Blue Banana Manchester — Local services in Manchester

Disappointed honestly, I got 3 piercings in a row here. Now the first two are great, healing well as well but the one I was concerned about before it was even pierced ended up embedding and becoming infected.

When I discussed my piercings I had mentioned to the lady showing me jewelry that I may not have the anatomy for a standard navel and could potentially need a floating navel. There wasn't really any further discussion beyond picking jewelry so I assumed that would be down the piercer.

NOW THE PIERCER WAS REALLY LOVELY. I have no issues with her professionalism or treatment but once again I mentioned anatomy concerns and that I believe a floating navel would be best. I was advised that an alternative placement piercing would be sufficient. The piercing itself was fine. Didn't hurt. And felt okay. The bar did look a little small BUT I'm not a piercer so I trusted everyone involved.

I stuck with the cleaning instructions religiously but as the piercing site swelled the bar had no give and the top ball sunk into the top piercing site which was incredibly painful and was horribly painful during removal too.

The Blue Banana shop isn't local to me so I had to go to a local piercer who advised that it was pierced with a bar that was too small but also I had the wrong anatomy for the piercing and it should never have been pierced in the first place. I was advised that the original assumption that a floating navel would have been better was accurate, yet I felt like my concerns were ignored.

This piercing wasn't cheap so I'm disappointed. I would have accepted that i didn't have the anatomy if I was given honesty and transparency. I just wouldn't have had it pierced which would have saved money and the pain I'm now in.

This is why I've given 2/5 stars. The other 2 piercings were great. Genuinely my septum and ears are healing so well.

I KNOW that navels are prone to rejection and it comes within the territory of body modification but it was never going to be a viable piercing on my anatomy and shouldn't have been pierced at all. I'm really quite side that my concerns went unheard and I've just wasted a lot of money that I won't get back.

I'm not a piercer, I have no knowledge beyond the research I had done for my anatomy and I trusted the information I had received was accurate. I just feel let down that my concerns were confirmed by a different piercer who ended up removing the piercing for free.

If I could get a refund for just the navel I'd be grateful but I doubt that this would be possible...

I came in from seeing the high reviews. The staff were very welcoming and helped me pick out appropriate jewellery which I really appreciated.

Unfortunately I didn’t have the best experience. I had informed them that my piercings had been out and I couldn’t get jewellery in myself. They were helpful and said they would try. And I also asked to have piercings in my lobes if they couldn’t get the jewellery in. As far as I’m aware I paid for this service and I paid for the jewellery. I paid upwards of £150.

The jewellery didn’t go in. I don’t fault them for this as this was ultimately my own fault. My issue is I was crying in the room and was visibly upset. I wasn’t reassured. I also wasn’t offered any sort of refund or alternative.

I asked the piercer to stop and she did. I was leaving, upset, and completely forgot about the fact I’d paid for piercing services that I never received. I just wish there had been better aftercare or a better approach to seeing someone visibly upset. I also had spent a lot of money and would’ve appreciated a better offer of an alternative or what I could’ve done to remedy the situation I was in. I have no idea what to do and I would’ve wanted the professional/s to guide me in what my options are.

I would not recommend. There are definitely better piercers in the city centre who would at least offer guidance and alternatives to what you could do when something goes wrong.

I left my information for the purpose of the consent form. I would appreciate if someone would get in touch. I understand refunds may not always be feasible but even if they could offer some sort of alternative or at least let me know if I can come back to pierce my lobes (which I had thought I paid for?). I would love to be able to give a higher rating or a new review if a follow up was done.

From this experience alone I would...

I really hate leaving bad reviews, and it’s such a shame because the customer service i had here not long ago was outstanding. I came in not too long ago for a piercing, I work in retail myself so I always approach staff with a smile and positive attitude cause i know what it’s like working an 8 hour shift on a sunny day. I really felt like i was inconveniencing them, they made me feel uncomfortable to ask questions and didn’t smile at me once. I gave them all the benefit of the doubt, we all have bad days, we’ve all been there. That’s not the reason i’m leaving this review however.

My partner got a facial piercing here not too long ago. What he wasn’t informed about is the fact that his piercing would be done by an apprentice. I personally have no issue with getting pierced by an apprentice, but I would want to understand what’s happening and who’s about to make a modification on my body. There are many reasons why you’d want to know you’re getting a piercing by an apprentice, you have to put your trust into them to be careful with your body, but we weren’t given the option to make that choice.

After going around Manchester and speaking to a few other reputable sources, I found out that this is something blue banana does often. They will pierce customers without informing it’s being done by an apprentice and either advertise it as “discounted piercings” or just simply tell you it’s not being done by an apprentice. I’m leaving this review because I think people have a right to know who is...