Amsterdam Piercing Studio

Needle, never a gun

We pierce with a sterile single-use hollow needle. We do not use piercing guns, not even on earlobes.

A gun forces blunt jewellery through tissue by pressure, which crushes rather than cuts. That causes more swelling, slower healing and a higher chance of scarring. A needle removes a clean channel of tissue, so the jewellery sits in an opening rather than in compressed tissue.

Gun tips also cannot be autoclaved properly. Every needle we use is opened from a sealed sterile pouch in front of you and discarded into a sharps container immediately afterwards.

Jewellery we start with

The metal matters more during healing than at any other time. A fresh piercing is an open wound, and cheap alloys leach nickel into it.

ASTM F136 titanium — our default. Nickel-free, lightweight, biocompatible, safe for MRI.
Implant-grade steel — an alternative where a specific shape is only made in steel.
Solid 14k or 18k gold — for healed piercings, on request. Never plated gold in a fresh piercing.
Internally threaded or threadless — the part that passes through the wound is always smooth, so nothing scrapes the channel.
Correct initial length — we fit a longer bar to allow for swelling, then downsize once the swelling settles. Downsizing is included in the price.

How the appointment works

A piercing takes about 15 to 30 minutes in total, of which the actual piercing is a couple of seconds.

1. Check-in and ID — 18 or older, valid photo ID required.
2. Anatomy check — not every ear can take every piercing. We look at the tissue and tell you honestly if a placement will not heal well.
3. Jewellery selection — size, material and style; we explain what will need downsizing later.
4. Marking — dots are placed and you approve them in a mirror before anything happens.
5. Piercing — sterile needle, opened in front of you, then jewellery inserted.
6. Aftercare briefing — written instructions in your language, plus a saline recommendation.
7. Free check-up — come back any time to have the piercing looked at or downsized.

Aftercare that actually works

Most piercing problems come from doing too much, not too little. The rule is simple: clean it twice a day and otherwise leave it alone.

Do: rinse twice daily with sterile saline (0.9% NaCl) and let it air dry.
Do: sleep on a clean pillowcase, change it every few days. A travel pillow helps for ear piercings.
Do: shower normally. Let clean water run over it and pat dry with kitchen paper, not a towel.
Do not: turn, twist or rotate the jewellery. That tears the healing channel open again.
Do not: use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil, or antibacterial ointment. All of them damage new tissue.
Do not: swim in pools, the sea, or use a sauna until healed.
Do not: change the jewellery yourself before the healing time listed below has passed.
See us if: pain increases after day three, there is yellow-green discharge, or the area feels hot to the touch.

Age, health and honesty

We pierce from 18 with valid photo ID. We do not pierce anyone who is intoxicated.

Tell us if you are pregnant, diabetic, taking blood thinners, prone to keloids, or have a heart valve condition. None of these automatically rule out a piercing, but they change what we recommend and how we aftercare it.

If your anatomy will not support a piercing — a rook without a defined ridge, a septum without a workable sweet spot — we will say so and suggest an alternative. A piercing that will reject is not worth the money.

Piercing types and healing times — Amsterdam

Piercing types and healing times — Amsterdam
Piercing	Placement	Healing time
Earlobe	Soft lower ear	6–8 weeks
Helix	Upper outer ear cartilage	6–12 months
Tragus	Flap in front of ear canal	6–12 months
Conch	Inner ear bowl	6–12 months
Daith	Innermost ear fold	6–12 months
Industrial	Two points, one barbell	9–12 months
Nostril	Side of the nose	4–6 months
Septum	Sweet spot below cartilage	6–8 weeks
Eyebrow	Surface of the brow ridge	2–4 months
Lip / Labret	Lip or below the lip	2–3 months
Navel	Upper navel rim	6–12 months
Nipple	Base of the nipple	6–12 months

Every piercing includes implant-grade titanium starter jewellery and the first downsize. Ask us for the price of a specific piercing over WhatsApp or in the studio. Healing times are typical ranges — cartilage piercings vary a lot between people and are not fully healed just because they stopped hurting.

Our Amsterdam studios

God Of Ink Amsterdam

Spuistraat 197
1012 VN Amsterdam

11:00 – 23:00

God Of Ink Dam

Warmoesstraat 89
1012 HZ Amsterdam

11:00 – 23:00

God Of Ink Central

Reguliersbreestraat 19H
1017 CN Amsterdam

11:00 – 23:00

Frequently asked questions

Do you use a piercing gun?

No. We only pierce with sterile single-use needles, including earlobes. Guns crush tissue instead of cutting it, which slows healing and raises the risk of scarring, and gun tips cannot be sterilised properly.

How much does a piercing cost in Amsterdam?

The price depends on which piercing you choose and on the jewellery, so we quote each one individually. Implant-grade titanium starter jewellery and the first downsize are always included. Ask us over WhatsApp or in the studio and you will get a clear price before we start.

Does a piercing hurt?

The piercing itself lasts one to two seconds. Lobes and septum are among the easiest. Cartilage piercings such as helix, tragus, conch and daith are sharper and stay tender for longer. Most people describe it as a quick hot pinch.

How long does a piercing take to heal?

Earlobes and septum heal in about 6 to 8 weeks. Nostril takes 4 to 6 months. Cartilage piercings such as helix, tragus, conch and daith take 6 to 12 months, and navel piercings 6 to 12 months. A piercing that no longer hurts is not necessarily healed.

What should I clean my new piercing with?

Sterile saline solution, 0.9% sodium chloride, twice a day. Do not use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil or antibacterial ointment — they all irritate and damage the new tissue.

When can I change my jewellery?

Not before the healing time for that specific piercing has passed. Changing early can tear the channel and cause irritation bumps. Come to us for the first change — it is free and we check the piercing at the same time.

What jewellery material do you use?

ASTM F136 implant-grade titanium as standard. It is nickel-free, light and biocompatible. Solid 14k or 18k gold is available for healed piercings. We never put plated jewellery in a fresh piercing.

Can I get pierced without an appointment?

Yes. Both Amsterdam studios take walk-in piercings daily from 11:00 to 23:00. Piercings are quick, so waiting time is usually short.

What is the minimum age for a piercing in the Netherlands?

We pierce from 18 with a valid photo ID. Dutch rules allow some piercings for minors with parental consent, but our studio policy is 18 and over for every piercing.

What if my piercing gets infected?

Come and see us first — most bumps are irritation, not infection, and irritation is fixable. Signs of real infection are increasing pain after day three, thick yellow-green discharge, heat and spreading redness. In that case see a doctor and do not remove the jewellery, because it keeps the channel draining.

More from our blog

Needle, never a gun

Jewellery we start with

How the appointment works

Aftercare that actually works

Age, health and honesty

Piercing types and healing times — Amsterdam