When looking around Arrowhead, you can see the trend of multiple ear piercings. Students have big diamonds and hoops, and some have piercings in areas that many haven’t even heard.

There are different kinds of piercings. There is a piercing on the tragus of your ear, which is located, according to google.com’s definition, on the inner side of the external ear. The helix is another area to pierce and this is located right on the outer rim of the ear.  Another piercing is the daith. The daith is a piercing that passes through the ear’s innermost cartilage fold.

According to telegraph.co.uk’s article, “Why we’re all falling for multiple ear piercings,”  piercings – and in particular multiple ear piercings – are a huge trend in fashion circles, a trend that’s now rippling out into the mainstream.

“I got doubles, my cartilage and my tragus pierced. The tragus definitely hurt a lot more than the others, but its was so worth it. They look so cool and edgy, I just really like the look of having a lot of piercings. I used to not, but now since they have come back in style I really have wanted more,” says senior Bryn Bierman.

These earring trends have been found on multiple celebrities like Emma Watson, Cara Delevingne, and Miley Cyrus on the red carpet, according to telegraph.co.uk. You can also look at Pinterest for the pictures of piercings on people’s ears, as well as pictures of girls who style piercings with their hair and or match them with their outfits. Some people show piercings off with high buns or pulling back their hair into a braid.

Telegraph.co.uk states that many of us hadn’t given our ears – and how people accessorise them – much thought since the ’80s or ’90s. The trend though, in the past year or so has really come back in style, especially in people ages 16-30.

But piercers beware: There is a lot of talk saying that you shouldn’t get your ears pierced at a place that uses a gun, and instead stick to place that uses a needle. There are multiple reasons stated below on the pros and cons of getting your ears pierced with a needle, or a gun.

Needles:

Gun:

According to jewlery.about.com’s article, “Are Piercing Guns Safe?” older guns are disinfected after each use, but plastic components made it impossible to insert the guns into an autoclave, which is the process that’s required for sterilization. Contemporary guns have disposable piercing inserts, but even one-use pods don’t eliminate all of the problems that can be caused by guns. You may not know if piercers are using a newer or older gun, but it doesn’t hurt to ask when getting your ears piercing.

By far the biggest risk from using a gun to get your ears pierced is getting an infection. Jewlery.about.com‘s article, “Are Piercing Guns Safe?” states that disease transmission is possible, even with disposable cartridges. This can happen if the parts are used incorrectly or when the operator doesn’t understand or follow standard hygiene practices. Body fluids from one client, or common bacteria that’s only a problem when it enters a cut, could possibly become deposited onto any area of the piercing gun, and then later transferred to a new client.

“I currently have triple ear piercings and my cartilage done. I heard it’s not so great to get them done at places like Claire’s, because they use a gun, which is a risk of infection when getting your cartilage pierced, but I just wanted somewhere inexpensive so I got them done there. I’m in love with them, there’s so many cool earrings you can get and switch up your look with,” says senior Andi Eckl.

Claire’s and Pagoda at the mall use guns. Students can check out local tattoo and piercing places such as Avant-Garde, located in Milwaukee. Although a longer drive and a bit more expensive, the protection from getting a infection is worth it.

The differences between prices vary. It’s all based on what you get, how big or small the earring is and if the ring or stud is gold, titanium, sterling silver, etc. For example, Pagoda has deals that go on throughout the year, such as getting a free ear piercing with a purchase of any earring. Claire’s has the same deal. These stores prices can vary from $15 for a sterling silver earing, up to $99 for gold.

If you head to a professional and safe piercing shop, which is any specific shop that is specifically made for piercings and uses needles instead of guns, then the prices are going to be significantly higher. A basic cartilage piercing, specifically a sterling silver, flat back earring, varies at around $40 for the one piercing. The prices are a difference, but getting it done by a professional who uses a needle could save damage.

“The piercing I got is my daith, and I had to get it from a professional ear piercing shop. I got this one really because of the fact that I researched a heard that getting piercing in that spot can decrease your headaches and migraines. I currently get extremely bad migraines so finding a solution like this that says can work and also looks cute, was something I grabbed at right away. So far my headaches and migraines have actually reduced slightly so I’m extremely impressed and happy that I got it!” says senior Lindsay Bertram.