Getting a piercing can be such an exciting thing! Although, most people aren’t too excited about the actual piercing portion. It’s fairly common to find the idea of a needle a little intimidating. Things like anxiety, fear, stress, nervousness are all par for the course. It’s easy to get a little worked up before a body piercing; especially if it’s your first one, or one you haven’t had done before. We see scared clients regularly. We (even as piercers) are also a little scared to get pierced! It’s perfectly normal and never something to be embarrassed about. We’ve had so many clients ask us how we get through it, so we decided to put together a few helpful tips on how to keep your cool so you can get that jewel!
Tip #1: Eat a Good Meal (1-3 hours beforehand) It seems simple but eating a good, big meal before a piercing makes a huge difference. Even if you aren’t nervous at all, there is still an endorphin or adrenaline rush that can occur during the piercing as the body’s natural response to piercing. This rush costs you blood sugar, and if you don’t have enough, you can get lightheaded and/or faint. A big meal a bit before hand will fill you with plenty of good fuel to keep you feeling great before, during, and after the piercing. Always try and plan ahead so you know you’re set!
Tip #2: Pick a Reputable Piercer A good piercer who you know is clean, skilled, and kind makes a world of difference! Choosing a reputable piercer (which we have a handy guide to here) will help soothe a lot of your nerves. There’s a lot less to be nervous about when you eliminate the worry of cleanliness/if the piercer is skilled or not. It’s important to find a piercer you’re comfortable with and has good bedside manner so they can work with you to keep calm.
Tip #3: Do your Research Sometimes a lot of the stress isn’t just about getting the piercing, it’s all the aftercare- healing, possible scarring, maintenance, etc. The fear and nerves can put your brain in a “what if it goes wrong!” loop. Doing good research and understanding what healing will be like, what you can and can’t do/can and can’t use on the piercing will help you feel comfortable and confident. Of course, you should always be weary of what you read on the internet so be sure to look for reputable sources. You can even reach out to a knowledgeable piercer to ask some questions prior to getting pierced!
Tip #4: Bring Someone to Hold Your Hand Grab your favorite friends or family members for extra support! Having friendly and welcoming faces, and a good hand to hold can make the process much easier. They can be your personal cheer squad and encourage you through the process. Having folks you know and trust with you for the process can help a lot. If you do end up coming alone, our lovely staff is happy to hold your hand through all the potentially scary parts so you don’t have to be afraid!
Tip #5: Get All Your Aftercare and Supplies Ahead of time For many, getting their prep-work done helps soothe their nerves and helps get them ready for piercing. If you’ve already discussed aftercare with your piercer, or have been pierced before, then you can pick up your supplies early! It never hurts to get what you may need ahead of time so all you have to do post-piercing is snap some good pictures of your newest piece. Be sure to check with your piercer if you will be shopping ahead of time to make sure you didn’t miss any important items! Some piercings have extras you’ll need for car. This type of preparation can be calming knowing there’s nothing left to be done but the piercing itself.
Tip #6: Take a Deep Breath In Once you are on the chair sometimes all logic and reason goes out the window. If nothing else, remember to relax. You can take some steady, deep, soothing breaths, to try and stay calm. Remember this is a piercing you want and are excited for! It can be easy to let the fear outweigh the excitement but that’s totally normal. To make you feel better, remind yourself that you have likely already experienced much worse things; like shots at the doctors, dental work, or even a really intensive waxing session. Most piercings when done right, are easier than almost all the painful things we’ve already done. Plus, they’re cool!