 Outside of the United States , many piercers use a needle containing a cannula ( or catheter ) , a hollow plastic tube placed at the end of the needle . In some countries , the piercing needle favoured in the United States is regarded as a medical device and is illegal for body piercers . The procedure is similar to the piercing needle method , but the initial jewellery is inserted into the back of the cannula and the cannula and the jewellery are then pulled through the piercing . More bleeding may follow , as the piercing is larger than the jewellery . 
