Beauty

5 Most painful piercings for the daring risk-taker

Not for the faint-hearted

24.03.2023

By Phyll Wu

Images courtesy of @oliviachuk, @glashagurianova, and @sarahpardini on Instagram
5 Most painful piercings for the daring risk-taker

Finally mustered up the courage to step out of your piercing comfort zone? Here are five gut-wrenching pokes for you to consider.

Sure, septum and eyebrow piercings are cool, but y’know what’s even cooler? Getting a piercing that not many would dare to—bonus cool points if it fully heals with no complications. As the saying goes, pain is temporary but swag is forever, right? With unconventional body modifications becoming more popular and fascinating by the year, especially with major fashion houses adopting the trend for their runway shows, there’s no better time to get one or two (or more) yourself—with caution, of course.

If you’ve been feeling particularly brave lately, we’ve got a few unpleasant piercings that might catch your eye. Ahead, we’ve rounded up five most painful piercings to get.

 

READ: 6 Least painful body and facial piercings for beginners

 

Industrial

 

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Pain level: 8/10

First up, the infamous industrial piercing. If you’ve met anyone who has gotten one, you’d know that the piercing process is not only unpleasant, but the aftercare is also a massive pain in the butt to keep up with. You’ll feel a sharp pain when getting pierced, followed by constant throbbing and soreness in the area for several months that may progressively intensify. During the healing process, you would have to be extremely careful to avoid accidentally nudging or applying pressure on your jewellery, meaning no sleeping on your side until it’s healed, which is roughly around two to three months. Industrial piercings are also known to be prone to rejection and infections, so get one at your own risk!

 

 

Nipple

Pain level: 7/10

Arguably one of the sexiest piercings to have, nipple piercings are also amongst the most painful ones. Good news is, the pain is quite brief. Think getting a hard, quick bite. If your pain tolerance is particularly high, getting your nipples pierced might just be a breeze for you. Although, word is, the second piercing will hurt a lot more than the first, so don’t get too confident after the first round! Because your nipples are extremely sensitive, it’ll take about nine months to a year to properly heal. Just expect to be braless for a couple days to allow the piercing to breathe and avoid wearing any clothes that may tug on the jewellery, such as knitted sweaters or mesh tops.

 

 

Helix

Pain level: 5-7/10

Located along your ear’s upper outer cartilage rim, the pain level for a helix piercing really depends on your personal pain tolerance, the type of helix you’re getting, and the amount of helix placements—but it will definitely hurt a lot more than getting your lobes pierced. While the standard helix is one of the least painful cartilage piercings, the pain level increases if you get more than one. The forward helix (also known as anti-helix or snug) is easily the most painful type of helix to get, which sits directly above the tragus and takes around three to nine months to heal.

 

 

Genital

Pain level: 11/10

You can probably guess why it will be excruciatingly painful to get your genitals pierced, but rest assured, the pain is surprisingly brief! Depending on the type of genital piercing you’re getting (and there are many types), the healing process can span anywhere from four to six weeks or even a year. In terms of aftercare, it’s not as complicated as you may think as it often requires minimal effort. Your piercer will have the best advice for aftercare, so just follow their instructions!  

 

 

Back dimple

Pain level: 7-8/10

Dermal piercings are generally average on the pain scale, but it really depends on where it’s done. The back dimple is arguably the most popular type of dermal piercing, which is done by removing a tiny bit of tissue beneath your skin before a dermal anchor is inserted. Some say it feels like a quick ant bite, while others claim it’s the most painful experience they’ve ever had—the latter is probably said most often. As for the healing process, it could take up to one to three months and maybe even six months for some. While it’s healing, you absolutely must clean the area with saline water for at least two to four times a day until it’s fully healed, and of course, like any other body piercings, avoid wearing any clothes that may irritate the pierced spot.

 

 

 

 

 

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