A piercing gun will likely cause swelling, be more painful, and take longer to heal than a needle piercing, Thompson adds. And since needles allow more precision, you get more control over your piercing placement.
The use of a gun piercing is only best if you're getting an earlobe piercing. If you are rooting for nose piercings or cartilage piercings, you're better off with a needle.
Needle Piercing is Less Painful
Gun piercings on ear cartilage can even shatter the cartilage with the force of a blunt stud. When you get pierced with a sterile piercing needle, the needle is sharp and hollow, allowing it to easily go through your tissue.
Piercing: The safest tool traditionally used for piercing is a hollow needle — not a piercing gun. Hollow needles are cleaner and pose fewer chances of causing an infection; piercing guns, on the other hand, can cause tissue damage.
Nose piercings are done traditionally with gold wire, a surgical needle or a piercing gun (although this is the least-preferred method). On a scale of 1 to 10, the pain, on average, is a 4 or 5, but it depends on each person's tolerance.
Studs: A twist nose stud is a good option for a first-time nostril piercing, as it's comfortable, secure, and stays out of the way. These studs have a curved post that fits through the piercing.
Pain Scale: 5 on a scale of 1-10. The pain scale is 100% subjective and based on clients' feedback. Nostril piercings are said to be a bit more painful than lip or ear lobe piercings, but not as painful as septum piercings. Aftercare: Keep the area clean to avoid infection.
Call your doctor if you notice these signs of infection: Fever. Red, swollen, very painful, or tender skin around the piercing. Yellow or green gunk oozing from the site.
Injections given in the hand and sole of the foot tend to hurt the most.
In general, tattoos tend to hurt more than piercings because the needles used for tattoos are larger and go deeper into the skin than the needles used for piercings. However, everyone experiences pain differently, so there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to how much pain you'll feel from a tattoo or piercing.
The pressure of a piercing gun going through the skin also can delay wound-healing time and prolong the after-care process. The piercing site might be sore, warm, slightly swollen and might bleed a little after the needle goes through the skin. Don't worry: These after-effects are completely normal.
Ice can numb the area for less pain during piercing. However, icing an area does restrict blood flow, and you can damage your skin if you leave the ice on for too long, so talk to your piercer before choosing this method. Some recommend using a numbing cream prior to getting pierced.
Because the cartilage is thinner on the upper ear, helix piercings tend to be the least painful cartilage piercing. They measure around a 4-5/10 on the pain scale and take around 3-6 months to fully heal.
Safest Piercings
Along with the nostrils and belly button, the earlobes are the safest and most common body part to be pierced. The flesh of the earlobe heals well when the area is cleaned regularly and the piercing is done at the proper angle.
If you're looking for the TLDR of it all, just keep in mind that earlobes, nostrils, and lip piercings are generally the safest ones to go with, though they still come with their issues.
In traditional Chinese medicine, the left side was believed to be the female side, and right the masculine side. Some people use this as a reason to choose their facial piercings on the left side for females or right side for males. However, in modern culture, there really isn't a male or female side.
The most common complication of getting a nose ring is an infection. This can occur if the piercing is not done properly, or if the jewelry is not sterile. Other complications can include allergies to metals, scarring, and damage to the tissue around the piercing.
Nose piercing is usually done with an 18 gauge (1.02mm) post. After a nose piercing heals, most people switch to a 20 gauge (. 81mm) post because it is thinner and leaves a smaller hole. A post thinner than 20 gauge is not recommended for most nose piercings.
Common piercing areas, like ear lobes, are low pain because there is no cartilage present. Areas with tougher cartilage like the nose can be a little more painful, but it's over in seconds!
“Depending on the area, most of our customers feel traditional nostril piercings a bit stronger than septum piercings, as long as the septum is well-performed,” says Perelmuter. Since the septum tissue is so thin, it will hurt briefly during the piercing but heal more quickly, resulting in less pain overall.
Previous Problems With Scarring
If you have, you might want to avoid a nose piercing, since scarring there would be so visible. Keloids are raised scars that result from excessive scar tissue formation. They require surgery to remove and aren't pretty.
Q: What can you not eat after a nose piercing? A: There are no such restrictions on eating after a nose piercing but it is advisable to avoid too hot and spicy food right after getting a piercing as it can cause irritation or disturbance around the pierced area.
The most common starter jewelry used for nostril piercings is a twist nose stud made of high quality metals like 14k gold, 18k gold, or titanium. Hoops like captive bead rings or gold seamless rings are often used as well.