The best piercing studios in London

A fashion-y and colourful piercing studio that once had a home in Big Topshop (RIP), Metal Morphosis now has outposts in Hackney and Carnaby Street. Since it was established in 1991, the family business has welcomed numerous top celeb clients, from global pop superstar Rihanna to fashion icon Kate Moss and ‘Stranger Things’ star Millie Bobby Brown. The expertise of the piercers at Metal Morphosis will have you well on the way to achieving the perfect ear stack. Piercings start at £10 for a single lobe, excluding the price of jewellery. 

Found among the swanky shops in 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. Don’t expect cheap and cheerful here – prices are only shared on request – but your experience will definitely match up to the higher price tag.

Sacred Gold also has studios in Soho and Covent Garden. 

Find out more here. 

With its prime location in the middle of the Liberty store in Soho, Maria Tash has made a name for herself as a piercer to everyone who’s anyone – the waiting area is regularly occupied by London A-listers. You might need to save up for one of the diamond studs here, but you’ll wear it for life. 

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

A lovely little piercing studio tucked away just off Shacklewell Lane. Dedicated solely to body piercing, the top-tier piercers at this independent shop have a total of over 20 years of experience between them. Piercings start at £30, including titanium jewellery, and vary depending on location. 

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. 

It’s almost a rite of passage for any long-time Londoner to get a piercing in Camden and ColdSteel, one of the oldest and best studios in the game, is a stalwart of the market. Established in 1993, this piercing shop is the place to go if you want the authentic Camden Market experience. The piercers are absolute pros, too. 

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. When you’re done, it’s only a hop, skip and a jump to the nearby market – perfect for buying a little treat to reward yourself for being so brave. Winner. 

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

Astrid & Miyu’s Ear Bar is the ultimate Instagrammable piercing studio. Decked out in pink tiles, neon signs and greenery, it’s bound to get a ton of likes on your feed. It hosts parties and events as well as offering affordable piercing, while the aim of the space 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 cost £20 per 20 minutes. Find out more here.