The piercer: 5 stars. She's an actual RN, she was kind, explained everything, she was reassuring throughout and I really appreciated that. I told both the piercer and manager upfront that I'm allergic to stainless steel and titanium. I was specifically assured that the bar, the part that actually goes through the ear, was solid 14 karat gold. It wasn't. It was stainless steel. I was also told the back was a screw back, but it was just a pop back. Weeks later, when my piercing wasn't healing, I had it removed and that's when I discovered the truth. For someone with metal allergies, this is a serious and potentially harmful. As for the manager -- he was rude when we walked in, didn't say hello and just asked if I had an appointment, but that paled in comparison to how he treated a grandmother who had come in excited to wait for her daughter and granddaughter for the little girl's very first ear piercing. He was really rude to her, and that's not okay. That's a memory-making moment for a family, and she deserved so much better than that. read more

Rowan Upper East Side - I was assured earring was real gold, b/c I'm allergic to stainless steel & titanium. It was stainless steel & caused an allergic reaction - Piercing Near Me - New York, New York

I got a hidden helix piercing at Rowan a couple of years ago. I had an appointment today for an earring change out ($25 according to their website). When I got there the technician told me she can't use an earring that's not from them. I was happy to pay the $25 fee and I would have been glad to buy an earring from them. But they don't sell this type. Not even close. So it's not a competition issue; they don't even offer it. So a wasted trip because they had to stand on ceremony. Bye, Rowan. You're not the only game in town. read more

Rowan Upper East Side - Piercing Near Me - New York, New York

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Awful. I would not buy any jewelry from here. I bought 14k gold earrings, 2 pairs that tarnished 2 months after. I contacted customer support who blamed me and my "ph balances" or my perfume or lotion or hairspray which I never use. They refused to let me exchange or give my money back. I would NOT recommend buying any jewelry from here. read more

Rowan Upper East Side - Piercing Near Me - New York, New York

Brought my 10 year old daughter for her first piercings! We were visiting from Houston and had a great experience with the needle piercing. Our nurse was very patient with us. I had my ears pierced when I was a baby and they are not symmetrical so she spent plenty of time showing me options for my second piercing placement and how to make it work. We are both so happy with our new piercings! Just something to keep in mind: prices are PER piercing and PER earring. Maybe most people know that, but it was double the cost of what I was expecting. Still worth it to us! read more

Rowan Upper East Side - Piercing Near Me - New York, New York

I have been to Rowan twice in the past three weeks. The first time, I got second holes in my earlobes. I made the appointment earlier that day. Once I arrived, we were helped right away. I chose my earrings then sat down. I was out of there in 15 minutes. Its been three weeks and my ears are doing well, no issues with healing. The second time, I went in on Sunday afternoon to do mid helix piercing. I had an appointment. It was busy in there. The person ahead of me (a school age kid) was taking a long time, she was crying and scared. Once it was my turn, the nurse thanked me for my patience. She explained everything and was very kind. Overall the experience was great. I don't live in nyc but I didn't feel 100% comfortable going to any of the places near me. Anytime I want another piercing, I will return. read more

I was very pleased at Rowan. I had not worn earrings for several years and was not sure if ears needed re- piercing. The nurse was very competent- and honest. Even though I didn't my ears pierced I bought a lovely pair of hoop earring with cubic stones. I definitely would recommend Rowen. read more

Kevin and his team are amazing. I was scheduled for a medical procedure which required all piercings to be removed and I had one that just wouldn't budge. I ran into this location as a walk in and Kevin took it upon himself to remove the earring. He spent over a half hour working on it, kept me calm, and got it out. Without his help I would have been in a complete bind. Thank you for your help patience, persistence and kindness! read more

I generally stick to leaving only positive reviews but feel compelled to warn others about this absolute sham of a business. I visited Rowan after sleeping on a newish lobe piercing, which caused swelling and a need to upsize to a longer post until things calmed down. Not wishing to travel across town to the stellar professional piercing establishment that did the piercings, I did a quick google for UES piercers. In hindsight, I'm astounded the Google reviews are so high--bots at work? Let me preface the following by saying that when I arrived, my ear was neither red nor bleeding. It was simply puffy from my having slept hard on it, thus the small stud I was pierced with was beginning to embed. I was immediately met by a nurse, who, after pressing on my lobe, jumped when some white, lymph fluid emerged, which she referred to as "pus" before proceeding to ask me if I'd had a fever etc. Clearly, Rowan employees do not know the difference between an irritated (with a clear cause) healing piercing and an infection. A nursing degree does not make for a qualified piercer and frankly I question the practices (and even cleanliness) of this business. This nurse then proceeded to manhandle my ear, causing significant pain and then bleeding, as she attempted to figure out how to remove my flat-back, screw-on earring (the standard used by all PROFESSIONAL piercers). "Oh we don't use that type of earring here," she told me. No, apparently they use butterfly backs, which are known to be problematic and which no professional piercer would touch. Were the pliers she attempted to tackle my earring with even sterilized? I sure hope so but didn't stick around long enough to find out and fled to my original piercers before any further damage could be done. Before setting foot in this place, ask yourself: why would any skilled nurse be working in a chain piercing business, instead of a hospital, etc.? Find yourself a reputable piercer that's part of the Association of Professional Piercers, which requires regular training in both piercing and cleanliness practices. Yes, it can be expensive but this is not something worth fooling around with to save a few bucks. If I could leave zero stars I would. Consider yourselves warned. read more

I brought my 1 year old here to get her ears pierced. I had no appointment, and the location was pretty busy for a Sunday. Despite the location being busy, i was able to be serviced within 20 minutes of arriving. It went well. Not one tear was shed. We are only nearly two weeks post ear-peiecings, so i am still keeping an eye on her ears. The service was pricey, in my opinion, or maybe I don't have a good reference point since I haven't had a piercing in 20 years. I purchased the aftercare spray and will likely get a second pair of earrings in the same style since after all a one year old might lose a earing and I don't want to lose a earing and not be able to replace it quickly. read more

If I could give 0 stars I would. READ the negative reviews and believe them!! Do not recommend at all. Awful - awful, be warned don't waste your time or money here, there are better options in the city. read more

Love the aesthetics in here and how friendly everyone is. That being said, the store is not that huge and there are a ton of people in here. The service is amazing. I was afraid as this is the 2nd piercing I am doing. My first piercing did not go well as my earring got embedded into my ear and I had to go to the doctor to remove it. Sharing this with the retail assistants, they tried their best to advise me on the appropriate studs to go with. I should clarify my first piercing was not done at Rowan although I wish it was. The nurse was very calming, friendly and reassuring. With every step of the way, she asked for my feedback - placement of studs, choosing a free scrunchie and the type of after care I preferred. Being a frequent swimmer, I shared my concerns with her. You cannot swim for at least 2-3 weeks after the piercing - so everyone make your summer plans in mind of that . Great place for nervous people like me or for your baby's first piercing. They took a Polaroid for babies to commemorate the occasion, so cute!! read more

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Meh. It's expensive. Personally, I think you can get a piercing for cheaper and they could be more open with pricing. I have other piercings, but I bought into the bright, flashing lights. Not a horrible experience, but it's definitely more expensive than a more local place. Front desk staff was nice. Place is small - which is fine - but it gets really busy, so it gets confusing between who is checking in/who is checking out/who is looking at jewelry, etc. There's basically two piercing stations. I get that piercing for many is an experience and a memory and people wanna bring their friends, family members, etc - the annoying thing is that with the small size and only two stations, there's little privacy. I know lil suzy is getting her ears pierced, but I don't wanna be in your video for social media, m'am. With my piercer, i had to ask her to show me where she was going to pierce before she did it. We discussed areas before, but most places will place a dot, confirm, then pierce. This woman was just about to charge at my with a needle. It was off-putting I had to be like - can you show me where you are going to place the piercing, first? Also, when you get pierced - they give you a bottle of solution. What they don't tell you is that it's $12. Either tell me it's an extra charge, but don't just put it in my hand and then suddenly I get charged at the end. It feels kinda scammy. They also ask if you wanna tip your piercer at the end, I don't know - call me cheap, but it feels like they nickle and dime you here. read more

We went here because it was recommended to us. My daughter wanted to pierce her ears for a while but waited to feel brave enough. The nurse took their time getting the symmetry right, which was good, but the device got caught on the earring and it ended up being really painful for my daughter. Days later, one of the earrings had vanished and I will spare you the details but it gets a lot more traumatic. Here's what went wrong: they are selling earrings as "studs" that should not be in that category--earrings that can get caught on things and come out--or simply hurt--or get caught on the device. The other issue is that the nurse line on Instagram was very slow to respond and did not get me instructions about what to do in a timely manner. It also felt like they weren't reading my actual questions and were giving me boilerplate responses. Overall, a sad and traumatizing experience for the whole family. The second star is for the symmetry. read more

Nurse Audrey was so sweet with my daughter and her first ear piercing. She made the experience very special. read more

Rowan Upper East Side - Piercing Near Me - New York, New York

Rowan Ear Piercing has been here for about a year. When a place is open early and full of customers on a Sunday morning, it catches my eye. I was welcomed and every employee was friendly. They didn't mind me photographing everything. There were little girls with their Mommies getting their ears pierced. It was so cute too watch and listen to the dialogue. This place definitely brought back memories. If I want to get pierced I'd visit here. They are trained nurses. It's clean and comfortable. The earrings are somewhat expensive to me. There's a huge selection. I found some cute ones that make a great gift for my daughter. I'm just not sure I would pay $59 for Gold Vermeil. All the earrings are hypoallergenic I was informed. This store fits in very well in the Upper East Side neighborhood where it's located. I'm recommending you visit if you like piercing. How about your belly button.....hmmmm! read more

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Great experience! I had my piercing done by Samantha around the beginning of this month. She was very kind and professional throughout the whole process. I will definitely visit again the next time I go to Manhattan. read more

Such a nice and clean place! I forgot the name of the woman who handled my daughters piercing but she was so sweet and very patient! She made sure that the earrings were in a balanced spot and distracted Avery as well which is a relief! She explained the after care and made sure we were both at ease! I have already told friends about this place for their daughters as I know quite a few moms who had babies this year that are interested in getting their ears pierced early. My daughter cried a bit which is only natural but is so calm and in good spirits now that I know for certain my husband chose the perfect place for this! Thank you guys so much for being welcoming, kind and super efficient! read more

Rowan Upper East Side - Piercing Near Me - New York, New York

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I just had the most pleasant ear piercing experience through Rowan I'm considering another lobe piercing once fully healed! Booked an appointment for a 2nd lobe piercing (online) at my local Target. Rowan station (inside Target) is usually in the girls clothing section. My piercer, Antoinette was patient and had a great vibe. She confirmed the marks were in perfect placement before piercing. The lobe piercing feels like a long pinch. Studs/earrings range from $55-$125 (sterling silver/gold) with the piercing included. Antoinette went through the after care instructions and proceeded with checkout/payment. Piercing appointment was completed within 30 minutes. * RN wore face mask and gloves entire session (Face mask required as well) read more

Today I got my 4 year old ears pierced at Rowan and the woman Rachel was outstanding! She made my daughter feel very comfortable. The whole process was fast and easy . Very clean and beautiful interior. Her customer service was truly amazing. I totally recommend bringing your child to this place and even for adults! Wonderful service and easy process!!! Thank you Rachel again! read more

My experience was ok, not great. The team is not super friendly. I went back for a re-check and they made me feel a little uncomfortable and hardly checked my ears. My ear actually had puffiness at the piercing. I was expecting better service, since I did spend $100 for a simple piercing. read more

So happy I got my ears pierced here!! I recently had my ears surgically repaired after having gauges as a teenager. So, having a skilled professional repierce my ears was a must. Nurse Cindy was so amazing, kind, talented, and really took her time to find the perfect placement for my piercing while working around the scar tissue. I highly recommend getting your ears pierced here. They pierce with a gun or a needle. It is a little pricey, I paid $70 for the ear piercing, $140 for the jewelry, and $20 for aftercare solution. This does not include gratuity/taxes and there are a variety of cheaper jewelry pieces to choose from at the store. However, knowing how much it costs I would still recommend this place because it is truly a service you want done to the highest standards. I would say between the wait time and the piercing time you are there for about an hour. Once you are getting pierced you understand why there is a wait because they treat each customer with care and make sure you are happy with the piercing. 10/10. read more

Rowan Upper East Side - ear lobe piercing - Piercing Near Me - New York, New York

I took my 5 year old here a year ago for her first ear piercing with her best friend. I continued to give them business telling friends and buying their earrings bc I thought paying more for real nurse practitioners and quality earrings was essential. All until I got my third piercing done a week ago. I spent almost $600 on piercings and more earrings that day for my daughter and myself, and my ear got infected. I had to go to urgent care and on antibiotics. When I informed customer service of the bad reaction and entrusting Rowan as qualified medial practitioners, they said my reaction was "normal", providing no apology or recourse. I cannot say I'd bring my 4 year old daughter back here for her first piercing or give them anymore business after such poor treatment. read more

Cute little shop that was convenient for me to go and get one of ears repierced after an issue with irritation. It was a bit pricey considering I only needed one ear lobe pierced, it came to about $70. I ended up needing the other stud to match the piercing stud though otherwise I would've looked ridiculous so I paid another $32 for the other side. The piercing experience was quick and somewhat painless for what it is. I snapped this photo approx an hour after and most of the swelling and pain had gone down. The earring selection here is super cute, seems to be targeting more toward younger girls but I found a pair I liked enough to buy. I love that they only use hypoallergenic materials. The nurse took the time to make sure I liked the placement and to gave me instructions and solution to use to clean it. They were also incredibly helpful and said I can stop by or call at any time with questions about my piercing. Everyone working there was just so friendly and eager to help which is exactly what you want and really makes the whole experience a little less scary, especially for those who might be younger and doing this for the first time. I noticed they didn't have much selection online but the walls in the stores were covered with tons of earrings and jewelry. Once I can start changing these out, I'll probably stop by and grab another pair. These are definitely the most comfortable earrings I've ever worn! read more

Rowan Upper East Side - Stud re-piercing - Piercing Near Me - New York, New York

I came to this new establishment that just opened near my place and I was super excited to get my ear pierced before my birthday. As I walked in the store, I was greeted by the manager Lisa and store trainer Lavette who were very friendly and asked what kind of piercing I would like today. At first I wasn't sure but with some help and encouragement I decided to do a helix piercing. When it was my turn I was greeted by nurse Natasha whom was extremely nice and her mannerisms were very professional. Surprisingly the piercing didn't hurt as much as I thought and I'm so happy with the results!! I will definitely be coming back for more piercings and visiting these amazing women again. read more

Rowan Upper East Side - Piercing Near Me - New York, New York

Well I walked into Rowan very nervous to pierce my baby's ears, and left relieved. All of the nurses were super kind and patient with me, and did everything they could to put me and baby at ease. The woman assisting us was very kind and knowledgeable and gave me clearly directions to make everything go smoothly and quickly. The piercings were done in less than a minute, baby was not thrilled initially but was fine after a few minutes. They gave me clear instructions on care and all the necessary products to keep the area clean after. Everything has healed up nicely! I have recommended to several other ppl looking to have baby's ears pierced and would definitely come back for myself read more

Rowan Upper East Side - Piercing Near Me - New York, New York

Brought my four-year-old daughter to get her ears pierced as part of her Christmas present. The first lady we encountered did not seem to know how to deal with young children, and when my daughter expressed some fear related to the procedure, she was very dismissive and basically said, let's make another appointment and come back another time. I took my daughter outside the store, and we had a chat and returned five minutes later, when thankfully a second member of staff was available, and she had a much gentler manner with her and was much better at interacting with a young child. I'd give the second woman five stars and the first one. I thought that by going to a reputable place that claims to be geared towards piercing for all ages that children would also be part of that equation, but the first lady had clearly missed the memo. Maybe when you book request that the nurse is good with children if that is the intention of your appointment. read more

Rowan Upper East Side - Daughter and piercing procedure - Piercing Near Me - New York, New York

I got my 5 month old baby girl's ears pierced here today and I 10/10 recommend. This was my very first experience and I asked a lot of questions. I called first asking about pricing and was given an accurate estimate, and I was talked thru the entire process when I arrived. They have a very cute selection of earrings for baby. Everything was fast and easy. This place was recommended by my pediatrician as well. read more

Rowan Upper East Side - Piercing Near Me - New York, New York

I got my first lobe piercing here. they are uneven and one ear got infected. I forgave them and went there for a second lobe piercing, one ear got infected again. Very overpriced for the quality of a simple piercing read more

The nurse who piercing was nice but she didn't put the right size earring for my helix. It got infected and had to pay an extra $20 at a tattoo parlor to have the pus extracted which was really painful. Therefore I cannot get this helix done again on my left side. I am so upset! I should have gone to a tattoo studio instead. I wasted $100. Customer service said to go for another piercing when I asked for my money back but I don't trust them with my ears. No way I am going back. read more

Im surprised that I'm leaving Rowan a bad review. From the outside it seems like a great deal - piercings done by professional nurses in a cute upper east side jewelry store. Things went immediately downhill as soon as I arrived for my appointment. One of the two girls who greeted me upfront was rude and not at all welcoming. Once I checked in for my appointment they had me sit down and pick out my earrings while the nurse finished up with someone else. They've got a good selection of earrings in the range of $15-$100 per earring. The nurse who attended to me was very friendly yet somewhat rushed. Because I was getting second lobe piercings, he measured the distance from my first piercing on each ear to make sure that they would be an equal distance apart. He probably measured the distance 3-4 times to make sure that they would come out even, and even had me look at the area he had marked on my ear with a mirror. When I got home I thought that the distance looked different on each ear and uneven, but I chalked it up to swelling. Now that the swelling has gone down I can confirm that my new piercings are not the same distance part from my first piercing. It's not a terribly awkward difference, but enough that it is easily discernible from a quick glance. Had my piercings come out evenly I would have given Rowan 4 stars. 2 piercings (one on each ear), a pair of earrings and cleaning solution came out to $130 total. read more

This place is wonderful to be completely honest! Let's start by the decor of Rowan...it is super clean and it smells like a clinic/hospital, the colors of the place is bright and welcoming!! The staff were extremely nice and since I am petrified of needles they were able to calm me down and make me laugh the whole time that I was there, which I sincerely appreciate. The gentleman who pierced my ears took the time to not only triple check his work but he also made sure that I was okay and asked me when I was ready! I really enjoyed my time here! They have piercings available to purchase at reasonable price ranges from $19-$300 and they have options between silver and gold. I made an appointment before I came here and obviously read their reviews on google so I had to come here instead of anywhere else. Before I left they told me the process of taking care of my piercing and sent me home with a bag of goodies for my ear. I am recommending this place to my friends and siblings! I almost forgot I spent $130 for the piercing and the earrings I chose...but of course there were cheaper options.I have since been purchasing earrings from this place on their website and they seem to always have a discount which is great if you want to save some money! Definitely rate this place a 5 star!! read more

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Essence walked me through the whole process and answered all my question! I will definitely be back for more piercings!

I'd give a 'zero' if I could. I give up. They were recommended to me as a place to get my ears re-pierced. Two weeks ago, I had an appointment, went and waited 45 minutes -- nurse a no-show. Get home and email them, and they reply back with apology and that if I make another appt, earrings w/be free. Made 2nd appt for tomorrow - just got an email that it, too, was cancelled, but they rebooked me for a different day at what they call a "nearby" location -- 40 miles away. Well, hey, at least the 2nd time they cancelled on me, they told me ahead of time -- I'll give them that. But 40 miles away? On a different day? Their offer was a free bottle of aftercare solution. No thanks. EDITED TO ADD: This was a Rowan location inside a Target in Goodyear, AZ. Probably a good thing it didn't work out, because the area where they are set up is kind of a dumpy part of the store. Racks half-empty, stuff on the floor, etc. That's on Target, but not exactly a warm and welcoming environment in the middle of the sales floor. Just my two cents... read more

Incredible experience with my five month old! Will be back! Staff was great. Very friendly.

Amazing! I love their choice of earrings. there earrings were so beautiful and they had many choices to choose from! They are so nice to kids that are nervous and anxious. I would recommend this company because it has such nice employees! I would recommend a nice pair of earrings that you would want to keep in and are comfortable, I had to go to the east side and it was fully worth the wait that was easy to get through. I would recommend this place to anyone who wants to have the most epic earrings! read more

So glad I found them on my Google search!! We scheduled an in home ear piercing for my 4 month old. The nurse Seema, was AMAZING!! Contacted me a few days before the appointment to introduce herself. On the day of the appointment, she messaged me about her ETA. She also sent a picture so that we know what she looks like because she will be wearing a mask in our home. Upon arrival, she explained the entire procedure as she set up. The ear piercing was quick and flawless. Thank you again Rowan and Seema!!! read more

Rowan Upper East Side - 4 month old ear piercing. Baby has lots of hair!! - Piercing Near Me - New York, New York

Rowan does not conduct cartilage piercings in a safe or smart way. I got my cartilage pierced here only to realize that they used a butterfly backing. This is a literal nidus for infection and can lead to painful and ultimately dangerous complications from what should be a basic piercing. My ear swelled up like a balloon and was red, pustulent, crusting, and painful. This was my 11th piercing, my first time getting a piercing at rowan, and my first ever piercing infection. As soon as I purchased a flat-back piercing from a different company and replaced the butterfly back, the infection went away. Seems pretty cut & dry to me. Any 3 second google search of whether or not you should pierce cartilage with a butterfly back will tell you how bad it is. They say their piercings are verified for safety by dermatologists but hey, I work in medicine, I know a lot of dermatologists, and...they don't know a lot about ear piercing. Additionally, they used a piercing gun. Literally any reputable piercer knows that is a mistake on cartilage (or pretty much anywhere -- just always use a needle). They'll try to say "it's not a gun, it's a spring-loaded needle". My dude, a spring-loaded needle is a piercing gun (https://safepiercing.org/piercing-guns/). This can not only shatter cartilage, but also poses a health risk because they are used repeatedly on different people. Unless Rowan is using surgical sterilization technique with their piercing guns (I did not see an autoclave), this is dangerous. The employees are super nice, but kind employees and trendy neon signs do not make up for the lack of professional piercing skill that I'm sure is a company-wide issue. read more

Very clean, lovely people, good quality studs. Maybe I'm a prude but I found it extremely expensive. This is totally my fault but I did not ask if they needed to use the gun which seemed automatically assumed. I would have preferred a needle as I was piercing cartilage. Lesson learned but I'd totally recommend for children read more

I have scheduled two appointments to have my ears pierced. Both times they have confirmed my appointment times and both times the next day my appointments have been rescheduled to a time that ins not convenient for me. What is up with them? What happened to customer service. What is the point of scheduling an appointment, if they cancel the appointment whenever they want. This place sucks. read more

Love that the piercers are registered nurses. I got my cartilage (helix) pierced about 4 years ago at another piercing salon in NYC but the piercing unfortunately fell out at some point during early quarantine, and prior to that I'd started getting some irritation and redness 2 years after i first got it done. TLDR I never put the hoop back in so had to get it repierced. My original piercing was done with a needle, which I'd come to think of as the best way to do it, so I was nervous at first when I saw the hand assisted pressure tools they use (which are not called guns), but felt better once it was explained what it was at also reading that the tool makes sure that no part of the earring touches anything before it's placed in your ear and so is fully sterile. Hoping this second time around my cartilage will also heal more successfully. The jewelry is also all nickel-free and you can pick from a pretty wide variety of studs and they have 14K gold choices which is what I went with to hopefully maximize my chances of an uneventful healing process. read more