Piercings are still polarizing today: you either love them or you hate them. Are you toying with the idea of getting pierced? Your piercing studio has compiled all the important information you need to make a well-considered decision!
Risks: A piercing is always a puncture in the skin
A piercing is first and foremost always a puncture in the skin: a wound is inflicted and this grows over in a controlled manner. The aim is not for the body to restore the original condition. Instead, a kind of tunnel is created in the skin. And the piece of jewelry is inserted into this new tube surrounded by skin. The body is therefore injured in order to bring about a change - no wonder that piercings are still viewed critically by some people.
Choose your position carefully
Before you get your piercing, you should be clear about the exact location. In aesthetic terms, this means: do you always want the piercing to be visible on your face (lip, eyebrow, nose, ear)? Or is it more of an intimate thing, something between you and your body (belly button or nipple, for example)? The risks associated with healing also depend on the body part. Sometimes it is easier to care for, sometimes it is more difficult. And it goes without saying that a lip or nipple is more sensitive to pain than other parts of the body.
Risks and consequences
Piercing is a bodily injury, and this can be explained by the term itself. The English verb "to pierce" means "to pierce" or "to pierce through". No matter how hygienic and professional the piercer is, the wound can always become infected. Inflammation of the pierced area is quite common. As a result, bacteria or other pathogens can enter the body through this area. The tissue under the pierced area can also be injured, such as blood vessels. You can recognize this by the fact that the area turns blue-purple. What looks like a "bruise" is simply a bruise that forms under the piercing. If nerves are hit, piercings can even lead to paralysis.
Allergy sufferers have another problem: they cannot tolerate the jewelry. The body's allergic reaction causes the skin to turn red, itch or burn and blisters form. Skin irritated in this way is also susceptible to infections. The reactions are often caused by jewelry containing nickel. Titanium jewelry is lighter and stronger, and absolutely nickel-free. It is simply important that you look out for nickel-free jewelry. If you have an allergic reaction, you should of course go to your piercer immediately.
Once the piercing has healed properly, the risk of late effects is reduced. But one remains: Scars. New skin tissue has formed in the body where the skin was pierced. If you remove the jewelry, a bump may remain visible. And it may remain like this for the rest of your life. It is therefore irreversible. Scars are small and inconspicuous if the piercing has healed properly and has been pierced correctly. However, larger, clearly visible scars can also remain. This is a factor that you should bear in mind, especially in the facial area!
dCare prevents negative consequences
Injuries heal better if they are cared for - that's no secret. A piercing also needs care. You should always follow the instructions of your piercer! Ideally, you will be given detailed instructions on what you can do in the days following the piercing and what you should not do. An information sheet with instructions on wound care is also included. And of course you should learn how to clean and care for the jewelry yourself - this is also important. This is because pathogens can attach to the jewelry that you would rather not introduce into the fresh wound.
As the scab is a kind of protective layer and helps the skin to heal, rubbing against the scab should also be avoided. Prolonged bathing is also counterproductive, as the water softens the scab and bacteria could penetrate the wound and lead to inflammation.
How quickly your piercing heals depends on your body. For some people, the wound heals very quickly, for others it takes longer. However, you can always avoid complications if you follow your piercer's instructions.
Important for good wound healing:
A few things are actually self-evident, but need to be mentioned again and again in connection with a piercing:
- Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap before touching your piercing.
- Make sure to keep the piercing that has not yet healed free of sweat and saliva (exception: tongue piercing and saliva - there is of course contact).
- Keep the pierced skin area free from rubbing or pressing clothing and other mechanical stimuli. You should also avoid sport until the piercing has healed.
- Only clean your piercing with pH-neutral care products.
- Disinfect the pierced skin area twice a day.
- If you have piercings in the mouth area, it is better to stop smoking, and you should refrain from smoking for at least a week. Kissing and other "unclean" contacts are also critical.
Pain is part of it
We are repeatedly asked the question: How painful is it actually? A piercing is always painful, after all, a needle is pierced through your skin! Even a good piercer rarely manages to completely bypass all nerves. This is because the nerve tracts are individually designed. So there is no "map" on which the nerve pathways are marked or anything like that. So exactly how painful it becomes varies from person to person. And there's another reason for this: some people barely feel the pain that makes others faint! This is completely normal and depends on both physical factors (biology) and your condition. How stressed or relaxed you are, whether you have sleep deficits and your nutritional situation, your entire lifestyle - these all have an influence on how you feel pain. Generally speaking, however, you should be clear: The pain is bearable. Otherwise so many people wouldn't be pierced. We are also not aware of any cases where someone has died of pain in a piercing studio. Perhaps that will reassure you a little.
The sensation of pain is therefore subjective. And it depends on the location chosen. A piercing in the genital area is perceived as more painful than a belly button piercing. Depending on the area that is pierced, your studio can relieve some of the pain. An ice spray can help in some places, while other areas can be anesthetized locally.
Recognizing good piercing studios - you should pay attention to this!
Whether your piercing heals well, how high the risk of infection is and whether scars form depends not least on the cleanliness of the studio. This is because the wound can of course become infected during piercing. Don't just look at the website of your piercing studio, but perhaps also visit the studio before you decide on a piercing. Get advice and ask the studio staff questions! If you do this at several studios, you will get an impression of which studio works how "cleanly". You may also have some friends who have already been pierced. Ask them if they have a recommendation for you. Check out these points:
- What is the visual appearance of the studio like - is everything clean or rather dingy?
- How does the piercer appear - rather clean or scruffy?
- How much experience does your piercer have?
- Are the piercings wrapped sterilely in the studio?
- Does the piercer work with disposable gloves?
- Does the studio take time for you and answer all your questions?
- Are you informed about the risks and possible consequences of your piercing without being asked?
- Does your piercer discuss the aftercare with you and give you a leaflet with instructions?
If you are satisfied with all points, you have found your studio! Admittedly: Some points are not so easy to assess when you first visit the studio.
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Cost point: The whole range
How much your piercing will cost depends on various factors. Every studio has different prices, the jewelry itself costs money (sometimes more, sometimes less), the costs differ depending on the body part. The piercer's training and experience also play a role, as do regional differences. What we can give you, however, is a rough overview of the costs you will incur. This is another point you should consider when choosing your studio: If the cost of the piercing differs greatly from the average, there is a reason for this. Decide for yourself whether this is trustworthy for you. You can use this as a guide:
- Piercings in the ear area range from 20 to 60 euros per piercing.
- For the nose and eyebrow, you will pay around 70 euros each.
- Piercings in the lip, tongue and nipple are more difficult to pierce and cost around 80 euros.
- Intimate piercings require special training and should only be performed by specialists. Expect to pay up to 150 euros.
Did you know that piercings are one of the oldest forms of body jewelry? Many centuries ago, people used metal jewelry to show that they belonged to a tribe and to celebrate their cultural rites! And strictly speaking, every ear piercing is a piercing.
Different types of piercings - and what is a tunnel anyway?
The tunnel is usually the first piercing you get. Newcomers opt for this shape. The ear hole, often referred to as a lobe, is widened slightly for this. The ear holes need to be stretched for a tunnel. Starting gently with 0.2 millimetres per month at the beginning and later 0.4 millimetres per month is not too painful. If you proceed too quickly, the skin can tear. Important to know: A widely stretched ear hole will not grow back. As an alternative to a tunnel, you can also insert a plug into an ear hole that has been stretched in this way. These are round piercings, cylinders or disks that completely fill the opening. With a tunnel, on the other hand, you insert a ring so that you can see through the ear hole - just like with a tunnel. And that's not all:
- Barbell: If you use an elongated piece of jewelry instead of a ring or a horseshoe at the septum, this is a barbell. It is visually reminiscent of a barbell.
- Belly button piercing: The piercing is not visible under clothing, except in swimwear and underwear. So this is also a more private version of jewelry and therefore a perennial favorite. However, it is not easy to handle: you should avoid getting it caught in your clothing.
- Fake piercing: This is absolutely bloodless. Without being pierced, you clip a fake piercing where you would actually like to have a piercing. Clip-on earrings are fake piercings.
- Helix: This is an ear piercing on the outer edge of the pinna in the cartilage tissue. You insert a plug or a ring here.
- Intimate piercing: A piercing in the intimate area is an absolutely private matter. Only you and your partners can see it, so it really is invisible. However, it is also a rather painful procedure.
- Septum: The nose piercing is reminiscent of the ring that oxen used to wear through their noses. The septum is not pierced through the cartilage of the nasal septum, but through the connective tissue underneath. The site is somewhat more painful than a normal ear piercing.
Conclusion: Make an informed decision for piercings without regrets
We summarize: Piercings are painful and come with some health risks. However, if you find a studio that works cleanly and adhere to the rules for good wound healing, you minimize the risk of infection. And piercings are a truly traditional affair. People have been wearing metal jewelry for more than 1,000 years! Take your time to think about what kind of piercing you want to wear. You now have all the information you need to make a mature decision. And if you're unsure, sleep on it a little longer. A good piercing studio will also inform you about all these points.