Whether you have one, twenty or no piercings, the thought of a needle being stabbed through a part of your body is terrifying. Everyone has different fears and pain tolerances, but humans have certain nerve endings near some of the most popular piercings. I have been collecting piercings over the last couple years so I will share my wisdom with you.
1. Lobe/Upper Lobe
This is the easiest piercing on the list. Almost everybody has a lobe piercing and it is generally known as the least painful. Just a small pinch and an easy healing process.
2. Mid-way helix
This is more of a rare piercing, but is one of my favorites. It is placed just above your upper lobe and is the first cartilage piercing. This piercing was very easy for me, but I still had a little discomfort and the long healing process made the pain worse.
3. Nose
When I got my nose pierced, I had only ever had my lobes pierced – nothing else. It was a 10/10 pain at that time, but as I started getting more painful piercings it seemed easy. This piercing will hurt a lot if you have no experience, so I don’t suggest this as a first or second piercing, but as a fourth or fifth you should be fine.
4. Tongue
Tongue piercings are more complicated than most people realize. The piercer has to make sure that they won’t hit an artery in your tongue, they don’t hit your gums and that you don’t choke on your own saliva. The tongue is literally a giant muscle so this piercing is very painful and will make eating really difficult for a few weeks
5. Bellybutton
Your aunt probably got this piercing on a beach trip in the 90s and told you it was no big deal. Perhaps it wasn’t for her, but plummeting a needle through your stomach is a pretty big deal, so get ready for a lot of pain, bleeding and overall discomfort. Your clothing can also rub on it and cause irritation that elongates the healing process.
6. Conch
I was told that this was the most painful piercings, but when I got it, it was fast and I only felt a heavy sting. The pain of this piercing comes afterwards in the form of a lasting throb in your ear for up to two weeks after you get it. You can forget about sleeping on that ear because it gets irritated at almost everything.
7. Industrial
This is essentially two piercings in one, which connected by a bar. You will also hear the crunch of your cartilage when the needle goes through it. The pain is extreme on the first hole and even worse on the second. Don’t get this piercing unless you are a true collector.
8. Dermal
The scariest thing about this piercing is that it is considered a surgery when you get it done. The piercer will horizontally pierce through your skin once on the left and then again on the right and insert a metal base that has holes in it, which allows your skin to grow onto the base, then they screw on a jewel to cover up the mangled mess. It takes a dermatologist appointment to get these removed and they are extremely painful, especially if you are clumsy and happen to rip it out of your skin.
9. Daith
This is the worst piercing I’ve ever gotten. These are known for relieving headaches and anxiety as the daith is an acupuncture spot. However, the needle goes through the thickest cartilage in your whole body and the jewelry ends *in* your ear so say goodbye to headphones while it heals.
10. Nipple
Nerves, so many nerves. Especially for females, nipples are extremely sensitive and stabbing a needle through them is painful no matter what. Just ouch.
Make sure to not use a piercing gun and do not do your own piercings at home. Professional piercers will make it less likely to get infected by having a fully sterile environment and a piercer who knows how to properly use a needle. Be safe friends!