How Bad Do Daith Piercings Hurt?
While many people wish to get one of these striking daith piercings, plenty are worried about the discomfort when going through the piercing procedure, especially because of its awkward positioning in the sensitive, inner ear cartilage.
Daith Piercing Pain
Getting your daith pierced is going to cause moderate discomfort during the procedure. You will likely feel a sharp, intense jolt through the ear while the needle pierces the tough cartilage. A daith piercing can take slightly longer than other piercings due to the awkward location. It will take around 6-9 seconds on average.
Despite many people saying the pain of going through a daith piercing isn’t too intense, the majority of them would advise that there can be a dull, aching pain for several days after the procedure as the wound begins to heal.
On average, people who’ve had a daith piercing rate it around 5-6/10 on the pain scale, and although it’s considered to be one of the more painful ear piercings you can get, it is not seen anywhere near as painful as piercings on any of the other parts of the body.
It’s widely agreed that the daith can be very sensitive for quite a long period of time after the piercing takes place, and that the slightest of touches in the first few days can cause pain or discomfort. This pain will also likely affect how well you sleep, due to the weight being placed onto the ear.
Some piercers will use numbing creams or freeze sprays (although the freeze spray will feel uncomfortable for a short period) to dull the pain from the procedure.
Alternatively, you can use your own numbing cream before the procedure to help lessen the pain.
One of the most effective piercing numbing products currently on the market is Zensa Numbing Cream, which contains the highest level of Lidocaine allowed by the FDA for over-the-counter use. The feedback left by thousands of customers for this product is nothing short of exceptional.
Just follow the instructions on the packaging, apply shortly before your piercing procedure is due to begin, and look forward to a less painful and more comfortable piercing experience.
How Long Will It Hurt For?
It’s very likely that you will feel a sharp, intense pain for the duration of the piercing, which will last up to 10 seconds at most. The site of the piercing will then likely ache quite badly for a while afterward (usually for an hour or so), but over the next few days, the pain will become less and less.
You must realize that the healing period for a daith piercing can last for as long as nine months (until the inner tissue has completely closed up), but you will only feel discomfort for a very short piece of that time.
For the first several weeks of this healing, your piercing will likely be sensitive to light touches, and the area can begin to ache if it becomes agitated by anything. For this reason, you should be extremely careful and follow a few simple pieces of advice.
However, every cloud has a silver lining, and there is a common belief that getting a daith piercing can actually help to control and reduce migraines. There is no firm evidence for this, but there are some very positive success stories from happy daith recipients.
Important Ear Piercing Aftercare Steps You Must Ensure You Take
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What Can Affect Daith Piercing Pain?
Rest
Getting plenty of rest the night before your procedure can affect the amount of pain you feel. Being relaxed and revitalized means you’ll feel calm and steady throughout the procedure, and not tired and panicky.
Alcohol Consumption
There is the common myth that if you get very drunk before you get a tattoo or a piercing, you will not feel the pain. This, however, is not wholly true. The effects on pain after drinking alcohol can go both ways, and the procedure can sometimes turn out to be much more painful with alcohol, than without. Plus, alcohol will thin your blood and can make your piercing turn into a disaster.
Piercer Experience
An experienced piercer will know exactly how and where to pierce your daith, and will actively attempt to make the procedure as quick and smooth as possible. Although it may still hurt, they will know exactly what to do in order to minimize the pain and discomfort.
However, a less-experienced piercer might not be so confident. If a new, or inexperienced piercer attempts to do your daith piercing, they may accidentally pierce a hole in slightly the wrong place, or perforate the ear too slowly, which will in turn cause more pain.
State Of Mind
Arguably one of the most important factors to consider before getting a new piercing of any kind. Your current mental toughness will significantly affect your perception of pain. If you walk into the piercing shop with a positive attitude, believing the piercing will be a breeze, all while visualizing how terrific your daith will look after leaving the shop, it’s more likely you’ll struggle much less during the procedure.
However, if you go into the shop worrying about the whole process (and the pain you’ll have to endure), you will tense up, your heart rate will increase, and you might panic – all of which will combine to make the whole experience much more uncomfortable (and probably painful) for you.
How Can You Make A Daith Piercing Hurt Less?
There are several ways to help with dealing and coping with the pain of getting a daith piercing. Some may only help a little, while others may help you so much that you barely notice the pain of the piercing at all.
Listening to music is a popular way to ease yourself before and during your piercing, potentially reducing the pain. You may either have one headphone in the opposite ear (although the wires may interfere with the piercer) or concentrate on any music that may be playing in the shop at the time.
Striking up a conversation with your piercer and talking about the procedure can help while getting your piercing done. They will reassure you and explain exactly what they will be doing; giving you peace of mind and calming your nerves.
You may even be able to bring a friend or family member with you to the shop. Their presence will help calm you down and keep your focus away from the pain. However, not all piercers will allow others into the piercing room with you, so make sure you check with the shop beforehand.
It can also be very reassuring (and a psychological advantage) to remember that everyone you have ever seen with a daith piercing has gone through the exact same process as the one you’re about to be going through. Knowing that others have gone before you and dealt with the pain fine can help to minimize your own anxieties.
Getting to know what a daith piercing is and what it involves may help you cope with the pain. If you know exactly what is going to be happening during the procedure, you will save yourself from getting any nasty shocks and surprises. This will ensure your body is calm and relaxed, which will help towards reducing pain.
Make sure to have something to eat before you get your piercing. It will help to stabilize your blood sugar levels (chocolate bars are good for this). This will prevent you from feeling faint when the needle goes through the skin.
Research various breathing techniques so you can attempt to relax even more throughout the procedure. For example, breathing in slowly for seven seconds, then exhaling slowly for seven seconds is a known technique for relaxation, and by the time you do this once, your piercing should have already been completed. Easy!
Finally, wearing loose-fitting clothing can help you feel more relaxed while sitting in the piercing chair.
If you’re still worried about the pain after reading the above advice, you can ask your piercer if you could try applying numbing cream before the procedure. While the cream will unlikely take away all of the pain, it can definitely reduce how much of a ‘nip’ you’ll feel as the needle perforates the cartilage.
Summary
Getting a daith will not be a complete walk in the park; the piercing itself will hurt, and the healing period can be slightly uncomfortable, too. However, the initial sharp pain will be over incredibly quickly, and the rest of the process will be plain-sailing in comparison.
If you want to ensure your piercing heals as best as it possibly can, it’s imperative that you follow your piercer’s aftercare advice closely, and be sure to invest in a high-quality aftercare solution to aid recovery.
The best piercing aftercare product I’ve ever had the pleasure of using up to this point is the After Inked Piercing Aftercare Spray. Not only is it vegan-friendly, but it’s also completely alcohol and additive-free. The solution works well on all skin types including sensitive skin, and it comes in a generously-sized mist-spraying bottle for easy application.
When using it from the very start of the healing process, the spray helps to decrease healing times and aims to eliminate any lingering pain or soreness.​ Click here to buy from Amazon
By taking the right steps as mentioned above, you can help yourself to relax into the procedure the best way possible, and look forward to coming out the other side with an awesome-looking daith piercing.
