I'm a body piercer – here are the six most painful places to get it done
A PIERCING artist has revealed the most painful places to get pierced – and some of them may surprise you.
Brett Turner, 33, a professional piercer, also shared his tips for avoiding the excruciating pain people often expect when getting a new piercing.
The body piercer and tattoo artist from York, North Yorkshire, said: “Firstly, it's important to understand that pain is subjective.
“Everyone experiences pain differently and everyone's body is mapped differently.
“What may hurt one person may hardly be felt by another.”
He even talked about his own experiences with piercings: “For example, when I had my earlobes pierced, I found them unbearable and for my nostril it was completely fine.
“For most people this is the solution [other] other way around.”
Brett ranked his top six most painful places to get a piercing, including three popular options.
Here is an overview of the most painful areas.
6. Earlobe piercings
One of the most popular choices for piercings is surprisingly one of the most painful, according to Brett.
He said: “Although earlobes are one of the most common piercings for most people around the world, they can be very painful.
“The lobe is filled with small nerve endings, which can be a rather unpleasant piercing experience for some.”
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5. Navel
Another common choice: belly button piercings can be particularly painful due to the long healing process.
Brett explained: “This piercing is and has always been very common among teenagers.
“It varies from person to person how much it will hurt depending on their anatomy, but the pain comes with the healing process.
“Navy piercings generally have a much longer healing time than most other piercings.”
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4. Nostrils
However, the piercing guru said that the next most painful piercing on the list, the nostrils, heals much faster but can sting when the needle goes in.
He said: “Nostril piercings are quite stinging and are usually accompanied by tears in the eyes.
“However, the pain goes away very quickly and they are fairly easy to care for.”
3. Surface piercings
Surface piercings, where flat areas of the body such as the chest or upper cheek are pierced on top of the skin, were ranked by Brett as the next most painful piercing.
With these types of piercings, the piercer pinches the skin and pushes the needle through — which Brett says can make them harder to tolerate.
He said: “They usually take a little longer to do than most piercings, meaning the customer may feel pain for longer.
“They also tend to swell, bruise and heal more slowly, and there is a high risk of rejection.”
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2. Nipples
The second most painful piercing for both men and women, according to Brett, is the nipple piercing, which requires more pressure.
He said: “Nipple piercings in both the biological male and female anatomy are often quite painful.
“There are several factors to consider, such as the size of the nipple, its depth and also whether the nipple is retracted.
“They are stronger than other body parts, so more pressure is applied.
“They also heal very slowly.”
1. Scaffold piercing
Finally, Brett's most painful piercing is the industrial or scaffold piercing.
This is an ear piercing that is inserted diagonally through two separate parts of the cartilage.
Brett said: “An industrial piercing is in my opinion the most painful because it goes through two separate areas of cartilage, is slightly angled and uses a thicker needle than other ear piercings.
“They heal very slowly and are also susceptible to infection.
“With all these factors, you get a pretty painful but great-looking piercing.”
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Some tips to deal with the pain
Brett also shared advice for potential clients who may be afraid of the pain associated with getting a new piercing.
He said: “The best thing anyone concerned about piercing pain can do is first and foremost accept that the piercing looks great and that it is worth a few moments of discomfort.
'You need to bring a friend, a good friend who doesn't laugh and supports you.
“Eat a decent meal a few hours beforehand and prepare all your cleaning solutions and aftercare ahead of time.”