Does It Hurt to Get Your Ears Pierced?

You can't deny: earrings are fun to wear! Coming from different worldwide traditions and descending into popular modernity, ear piercing is a sought-after way to add some extra flair to yourself and your personality.

Looking cute with earrings is one thing, but doing the actual piercing is a whole other thing. Does it hurt to get your ears pierced? you might think. The thought of a needle going through your ear might make you feel as though you're freezing up.

There's a few other things you should consider before you get your ears pierced or, if you have a child, if your child should even get an ear piercing or is old enough to. In the end, though, many people are happier with their piercings than without them. Most usually agree that though it might hurt a little, the result of beautiful pierced ears is worth it.

You might still think, Well, does getting your ears pierced hurt, or what? Let's take a look at some of the things you should know about getting your ears pierced.

It Might Hurt a Little

Some say it's a pinch. Others have some more intense pain. Either way, the general consensus is that the pain has two stages.

In the first stage, there's the pinch of the initial ear piercing, putting the needle through the ear. Most agree this part isn't too bad or happens so quickly that there's not much time to react to it.

After that, there might be some on-and-off slight throbbing. Many describe it as a dull throb that lingers. The intensity of it depends on the person, their body, and their pain tolerance.

What's Your Pain Tolerance?

Knowing your pain tolerance might help you decide if it will hurt to get your ears pierced. If you're someone who doesn't do well with needles or sharp objects, that's another thing to consider.

Are you able to sit still and calmly while someone pushes a sharp needle through your ears to give you an ear piercing? Can you stop thinking, Does it hurt? If you answered yes to both of those, you'll probably be fine. If you're still skittish, maybe it's best to table it.

That being said, it also depends on what part of your ear you're looking to get pierced. For some, it's not too painful at all.

So, Does It Hurt to Get Your Ears Pierced?

It varies depending on which part of your ear you get pierced. Typically, you can expect maybe a week of soreness, but that also depends on where you get an ear piercing. Let's take a look at what level of pain you can expect when you pierce different parts of your ear:

Lobes, Lobes, Lobes!

The lobes are the most popular and least painful part to get pierced. They're a little like cushions, so they're not going to hurt too badly if you get them pierced. In fact, sometimes even children get their lobes pierced at a young age (with their parents' permission).

These are not only the most popular but also the easiest to take care of post-piercing. They won't cause too much pain while healing, and if you don't like them, they're the easiest to close up.

Helix and Forward Helix, aka Cartilage

Cartilages don't have nerve endings, so putting an ear piercing there isn't a bad idea! The helix piercing won't give you too much trouble during the piercing process, but it might be sorer than a lobe piercing would be in the week after. The helix piercing is probably the second most popular one to get, so it's good for those just starting out with ear piercings.

Industrialize Your Ear with an Industrial Piercing

The industrial piercing is a cool one! For this one, you'll actually have to get two piercings so that your single industrial piece can connect. One part is on the forward helix, and the other part is pierced on the back of the ear. This one can get a bit sore since it's two piercings on your ear, so expect some short recovery time after you get it pierced.

Keep It Snug with a Snug Piercing

Also known as the anti-helix, this piercing lives on the inner cartilage. It's not too different from piercing cartilage with the helix and forward helix ear piercings, so don't expect too much pain or trouble.

Tragus What?

Talk about a cute and versatile piercing! For an ear piercing on the tragus, it means piercing right in front of the ear canal. If you have a thick tragus part of your ear, this one might be best avoided, since piercing might be difficult or cause some more pain.

The Anti-Tragus Piercing

The anti-tragus ear piercing is similar to your regular lobe piercings. Your skin here is maybe a little thicker, like your tragus, but it likely won't cause much pain at all.

Don't Be a Rookie with a Rook Piercing

Think of the rook piercing similar to the snug piercing, but it's placed on the upper part of the inner cartilage, vertical. Like the snug piercing, there won't be too much pain when it's pierced, but it needs to be pierced correctly. If it's not pierced correctly, you're looking at dealing with some pain and possible damage to your cartilage.

The Daith Piercing

The daith piercing looks so good if you get it done right, but if it's done wrong it can be painful. When piercing the daith part of your ear, it will leave a bigger wound, and it goes through some of the innermost cartilage of your ear.

A daith piercing also takes way longer to heal than other piercings. You're looking at up to 6 weeks of recovery, with 4 weeks being the minimum. Because so many problems can arise even in the healing process, this one can hurt for quite some time.

Like the rook piercing, you really need a professional to do this well, as well as professional recommendation as to the size of the earring you can wear in the daith without damaging your cartilage there.

What Can I Do to Prepare for an Ear Piercing?

You need to do some research. When you're unprepared and uninformed about piercing your ears, then yes, getting your ears pierced does hurt. If you take the time to learn about the ear piercing process, especially if you're getting a more complicated piercing like the daith, it's important to bring some knowledge in with you so you can ask the professional piercing your ears the right kinds of questions.

Preparing for a little bit of pain is one thing. A good plan to help minimize pain is to go to a professional piercing place. When you go to a professional, you ensure that your piercing will be hygienic and safe.

You'll also need to know what to do in the healing process after getting an ear piercing. Typically you don't want to mess with the piercing or the earring itself so that you can avoid infection and pain. You will also need to know how to take care of it. This is why you must research your desired piercing before you get it done, so that you're prepared for what to do as it heals.

On another note, look up the cost of getting an ear piercing. For different ear piercings, the price varies. Sterling silver earrings are always a good option.

Don't Be Afraid! Ear Piercings Look Great

While the possible pain of getting an ear piercing may turn some people away, for many it's exciting to see all the different ways one can adorn their ear with jewelry. With so many different options, you can pick and choose where you'd like to get your piercing or get them all!

The ear piercing process can feel intimidating, especially if you're new to it or not sure if you'll be able to tolerate the pain and healing of a piercing. Contact us if you have any questions about the piercing process.

So, while you might have asked Does it hurt to get your ears pierced?, be assured that so many people before you have gotten all different sorts of ear piercings. While none of it is completely pain-free, as long as you take proper care of your piercings as they heal, and are aware of how a professional will pierce your ears, you don't have anything to worry about.

Take some time to figure out what part of your ear you want pierced, and you'll be satisfied no matter what. Good luck with your new ear piercing(s)!