I got a piercing! To be more specific: it's a helix piercing, which means it's in the upper ear, piercing through the cartilage. I'd been meaning to get this piercing since I was a teenager, but back in the days I wasn't mentally quite prepared for it. First, I didn't want to be the one person in my village with a piercing "like that" - if a boy had a piercing, it was the one through the ear lobe. Secondly, we had a saying in Germany that goes like this: "Links ist cool, rechts is schwul." That translates to: Wear it on your left and you're cool. Wear it on your right and you're gay. As I said: I wasn't ready for this when I was a teenager and then I eventually ended up working in hospitality and that industry didn't really like it if you had had piercings as a man. (Times have luckily changed on that front.) Going through somewhat like a midlife crisis (or second puberty?), I figured now would be a good time to get that piercing. A friend recommended Punktured in Brighton and without further ado, I made an appointment. The staff was super friendly and walked me through the various steps: both of the procedure and the healing process. At every time in the process, I felt very well taken care of! Thank you, Punkture team! Also - guess which side I got the earing in!? Let's be gay ;-) read more

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I had an ear piercing done in this place a year ago which never healed properly even after using all the products they recommended and looking after it carefully. Now I found out I'm pregnant and I asked them if they could take the piercing out as it can be dangerous. Not only did they refused to help me, but one of the ladies (short one with dark hair) was extremely rude with me, even though I told her many times I was very worried because the doctor told me it could be risky to keep an unhealed piercing during pregnancy. When I asked her if she at least could teach me how to take it out safely, she rolled her eyes and looked at the other employees and told me I could not take it out inside the store. I told her I could do it outside and expressed my worries to her and she started saying I was "giving her attitude" as if I were a child. I never had anyone mistreat me like this and I don't wish anyone, particularly a first-time mum, to go through this. I wouldn't recommend a place with such rude and insensitive (un)professionals. Additionally, this was the only piercing I had problems healing. I have other 5 made in other places which all healed fine and people were always lovely and helpful. The only reason I don't give less stars is because the professional who pierced me at the time was very respectful and nice. read more

Incase the gigantic silver bar-bell outside the shop doesn't give it away, Punktured is a clean and vibrant body piercing shop. The staff are friendly and professional and unlike other piercing studios I've been to, are thorough when it comes to consultations and after care. They sell a wide range of stainless steel, titanium, silicon and acrylic jewellery in different styles. As for the punkturing - sorry piercing! - they pierce everything from ears, nostrils and eyebrows to lips, tongues, navel, labias, cliteral hoods, guiches and scrotums. For the incredibly brave, they also offer scarification at £70 per hour. read more

Punktured - Piercing Near Me - Brighton, BNH

Very professional and well informed staff. Good selection of piercings. Could have been more chatty just to put me at ease as I got pierced by myself. read more

Punktured definitely announces itself, with a loud turquoise and pink shopfront and a giant ball-bearing piercing the sign. There's really no mistaking what they're up to here! Inside, the place is pretty minimal, with glass cases lining the walls. Naturally you can have anything you like pierced, right from the classic first ear piercing to a more adventurous (and ouch!) Prince Albert! The staff are friendly, experienced and knowledgeable and really put you at ease if you feel nervous. You are taken into another room for the actual event, so you won't feel like you're on display. All piercings are done with a needle (not a stud-gun in sight!), which is way better for your body and the healing process but is a little harder on the purse... ears will cost you around £30 for the pair. This does include jewellery though and they have a good selection. Unlike some their places, they use rings for ear piercing, which I found were less irritating to my ears than studs. Even if you don't actually require a new piercing or are unsure, Punktured is a good place to investigate your options or pick up jewellery...they have an impressive selection of bellybutton bars, if you're ever in need! read more

Punktured - Piercing Near Me - Brighton, BNH

I have already had many piercings but my experience here was incredible! In and out in under 15 minutes and the lady was lovely. Spoke me through everything that was going on and made sure I was aware everything was sterile. Will definitely be returning in the near future for more! Definitely not the same as Claire's with their guns. read more

I've been pierced in Punktured twice, once when I first had my nose pierced, and a year later when it got horribly and bloodily ripped out in a miniature Battle of Hastings re-enactment (involving too many pillowcases and not enough peripheral vision) and it had to heal over and be re-pierced. Both times I had a lovely lady to stick needles in me, whose name was Jane and who put me so far at ease I wasn't far off falling asleep. It's so clean and shiny in here it feels almost like a hospital, albeit staffed by trendsters and painted luminous pink. Out back is very sterile and reassuring too - it's not just a front put on to lure the customers in but really and truly like a hospital. Or a pink dentist. They even let your friends in, apparently, although I witnessed them keeping them out once to save the dignity of a nervous girl who was clearly only going to be laughed at. Discretion was, in this case, the better part of valour. They're good at after-piercing service as well, providing you with saline and advice in equal measure. Their selection of piercings is extensive, and they have a very wide range of stainless steel jewellery which makes good present material as well as extending your sartorial range. I can't fault them, really - they've struck the perfect balance between being cool and being sterile, which is a difficult one to do. This really is the perfect place to get pierced. read more

Great bunch of people, very polite and knowledgeable, a tad pricey if im honest. Great stock range.

I've been pierced here twice, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to others, and will certainly go back for future piercings. Unusually, punktured is a dedicated piercing studio - many professional piercers work in tattoo shops, which can seem intimidating places for novice piercers. There is nothing intimidating about Punktured, with which is light, airy and colourful. The walls are covered in glass cabinets full of jewelry - this is a good place to pick up something new as well as get pierced. The staff are all friendly and knowledgable, and accept both bookings and walk ins (I've never had a problem getting a walk in appointment here). Once pierced, you'll be given an aftercare leaflet, and they encourage you to ask questions and come back if you have any problems or concerns. They'll also change jewelry for you once it's healed - for free if it is bought there - a definite plus if, like me, you hate fiddling with piercing balls! read more

Punktured - Piercing Near Me - Brighton, BNH

As someone who had her ears pierced when she was a little girl and cried so much she almost came away with only one ear done, I was not really looking forward to my trip here. I had decided, on a whim, to get my upper ear cartilage pierced and, though excited, I was very nervous. The staff in here were friendly, assuring and very knowledgable. They put me at ease straight away and were very organised and clear about the process- two things which are really important for anything like this. The shop is full of options and the staff behind the counter are always eager to help you with any questions you might have or offer advice when needed. The actual piercing room I went into was very clean and comfortable which, again, are really key things when visiting a piercing studio. The woman who pierced my ear did a great job - painless and quick - and was very sympathetic to my nerves. They know there stuff in here but it's not intimidating for a newbie like myself to walk in and have a chat! All in all, I would recommend this place to anyone wanting a piercing done in Brighton. read more

This is the most popular and trusted piercing studio in Brighton. Unlike a lot of piercing places I've known, this is a million miles away from your (stereotypical, I admit) black-clad, dingy, backstreet studio. In fact, it's totally the opposite pink, light, clean and spacious. The staff are really helpful and friendly - if you aren't sure what you want, they've got an album of their work you can look at for ideas and they're happy to talk you through any questions you might have. I got my nose pierced here a couple of years ago, on impulse, and only had to wait about five minutes to be seen (...is that a good thing?) The guy that served (or should I say, pierced?) me was really nice and put me at ease he didn't even laugh or ask why on Earth I was there when I told him I was scared of needles... The studios were clean and comfy, everything was taken fresh out its packet in front of my eyes and the piercist's hygiene was impeccable. I was helped free of charge when I went back there with a problem a few days later and they even gave me a helping hand when I was ready to change my nose jewellery for the first time. These guys know what they're doing, they give good, honest advice and they do it with a smile. read more

Came here to get my naval piercing during summer. Went to make an appointment for a couple hours later, they were really flexible with times. I was really nervous and had many questions, but Eli made it really easy for me and told me exactly what I needed to know. He was so nice and welcoming, I 100% recommend this place. read more

My friend and I went to Punktured to get our piercings and I would definitely recommend it to others. It's interior is very clean and the walls are full of body jeweleries. When you walk in to make your appointment, you have to put in a deposit of 10 quids to save your appointment time. Don't be late because even if you're late, they charge you for rescheduling. I got my cartilage pierced here. I don't remember my lady's name, but she was friendly and put me at ease as soon as I sat down. She washed her hands and opened all the sterile equipment from its packaging in front of me to ensure that everything would be clean. I'd come here again if I decided to get another piercing. read more

The staff are brillant my daughter went today for another piercing a really great experience. I can't recommend them enough

I cannot even begin to put into words what an awful place this. There's something seriously wrong with some of the front of house staff who deal with customers. I have to say that the piercer was a lovely man and I hope for his sake, he finds somewhere better to work. The woman who claims that she runs the place is appalling though. I went in to get some aftercare - I was anxious about my piercing and was probably quite nervous, as its caused me pain and has been a bother. To be honest, if this woman was any good at customer service (more so in a piercing place where staff should be trained to support and deal with anxiety and nerves) she would have recognised that she should be giving me the space to offload and then done her utmost to allay and contain my anxieties. Instead, she was hectoring, rude, patronising, insisting on talking over me and not listening. She pointed and held her palm up to my face (all signs of a bully!) On reflection, hers was a classic case of deflecting blame on to someone else when you know you're in the wrong. She was manipulative, to the extent that she made me feel that it was all my fault - both with the lack of aftercare (which I have been adhering to religiously) and further, making me feel at fault that I was asking for some customer support and help. My self esteem and confidence has taken a bit of a battering since that altercation and the way the 2 women working there 'ganged' up on me. But having googled Punktured, I feel less troubled as I've found others who experienced similar. If you look at the google reviews, there are some customers who have had similar - clearly the shop can't manage things properly when diplomacy and empathy is required (i.e when things go wrong and people return for help!). As an aside, after I left, I went to 2 other piercing salons (no shortage in Brighton!) and didn't mention Punktured but asked them about my piercing. Both salons dealt with it so wonderfully - they were empathic, kind and considerate. All things that Punktured weren't. When I then told them afterwards where I had had it done, all the people in the shops (both piercers and other customers) independently said that they had heard many, many complaints about it and others having been dealt with in the same way as I had been. So that's my experience - judge for yourself but do your research. read more

One incredibley Rude and dismissive woman at the counter. Overpriced jewellery and constantly trying to "up sell" to you. Awful service.

Would never go back! I have multiple piercings all of which have healed well and pierced well over the years. I recently got my nose pierced and my upper lobe in Punktured. The upper lobe piercing has been pierced at a slight angle and positioned horridly out of line of my other ear piercings. I had to return as (my own fault) my nose piercing fell out of my nose and i lost the stud. I had a spare hoop at home which i kept in my nose before returning to purchase a surgical stud to help with my nose healing process. The man on the counter insisted I removed the hoop myself and not in the shop, making me stand outside without a mirror. After this I went into a room with a woman who wasn't very chatty and didn't allow me to explain that I had a piece of jewellery securing the hole, once the stud fell out so it didn't heal. She forcibly pushed the nose stud through the hole, I have a high pain threshold and it bloody hurt! when home I realised that there are now two holes in the inside of my nose one being the original created with a needle and one being the newly created with the blunt stud. This shop is overpriced and not at all friendly, I will not be returning and wouldn't advise anyone to get their piercings here as better service and cheaper prices can easily be found. read more

I was 5 minutes late for an appointment (they knew I would be late) and they kept my deposit asking for a full price for a reschedule. The staff (old lady- don't know her name) was kind of meany. read more

F*** Punktured, man. Don't go there!! Find somewhere with better customer service - It wouldn't be hard. I've had lots of piercing before including nips, xtina, tragus, stretched ears, etc and I've NEVER had such trouble with a piercing. I seek help from them and they are nothing but quick on the sarcasm, condescending, inflammatory, inferring that i'm not adhering to aftercare and very unwilling to help. The miserable so-called 'experts' at this Brighton shop want to grab your money, shove some metal in you and then use a guise of extended worse case aftercare scenarios to prevent you from getting any help from them.... Repeat: Do not go there. read more

Mixed feelings about this place. Got a septum here, was good. Got VCH here, was terrible - hated it, took it out a week after. They have no size other than big, which didn't bother me for the septum, but with the VCH the size was not communicated or how it would affect the surrounding tissue. Complete waste of money. Ended up going to Angelic Hell piercing instead - they are really nice in there with a lot more size/shape options, and cheap Friday prices. read more

really nasty service. went in to talk to them about a bar I was advised there would fit my snug, which turned out to be too small. it had actually been fitted by a staff member. they denied it was too small even tho one of the balls sits inside the piercing (?!) then all three staff members spoke to me as though I were being aggressive for maintaining that it was too small, despite my remaining calm and polite and simply rather confused at their behaviour. Basic gaslighting tactic designed to discredit unsatisfied customers, very transparent and overall a really unpleasant experience. basically do not shop here. read more

Not very friendly and my navel was wonky. Don't let the trainee pierce you!

Very rude, dismissive and shirty. I'm no novice with 14 piercings and a few tattoos and even I was made to feel intimidated in this shop. I have a scaffold/ industrial piercing which at the moment I have 2 separate 1.6 gauge small barbells in each for work purposes. I asked them whether they sold the individual smaller balls that fit on the end. ( wanted 3mm not 4mm which were in there at the moment and as my hair keeps catching on it, wanted smaller more discreet ones, simple enough question) short sharp 'no!' ...and 'they don't even make em, and why haven't you got a bar in there? Your piercer doesn't know what he's doing, he's an idiot'. Actually the piercer I use is one of the best and has even pierced Lady Gaga so I don't think he's an idiot! I said he pierced it with a bar, then put the separate ones in for healing purposes & my work so I can swap and change when I want in the future so I know it was done at the tight angles. She said the scaffold was too short and they didn't make bars for that length (24mm) I know they do, as I have 3 of them. I told her girl he was a good piercer and that's no I didn't want the bar, the balls were what I asked for, only the smaller balls. She curtly told me ' well go back there then as they CLEARLY know more than us. I'm sure he'll give you the best advice. Good bye' . I was fuming when I left and I'm never entering that place again. Incidentally they're talking rubbish as I went back to london ( where I'm from) and ordered some 3mm balls with a 1.6 gauge from bodyartforms.com , so they do make them after all...,funny that! read more