Right in the target
And the 2023 piercing trends are…
Body jewelry also has its trends: a piercer reveals those that have now passed and those that endure.
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With her many ear piercings, model Adwoa Aboah is top trend.
IMAGO/Cover-Images
In the early 2000s, there was nothing cooler than the eyebrow piercing. A few years later, it was the turn of the enlarged earlobe, the lip piercing or the tongue to be fashionable. What will be the trend this year? We asked an expert: Mathias Schranz is head piercer at the Bernese studio El Mundo and has, thanks to his twenty years of experience in the profession, seen more than one piercing trend come and go.
Mathias Schranz is head piercer at the Bernese studio El Mundo.
el-mundo.ch/
Trends come and go
Admittedly, the trends that require making an appointment and asking to be, hopefully, carefully considered change less quickly than in fashion and cosmetics. However, they do exist, some of them even having a tendency to settle permanently. “Piercings in the navel or on the wing of the nose always come back into fashion. These are certainly the ones we do most often,” says Mathias Schranz.
2023 trends
“The demand for nipple piercings is exploding. Sometimes I have several appointments a day,” he explains. To his surprise, the male/female ratio is almost equal. In addition, we are witnessing a great comeback of the 2000s. “It’s been at least two years since I’ve had an eyebrow piercing, but the demand is getting stronger and stronger,” he notes.
There is also a strong comeback of the 2000s in fashion. What rejoice Mathias and his colleagues: “Because of high-waisted jeans, we have had to deal with many more infections of navel piercings in recent years. Now that low-waisted pants are back in fashion, we should be able to avoid these kinds of complications,” he says.
And at ear level?
The famous “Curated Ear” (accumulation of ear piercings) has been on the rise for a few years now. It is now even possible to buy jewelry giving the illusion of having a multitude of piercings from the major jewelry chains.
And the trend does not seem to be about to reverse. “It’s nothing new, but there are variations. There are many possibilities for ear piercings. They are rather discreet and it is possible to change them much more often than in other places”, specifies Mathias.
Precautions to take
However, there are some precautions to take when it comes to ear piercings. Mathias Schranz is of the opinion that “you absolutely have to take your time”. “In the case of a helix, located at the top of the outer rim of the ear, it is not uncommon to see people wearing two or three piercings. I would never have them pierced in a single session, at the risk of increasing the risk of infection”.
The piercer also warns that “ear cartilage is sensitive. At first, it is therefore no longer possible to sleep on the side of the piercing. It is therefore better to think carefully before getting pierced simultaneously on both sides, ”he says. Skiing or swimming is also not recommended. “After an ear piercing, chlorine should be avoided for two to three weeks. Wearing a helmet is also prohibited.
Losing speed
While some trends are born, others die. “Huge-diameter ear tunnels obviously remain relevant, even if demand has fallen sharply,” observes Mathias. Dermal anchors (note: piercings anchored under the skin that have only one entry point and no exit point) are no longer popular either. Another trend is also on the decline. “Piercings in the lower or upper lip are rare. On the other hand, we still sometimes make piercings in the middle of the lip,” he says.
When it comes to tongue piercings, only the meaning has changed. “There is always demand for vertical piercings, but we also do a lot of snake eye piercings, pierced horizontally on the front of the tongue,” he says. When it comes to body jewellery, there is a principle that continues to this day and to which Mathias Schranz adheres 100%: “The more extreme, the better”.
What do you think of piercings, tattoos and other body adornments?