If 2026 is 2016 all over again, the spontaneous girl who\u2019s been dormant in me for a decade couldn\u2019t be more thrilled. I\u2019ll set the scene: It\u2019s a Wednesday evening on the Lower East Side, and my best friend, Rochelle, and I are leaving our favorite dive bar. As I pocket a pen on the way out, a neon-lit piercing studio catches Rochelle\u2019s eye. She saunters in and asks for a lobe piercing. I follow her lead with a tragus piercing, channeling Evan Rachel Wood\u2019s bravery in Thirteen.<\/em><\/p>\n Little did we know that Rochelle\u2019s stacked earlobe and my tragus would still resonate a decade later, especially when paired with updated jewelry or a coordinating piercing. \u201cWith so many different metals and stones to choose from, it\u2019s hard not to want everything pierced,\u201d says Christine Swaim, a piercer at Oak & Poppy Tattoos and Piercings in Los Angeles. \u201cThe evolution of body jewelry has really changed the industry, and each piece gives clients freedom of expression.\u201d<\/p>\n Regardless of your thoughts on the 2016 renaissance, piercing trends have continued to expand and evolve. Between the red carpet and your For You Page, there\u2019s no shortage of inspiration if your 2016 self won\u2019t shut up about getting a new piece. That\u2019s why we turned to professional piercers for their takes on the hottest trends right now. The good news? There\u2019s something for everyone to love, from delicate, barely there effects to dramatic throwbacks.<\/p>\n Double tragus (top)<\/p>\n <\/span>Courtesy of @ninemoonspiercing<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Double tragus (center-left piercing)<\/p>\n <\/span>Courtesy of @lcpiercing<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n Riding the momentum from 2025\u2019s stacked lobe trend, Starr Ellis, a piercer and the owner of New York City\u2019s Nine Moons Piercing, says the stacked aesthetic will move to the tragus. \u201cClients are loving stacked studs in areas that aren\u2019t just the earlobes, and a double tragus piercing is a fun way to do that if your anatomy is suited for it,\u201d she says. \u201cThere needs to be enough of the small triangular or rhomboid structure in front of the ear canal (that\u2019s your tragus) to be able to pierce and heal more than one stud.\u201d<\/p>\n Incorporating mini hoops, which can be worn solo or stacked, is also a popular approach to styling your tragus, says Maria Tash, jewelry designer and founder of Maria Tash Fine Jewelry and Luxury Piercing in Los Angeles. \u201cClients often point out the small hoops many of our staff wear, which is an option they hadn\u2019t previously considered, since most associate tragus piercings solely with studs,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Because the tragus area is prone to swelling, Tash recommends switching to a mini hoop once the piercing has fully healed, which can take anywhere from 6 to 12 months. \u201cIt is important to mention to your piercer that you want your tragus piercing designed to wear a small ring when it\u2019s healed, as this request can shift how the piercer angles the depth of the piercing,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n Paired nostril piercings with chain (top, center)<\/p>\n <\/span>Courtesy of @charlesfin<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Paired nostril piercings (top, center)<\/p>\n <\/span>Courtesy of @ccccaarly<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n If a nostril piercing is a way to flatter the shape of your nose and draw attention to your face, consider the paired nostril trend a full spotlight. \u201cNostril piercings allow for a surprising amount of creativity, from paired and double placements to elegant, stacked configurations,\u201d Tash says. \u201cIt seems that today\u2019s modern nose piercing sees the whole plane of cartilage as pierceable, not just the traditional small area halfway back on the side of the nostril.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Swaim, paired nostril piercings\u2014whether two piercings on one side or one piercing on each side of the nose\u2014have become increasingly popular, with many clients opting for the ladder effect. \u201cThe ladder involves placing a stud on each side, with a chain laying across the bridge to connect them,\u201d she says. Depending on the thickness of the chain you select, the result can be as delicate or dramatic as you\u2019d like.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nDouble tragus<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"double](\"https:\/\/media.allure.com\/photos\/6973c47ea44a08b5350f4a6b\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/DOUBLE%2520TRAGUS-Courtesy%2520of%2520@ninemoonspiercing-1.jpg\"\/)
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<\/picture><\/span><\/div>\nPaired nostrils<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"paired](\"https:\/\/media.allure.com\/photos\/6973c4cbd93be5589bbc8f40\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/PAIRED%2520NOSTRILS-Courtesy%2520of%2520@charlesfin.jpg\"\/)
<\/picture><\/span><\/div>\n![\"paired](\"https:\/\/media.allure.com\/photos\/6973c4cb33d21cceba4d8036\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/PAIRED%2520NOSTRILS-@ccccaarly.jpg\"\/)
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