A fake piercing and a real piercing can look almost identical from the front. Still, they're two very different things. One is something you wear whenever you want, the other is a long-term choice. Both are great, as long as you know what you're choosing.
We've put the differences side by side, honestly. Of course we're fans of fake, but we totally get why people go for real.
The biggest difference: a hole or no hole
With a real piercing, a piercer makes a hole and the jewelry goes through it. With a fake piercing, nothing goes through anything. The jewelry sits around the side of your nose, around the edge of your ear, around your lip or against your septum. It does that with a small clip, a little spring or a magnet.
What does that mean in practice?
- A fake piercing is on in a few seconds, and off just as fast.
- You don't need to book an appointment anywhere.
- There's no hole, so nothing has to heal.
How a fake piercing stays in place
Each type has its own way of staying put:
- Nose clip: a U-shaped clip with a small ball on the inside that keeps everything in place.
- Nose ring: an open ring that you slip around the side of your nose, like the heart nose ring in gold.
- Smooth or twisted ring: with a small spring that clips the ring shut by itself as soon as you let go. The smooth ring in silver comes in 8, 10 and 13 mm.
- Septum: with a magnet in two halves, with hooks like the septum clip in gold, or as a horseshoe that you gently squeeze shut.
- Ear cuff: you slide it over the edge of your ear.
You can read the steps for each type on How it works.
Switching: the superpower of fake
With a real piercing you have one spot, and it stays. With fake you can choose something different every day. A delicate nose clip on Monday, a septum on Friday, a full ear stack on Saturday. Switching colors is just as easy: we have most designs in gold and silver.
That makes fake ideal for moments when a piercing just isn't convenient. A job interview, a family party, a sports match. Simply take it off and put it in the box.
What a real piercing does have
Fair is fair: a real piercing has its advantages too.
- It's just there. You don't have to put it in every morning.
- More choice in jewelry. As soon as your piercer says it's okay, you can wear all kinds of jewelry in your piercing.
- It's truly yours. For lots of people, a real piercing feels like a conscious step, a kind of milestone.
On the other hand, a real piercing needs aftercare and it takes a while before everything settles down. How exactly that works for your spot differs per person and per piercing. For advice on a real piercing, always go to a professional piercer. They can tell you what's possible for you and what to look out for.
At a glance
- Hole: fake no, real yes.
- Appointment needed: fake no, real yes, with a professional piercer.
- Switching spot and look: fake every day, real only within that spot.
- Putting it in: fake every time, real it's already in.
- Aftercare: fake just keep it clean and store it properly, real follow your piercer's advice.
Why not both?
Lots of people use a fake piercing as a test drive. You wear it for a few weeks, you find out which spot and which size you like best, and then you decide whether to get it done for real. Or you notice that switching is actually the most fun part, and you happily stay fake.
You can also combine them. Already have holes in your earlobes? Then add a double ear cuff in silver to your helix, without an extra hole.
Tip: not sure about a real piercing? Wear a fake version in the same spot first. Read how to do that test drive in try a piercing before you get it done. That way your piercer knows right away what you mean.
Curious what's possible? Browse all fake piercings or read the FAQ. No needles needed.
