Better Late Than Never: My First Piercing Experience at Rowan

Yes, you read that right: I got my ears pierced for the first time at 19, as a college student!

It all started with me finally realizing that 1) I’m not afraid of needles anymore and 2) Claire’s isn’t the only option. I started researching online and on social media for places that were both inviting and prioritized cleanliness and hygiene. The results in my area were mostly Piercing Pagodas, private piercing studios, and tattoo shops. However, the brand-new Rowan in Palmer Square stood out to me because actual nurses performed the piercings as their part-time job outside of being an RN. Honestly, I chose Rowan because it was trendy and I really liked the clinical environment they advertised. The space seemed inviting and, frankly, going to a tattoo shop intimidated me (please bear with me). 

Rowan has two options of piercing methods: a hand-pressurized device for all ages or a hollow, sterilized needle used specifically for piercings. However, it is important to note that the needle is only available for ages 5 and older, and anyone 5 and under getting a device piercing must show verification that they received at least one dose of the DTaP vaccine. 

There is a lot of discourse in the professional piercer community regarding how safe piercing guns are. It is well-established that they cause more damage to the tissue because of the blunt-force trauma that is induced onto the ear, and that they significantly increase the risk of infection, since they cannot be fully sterilized properly. Rowan markets their hand-pressurized piercing “device” as a safe alternative to traditional piercing guns you see at places like Claire’s. Although yes, it is not the same as a spring-loaded piercing gun, it still causes blunt-force trauma to the tissue, which slows down healing because of the damage. Additionally, because the base tool (the part the nurse holds that also contains the single-use cartridge) is made of plastic, it cannot be put into an autoclave to fully sterilize it for safe use, unlike actual medical devices and tools.

The standard piercing method amongst professionals is using a single-use, tri-bevel sterilized needle. Since it is hollow on the inside and extremely sharp (similar to canullas/IV needles but sharper), it slices out a small sliver of skin, which forms the piercing. This allows for incredibly accurate results because the piercer’s hand stays in full control while piercing, and it avoids blunt force trauma, which allows for faster healing and cleaner piercing holes.

So, you’re probably thinking: Miranda cares so much about proper safety and obviously did her research beforehand. Surely she went with the needle piercing, right? 

Well—yes. Originally. I had planned to use the needle for my appointment, obviously. I looked online and picked out a pair of flat back needle piercing earrings I liked from Rowan’s piercing jewelry catalogue, and I had everything planned out to make the appointment. 

Until I saw the price. For whatever reason, Rowan charges the piercing service and piercing jewelry separately, even though you really can’t get a piercing there without purchasing the piercing jewelry. Naturally and logically, the piercing service should be factored into the price of the piercing jewelry. You can’t magically pierce my ear with just air. Something has to stay in the piercing site to keep the hole from closing up. However, I understand that the nurses who are employed there deserve a fair wage. I did not mind that at first, but I soon realized that for needle piercings, the flat back piercing jewelry they used does not come in pairs. In other words, you’re paying around $68 for ONE earring. The device piercing jewelry is sold in pairs. Since I only got my lobes done, I gave in and did the device piercing. I was worried about tissue damage, but after around three weeks, my ears are fine. No pain, no infection, and healthy signs of healing.

When I got to their Palmer Square location in Princeton, I only waited around 7-8 minutes for the family in front of me to finish getting their infant’s ears pierced. When they were checked out, I was able to get my ears pierced around 20-30 minutes earlier than my scheduled appointment. The nurse, Gianna, who did my piercings, was very kind, and she quadruple-checked that the markings were even before using the piercing device. The first ear did not hurt at all, but the second one hurt quite a bit (apparently this is a canon event, according to my sister, Nina, who has both of her ears nearly filled with earrings). 

When she was finished adjusting the earrings and making sure they were secured, she gave me a cute Rowan-branded pouch that contained their hypochlorous acid spray for healing (which was an extra $20), as well as the little red hair clips she used to pull my hair back, a Rowan sticker, and a Rowan hair tie. 

Overall, the service itself was great. The inside of the studio was super cute and trendy, which made the experience more comfortable overall. My piercer was really sweet and super helpful, making sure everything was perfect. The wait wasn’t long at all. My only two issues are that it’s too expensive, and the way they advertise the device piercing method and the price of the needle piercing jewelry is a little misleading. Using a piercing device for soft tissue like earlobes is not that harmful. However, the problem arises when they are also being used for firmer cartilage areas such as the upper lobes and helix (both of which Rowan allows you to use the device for). If Rowan prioritizes cleanliness and a “clinical” environment for piercings, then they should make the needle the standard without any extra cost, and they should have flat back piercing jewelry options that come in sets so you don’t have to pay $68 x 2 for basic earlobe jewelry plus the service fee for the actual piercing. Honestly, I wouldn’t even mind paying an extra $15 service fee for two needle piercings instead of the device if the jewelry wasn’t so expensive.

The Rowan Advanced Ear Cleansing Solution is yet another thing you can purchase (as well as piercing pillows, sports studs, gel packets, etc.) as an add-on for $20 to help maintain your fresh piercing. It’s literally just a hypochlorous acid spray made from a solution of water, sodium hypochlorite, and phosphoric acid. The industry standard is NeilMed sterile saline solution, which is only used to clean away debris from the piercing site. Unlike sterile saline, hypochlorous acid actually has antimicrobial properties that kill bacteria by breaking down the bacterial cell wall as well as biofilm that typically accumulates at the piercing site. On a molecular level, hypochlorous acid essentially mimics the phagocytic mechanism that neutrophils, a type of white blood cell used for immune response to destroy pathogens. In the long run, this helps reduce the risk of getting an infection and, in my opinion, is worth it (but you can purchase very similar products for slightly cheaper at places like CVS and Walgreens, since hypochlorous acid is also commonly used for acne and post-procedural wound healing).

If you are getting your ears pierced for the first time, Rowan is a great choice if you are willing to pay more money for the experience. However, for more difficult piercings such as nose piercings, cartilage piercings, etc., I highly suggest going to an experienced piercer who has the proper certifications and specializes in piercings, rather than doing it as a part-time job outside of their regular occupation. Without considering the financial aspect, my experience itself and the staff were fantastic!

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