Folks, it’s time to make an appointment at your local piercer: whether you like the "constellation" look on your earlobe or prefer dainty gemstones along the outer rim, all types of ear piercings are trending right now, with an option for every aesthetic.

On December 31 of last year, I walked into my nearest tattoo shop. All around me were people filling in or touching up their ink, but I continued onward past the buzzing needles — straight to the back, where the piercer works. After a tough year, I was ready for a bit of body modification to memorialize the challenges and symbolize the jump forward into 2022. What I didn't realize, as I asked for a third lobe piercing to continue to build my stack of hoops, is that my bright idea was of a pace with a wide new piercing trend.