The best piercing studios in London

With its prime location in the middle of the Liberty store in Soho, Maria Tash has made a name for herself as piercer to everyone who’s anyone – the waiting area is regularly occupied by London A-listers. Cheap and cheerful this place isn’t. You might need to save up for one of the diamond studs here, but you’ll wear it for life. 

Appointments from £15, excluding cost of jewellery. Find out more here.

This sustainable women’s jewellery brand launched its own piercing studio in 2018 and specialises in jewellery that minimises scarring with new piercings. Forget a low-key metal stud – Lark & Berry uses 14-carat gold from its piercing capsule collection and offers a similarly high-end experience to those braving the needle. Fancy.

Appointments complimentary, excluding cost of jewellery. Find out more here. 

There is something about this buzzy spot in Carnaby Street that might just remind you of trips to Claire’s. It’s probably all the eager shoppers gathered around walls lined with eye-catching costume jewellery (though the style is more fine gold chains and delicate hoops than scrunchies and stick-on tattoos). The vibe is transformed in the basement, where all the piercings take place. The calming space has a waiting area where you select your jewellery and have a consultation; there are private rooms for the piercing.  

Appointments from £20, excluding cost of jewellery. Find out more here. 

This Portobello Road studio boasts a vibrant atmosphere and highly experienced staff as well as a selection of high-quality jewellery to suit all styles. It’s the crème de la crème of piercing places when it comes to having an authentic yet unintimidating experience. Plus, you can go from piercing to perusing market stalls in less than three minutes. Winner. 

Appointments free, excluding cost of jewellery. Find out more here.

Tucked away in King’s Cross’s achingly cool Coal Drops Yard, Sacred Gold offers a pain-free and uber-stylish piercing experience. Not only are the interiors reminiscent of a 1920s sorting office, the parlour caters for a very wide range of tastes, offering Europe’s largest selection of BVLA precious-metal body jewellery. 

Appointments from £15, excluding cost of jewellery. Find out more here. 

Relatively new to London’s piercing scene, The Alkemistry can be found among the luxury boutiques of revamped Floral Street in Covent Garden. Despite such a central location, it offers a pretty serene piercing service and the opportunity to browse lots of independent and sustainable jewellery designers at the same time.

Appointments from £35, excluding cost of jewellery. Find out more here. 

Made for the Instagram age, Astrid & Miyu’s Ear Bar is decked out in pink tiles, neon signs and greenery. It hosts parties and events as well as offering affordable piercing. The aim is to make getting pierced feel less daunting and more like an on-trend wellness experience. And A&M’s locations in St Christopher’s Place, Boxpark Shoreditch, King’s Rd and Neal St do just that. 

Appointments from £45 per piercing. Find out more here.