6 reliable needle piercing shops & studios in Singapore

Piercings are very popular in Singapore: look around and odds are, most women will have at least an earlobe piercing. In this self-expressive age, other piercings from helix piercings (in the upper cartilage area of the ear) to septum piercings to even nipple piercings become common. And amongst both genders too.

That said, piercings are a form of permanent body modification. Even though the holes can close up and heal if you remove jewellery, it will likely leave a permanent mark. It’s an invasive procedure that comes with risks like infections, allergic reactions and the transfer of bloodborne pathogens. All these risks make it all the more important to take precautions and do your research.

And if you believe what you hear on TikTok, some users claim that a daith piercing might even help with migraines. This isn’t scientifically proven, so try at your own risk!

Which is better, a gun or a needle for piercings?

A piercing needle is significantly better than a piercing gun.

While piercing services are readily available at many jewellery stores, they are generally frowned upon by professional piercers due to the usage of spring-loaded piercing guns. Firstly, these piercing guns handled by minimally-trained staff run the risk of misalignment, which might cause increased pain and longer healing times. If you have thick earlobes, you also run the risk of earrings becoming embedded in the ear lobe.

Here are the few ways we can compare the two.

Can the equipment be fully sterilised?

• Needle Piercing: Yes, piercers can either sterilise the needle in an autoclave (medical-grade machine required for proper sterilisation) or use a hollow, single-use needle each time.
• Gun Piercing: No, Piercing guns can’t be fully sterilised as most of them are made with plastic parts, and would melt in a medical-grade machine required for proper sterilisation.

Which piercing hurts more?

• Needle Piercing: While pain tolerance differs from person to person, needle piercing are said to be less painful due to the control and precision required by the piercer. The needle is also sharper, allowing the needle to glide through the flesh easier.
• Gun Piercing: The quick action of the gun causes a sharp and intense burst of pain as the piercer will not be able to control the speed that the needle pierces you. The blunt force can also result in bruising: just imagine using a pencil to create a hole in a piece of paper vs a hole puncher. Now, imagine that piece of paper is your ear.

Which method takes faster to heal?

• Needle Piercing: With less tissue damage, needle piercings generally heal faster and with fewer complications. Proper aftercare remains essential, but the cleaner cut from the needle enables the body to heal more efficiently.
• Gun Piercing: Due to the blunt force trauma (remember, pencil through a paper), the healing process might take longer, and you could be prone to complications like keloids, infections, or misalignment of the piercing. There’s also the risk that the lack of precision might not create a hole with enough space around your jewellery for your ear to properly heal, which might cause your body to reject the piercing.

What are the variety of piercings available?

• Needle Piercing: Needles are versatile and can be used on any part of the body, including cartilage, belly button, epidermis (skin surface), nipple and more. Professional piercers will know how to adapt the needle to the specific anatomy.
• Gun Piercing: Limited to ears, though some stores have started offering cartilage and nose piercings. This is highly dangerous as cartilage takes a longer time to heal, and using a gun increases the risk of shattering body tissue. You are also limited in jewellery choice as most guns come with pre-loaded studs.

Ultimately, it is still a bodily invasive procedure, and you are creating a wound of some sort, so a needle piercing from a professional piercer who understands how the skin heals and bodily anatomy is still recommended.

There are a range of reputable piercing studios in Singapore – usually, they’re tattoo parlours as well. When choosing a piercing studio, here are a few things to consider, assuming these places have already been vetted to have sterile environments and use needles for their piercings.

How to choose the best piercing shop in Singapore?

Affordability: In general, a lobe piercing is the most common, and starts from $30, though some studios may charge a premium of $60 and above. While price is important, do research the piercer beforehand as well to find out about their experience. Also do bear in mind, this is for the cost of the piercing only, and jewellery is a separate cost. Rise Above Tattoo & Piercing are known for their reasonable prices, with earlobes starting from $35.

Variety of jewellery: For people with sensitive skin or metal allergies, it is advisable to go with titanium jewellery as it is hypoallergenic. It is also lightweight and comfortable to wear, which will aid the healing process. All reputable studios should have this at the very least. But if you’re in the market for something high end or dainty, places such as Mantra Collective and Curious Creatures have trendy, fine and demi-fine jewellery that wouldn’t look out of place at a fancy event, though the prices start anywhere from a couple of hundreds to a few thousands.

Who the piercer is: While you might not really take the gender of the piercer into account for ear, nose, eyebrow or belly piercings, for private areas such as nipples or labia, some might feel more comfortable with a female piercer. It is best to call up the studio beforehand to check if they have one. Both Primitive Art Piercing and Mantra Collective have at least one female piercer currently at their studio.

Vibes of the studio: Getting pierced can already feel nerve-wracking, because, well, you’re voluntarily signing up for pain. Even if it’s something you’re excited about so the atmosphere of the studio really matters. Some piercing spots share space with tattoo artists, which can feel energetic and exciting if you’re into that scene, but overwhelming if you’re not (the constant buzz of tattoo needles in the background might heighten anxiety). Rise Above Tattoo & Piercing and Ink by Finch are known for their straightforward, no-frills approach.

If you’d rather your piercing feel more like a pampering experience, Mantra Collective and Curious Creatures offer a more boutique-like environment with a luxe, retail-style vibe. They even offer styling services to help you pick complementing pieces. Just note that the elevated experience often comes with a higher price tag.

Here’s a list of places to consider!

Mantra Collective

You might have heard of Rinku Sherpa who was also featured in our Career Confessions series. First and foremost, her service is top-notch: she had a welcoming studio, and her service staff was nice and friendly. While the services at Mantra Collective might be pricier, you can rest assured that they know what they’re doing. Rinku has attended classes at the Association of Professional Piercer (APP) conference held in Las Vegas, as well as the Bloodborne Pathogen courses to ensure safety and sanitation at Mantra Collective, and all their equipment is sterilised with the Statim G4 Autoclave.

You can find their pricing list here, with simple earlobe piercings costing S$70 per ear. They also sell fine jewellery, which means visits can cost upwards of $1000.

Mantra Collective is located at 772 A North Bridge Road Singapore 198740, and is open from 12.30pm to 8pm on Sunday to Friday. You can book an appointment here.

Rise Above Tattoo & Piercing

Look on online forums and odds are, Rise Above Tattoo & Piercing will be recommended to you. Jason, the piercer, is professional and has over a decade of experience piercing professionally. Their pricing is reasonable too, and they’re quite meticulous with cleanliness – they use new needles for every client – and after-care.

You can find their list of services here. While pricing differs based on a variety of factors – you should consult with Jason to find out more about the different piercings that they offer. For starters, the cost of an earlobe piercing starts at $35 for each ear (inclusive of jewellery).

Rise Above Tattoo & Piercing is located at at Far East Plaza, 14 Scotts Road #04-70 Singapore 228213 and are open from 12pm to 8.30pm everyday. You can book an appointment here.

Primitive Art Piercing

Due to its positioning in the mall’s layout and its eye catching sign, anyone who used to frequent Far East Plaza as a teen would be familiar with Primitive Art Piercing. One of the OG establishments of the mall, especially when it comes to tattoos or piercings, the studio has been round since 1993, so you know they are very established when it comes to experience. They are one of the few places that also accept walk-ins, so if you’re lucky and feeling impulsive, you might just be able to get one one the spot!

Primitive Art Piercing is located at Far East Plaza, 14 Scotts Road, #04-101/102, Singapore 228213 and are open from 11:30AM - 8:30PM daily. Call 67370302 or 67353710 to make an appointment.

Ink by Finch

While primarily focusing on tattoos, Ink by Finch also offers piercing services, and has been doing so for multiple years – with rave reviews. They are particularly noted for their expertise in body piercings, offering piercings even for the clitoral hood. Their website notes how they “prioritie hygiene and safety by using top-quality sterilisation equipment and disposable cartridges and needles for each client”.

You can find their price list here.

Ink by Finch is located at 3 Coleman Street, Peninsula Shopping Centre #04-21, Singapore 179804 and is open from 1pm to 8pm Monday to Saturday. You can book an appointment here.

Bugis Tattoo

Alan and Ah Bee are male tattoo and piercing artists known for being professional and knowledgeable. Using needles, they do a range of piercings from ear to navel.

You can contact them individually on Instagram (Alan and Ah Bee) to enquire and discuss prices.

Bugis Tattoo is located at 3 New Bugis St, #02-22, Singapore 188867 and is open from 1pm to 10pm daily.

Curious Creatures

Not a fan of industrial looking titanium barbells you see at most piercers? Well, the next time you head to jeweller Curious Creatures for a pair of 14K fine gold or demi-fine jewellery to compliment your piercing, you just might be able to get pierced at the same time!

The brand has a Luxury Piercing service, which which encompasses a piercing that is “an overall considered experience that involves transforming one’s ear through the combination of anatomy-specific piercings, fine jewelry styling, and detailed aftercare”.

Piercing starts from $60 for the first piercing, and $40 for the subsequent one (though you will need to add +$15 for Tragus and Forward Helix). Click here for more details and if you would like to make an appointment.

Additional reporting by Saw Yone Yone