On this page
Piercing Pagoda is now branded Banter by Piercing Pagoda. This page sets out what its ear piercing page says as of September 2026, and compares it with what professional bodies and doctors advise. It is not a review of any particular store, and practice can differ from one location to the next.
What Banter says
| Topic | What Banter says |
|---|---|
| Methods | A sterilized hand-pressurized FDA approved medical device with a single-use, pre-sterilized piercing cartridge, or a pre-sterilized single-use hollow needle |
| Who pierces | Trained body piercing professionals, who attend Piercing University, an annual recertification program |
| Price | Device piercing free with a piercing earring purchase in store. Needle piercing $35 to $60 |
| Included | A personalized consultation, sterile equipment, care and cleaning instructions and complimentary follow-up visits |
| Ages | Babies need a current DPT shot. Cartilage and nose piercing from 13, with a legal guardian for minors. Must be 16 in Arkansas |
| Jewelry | Sterilized and hypoallergenic, with nickel content under 0.5 percent, stored in capsules |
| Healing | Earlobe at least 4 to 6 weeks, cartilage 8 to 12 weeks, nose 12 or more weeks |
The name change
The old pagoda.com ear piercing address redirected permanently to banter.com/ear-piercing when we checked, so searches for either name lead to the same page.
Method
Banter describes two methods. The device is a hand-pressurized, FDA approved medical device that uses a single-use, pre-sterilized cartridge. The other is a single-use, pre-sterilized hollow needle.
The Association of Professional Piercers (APP) says a reputable professional will not use a gun for any piercing, even for earlobes, and that its members may not use reusable ear piercing guns. The pages we read do not say whether that extends to a single-use cartridge device, so ask what instrument will be used and whether the parts that touch you are single-use and sealed. The piercing gun vs needle guide covers the difference, and what is an autoclave explains the autoclave sterilisation its page mentions.
Price
Banter’s page says device piercing is free with a piercing earring purchase in store, with an asterisk, and needle piercing is $35 to $60 depending on the piercing. The page does not list an earring price range, so the real cost is whatever earrings you buy. How much is ear piercing compares it with studios, Claire’s and Rowan.
Ages
Banter’s page says babies need a current DPT shot, usually given at about eight weeks. It gives 13 and up for cartilage and nose piercing, with a legal guardian for minors, and notes Arkansas needs 16. The APP’s standard for any piercing of a minor is that a parent or legal guardian must be present to sign a consent form. Baby ear piercing covers what pediatricians say.
Healing time
Banter’s page says at least 4 to 6 weeks for an earlobe, 8 to 12 weeks for cartilage and 12 or more weeks for the nose. Other sources give longer figures:
| Piercing | Banter | Cleveland Clinic | This site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earlobe | At least 4 to 6 weeks | 6 to 8 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Cartilage | 8 to 12 weeks | Up to 6 months to a year | Helix: 24 to 52 weeks |
The American Academy of Dermatology says not to remove a new piercing for six weeks or more, even at night, because taking the starter jewelry out too early may cause the piercing to close. Plan for the longer figures. Ear piercing healing time explains why. Earlobe healing time and cartilage piercing healing time cover the two in detail.
Jewelry
Banter says its jewelry is sterilized and hypoallergenic, with nickel content under 0.5 percent, and stored in capsules. The page does not name the metals. The APP’s accepted list for initial piercings includes surgical steel meeting ASTM F-138 or ISO 5832-1, implant-certified titanium meeting ASTM F-136, niobium, gold of 14k or higher that is nickel-free, platinum and lead-free glass. Ask which metal is used and which standard it meets. See the materials guide.
Questions to ask in store
These are adapted from the APP’s checklist:
- What instrument will be used, and is it a needle or the device?
- Are the parts that touch me single-use and sealed, and will they be opened in front of me?
- Who will do the piercing, and how long have they been piercing?
- Which metal are the studs, and which standard does it meet?
- How long before I can change the earrings?
If the answers are vague, you can walk out. The APP says to trust your instincts and never stay in a situation that feels wrong. How to choose a piercer has the full checklist, and Ear piercing at Claire’s, Banter and Rowan compared sets the three side by side.
Not medical advice
This page is educational. If a piercing is hot, has spreading redness, thick coloured discharge or red streaks, or you feel unwell, see a doctor the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Is Piercing Pagoda now Banter?
Banter by Piercing Pagoda is the name on its site now. In September 2026 the pagoda.com ear piercing page redirected permanently to banter.com/ear-piercing, so the two names refer to the same ear piercing service.
How much does ear piercing cost at Piercing Pagoda?
Banter's page says device piercing is free with a piercing earring purchase in store, and needle piercing is $35 to $60 depending on the piercing. The free offer carries an asterisk, so check the terms in store. The page did not list an earring price range.
What age does Piercing Pagoda pierce?
Its page says babies need a current DPT shot, which it says is usually given at about eight weeks, and gives 13 and up for cartilage and nose piercing, with a legal guardian for minors. It also notes a state rule of 16 for Arkansas.
Does Piercing Pagoda use a gun or a needle?
Banter's page describes two methods: a sterilized, hand-pressurized, FDA approved medical device with a single-use, pre-sterilized piercing cartridge, and a pre-sterilized, single-use hollow needle. The APP says its members may not use reusable ear piercing guns. The pages we read do not say whether that rule extends to single-use cartridge devices.
How long does a Piercing Pagoda piercing take to heal?
Banter's page says at least 4 to 6 weeks for an earlobe, 8 to 12 weeks for cartilage and 12 or more weeks for the nose. Those are shorter than the Cleveland Clinic's six to eight weeks for earlobes and up to a year for cartilage, and shorter than our guides.
Who does the piercing at Piercing Pagoda?
The page says piercing professionals attend Piercing University, an annual comprehensive recertification program, and that needle piercing is done by trained body piercing professionals. It does not say how that training compares with the APP's checklist, so ask how long your piercer has been piercing and what they do to stay current.
Sources
- Banter by Piercing Pagoda - Ear piercinghttps://www.banter.com/ear-piercing
- Association of Professional Piercers - Picking your piercerhttps://safepiercing.org/picking-your-piercer/
- Association of Professional Piercers - Why piercing guns are a problemhttps://safepiercing.org/piercing-guns/
- Association of Professional Piercers - Jewelry for initial piercingshttps://safepiercing.org/jewelry-for-initial-piercings/
- Cleveland Clinic - Ear piercing 101: healing, hurting, cleaning and morehttps://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-to-expect-when-getting-your-ears-pierced
- American Academy of Dermatology - How to care for a new piercinghttps://www.aad.org/news/how-to-care-for-a-new-piercing
This article is for education only and is not medical advice. If a piercing is hot, swollen, spreading redness, oozing yellow or green discharge, or you have a fever, see a doctor today.