Everything to check before you pay for an ear piercing in the UK, from the certificate on the studio wall to the aftercare routine you will follow at home.

Quick look

1. In England and Wales, both the piercer and the premises must be registered with the local council, and the certificate must be displayed on site.
2. Clean a new piercing twice a day, dry it with a clean paper towel and never twist the jewellery when it is dry.
3. Some tenderness, itching and slight redness are normal at first, but swelling, heat, pain and discharge need prompt medical advice.
4. Leave starter jewellery in while the piercing heals, because taking it out too early can let the hole close.
5. There is no legal minimum age for ear piercing in the UK, though studios can set their own rules and under-16s cannot get genital or nipple piercings.

An ear piercing is minor surgery: it breaks the skin, which means there is always some risk of infection or injury, however clean the studio looks. The good news is that a little homework before you book removes most of that risk. Work through this checklist before you pay a deposit, and again on the day itself.

Check the studio is licensed and registered

• Both piercer and premises must be registered. In England and Wales, the individual piercer and the premises must both be registered with the local council under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982. It is illegal to carry out skin piercing unless both are registered. In Greater London, except the City of London, studios need a Special Treatments Licence from their council instead.
• Look for the certificate on the wall. Councils issue a certificate of registration, and it must be displayed in a prominent place along with any local byelaws. Failing to display it can lead to a fine. If you cannot see one, avoid the studio.
• Ask about inspections. Premises are usually inspected by the council’s environmental health team before registration is granted, and registered studios face periodic inspections afterwards. In London, licences must be renewed regularly, which in some areas means every 18 months.
• Check the age rules before booking for a teenager. There is no legal minimum age for ear or cosmetic body piercing in the UK, but genital and nipple piercings cannot be performed on anyone under 16. Many studios set their own age limits and consent rules, so call ahead.
• Be wary of piercing outside a studio. The law does not allow a wholly mobile piercing business. A piercer may only work from premises registered with the council in that area, so treat offers of home or party piercings with suspicion.
• Never pierce yourself or let a friend do it. Doing your own piercings makes infection far more likely.

Hygiene signs to look for when you walk in

• Fresh gloves and clean hands. The piercer should wash their hands and put on new disposable gloves before touching you or your ears.
• Single-use equipment opened in front of you. Good studios use disposable equipment, including needles and gloves. Ask for the sterile packaging to be opened where you can see it.
• A clean, uncluttered work area. Surfaces should be clean and clear, with nothing lying around that has no business being near a treatment area.
• Proper preparation before piercing. Your ear should be cleaned, the spot marked and checked with you, and only then pierced. A little bleeding is normal.

Little trick: Take a photo of the registration certificate and the aftercare sheet before you leave. If a question comes up at home, you will have the studio’s exact instructions rather than a half-remembered version.

Needle or gun: what to ask

• How a needle piercing works. The piercer pushes a hollow needle through the skin, creating a hole that the jewellery is then placed through.
• Which method the studio uses, and why. Guidance written for people with epidermolysis bullosa, a condition that makes skin fragile, says it does not matter whether a gun or a needle is used for ear piercing; it depends on the part of the ear and what the professional recommends. Ask the studio what they use for the placement you want.
• Extra care for cartilage. Piercing the cartilage carries added risks, including deformity, infection and blood poisoning, so it matters even more that the piercer is experienced with that part of the ear.

Choosing your starter jewellery

• Ask what it is made from. Allergic reactions to jewellery are a recognised risk of any new piercing, so find out exactly what the starter earrings are made of before you agree to anything.
• Mention sensitive skin at the consultation. If costume earrings have made your ears red and itchy before, say so at the booking stage. Our guide to jewellery for sensitive skin covers nickel allergy basics and the materials that are usually better tolerated.
• Plan to leave it in. Starter jewellery stays put while the piercing heals. Guidance for ear piercings commonly advises around six weeks, and removing it too early may cause the hole to close.
• Think ahead to the fun part. Once you are healed and know which materials suit you, our guide to accessorising without overdoing it can help you build a small, wearable earring collection rather than a drawer full of things you never reach for.

What a good piercer should tell you before you pay

• They should ask about your medical history first. This gives them the information they need to advise whether the piercing will be safe for you.
• The risks, in plain language. These include infection, with redness, swelling, pain and discharge; allergic reactions to the jewellery; severe swelling and inflammation; jewellery embedding in the skin or moving over time; and scarring, including overgrown keloid scar tissue.
• Realistic healing times. They should tell you how long to keep the first jewellery in for your specific placement, and how that differs for cartilage compared with the lobe.
• Written aftercare instructions. You want the routine explained out loud and given to you on paper or by message, including who to contact if something looks wrong.
• The full price. Ask what is included, such as the jewellery, any aftercare products and follow-up visits, so there are no surprises at the till.

Aftercare basics

• Clean the piercing twice a day. This is the standard advice for a new piercing.
• Wash your hands before touching it. Every time, without exception.
• Turn the jewellery gently, and only while cleaning. Gently turning the jewellery during cleaning is fine, but never twist or turn it when the piercing is dry.
• Dry it with a clean paper towel. Do not use a bath towel, and skip cotton wool; use a cotton bud or cotton pad for cleaning instead.
• Use saline on soft gauze, dabbing rather than rubbing. Dabbing is gentler on healing skin.
• Stay out of the pool on day one. Give swimming a miss for the first full 24 hours after the piercing is done.
• Look after the earrings themselves once you are healed. Our guide to cleaning and storing everyday jewellery covers how to keep them in good condition between wears.

Warning signs of infection and what to do

• What is normal at first. In the early weeks of healing, tenderness and itching are common, and the skin around the piercing can look a touch pink on pale skin or a shade deeper than the surrounding area on darker skin. Small lumps can also form around cartilage piercings.
• What is not normal. The area around the piercing being swollen, painful, hot, very red or very dark, especially with discharge that has an unpleasant smell, burning or ongoing itching.
• Get medical help quickly. Ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 by phone or online if you suspect an infection has set in.
• Keep the jewellery where it is. Only take it out if a doctor specifically advises you to, because infected piercings may need antibiotics, which can be a cream, ointment or tablets.

Ask away

Do I have to see a licence displayed in the studio?

Yes. Studios must display their registration certificate and any local byelaws in a prominent place, and they can be fined for failing to do so. In Greater London, the equivalent is a Special Treatments Licence from the council.

Is a needle safer than a piercing gun?

Both are used for ear piercing, and guidance written for people with the fragile-skin condition epidermolysis bullosa says it does not matter which is used; it depends on the part of the ear and what the professional recommends. Training and hygiene matter most, so ask the studio which method they use and why.

How long should I keep my starter earrings in?

Guidance for ear piercings commonly advises leaving the first jewellery in for around six weeks, as removing it too early may cause the piercing to close. Ask your piercer for the timing that suits your placement.

What should I do if my piercing looks infected?

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 by phone or online. Keep the jewellery in place unless a doctor advises otherwise, because infected piercings may need antibiotics.