So, you’ve decided to take the plunge and get your first piercing. Congratulations! This can be a scary moment so kudos to you for taking the plunge. Be forewarned, piercing is also super habit-forming so this may just be the first in a long string of piercings for you. Aren’t you excited? You ought to be! Body piercing has a long and storied history full of innovation and creativity and self-expression. You’ll be joining the tribe of the modified, and you’ll get to rock some cool new jewelry as well.
Now that you’ve decided to get pierced, the question arises as to exactly what you’re going to get done. Some piercings are clearly a bit more advanced than others, while a few piercings have been designated as more beginner friendly. These piercings tend to be less painful (although pain tolerance is an entirely relative experience and varies from person to person), and often are faster to heal. So, if you’re just starting out and feeling unsure, let’s discuss your options. And let’s also take a brief moment to remind you to go to a vouched-for, APP piercer and to review their portfolio beforehand. Look to make sure that the piercings appear straight, that the jewelry is high quality (no acrylic, ASTM F-136 titanium only!), and the studio appears clean and sanitary. Ok, on with the piercings!
The first and most obvious option is your earlobe. Or both lobes. This area is overwhelmingly used as the first body piercing, and for good reason. The earlobe is just a dangling piece of skin with no cartilage in it. That means it generally heals quickly and heals well, so long as it’s properly pierced and cared for. You should be able to change the jewelry after 6 to 8 weeks and the pain level is generally minimal. Make sure the piercer uses straight jewelry, such as a labret or barbell, and ALWAYS make sure they use a needle and not a piercing gun. Piercing guns are NEVER safe, regardless of the piercing be performed.
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Another common first piercing, although perhaps a bit more advanced than the earlobe, is the nostril. It does involve cartilage and it’s extremely important that the piercer perform it straight, but it’s a reasonably fast healing process of 3 to 6 months. (This depends on your anatomy and experience) And while any nasal piercing is going to cause your eyes to water, the actual pain involved is pretty minor. Once the piercing is healed, your jewelry options are extremely wide and varied in style and shape. And if you’re trying to maintain a relative conservative appearance, this one isn’t difficult to minimize the size of.
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The last suggestion for a piercing newbie may come as a bit of a surprise, but the septum piercing is a great place to start. Despite appearances, it is not actually a cartilage piercing but sits above the actual septum cartilage. Like the nostril, the pain tends to be brief and minor, and it also heals relatively quickly. It’s an easy piercing to care for with a wide range of jewelry options, and once healed it can be concealed entirely. It’s also almost universally flattering, with options for every face shape and personal style.
Shop jewelry for septum piercings >
Now that you’ve decided to get your first piercing, you need to decide on a piercing and a piercer (learn more on that here). Hopefully this has made that first decision a little bit easier. Welcome to the tribe of the pierced and happy piercing!
