If you are thinking of having your ears pierced, it is vital to be assured that those carrying out the piercing take every precaution to ensure that the risk of infection is minimised.

At McKellars we think your health is the top priority. We pride ourselves on ensuring that all staff that carry out ear piercing have been fully trained and tested for their knowledge and practical skills in piercing and have been issued with a Certificate of Competence.

We only use the latest equipment, a disposable sterile capsule system, which ensures that the earrings themselves do not have to be handled by our customers or staff. The Studex Ear Piercing System 75 is approved by the Environmental Health Association for use in piercing the lobe and upper flat cartilage area of the ear. Studex is the world's largest supplier of ear piercing equipment.

Piercing can usually be carried out on request subject to staff availability.

We will not pierce children less than 4 years of age and any person under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who must also sign to give their consent.

What else should I know?

After you have been pierced it is very important that you minimise the risk of infection by regular use of our after care solution. You will be given full details at time of piercing. We do not pierce other parts of the body such as the nose, eyebrows or belly button as for various safety reasons there is a greater risk of infection in these areas. However, if you have had any of these pierced successfully and healing has completed without any problem, we do stock a wide range of belly bars and rings, nose studs and eyebrow hoops.

• Ear Piercing After Care

What type of earrings should I choose?

There is a choice of materials for you to choose from, all of which have their own attributes and benefits:

14ct gold - the choice we recommend. Opt for quality - as you keep the earrings you are pierced with, why not choose a pair that you will want to keep on wearing in the future?

Titanium - perfect for those who prefer the look of silver jewellery or who feel that they may be susceptible to allergies.

Gold plated - this is a cost-effective way of having your ears pierced.

You may also choose from different designs.

9ct Gold 4mm	9ct Gold 3mm Crystal	9ct Gold 3mm Cubic Zirconia
14ct White Gold 4mm	Titanium 4mm Crystal

When you shop online you can see quite a lot of discounting. This can be unsettling. Who is genuine? Who is hiding away hidden extras for postage or insurance?

We want you to be able to relax in the knowledge that when you buy from us, you are getting the best like-for-like price.

So - here is our deal: We will match the price of any authourised online UK stockist of our products (so Ebay and other auction sites are excluded). If you can find any item cheaper (including shipping costs - remember we do not charge a penny for UK postage on any order over £50), we will match that price.

The item must be new, unused, in the best quality, in it's original packaging and available for immediate sale.

If you do see an item that fulfills these conditions, email us at (PriceMatch@mckellars-jewellers.com) with the details of the other stockist. We will then make our checks and, if the conditions above are fulfilled, we will match the price.

McKellars Ltd - Ensuring you of the best service - everyday.