My wife had just gotten her nostril re-pierced at Make Me Holey. She had selected them because they are a female-owned business, and she feels more comfortable with women doing her bodywork. She told me how amazing, professional, and clean her piercer was. She also told me that Make Me Holey uses hypoallergenic materials, which had been a concern for me because several of my older piercings had rejected during the healing process, and I attributed that to materials. Based on my wife's recommendation, I scheduled an appointment to get my septum pierced, on a whim basically. I showed up, got pierced, and left - super quick and clean. That was more than a year ago, and I still love my septum piercing! It miraculously seemed to heal instantaneously, and the size they recommended perfectly suits my nose shape (in my opinion). Love this place! read more

The back of my cartilage was starting to embed so I made an appointment with Nessa to see if anything could be done. I've had this one for over 3 years now and I was determined to keep it if possible. The staff here are super friendly and nonjudgmental, it truly felt like a safe space because I came in feeling a little embarrassed at how gross my piercing had gotten. Nessa was FANTASTIC, her level of care is above and beyond and she made sure I was comfortable while she pushed the earring back through my cartilage. Even afterwards, she spent a lot of time answering all my questions and giving me overall great advice on how to care for my cartilage piercing. They also have a stunning jewelry selection up front. I've seen some reviews about them being expensive, but these are handmade with premium materials and sourced from local jewelers, not mass produced. I'm in love with this little gold fan I found there. Overall I'm definitely going to come back when my ear is back to normal, hopefully I'll see Nessa for a new piercing next time. :) read more

Make Me Holey Body Piercing - Piercing Near Me - San Jose, California

Did all research and this was what came up for a good piercing price for my 7 year old daughter for her bday. The lady did great there and took care of her with a certificate and everything. We didn't do the followup though and saved the money by changing out the earrings ourselves read more

Absolutely love love love this place! As someone who's not very decisive and uncomfortable with new places, they made me feel safe and welcome as soon as I walked in. Vanessa helped me with my helix and conch piercing and was so reassuring through all of it. It didn't hurt as much as I thought it would just because she was so calm and funny through it all. Definitely will be coming back if I decide to get more piercings!! read more

Make Me Holey Body Piercing - New hidden helix & conch - Piercing Near Me - San Jose, California

Came here for jewelry swaps as I had gotten my jewelry ripped off from doing an MRI. The staff here is very friendly and I'd recommend this place if you want excellent quality jewelry. The person who helped me was super accomodating and I couldn't be happier with my purchase. Keep in mind the jewelry pricing is a bit high, but you're paying for quality that'll LAST! read more

Literally, the only place I will trust my piercings. All the jewelry is high quality, and there's never any issues with metals tarnishing, turn your skin green or if you have any type of metal allergy that makes piercings hard to heal. I had my helix pierced 2 times before at other places, but third time is the charm because the team here really wants you to heal well and use good products. I loved their follow up process and how approachable they are to check your piercing if you have any concerns.. They have some really beautiful pieces that you won't find anywhere else so you can curate a whole look with their help that is really unique to you. Ive always had really kind and friendly interactions with all the staff. Basically go here you will thank me! read more

I walked in on a weekend to check out the shop and see if it was appropriate for my young daughters to have their first ear piercings. The shop was clean, cute, and thoughtfully decorated/ designed. Staff made me feel welcome, answered all of my questions and scheduled my daughter's appointments. My girls ages 6 and 9 returned today for our appointment with Nessa and had a great experience. Staff was kind and sweet to my gals. They treated them so well in all aspects. Nessa did a fantastic job with their ear lobe piercings. I am very happy with the results. read more

Make Me Holey Body Piercing - Black opal stone - Piercing Near Me - San Jose, California

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I can't say enough good things about Make Me Holey. I got a triple helix and everything started great. I had some healing issues and they helped me every step of the way. Everyone that I worked with has been amazing, from the front staff to the piercers. Definitely recommend. read more

I've been to the new shop in willow glen twice and have been extremely impressed by my experience every time! The people helping with jewelry are so cool and nice, very educated on the jewelry and really made me feel comfortable and confident in my jewelry selection. The piercers are amazing!! I really love how they talk through exactly what they're doing and where they'll be touching, it really made me feel safe and like I was in gentle hands. Definitely going to be back! read more

Make Me Holey Body Piercing - New vertical philthrum - walk in - Piercing Near Me - San Jose, California

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I'm very disappointed in this WOMAN-owned piercing studio. I came in on 8/28/25 to get my body piercing done and on 8/30/25 I had hemorrhaged! I ended up in the emergency department because I was showing early signs of hypovolemic shock from all the blood loss. The emergency doc couldn't stop the bleeding so he called the OBGYn and eventually a surgeon who threatened to stitch me up to stop the bleeding. Eventually my piercing had to come out because Vanessa had pierced me with the incorrect size barbell. I called the studio and spoke to Jo and she said they can switch out the barbell (my thought was I should've been pierced with the correct one in the first place) my disappointment wasn't the fact that my $250 piercing turned into a $5000 one with the ER visit and all, but, it was the fact that they didn't even call to check back in to see if I was ok and if there was anything they could do. As women, we should be looking out for other women. I don't know. ...Maybe it's because I'm not the right color. Everything I asked was not done. I'm so disappointed. read more

Make Me Holey Body Piercing - Few of their many Jewelry selections - Piercing Near Me - San Jose, California

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I just recently moved to San Jose. I've had my nose piercing out since I had my nose done a few months back. I finally decided to put a nose ring back in. Make me Holey was the closest piercing shop near me. Karissa help me find my nose ring size and showed me different options. Little did I realize these are mostly all gold rings which were out of my budget. Karissa was still super sweet and understanding, she even wrote my size down on her card! I would most definitely recommend!! Thank you again! read more

Nessa and Teresa were so kind and helpful in getting my daughter's earlobe repierced! They both took so much time and care making sure she was part of the process and helping her feel comfortable. Nessa was amazing interacting with her and quickly had her laughing when she got upset at the needle poke. My daughter loves her earrings and is already telling me she wants to go back to see them again!! read more

I came here to downsize my piercing that I got at another studio and had a great experience. I came in early, got checked in, and was left with plenty of time to browse the vast selection of jewelry before my appointment. Taryn changed out my piercing and it was painless, quick, and done before I even knew it. For making a downsizing appointment, I believe you have to do it via phone call but that was smooth and easy. Everyone here is super nice and I hope to come back to purchase some of their super cool jewelry once my piercing fully heals. read more

Couldn't come back soon enough to Make Me Holey to get another piercing. They recommend 8-12mos between ear piercings to ensure everything is healed before getting a new one. I adore Taryn so much and the entire team. They feel like family, and they're always so patient and honest recommending jewelry, and they have the compassionate and deft hand when it comes to the piercing process. My first cartilage piercing in January 2024 had me scared, but it was so quick and easy. Taryn totally put me at ease, and I was so hooked that I came back for more in September (and will come back for more again). Their jewelry skews towards more expensive, but the pieces are so high quality and unique. They'll also walk you through price options that fit your wants and budget. Really can't sing their praises enough, from the minute you walk in the door til you leave and beyond - an amazing team and experience. read more

Make Me Holey Body Piercing - Amazing jewelry selection - Piercing Near Me - San Jose, California

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It's my first time here! Everyone is so nice and friendly! The service is great. Valerie is so sweet & helpful in helping me choose my earrings & Herby is so kind and gentle with my ear! I will definitely recommend people to come here and I will be sure to come back!! read more

So quick, did not feel pain for nail piercing at all! EVEN AFTER, it's healing beautifully! Offered advice and I even changed my placement, over 5 times, and she did not kind at all! Also so many options for gold jewelry! read more

Great place to get your piercing done! Very professional and the customer service is wonderful. Got my double helix done here ~6month ago and it's been doing very well since. read more

Make Me Holey Body Piercing - Day 1 after getting it done - Piercing Near Me - San Jose, California

Good lord. After almost 30 years, I finally had my nostril pierced again. It is pretty much the simplest of piercings you can get, but it was the best experience I could ever imagine. They have such a cute little place. Karissa and the others I met today were so sweet and friendly. They are meticulously clean and very serious about sanitizing everything (even the squishy egg I squeezed in my hand while being pierced). The entire process was explained and followed; there's absolutely no way you could have a bad experience here. No way. Also, the jewelry they have on hand is beautiful...absolutely beautiful. The place itself, Karissa and the jewelry makes want to go back tomorrow and get more piercings. read more

Make Me Holey Body Piercing - Piercing Near Me - San Jose, California

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Make Me Holey? More like Make Me Wholly Impressed. My wife and I visited together for some new piercings, and we both left feeling a little holier and a lot happier. From start to finish, the entire experience was polished, professional, and surprisingly fun -- the kind of appointment you actually want to brag about afterward. Our piercer, Nessa, was absolutely fantastic -- calm, confident, and meticulous in every step. She explained everything clearly, made us feel completely at ease, and handled the piercings with the precision of a surgeon and the chill of someone who genuinely loves what they do. You can tell she's a true professional who takes pride in her work (and her aim). Before that, Payton and the rest of the staff gave us stellar guidance while choosing our jewelry -- which, by the way, is next-level beautiful. Their selection sparkles with everything from understated elegance to "look-at-me-I-glow" energy. Whether you're a minimalist, a magpie, or somewhere in between, you'll find something perfect. The shop itself radiates expertise and enthusiasm -- no dabblers here, just career professionals who clearly live for this art. They care about anatomy, aftercare, and aesthetics in equal measure, which is rare and refreshing. If you're considering a piercing and want quality craftsmanship, premium jewelry, and people who take your comfort seriously (but can still appreciate a good pun), this is the place. We came for the holes, but left feeling whole. read more

I had a fantastic experience with a conch piercing and a downsizing - friendly and professional front of the house and piercers. Highly recommend! read more

I'm writing this review based on an experience I had at this piercing shop a few years ago in hopes that they've since changed a couple of practices that I found deceptive. While the store itself was clean and the piercer professional, I want to warn new customers. The main issue was their jewelry policy. Prior to being pierced, I was asked to pick my jewelry from their display. I selected three expensive pieces. I was then told the posts were intentionally long to accommodate swelling and that I should return in a few weeks to have them swapped for shorter ones. When I came back, I was told the jewelry was a single, fixed piece (post and top) and I would have to purchase entirely new jewelry to get shorter posts. Had they been upfront, I would have selected temporary, basic jewelry for the initial piercing and bought the expensive pieces later. Instead, I was left with three expensive pieces of jewelry with posts that are far too long for me to wear. The second issue was the tipping practice. The payment screen suggested a tip based on the total bill, which included the very expensive jewelry. Tips should be based on the cost of the service only, not the products. read more

I am so glad I learned about this place. It became highly recommended by many (friends, colleagues and co-workers). This shop is also female owned and LGBTQ friendly. I always will support local small businesses. This was my first time going to a great reputable piercing spot. All of my other experiences in the past were not positive. I ended up with infections. At "Make me Holey", they ensure sanitation and cleanliness. They also offer a follow up appointment and to check in should any issues arise. My best friend and I made an appointment for our piercings and we are healing nicely. The jewelry is pretty pricey but you get quality. I want to come back now to get my nose pierced. read more

Make Me Holey Body Piercing - Lobby area - Piercing Near Me - San Jose, California

I've spent over $3,000 at this shop, thinking I was paying for safety and professionalism. Instead, my last two piercings got badly infected (see attached photos). When I asked for help, they refused to fix it, showed zero care, and made me feel unwelcome for bringing my own jewelry. For the high prices they charge, this is completely unacceptable. Avoid this place--don't risk your health or your money here. read more

Make Me Holey Body Piercing - The 3 piercings got badly infected from their work. - Piercing Near Me - San Jose, California

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No experience actually getting pierced here, but I am sure it would go smoothly after meeting the staff. This is a cozy little studio in downtown San Jose with a really nice jewelry selection. They were super warm and welcoming! I felt like changing my standard nose stud with a ring. When looking through their selection, the talia ring caught my eye. A unique design with Indian flair :) just what I was looking for. Next time I'm feeling a new look or want to add a piercing, I will certainly come back. read more

Make Me Holey Body Piercing - Talia nose ring - Piercing Near Me - San Jose, California

Everyone there was so welcoming and friendly! The receptionists made sure that I was assisted right away and were very patient in helping me select jewelry. They even offered a few suggestions as well to help inform my decision! My piercer Taryn was amazing as well. She was super helpful, thorough, and walked me through every step of it. Overall 11/10 experience and I will likely return for my next piercing!! read more

Had an amazing Piercer who patiently walked me through choices. She had some great piercings herself which gave me some inspiration. Had 2 piercings on both lobes. Quick and relatively painful but no after effects of swelling. I am going to go again for more! read more

In less than a year, Make Me Holey helped me get my first ever piercing to now my sixth! Service is impeccable no matter who you're working with. Taryn walked me through my first piercing nerves and Alana has done my five other piercings. Payton at the front desk is so friendly and helpful, and everyone is super attentive! They are super responsive and always willing to slide in last minute appointments whenever I have concerns about healing piercings. This studio is on the higher end, but you're paying for amazing quality and beautiful jewelry, and impeccable service. Everyone is super knowledgeable and works with you to match the jewelry with your anatomy and I've loved ordering custom pieces as well! read more

Make Me Holey Body Piercing - Flat piercing by Taryn and lobe piercings by Alana! - Piercing Near Me - San Jose, California

My experience at Make Me Holey could not have gone better! I was able to easily make an appointment online and fill out the release form ahead of time so I was ready to just pick out jewelry when I arrived. Soooo many beautiful pieces to choose from and everything is displayed so well. No cramped dark corners or awkward counters. It felt like shopping in a beautiful boutique! Vanessa was my piercer and she was wonderful. I never felt rushed and we took time to find the perfect placement. The people, the space, the overall vibe was better than any piercing studio I have ever been to. I can't wait to go back and put more holes in my body! read more

This incident actually happened a while ago and I didn't think to write about it until now, but I had scheduled a lip piercing appointment as early as I could at Make Me Holey. I went here because the previous piercing place that I had been going to for 5 years shut down due to the area getting too expensive to rent out. I heard from a friend that they got their nose pierced here without any issues, so I decided to give this place a try. However, I did notice that her piercing jewelry was way too huge for her nose and she mentioned she spent around $120 in total for the piercing and jewelry. Expensive but maybe they'd do a good job, right? I figured since I'm a simple silver jewelry kind of person, I'd just stick to the simple stuff. They make everyone wait outside the building until it is time for their appointment, no biggie. When my appointment time came along, they had let me in, but said that they were taking longer than expected so I had to wait an extra 20 minutes or so before getting pierced. This was no problem as I would rather the piercers take their time with their clients than rush the piercing appointment to get customers out the door quicker. While I was waiting, one of the workers, who I believe was the owner given how she was talking about the place, was trying to convince clients to buy more expensive piercing jewelry than what they had initially came in for. The place does have a lot of nice jewelry options to choose from, but the owner started complaining to a couple of customers about how people get pierced there and they don't choose the more intricate, expensive jewelry. Her words were, "Yeah I spent tons of money on this jewelry collection only for people to just want the cheapest pieces," peer pressuring clients to buy more expensive jewelry. This made me a bit uncomfortable because I don't like being peer pressured into buying things I didn't come there for when I make it clear what I want in the first place. When it finally came time for her to help me figure out which piece of jewelry I want, I told her I wanted a simple, silver bar for my lip piercing without any studs and I want it to be hypoallergenic since I have metal allergies. She immediately brought me to jewelry with studs on them that weren't all silver and these pieces costed about $50-$120 on top of the price of actually being pierced as well. I told her that these weren't what I'm looking for. She insisted that gold would look better on me. I kindly told her no and I reminded her again that I was looking for a simple silver bar. She said, "What about this?" and pulled out a silver bar with a blue stud on the front and it was priced at $90. I declined again and nicely said, "If you guys don't have it, that's totally okay I can get the piercing somewhere else." She looked extremely upset that I did not want to buy the jewelry she was suggesting and started making passive aggressive comments toward my eyebrow piercing for some reason saying it looked infected (it wasn't) and that I didn't know what I was talking about. After she was done letting off some steam, I asked her one more time if she had what I was looking for. She reluctantly pulled out a simple titanium silver bar with no studs on it after going back and forth multiple times. When it was time for me to finally get pierced, the piercer brought me into a room, but noticed my arm was in a cast and told me she couldn't pierce me since my body was using all its energy to heal my broken arm. This makes total sense and I was grateful that the piercer informed me that I shouldn't get piercing done if my body was healing something else because I was not aware of the risks that come with doing that before signing up for an appointment. The owner did not inform me of this when she saw my cast in the lobby. As I was walking out, the owner made another passive aggressive comment saying, "Yeah makes sense since all your piercings look infected (none of them were infected I don't know what she was talking about) and must be struggling to heal with your arm being broken." I said, "None of my piercings are infected." She shrugged and looked all smug at me as I left. For a queer and woman-owned place, the owner was not very welcoming and open-minded to customers like me. As a queer woman myself, I felt extremely uncomfortable being peer pressured into buying jewelry out of my budget that did not line up with what I had stated I wanted from the very beginning. It was very unprofessional and I will not be stepping foot in this place again. As I mentioned in the beginning of this review, I went to a piercing studio previously owned by a couple that was primarily ran by men. Oddly enough, these men were extremely open-minded and welcoming to queer women like me. The difference is shocking when Make Me Holey advertises itself as a safe space for queer people and women. I hope they are different now and refrain from peer pressuring people into buying jewelry they do not want. read more

Went in this morning for a dealers choice, leaning towards a conch but was unsure if I had the right ear. Both Taryn, my piercer, and the other lovely workers were so kind and helpful! The jewelry selection is absolutely beautiful and all of the jewelry is incredible quality. I went with the conch, we spent some time choosing the right piece of jewelry and the piercing itself was so quick! Taryn was so kind and gentle :) I will absolutely be back. Best piercing studio in this area by far!! Thank you so much! read more

Make Me Holey Body Piercing - So happy with the jewelry I chose :) - Piercing Near Me - San Jose, California

The service was absolutely incredible! Payton helped me pick out some gorgeous jewelry for my preexisting nose piercing and Taryn pierced my septum for me. Both of them were so attentive to my needs while also being such fun people to talk with. Will definitely be coming back for more piercings at this wonderful place! Also their selection of solid gold jewelry is impeccable for any gold biased person out there. - Prema :) read more

I highly recommend Make Me Holey to anyone who is looking for a place to have piercing done, or wanting to purchase new jewelry. From the moment I walked through the door everyone was professional and welcoming! I had new jewelry put in my nose at a different establishment, and my nose was swollen and tender because of the wrong size post placed in my nose. Not only was my nose hurting, I was clueless how the new jewelry was secured in my nose. At Make Me Holey, Erik Dakota attended to me. He was professional, very kind, informative and extremely gentle with the changing of my jewelry. He methodically walked me through the process, and later showed/taught me how the piercing is inserted and removed from my nose. I left feeling relieved, very informed and equipped; knowing without a shadow of doubt that I will return to Make Me Holey for any future piercing and purchase of jewelry. read more

I'm super glad I went to Make Me Holey to swap out my old jewelry and install a new set! The staff are so warm and welcoming, and the studio has a wide range of beautifully crafted jewelry to choose from. Taryn helped me personalize my new jewelry set. She was very knowledgeable on the best placement for each earring and assembled the set within my price point. She also gently installed the pieces and described what she was doing the entire time, which definitely eased some nerves. I left the studio with the biggest smile on my face. I couldn't stop staring at the new jewelry on my ears. I know where to go for jewelry and for piercings in the future! Thank you Make Me Holey and Taryn! read more

Out of all the piercing establishments I've visited, Make me Holey is by far the best! I walked in with my best friend looking for a replacement for my nose piercing and was guided through a hole (hehe) process of what to expect, their standards for cleanliness and quality of jewelry. I also inquired about an old septum piercing I have, which unfortunately closed, but was explained (in GREAT detail) about the options that may be available to me if I wanted to put jewelry back in. Taryn took the utmost care with installing my jewelry and even took the time to poke around my old septum piercing channel to see if it could be stretched or re-pierced. I've decided to get it re-pierced and I can't wait to come back! read more

I just got my first conch piercing with Manny and I love it, he has very gentle hands. The staff is amazing !!

I had a great experience here getting more earlobe piercings in both ears. My piercing specialist Raven was a total pro with stewarding me through the process and explaining all the steps of finding the best jewelry, piercing placements, and aftercare instructions. It was so fun and easy and I love my new piercings. I'm one very happy customer! read more

Didn't get pierced here, but I came in for a piercing that was starting to embed and had to be taken out and replaced. My piercer was Alana and she handled it quickly and skillfully! The other staff members were also very accommodating and were transparent about jewelry pricing. Would definitely come here again in the future! read more

The staff are so warm and welcoming, and the studio has a wide range of beautifully crafted jewelry to choose from! I worked with Alana and they were absolutely amazing! From jewelry selection to speaking about the aftercare. I felt super calm and welcomed in and was able to look around. As someone who's particularly shy, I felt there was definitely an attempt for the comfort. Definitely will be coming back! read more

Love love love this place! The vibes are on point and they have an amazing jewelry selection!! Not to mention i do love a good pun lol! read more

Make Me Holey Body Piercing - Got the labret 2 months ago, the Medusa 2 weeks ago - Piercing Near Me - San Jose, California

I got my earlobes pierced here in Dec 2022, after my previous piercing closed up from disuse. Everyone was extremely welcoming, kind, and professional - I was worried I would feel intimidated since I was "only" getting my earlobes pierced, but it did not feel that way at all. The jewelry here is beautiful and the customer service is both good and generous. A piece I bought from them broke (the pokey bit snapped off) - not their fault at all. The manufacturer had a great warranty, and Make Me Holey took care of sending the piece off for me. When the piece came back, it broke again in the store - again, not their fault at all. They suggested sending it back and asking the manufacturer to convert it from threadless to threaded. They also gave me a credit for the amount of the earring, which they absolutely did not have to do, but which was much appreciated. When the piece came back, they also comped a threaded back, since I didn't have one already. Everyone I've interacted with in the shop has been warm and helpful; going there is always a pleasant experience. I highly recommend them. read more