While body piercings are not as permanent as tattoos, it's still smart to take your time when deciding what kind of piercing you want. You need to figure out where on your body you want to be pierced, not to mention the countless jewelry options for each type of piercing. Plus, its you'll want to take typical pain levels, risks, and healing times into account, too, as being familiar with these factors can help you make the right decision and best prepare for your new piercing.
So, while it might seem like getting a piercing should be simple, there's actually a lot to think about. After all, you want to stay healthy and safe and have a positive piercing experience that allows you to enjoy your new body art for years to come. To help us cover all the must-know information about body piercings, we turned to professional body piercers Sheena Rose and Cozmo Faris and top dermatologists Marisa Garshick, MD, and Rachel Nazarian, MD.
Ahead, everything you need to know about body piercings, including safety and aftercare tips.
Meet the Experts
- Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, practicing at the Medical Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery Center.
- Rachel Nazarian, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City.
- Sheena Rose is a professional body piercer at Salt & Light Tattoo in Chandler, Arizona, and has over 13 years of experience.
- Cozmo Faris has been a professional piercer for over 12years and is located in Atlanta, Georgia. He is also a .
Ear Piercings
Ear piercings can run the gamut from traditional piercings to edgier ones, which is probably why earrings are so popular—there's something that suits everyone. When talking about traditional lobe piercings, Nazarian shares a bit about the healing process: "Generally, full healing takesaround 3 to 6 months, with the most discomfort happening within the first few weeks."
Another popular choice for an ear piercing is the cartilage, or the skin and bone on the outer ear, which may take longer to heal. “Various cartilage piercings on the ear, including Daith, snug, helix, and conch, have different healing timeframes and pain thresholds. Generally speaking, [expect about] four to 12 months for healing,” says Rose. Cartilage piercings are also more prone to infection since cartilage has less blood supply to help fight germs.
Here's the differing styles of ear piercing styles:
- Lobe (including Orbital): “The earlobe piercing is the easiest piercing to get in terms of pain and healing,” says Rose. “It is with minimal discomfort, and healing can take four to six weeks.” With that said Rose does advise against using rubbing alcohol and peroxide." (An orbital piercing runs from side to side rather than front to back, with two pierced holes instead of one, and often uses one piece of jewelry through both holes.)
- Helix and Helix Orbital: Along the curled outer edge of your upper ear cartilage.
- Conch: The conch is at the large opening of your ear and it might be one of the riskiest when it comes to damaging the cartilage and the risk of possible infection.
- Daith: A cartilage piercing of the innermost cartilage fold.
- Rook: Along the inner ridge of ear cartilage that runs down the center, parallel to the outer rim.
- Tragus and Anti-Tragus: The rounded protuberance of cartilage just outside the ear canal.
- Industrial/Scaffold: A two-hole piercing, the jewelry includes a long-spanning bar.
- Snug/Anti-Helix: Along the vertical inner cartilage ridge.
Facial Piercings
If you’re interested in an edgier look, you may want to consider a facial piercing. Rose says that for any piercing site—facial or otherwise—the pain level experienced is individual because everyone’s threshold and sensitivity are different. She's had clients who range from only feeling slight pressure, to those who are more sensitive and actually jump. “Each piercing can be tender for a few weeks and even a few months depending on if they are impacted such as [during] a tight hug or caught on an article of clothing," she advises.
Here's the differing styles of facial piercing styles:
- Erl/Bridge: Across the bridge of the nose.
- Dimple/Cheek: Pierced through to the inside of your mouth.
- Septum: This pierces the soft tissue of the center of your nose.
- Nostril: Through the soft cartilage of the nostril.
- Eyebrow: These are surface piercings.
Oral Piercings
Oral piercings can also tick off the “edgy aesthetic” box, and they can also be more inconspicuous than most facial piercings—which has its advantages. “Although oral piercings are not comfortable, they are not as painful as one would suspect,” notes Garshick. “That said, they are at an increased risk of infection, so it is important to be mindful of proper aftercare and proper oral hygiene, including teeth brushing, flossing, and frequent rinsing in the mouth.”
In addition to cleaning the outside of the piercing daily, Rose recommends using a saline spray for the outside of an oral piercing, and either a saltwater mixture or Biotène Oral Rinse to be used after eating, drinking, or smoking for two weeks. "While oral piercings tend to heal fairly quickly—in as little as four weeks if you're not a smoker—they can be painful for some time," she adds.
- Tongue: This may be a painful piercing, as the tongue has many nerve endings.
- Tongue Web/Frenulum: The thin strip of connective tissue under your tongue.
- Frowny: Through the thin connective tissue under the bottom lip.
- Smiley/Scrumper: Through the thin connective tissue above the upper lip. It can be quite painful.
- Lip: Most piercings are both external and oral.
- Snake Bites: Two symmetrical lower lip piercings, more like fangs than bites.
- Medusa/Philtrum: The indentation between your upper lip and nose; it's both an oral and lip piercing.
- Monroe: In the area of a beauty mark through the upper lip into the mouth.
- Labrets andLowbrets: Under the center of your lower lip, through to the inside of your mouth.
Body/Surface Piercings
The body itself offers a large canvas for nearly endless piercing possibilities. But keep in mind: Certain areas of the body will require more healing time and also may have a higher risk of rejection or migration. “The skin on the body tends to healslower than the skin on the face, so it is normal for a body piercing to take longer to heal,” explains Garshick. “Additionally, areas that have more nerve endings are often more sensitive and can be more painful, which includes genital and nipple piercings, [but] belly button piercings tend to be less painful as there is more tissue.” Surface piercings may also have a higher risk of rejection or migration. Some common risks, according to Rose, are bumps, irritation, swelling, and less commonly, actual infections. For those who want to try the look without the full commitment, faux body piercings are great options.
- Navel/Belly Button: This requires a lot of aftercare as it is an area prone to germ exposure, so you'll need to be diligent for three to four months.
- Nipple Piercings (M+F): Healing takes at least six months.
- Nape: A horizontal surface piercing on the back of the neck with balls at each end.
- Sternum/Cleavage: This has a higher risk of rejection.
- Madison: A surface piercing at the clavicle has a higher chance of rejection.
- Dermal Anchors/Micro-dermal Implants: Protruding implants.
- Corset Piercings: Parallel rows of piercings you can connect with string or ribbon. "These piercings are typically just for play and are immediately removed after pictures are taken," Faris says. "They are not piercings that people heal and keep."
Selecting the Right Piercing Artist and Studio
Now that you know the type of piercing you want, it's time to find a place to get pierced. Getting a new piercing is exciting, but you don’t want to spend your hard-earned money and endure the pain of a piercing only to have it end in disaster. Take your time, and find a really good piercing artist that you can feel confident in.
Rose says that many states do not regulate the body art industry, so it’s up to the consumer to find a trustworthy shop with great piercers. “When researching a shop, look for reputable places that use single-use sterile equipment, implant grade metals, and have clean autoclave spore tests,” she says. The forceps, needle, jewelry, and any other metal equipment should be removed from an autoclave bag, with gloved hands, in your presence. And, under no circumstances should you be pierced anywhere on your body with a piercing gun, squeeze piercer, or any other object other than a clean, sterile, body-piercing-approved needle.
In addition to reading reviews online, here are a few tips to help you find the right piercing artist and studio:
Visit Several Studios
If you have a few studios in your area, visit as many of them as you can or even travel out of the area to find others to compare. You can also utilize Google and Yelp to scope out these places before you make an actual trip. Ratings and reviews can tell you most of what you need to know.
Byrdie Tip
You can also see if your board-certified dermatologist performs piercings, which can be a clean, safe, and professional option.
Check the Portfolio
Rose suggests looking at examples of piercings the piercing artist has done in the past. Do they look well placed? Do lobe piercings look even? Instagram is a great place to source this information.
Ask Friends
If your friends have had a good experience, they will probably recommend their artist. If they've had a bad experience, they'll warn you not to make the same mistake. Many people love to talk about their body art, so don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations from strangers with piercings that you like.
Piercing Safety
“It is important to find a piercingstudio that is clean, uses sterile tools, and takes proper care when performing piercings,” notes Garshick, who says this includes washing hands and wearing gloves prior to performing the piercing. Additionally, Garshick advises it is best to use earrings that are implant-grade stainless steel, titanium, 14- or 18-karat gold, or niobium. "It is important to avoid earrings with nickel, cobalt, or white gold, as [these metals] can make the skin itchy and red." Lastly, many piercers will use some kind of pen to mark your skin before inserting the needle — the pen should be brand new and then thrown in the trash after they are finished.
Nazarian says to ensure that your piercer thoroughly cleans the site of the piercing first to prevent future infection. "Prior to receiving a piercing, the skin [should be] cleansed thoroughly, often with alcohol to prevent infection," she shares. "It's important to note that the skin harbors a lot of bacteria naturally, and it is very important to sterilize before the piercing."
Additionally, Nazarian does not recommend getting a piercing if you are experiencing a flare of acne, eczema, other inflammatory skin conditions, or if you are feeling ill and/or if you have a runny or irritated nose. "Getting a piercing when your skin is irritated or inflamed can increase the risk of infection, and certainly increases the risk of poor healing."
Body Piercing Aftercare
Our experts say that, in general, the aftercare for a piercing is the same across the board—no matter where the new bling is located on your body. "Most piercing professionals agree that the best aftercare is a twice-daily saline soak to gently remove any debris that may build up, followed by patting dry with a clean paper towel," Faris says. "Otherwise, the piercings should be left alone and not touched."
Rose says that additional important aftercare instructions are to keep your hair up and away from your piercing for a few weeks, and avoid swimming for at least 30 days to minimize the risk of infection.“Avoid sleeping on the piercings, if possible. If [you’re] not able to, simply using a travel pillow can help alleviate any sleeping discomfort,” she notes, also recommending to avoid wearing face makeup for a couple of weeks, as that can promote bumps and irritation.
Lastly, Garshick says to always wash your hands before caring for your piercings. She adds, “It is important to leave the earrings in for at least six weeks to prevent the piercings from closing.”
When to See a Doctor
In the unfortunate case something goes south with your piercing, it's best to seek medical intervention—and soon. Garshick explains that if you experience pus, drainage, redness, tenderness, pain, warmth, or significant itching, it may be a sign that something is wrong. “After a piercing, there are various skin conditions that can occur, including an infection, which may require topical or oral antibiotics, allergic reactions as a result of something used at the time of the piercing (to the earring itself or something being used during the aftercare such as Neosporin).) It is wise to contact your dermatologist or GP to determine if any treatment is needed.
Some piercingsites may be prone to keloids or scarring and can lead to hypertrophic or keloid scar formation, which can be treated with cortisone injections. If you are noticing any bumps around the piercingsite, Garshick advises that is always best to have this checked out sooner rather than later to determine the etiology and see if any treatment would be helpful.
She recommends that you follow up with a doctor as soon as possible after getting a new piercing, even if your piercing seems fine. This will reduce the potential complications and make sure the piercing heals properly.
FAQ
What are the best piercings for beginners to get?
Earlobe piercings can be a great way to ease into the piercing lifestyle, as the earlobes are widely considered to be the least painful spot to get pierced. If you're looking to get your first body or face piercing, our experts say to choose a fleshy area with fewer nerve endings, like the eyebrow or navel. Ultimately, though, the best piercing for a beginner to get is one that they know they'll enjoy having and be able to take proper care of.
What type of piercing is the most painful?
While pain levels are entirely subjective to each individual, anecdotally, the most painful piercings to get are genital and nipple piercings. This is because those areas of the body contain more nerve endings, according to Garshick.