Piercing: Blade vs Catheter, what’s the difference?

1. Traditional needle

The traditional needle, also known as a "blade", "American" needle or "Triple bevel", is one of the most commonly used piercing tools.

It comes in the form of a thin surgical steel needle, specially designed to pierce the skin. It is the tool created especially for body piercing.

Here are some key things to know about the traditional needle:

1.1 Procedure

The traditional needle is chosen based on the size of the jewelry you want to insert. It is inserted directly into the skin, then the jewelry is placed behind the needle and pushed through the skin to put it in place.

1.2 Advantages

Using the traditional needle has several advantages:

• Precision: The traditional needle allows for greater precision when creating the perforation, which is essential for an optimal result. The diameter of the needle will perfectly match the diameter of the jewel that will be placed.
• Less Trauma: Due to its thin and sharp design, the traditional needle causes less trauma to the skin, reducing the risk of inflammation and excessive bleeding. The healing process is therefore shorter.
• Speed: Due to its extreme sharpness, the traditional needle is generally faster than the catheter in passing through skin and cartilage.

1.3 Disadvantages

While the blade has some serious advantages, it also has some drawbacks to consider:

• Piercer Skill: Using the traditional needle requires great skill and extensive experience on the part of the piercer. It requires excellent dexterity to pass the jewelry quickly and smoothly.
• Less room for error: Due to the extreme thinness and sharpness of the traditional needle, the slightest wobble or wrong angle and the piercing is not perfect.

2. Catheter

Another common option for piercings is a catheter. It consists of a plastic cannula surrounding a needle, which remains in place once the needle is removed.

Here's what you need to know about the catheter:

2.1 Procedure

When using a catheter, the cannula is inserted into the skin with the needle, then the needle is removed and the jewelry is placed into the cannula and pushed through the skin using the cannula as a guide. Finally, the cannula is removed, leaving the jewelry in place.

2.2 Advantages

The catheter also has significant advantages:

• Ease of Use: Using the catheter can be easier and faster for less experienced piercers because there is only one forward motion to insert both the catheter and the jewelry.
• Easy to insert the jewel: The plastic cannula of the catheter has a larger diameter than the traditional needle and it “simply” slides the jewel into the cannula before removing it, and that’s it. Even an inexperienced hand will be able to put the jewel in easily.

2.3 Disadvantages

However, there are also some drawbacks to consider:

• Inflammatory reaction: Due to the extra thickness created by the cannula, the diameter used with the catheter is greater than necessary. To introduce a 1.2mm jewel, the hole will generally be 1.3mm which can lead to an increased inflammatory reaction and bleeding.
• Steeper Bevel: The catheter has a steeper bevel than a traditional needle, meaning the tip is less sharp. Insertion into the skin will therefore be slightly “rougher” as some force will be required to pierce the area.