Qualified acupuncture practitioners know how to handle needles so that there is no pain or skin damage involved. However, there are rare cases of sensitive patients that experience mild pain, bleeding, or bruising at the puncture site. To limit this as much as possible, people with allergies to nickel or metal sensitivities should ask for gold-plated acupuncture needles, while those with bleeding disorders or who are prescribed anticoagulants should talk to their doctor before having acupuncture.