Curious, I decided to try both piercing methods – one on the high street and one at The Circle, where Rhianna pierced me in her studio. The experiences were vastly different in so many ways. While the assistant at my local high street shop was friendly, she quickly admitted to me that she'd completed a day's training in the staffroom upstairs just the week before. Perusing the studs on offer, I was surprised by how blunt the earrings (which would be loaded into the gun to pierce me) seemed, but was assured the process would be safe and painless. I chose the cheapest stud (a 9 carat gold ball) and hoped for the best. It was decidedly unpainful and very quick, sitting pretty in its third lobe placement. But I left without much aftercare advice, feeling certain I would never risk a cartilage piercing using the same method.