The procedure for most pierces is fairly simple. Sometimes a numbing
agent is used, but not often. The skin is cleaned using alcohol or a
disinfectant, then the area is marked so you can see where the ring or
stud is going to go. After that is ok, a clamp is placed on the skin
pulling it taught, then a needle is pushed through. Sometimes a small
plastic sheath is placed over the needle then removed after the piercing
to keep the hole open, but when I got my navel pierced the ring went
straight in after the needle was taken out. To keep the piercing clean
and stop it from getting infected, you will have to clean it with tea
tree oil about three times a day until it is fully healed. Infected
piercing not only look gross, with pus and crusties all over them, they
are also quite painful. Most piercing are very low maintenance and don't
need much looking after. Tongue piercings are the hardest to look after,
as the tongue can swell and easily get infected. For the first week
after getting a tongue pierce, you have to rinse with Listerene after
putting anything other than water in your mouth. And NO kissing or oral
sex for 3 weeks afterwards, while the pierce heals.