 Forceps , or clamps , may be used to hold and stabilize the tissue to be pierced . Most piercings that are stabilized with forceps use the triangular @-@ headed " Pennington " <unk> , while tongues are usually stabilized with an oval @-@ headed <unk> . Most forceps have large enough openings in their jaws to permit the needle and jewellery to pass directly through , though some slotted forceps are designed with a removable segment instead for removal after the piercing . Forceps are not used in the freehand method , in which the piercer supports the tissue by hand . 
