I didn't get my ears pierced until I was 20 years old. I only did my lobes, because I was afraid of needles. I think the piercer legitimately had to give me candy, like I was a child, to calm me down enough to get pierced. Now, I have 10 piercings—and that's not even so many compared to what is trending right now.
Stephanie Anders, piercer and owner of Royal Heritage Tattoo in Venice, California, tells me that she has definitely seen a resurgence in multiple ear piercings. "And this resurgence has come with some really incredible, creative ideas," she says. "With 'curated' ear projects or 'constellation' or stacked and clustered piercings. We are getting away from the traditional looks and for me it’s become about using each person's unique anatomy and creating something that flows aesthetically for them individually."
"What I am personally seeing and loving is that the idea and motivation behind piercing has shifted. Now people are seeing [their ears] as more real estate for stunning jewelry," adds Anders. Piercings are becoming more widely accepted, and so it's "opening up piercing to a clientele where maybe it wasn’t even considered in the past." Popular spots to get ear piercings are conch, tragus, and daith—along with the aforementioned cluster piercings.
If you're feeling inspired to get more piercings, Anders says she will personally do a max of three in a single sitting on a client. "What we can not forget is we are creating an open puncture wound in the body. This healing process is much more delicate and extensive than what a lot of people realize," she explains. So if you have a weakened immune system or sensitive skin, she'll recommend doing fewer piercings. Here's what the number of ear piercings you have say about your personality, based on my completely arbitrary musings.
What multiple ear piercings say about your personality
Two or three piercings
You're over there chillin' with your two piercings—gonna take a wild guess and say lobe—and that's cool. You probably got them pierced at Claire's. You're just keeping it simple. Simple is really underrated lately.
four to seven piercings
This is like the bangs of piercings. Like, you went through a breakup and wanted to make a change, so you got pierced. You didn't want a "big change," but you needed to do something to feel alive.
eight to 10 piercings
My 10 piercings seemed like a lot, until I realized that some people are getting upwards of seven piercings in one ear. So basically, at 10 you think you're really badass—but check yourself before you wreck yourself. (That is exactly the kind of phrase someone with 10 ear piercings would use.)
15 or more
Okay, you're in it to win it and your ears are very Instagrammable. You clearly don't want to have an easy time going through security at the airport. I'm not saying you want attention, but I'm not not saying that. Your ears are also probably perfectly shaped.
Next, what your work bag says about your personality. And your sleep position.
