Body piercing is one of the most popular ways for people to express themselves today. But as a new shop owner, you have to make sure you’re ready for your clients to walk through the door with all of the right supplies. From needles to jewelry, to hygienic supplies, there are lots of things you need to get started. Here are the top five essential body piercing supplies you need to stock your shop.

The most important thing you need to have is a good quality set of piercing needles in the appropriate gauge size for the kinds of piercings you will be performing. For example, a 18 gauge piercing needle will work great for nose, eyebrow and ear lobe piercings. You also need a pair of hemostat forceps to hold the piercing site still while you insert the needle. These are available in straight and curved versions to accommodate different kinds of piercings you may want to perform.

An autoclave is another one of the most important pieces of body piercing suppliers equipment you’ll need. An autoclave looks kind of like a microwave and uses very high heat, steam and gas to sterilize your tools, needles and jewelry so they can be safely used on your client. It’s the best way to make sure your piercing supplies are clean and sterile for your customer.

You’ll also need a set of piercing pliers, holding pliers and stud pliers to handle the various types of jewelry you will be selling or using to perform piercings. These are useful for both holding the piercing and adjusting jewelry, making them an essential supply for every piercer.

Finally, you’ll need a variety of skin prep and sterilization supplies including nitrile gloves, surface disinfectants and sterile wipes. These are all part of the hygienic process you’ll need to follow to ensure your clients have a positive experience and heal quickly.