It's been a minute since I've had new ear piercings, but when Studs invited me to visit their Nolita studio in downtown New York and design my own carefully designed ears (or "earscapes," as they call them), I grabbed Lived up for this opportunity.
If you're interested in doing the same thing and don't live in the New York City area, lucky for you, Studs has 13 studios across the country (and counting) in California, Texas, Florida, and more land.
My ear piercing experience at Studs Nolita
Walking into the Nolita studio, I was greeted by an artsy neon yellow wall of earrings (MoMA worthy, TBH), friendly faces, and lots of earrings on display for purchase.
Based on my previous piercing experience at the mall's Piercing Pagoda (millennials, you know the feeling), Studs feels very classy and, in turn, more trustworthy in my opinion. Unsure of the exact piercing I wanted, their team was comforting and accommodating, allowing me time to discuss what would be best for my ears, which of the various piercings would take longer to heal, and what earring style would work best for me The go-to jewelry for everyday wear.
After a while I decided to try the studio's popular snake bite piercing and headed to the private room in the back.
In terms of pricing, you can generally expect the following: A single piercing will cost $35, but if you get two piercings via Snake Bite (which is the maximum number you can have at one time because of health and safety standards), the price for $50. In addition to the service fee, jewelry pricing is additional and does vary - but for the simple 14K gold flat back stud earrings I chose above, the price is $80 each.
What is snake bite ear piercing?
If you haven't heard of snake bite piercings, that's probably because Studs totally coined the name. According to the chic studio, "Studs Snakebite® are two piercings stacked closely on the ear. While the most common piercing is along the mid-spiral, these piercings can be placed in different areas of the ear, depending on who you are personally Ear anatomy and style."
While many A-listers and fashion girls are embracing the edgy look, supermodel Kaia Gerber (pictured below) started popularizing the style back in 2019. Since then, other celebrities such as Gen Z icon Dixie D'Amelio and singer Rosalia have popularized the style. Join emerging trends.
Pain factors and healing time for snake bite piercings
I'd say I have a pretty high pain tolerance when it comes to piercings - although I must admit that the handheld disposable needles (as opposed to the piercing "guns" used at places like Clare's) are a bit intimidating of.
That being said, the earring piercer was a true professional and made me feel very comfortable and cared for throughout the entire experience. After a few deep breaths, the pain becomes sharp and quick, and may be more severe with the second piercing (probably because they are so close). On a scale of 1 to 10 (where 10 is the most brutal pain), I'd say it's about a 3 at the top.
As far as healing time goes: I had a hard time sleeping on my side for several nights, and my ears felt very, very sore and sensitive to the touch. That being said, most, if not all, discomfort goes away about seven or eight days after the piercing, although the timing may vary for some people. Even now about two weeks later, it can be a little uncomfortable in certain sleeping positions, although it's no longer super sensitive to touch.
One thing I would note is that with new stud piercings, they go for slightly longer stems to make room for any swelling in the ear - I will need to go back once it's fully healed in about two or three months Replaced the bar with one that sits flush with my earlobes, more comfortable, free.
The right way to do aftercare
Remember the age-old advice that we should twist our newly pierced earrings? Yeah, well, let's take a look: It's a total myth when it comes to proper aftercare.
According to earring experts, it's best to let your ear heal naturally and touch it as little as possible to limit irritation. In addition to keeping your jewelry from getting twisted or accidentally getting snagged on sweaters and hairbrushes, it's a good idea to spray the area with a simple saltwater spray a few times a day to keep things clean and infection-free (available in stores).
So far? No issues, no nasty gunk, no infections, and no redness. All in all, if you are in the market for a new pick of earrings, I highly recommend looking for the closest stud earrings.
