Why does it hurt and how painful can it be?
Discomfort during the procedure depends on your pain threshold and the location of the puncture . Some salons offer anesthesia to reduce pain to zero, but we do not recommend doing it unless necessary , because the anesthesia injection is quite painful and is comparable to the puncture itself.
To make the puncture less painful, craftsmen use special laser-sharpened hollow needles. They allow the procedure to be carried out as painlessly as possible.
Professional piercers never use guns for piercing, because they push tissue under high pressure, which results in a lacerated wound. Also, pistols cannot be sterilized in a static machine due to the presence of plastic parts in it.
Tongue piercing – what consequences can a fashionable hobby lead to?
Piercing various parts of the body is a fashionable hobby that has become popular among young people for quite some time. Many people choose the tongue as the place for the piercing, since here the earring can always be hidden from prying eyes, for example, while studying or working. But it should be understood that decorating an organ presupposes its inevitable injury. Without a careful and responsible approach to the healing period, an infection can get into the wound, and problems cannot be avoided. Today we’ll talk about how piercing is done, what unpleasant consequences can occur, and what to do if your tongue hurts badly after the piercing.
Where is the best place for a beginner to get their first puncture?
Minimal discomfort comes from piercing the eyebrows and lobe , which heal without any problems. It is a little more painful to pierce Helix and Conch, but they look more interesting. If you are very afraid and worried, you can always consult with a master and ask him all your questions. Perhaps the master will suggest you start with the simplest puncture so that you understand the healing process, and then move on to a more complex puncture.
All the pros and cons of piercing
The popularity of this form of piercing has deservedly gained popularity, because compared to many other options for decorating your body, it really has many advantages. Here are some of them:
- painlessness of the procedure when using anesthesia,
- the ability to easily and at any time hide the earring,
- low risk of complications, provided all sanitary requirements and procedure techniques are met,
- a chance to increase your self-esteem, do something original, decorate your body with spectacular jewelry,
- the ability to remove the earring at any time - the tongue has a tendency to quickly regenerate tissue, so such damage heals quickly and leaves virtually no traces.
However, along with obvious advantages, the fashion hobby also has its disadvantages. Thus, the disadvantages of piercing include long and rather painful healing, the appearance of speech defects, increased salivation, damage to tooth enamel, difficulty chewing in the early stages, as well as a likely negative reaction from loved ones and family members, if we are talking about very young people .
Tongue piercing allows you to stand out and increase self-esteem
“My friend once decided to pierce her tongue herself. I disinfected the large needle with something and did everything myself in front of the mirror. And it seemed normal, I went to bed, and then in the middle of the night I woke up from hellish pain and from the fact that it was difficult to breathe. The tongue was completely swollen, the parents immediately called an ambulance. Everything ended well, but personally, as they say, I still have an aftertaste..."
Olala, Krasnoyarsk, from correspondence on the woman.ru forum
In order for the procedure to go smoothly and without incidents, you should carefully choose the place where it will be carried out. Obviously, it would be better and safer to give preference to a trusted medical center that offers services of this kind.
Painkillers for piercings
A frequent client request is to take pain relief before piercing in order to completely avoid pain during the piercing, but good salons will refuse you for several reasons:
External anesthesia does not have the desired effect and only affects the skin, without working on the cartilage; it will relieve you of pain only at the beginning of the puncture, so there will still be pain.
If you give a painkiller injection, it will most likely be more painful than the puncture itself (this is especially true for cartilage).
The master may advise you to take a pain reliever for several days after piercing, for example, Nimesil (in powder form), it relieves pain and swelling well after the procedure.
Piercing as a source of pain
If we talk about the degree of pain of the procedure itself, then performing a tongue piercing is not a pleasant event. If a person becomes very nervous and twitches, causing the specialist to be unable to make an accurate puncture, everything will end with serious damage to an important organ. Therefore, many salons and medical institutions offering this service recommend using local anesthesia. Today, both injection and superficial methods of administering anesthetic are widely used.
Will my tongue hurt after a tongue piercing?
On a note! When choosing piercing under anesthesia, get ready for the fact that in the first couple of hours you will not have the opportunity to express yourself normally, since your tongue is unlikely to obey you. It is better to make sure in advance that someone you know is next to you. The effect of “freezing” will completely wear off only after 1-1.5 hours.
After the piercing, the tongue will still hurt and cause discomfort for some time. To relieve pain, you can take a painkiller tablet. This organ contains a huge number of blood vessels and nerve endings, so for another 2-3 weeks you will feel some soreness and swelling of the soft tissues. Be careful: if it doesn’t get better, the pain intensifies, becomes pulsating, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. Possible complications in this case include an allergic reaction to the metal and infection of the wound.
We pierce the ears of adults and children, what is important to know
At what age can a child's ears be pierced? Naturally, there is no clear universal age for ear piercing. First of all, you need to honestly answer the following questions:
- Why do you want to pierce your child's ears?
- What are you most afraid of? Causes:
- Perhaps you remember how scared you were and want to pierce your child’s ears as soon as possible
- I'm tired of how many people often ask whether you have a girl or a boy
- Everyone you know to your kids has already had their ears pierced, and you don’t want your child to fall behind in anything.
- the child asks very much himself
The most common fears:
- hurting a child
- negative consequences of a puncture
- making decisions for the child that he will not approve of at a conscious age
If you are driven by the first three reasons, you must realize that you are doing this primarily for yourself. Think about it: if you were a child, you would approve of the same behavior of your parents. If you are sure that your baby will only thank you in the future for the ears pierced in early childhood, ear piercing will not cause harm if done responsibly. But if there are still doubts, it is better to postpone the procedure. You can get your ears pierced at any age if you wish. The simplest case is when you are interested in ear piercing at the request of a child. All you need to do is study the issue from a medical point of view. Fortunately, there are few restrictions here either. Almost all representatives of medicine will recommend your age from 3 to 11-12 years. And if a child has made a decision on his own and asks to have his ears pierced, most likely he falls into this age range. The age of three years and older is explained by the following: A younger child is more susceptible to inflammatory processes, which is possible during the piercing procedure. Many medications have an age limit of up to 2-3 years, so it may be difficult to get medical help in case of complications. It is difficult to explain to a small child that the ears should not be touched during the healing period, the child grabs everything, can bring in dirt, get caught in the earring or try to remove it Treatment of the ears after piercing can bring discomfort to the child, and a little restless stubborn person may rebel against the unpleasant procedure. Children's ears undergo changes, the final formation of cartilage and the auricle occurs, according to various estimates, by the 4-6th year. After three years, the child can already talk about his feelings and desires As for concerns about pain, psychologists say that a child under 1.5-2 years of age most likely will not understand what happened to him and will not feel fear or pain. In contrast to older age, when children often want, but are afraid to get their ears pierced. However, it should be noted that in the first case, you will get rid of the problem of fear, but you risk showing selfish tendencies and imposing your desires on the child, and you will also have to approach the choice of a specialist and caring for the puncture as responsibly as possible due to the vulnerability of a very small person. In the second case, the child’s choice will be conscious, but he will have to face a feeling of fear and anticipation of pain. In adolescence (after 12 years), you will still have to go through a complex and longer healing process. In fairness, I would like to note that modern piercing techniques are much less painful than those with which our parents pierced their ears, but this did not stop those who really wanted to see beautiful stones in their ears.
How to prepare for your child's ear piercing?
The first stage has been completed: the decision to pierce the ears has been made. Your next steps: study contraindications, consult a doctor if necessary
- choose a piercing method
- decide on the location of the procedure
- wait for the right time
- if the child is not an infant and is already able to understand, you should first, without intimidation, tell him what awaits him so that he is psychologically ready
Historical reference
Piercing in English means puncture and has two basic meanings:
- piercing various parts of the body (nose, lips, cheeks, navel, etc.) for the purpose of subsequently inserting one or more jewelry;
- the decoration itself in the form of a ring, stud, etc.
This kind of product has been known and popular since ancient times in different parts of the world (India, the Mughal Empire, the Bedouins, the Aztecs, the Mayans, etc.).
In the 20th century, the popularity of piercing among Europeans and Americans increased. By decorating themselves in this way, representatives of punk culture and other newfangled movements of that time tried to highlight and indicate their belonging to one or another cultural movement.
The 21st century has made some adjustments to newfangled trends and the age limit of piercing owners (the vast majority are young people under the age of 14-25). Nevertheless, it also remains popular and in demand.
Does it hurt to get your nose pierced?
This is one of the popular types of piercings among both the male and female half of the population. There are different ways to pierce and wear jewelry:
- in the wing of the nose (standard method) - when the earring is inserted into a hole in the area of the so-called. helix, in the right or left nostril;
- nasal septum - the cartilage itself (septum), as well as the tissue located under the nasal septum under the tip of the nose (septril);
- tip of the nose – horizontal or vertical soft tissue piercing;
- bridge of the nose - perforation of a fold of skin in the area of the bridge of the nose (the tissues of the nose are actually not affected).
It is believed that the area of the so-called The nasolabial triangle is the most sensitive area on the face. Indeed, for many people, even a slight impact on the mucous membrane and skin of the nose and upper lip causes reflex lacrimation and intense pain. For other people, the piercing procedure is almost painless. It is impossible to say exactly what a particular person will feel: it all depends on the individual pain threshold, as well as the skill of the piercer.
If you read forums where users share their feelings after visiting a salon and having a piercing procedure, you can see that most people, when answering the question “how painful is it to pierce your nose,” answer negatively. Some say that it is no more painful than having your ears pierced; others even decided to pierce their nose with a gun or a needle themselves.
Diana, 21 years old, 2 punctures
VOX : What does each puncture mean to you?
- Basically, they don’t mean anything to me. I just understand that without a piercing I will feel inharmonious. Now I have a bridge piercing ( author's note
- puncture in the upper part of the bridge of the nose) and in the tongue.
VOX : How did your parents react to this?
“At the age of 16, my parents told me: “If you get a piercing, we’ll vomit the meat out of you, ta-ta-ta.” And when my mother saw the first piercing (it was in the nose) she said: “Okay, what now.” My dad is a military man, and he showed some skepticism towards my hobby, but now he has come to terms with it.
VOX : Have you ever regretted getting a piercing?
- No. I did all the punctures myself, sitting in front of the computer “punching”. Completely sterile, by the way: gloves, everything. Sometimes they ask you to take off your breeches and people have such stupid questions, like “What is that through the bone?”, and I: “Aha, I sawed through it with a drill!”
VOX : Will you stop there, or will your body still feel the punctures?
- I won’t stop. I did and will do. There are plans to “break through” the “septum” ( author’s note
- puncture of the central nasal septum) and something on the body, possibly the collarbone. I also want to pierce my chest and pull out the tunnels in my ears. I like this - this whole process: when it heals, you need to take care of it. In short, I like to take care of something.
VOX : What do you do in life?
— Coloring and makeup. I work in the field of web development. At this rather serious job, my style is treated quite normally, that is, my passion for piercings and tattoos does not affect my performance in any way.
VOX : Do you consider yourself informal?
- Yes! - Diana said proudly.
Jan
Preparing for a puncture and contraindications
A puncture is indicated only in severe cases of ear disease, when conservative therapy has not been successful. Protracted otitis media is considered if symptoms return within several months to a year after a full course or two of antibiotic treatment.
The otolaryngologist prescribes this study after a thorough examination of the medical history and taking into account all risks. The doctor determines:
- condition of the eardrum;
- sensitivity of the membrane to sound vibrations;
- if there is a suspicion of complications, send for tomography;
- clarifies the presence (absence) of individual drug intolerance.
The puncture is carried out when the main inflammatory process has already been stopped. They refuse to carry out the manipulation if there are scars on the eardrum or you have recently had ear surgery. The intervention is also not performed on children under six months old.
Anastasia, 32 years old, piercer
VOX : How and where did you get your first piercing?
— I got my first piercing at the age of 16, right after graduating from school. I became interested, and I gave myself a puncture myself while no one was at home. Mom reacted inappropriately to this, of course. And then I plunged headlong into this field and unlearned it. During the training process, I pierced my belly button, but then took it off because it didn’t take root—it was pierced incorrectly. Then I had an intimate piercing. But I did it more for aesthetics, beauty, rather than for pleasure or sexuality.
VOX : Are there any contraindications for piercing?
— Of course, these are a number of diseases: diabetes, blood diseases, various skin diseases. Well, age: a professional master should not pierce a child under 18 without parental permission.
And there are those who play around at home and do piercings on their own. The danger is great - they can puncture a vessel and fail to stop the bleeding.
Piercing tools
VOX : What precautions should be taken after a puncture?
— There are several basic rules.
1. You cannot swim in public places while the wound is healing. Everyone heals differently. The minimum is three weeks, and the maximum is two to three months. You need to follow all the rules that the master warned about, and everything will be fine.
2. Most often, medical steel is used for earrings, but now piercings are also made from plastic. It is advisable to wear a medical steel earring while the puncture channel is healing.
3. If the puncture site swells, it means it was done incorrectly, it is best to remove the accessory.
4. The most dangerous puncture is a tongue puncture. But there are also those who play around at home and do piercings on their own. The danger is great - they can puncture a vessel and fail to stop the bleeding.
5. While the wound is healing, you should not smoke or drink alcohol. If the piercing is in the mouth, then eating solid foods should also be avoided.
I judge from myself: each of these guys is an unloved child in the family. I got the piercing because I wanted to attract my parents' attention. I think “making a statement” is one of the reasons for these guys. And by the way, have you noticed what a problem our society has? Everyone wants to have what the other has. And I always tell my daughter: “Come on, stand out from this herd of sheep, come up with something of your own!”
Well, while my mother isn’t looking, that means I take out a needle and start making holes for myself.
Veron (Veronica)
Angelica, 16 years old, 6 punctures
VOX : What does each puncture mean to you?
- Creative!
VOX : At what age did you get your first piercing?
— At the age of 12. My parents reacted to this very differently: my father pretended not to notice, and my mother looked at me in shock and waited for me to remove the piercing.
VOX : Did you regret what you did?
- No. Most likely, I regretted it when I filmed it. But maybe someday I will outgrow it and understand that this is bad.
VOX : Continue piercing?
- Yes, I think it will be piercings not on the face, but on the body.
Angelica
VOX : Where did you get the inspiration and how did you come up with the image?
— Of course, from the great Internet! A lot of interesting people, ideas, pictures. This is very unusual, I think.
VOX : Which puncture was the most painful?
“It’s probably a “septum.” There's a gristle there. And there is such a “theory” that when you pierce one side, a tear flows from this side and from the other side, so. It was not painful to pierce your navel, but it was unpleasant: the needle goes inside you.
VOX : Do you consider yourself informal?
- Naturally!
Then I had an intimate piercing. But I made it more for aesthetics, beauty, rather than for pleasure or sexuality.
Anastasia
