Your piercer is wearing gloves and protective clothing and has hair tied back.

Ask if they have an autoclave (sterilising unit).

Needles are disposable.

It is a registered piercing studio.

Piercers wash their hands before piercing you.

All instruments are autoclaved or disposable.

All jewellery is sterile- packed.

All dressing they will use for you is sterile-packed.

All surfaces are smooth and able to be wiped, including the floor.

Adequate information is given to you and after-care advice plus checks are given.

There is 24-hour access to your piercer in case of bleeding.

Your piercer does not carry out too many piercings on your body at one time.

Your piercer does not attempt to carry out piercings which are medically irresponsible.

Source: Manchester and Leeds Piercing Company.

AFTER CARE After-care for piercing is of the utmost importance -- if you don't care properly for the newly pierced area, you run the risk of local infections and possibly blood poisoning. Infections can develop easily on a new piercing since it is an open skin wound.

Keeping piercing clean Clean your piercing twice a day with salt water. A mix of two to three teaspoons of salt to a cup of warm water is the best cleaning solution to use.

After a few days the piercing will start to weep (lymph), which will dry hard on the ring. Hold the ring to stop it from moving and dip either cotton wool or cotton wool buds into cleaning solution -- then wash around area to remove all traces of the solution.

For nipple or navel piercings, wear a clean cotton T-shirt to bed or cover the piercings with a swab or non-stick gauze, and tape with microspore tape around the edges.

For genital piercings, clean cotton underwear should be worn during the healing period. The piercings should be, as far as possible, kept dry except when cleaning. Do not cover the piercing all the time since this does not permit air to circulate.

After- care for oral piercings: Listerine or salt water should be used every time you eat, drink, smoke, sleep, or after any kind of oral contact. Brush your teeth and tongue 2 to 3 times a day with a non-sugar based toothpaste.