Babies: The piercing is performed using a medical ear piercing system used exclusively by medical practitioners. Earrings are manufactured in Sweden and prepackaged in sterile cassettes. Anything that comes into direct contact with your skin is one-time use and disposed of after every client, therefore there is no chance of cross-contamination.  We pierce babies with the Blomdahl medical ear piercing system.  

Children, teens & adults: Some children ages 5 & up will opt for a needle piercing (vs "the gun") where pre-packaged, sterile and disposable needles are used. Most teens & adults will have their piercings done with a needle.
Jewelry: 14k/18k gold, medical-grade titanium 

There are ONLY 2 methods of piercing that exist: 
!) Sterile hollow needle method where the needle pierces the ear.
2) Piercing gun or hand clamp where the jewelry itself is the mode of piercing. Babies are almost impossible to hold still enough during a piercing to do needle piercings.  For safety reasons, Rachel Smith has chosen to use the Blomdahl system which she has successfully used for nearly a decade.