How painful is a flat piercing?
Is your flat piercing still sore? Are you thinking of having this part of your cartilage pierced but wondering how much it might hurt?
Then you're in the right place! At Solstice, we specialise in ear piercing jewellery.
Located at the top of the ear, a flat piercing is a lovely but less common choice. If you choose this placement, it can add a little detail to your ear stack when you combine several pieces of jewellery. Some people find it relatively manageable, although pain varies from person to person.
In this short article, you'll discover:
- What flat piercing pain can feel like
- Tips to help you prepare
Let's get started!
Does getting a flat piercing hurt?
A flat piercing sits in the flat area of cartilage at the top of the ear. This is a less commonly pierced part of the ear. Some people find the pain manageable, but it cannot reliably be ranked among the quickest cartilage piercings to heal or the least painful. Once healed, a flat piercing is a lovely place for small studs, whether shaped like moons or stars, or set with sparkling stones. Our catalogue jewellery is for healed piercings.
It's often paired with helix hoops, tragus jewellery and earrings. But does getting a flat piercing hurt?
What a flat piercing feels like
The intensity of piercing pain depends on the person and their sensitivity to pain. You might feel very little while your best friend finds it much more painful! Cartilage thickness may also play a part, but a thinner area does not necessarily mean less pain.
Getting a flat piercing can cause a brief pinch, followed by tenderness around the piercing. Cartilage thickness alone is not enough to predict pain, and a score out of 10 does not provide a ranking that applies to everyone.
Don't be surprised if the pain also changes over time. You may feel a sharp pain as the piercing is made. This initial pain can then give way to more general tenderness across the ear.
This can explain some swelling, redness and soreness after a piercing. It can be part of the early healing process as your body responds to the wound. Worsening or persistent symptoms should not automatically be treated as normal healing.Â
Reviews and personal experiences
We've gathered a few accounts of flat piercings. Here they are:
âI had 2 piercings about 1 month and 1/2 ago (helix, flat). The welcome was beyond perfect. The piercer was so professional! Impeccable hygiene. I'm so happy with the result! I chose 2 pieces of jewellery there, and both the quality and the look lived up to expectations.â
âIt wasn't very painful for me, and took a little longer to heal than my other piercings, but it's very pretty.â
This account adds to the personal experiences above: it shows where the flat sits, distinguishes it from the outer conch and discusses how the piercing feels.
How can you ease flat piercing pain?
Pain isn't purely mental, as the IASP definition of pain reminds us. Preparing before your appointment may help you cope with the experience. Here are a few tips.
Before booking an appointment, visit the studio to look around. Make sure the piercer explains their hygiene procedures clearly and uses appropriate equipment. A reputable studio can help reduce risks, but no studio can guarantee a problem-free piercing.
Never have your cartilage pierced at a jewellery shop using unsuitable equipment. Staff may not have specialist piercing training, and unsuitable equipment can damage cartilage. For cartilage, choose a professional piercer using a needle rather than a piercing gun, which forces jewellery through the tissue and can cause trauma.
Next, prepare yourself mentally: breathe deeply before your appointment, find a distraction, meditate or listen to music⊠In other words, try to relax and focus on something else if you're feeling stressed (especially if this is your first cartilage piercing). Bring someone along if you need support.Â
You might be considering a numbing cream or medicine before the procedure, but check with a pharmacist or clinician first to make sure it is suitable for you.
Finally, eat enough, stay hydrated and get enough sleep the night before. Remember to tie your hair back to reduce snagging and clean your ears properly. These steps can help you feel prepared, although they cannot guarantee how the appointment will go.
Some soreness after a piercing can be expected. Follow the aftercare advice you were given, and seek medical advice promptly if symptoms worsen or you suspect an infection.
Allowing time for aftercare and discussing your anatomy are also part of preparing. This video explores these points before the piercing appointment.