceps come in a variety of shapes according to the body part they are used upon. Those used for the tongue, for instance, tend to have circular or ovular ends, while �Pennington�, or triangular, forceps are often found more useful for nipple piercings. Forceps used on the navel may be ovular, but may have specialized ends that make holding the skin easier for the piercer and more comfortable for the recipient. Special tweezers (essentially no different from tiny forceps) are sometimes used for the navel and other parts as well. Specialized forceps are also made for the septum (the area of the nose between your nostrils) and several other parts of the body. If you do not plan to pierce often or many different parts of the body, you will likely find that one set of forceps is sufficient, but be sure to think about what set would be the most comfortable for you and your piercee�s body.

The best way to buy the most basic piercing tools is to search for a sensibly-priced kit, preferably a new one. Used tools are fine, but should be properly inspected and fully sterilized before any use. Tools, like needles, are able to spread many infections in the piercing studio, and as such they should be treated with the utmost caution.