You should go to a professional only if they use acupuncture needles which are FDA approved for treatment of any diseases. The better their quality, the easier the insertion into our body will be. There are two different parts to a needle. The tip and the handle.

Acupuncture needles come in many types. For example, a popular brand ‘Kingli’ sells needles in .35 mm, .30 mm, .25 mm, .22 mm, .20 mm, and .18 mm sizes. They also come in alloy handle which are Japanese-type, or silver handle which are the traditional Chinese type. All of these are sterile, while most of these come with silver coatings.

Along with a needle, you get a guide tube sometimes. Guide tubes help in holding the skin taut, and allow easy access to the needle for piercing the skin. It also allows for a better angle of insertion. It comes with a kit including a light hammer, and replaceable hammerheads and needles – of course!