eyebrow and cartilage piercings-- advice

My cousin is going away to prep boarding school (as did I when I was 14.) She wants to get an eyebrow piercing to celebrate. Her parents are accepting as long as she does her homework, etc. We've boiled it down to 2 issues: a) the school won't allow it and b) PAIN.

Does an eyebrow piercing hurt? She has a medium-low tolerance for pain (the anxiety before the piercing is likely to be worse than the actual event.)

Also-- I was thinking about getting my own cartilage pierced. I know the risks, but anybody have an opinion? My tolerance for pain is LOW, but my 3 lobe piercings weren't bad... how does cartilage pain compare to earlobe?

Earlobe pain DOESN'T compare to cartlidge pain.  They aren't even on the same map.  Earlobe piercings feel like a bad sunburn...nothing more than a sting and some heat.  Cartlidge is pinching, shrieking pain... the kind you can't even let the weight of your head rest on when trying to sleep on your pillow at night.  If you have a low pain tolerance, I wouldn't recommend it!

Yeah, I had a feeling cartilage would be bad because I've been fiddling with my cartilage with my fingers and squezzing it, and it hurts a bit... a needle would be a lot worse. Actually, initially brow appealed to me, too. I've read that eyebrow skin is so thin that it's milder than earlobe pain.

But the buck stops there... I can't handle nose, tongue, or belly button. ugggh.

Hahah, yeah, I'm not big on piercing myself, though I do think they look good on other people!  But just think about getting your ears boxed and how much that stings... or if you've every had a kid, toy, dog...whatever, bonk you on the nose and it just makes you cringe and your eyes water.... EEK!  Cartlidge hurts!

Oddly, tongue didn't hurt at all.  If they do it right, and you get lucky, the needle doesn't hit the muscle and there is very little swelling or pain.  Plus your tongue doesn't get infected ... one less thing to worry about.

haha well really, i have my cartilage pierced and i didnt find it to b too bad... just MAKE SURE you clean it ALOTTT, if it gets infected.. theenn it will hurt, otherwise its not too bad, just bothers you the 1st 2-3 days, then its good. But i dont know, maybe it hurts other people worse? and id say the eyebrow piercing would b cool, but if the school doesnt allow it, then dont do it, why go thro w/ it and then have to take it out?

I currently have 13 piercings and I've had more. I have a very high pain tolerance. Here's my opinion:

1. The eyebrow doesn't really hurt, but the skin is not thin there. If you have a low pain tolerance, I wouldn't recommend it. Also, if you play with it too much, you can make the hole too big. If this happens the ring can get ripped out easier. I took mine out because my high school didn't allow it. You can get spacers, though, which most schools will allow. They're basically clear plastic that goes through the piercing.

2. Cartilage piercing does hurt. They typically take about 6 months to completely heal, in which time you really can't sleep on that side at all. Not to mention, it's most likely to get infected. I took mine out because it hurt so bad.

3. Navel ring is probably the least painful, next to lobe piercings. I've never had any problem with mine and I've had it for about seven years.

If you have anymore questions, you can message me. I've had most places pierced, except a few *ahem* private places.

I've had cartilidge, eyebrow and my tounge pierced.  Eyebrow was the worst it just would not heal properly and was always getting infected after 3 months I just had to abandon it.  The initial piercing is no big deal though pain wise.

Tongue was probably my favorite piercing no maintenance but after 5years I had to take it out it was causing my gums to receed on my the inside of my bottom front teeth, which is pretty common I learned from my dentist.

Maybe she should consider a belly button piercing that way the prep school can't see it. 

i dont' understand what the point is if the prep school won't allow it. you don't want to get a piercing that you will jsut have to take out. but i have my cartilage pierced and the first one hurt horribly for like a week (be very careful not to hit it when doing your hair...ouch!) but the second one didn't hurt at all. the tongue wasn't bad. I was anticipating this horrible pain so it took a while for hte guy to get me to relax so he could actually pierce it but afterwards it was just swollen for a couple days. but liek i said, if the school won't allow it then it seems like a moot point.

if the prep school wont allow it like someone said she can always wear the clear fillers, and just wear the ring outside of school...

i had my eyebrow done in december and i wouldn't really describe it as painful. surprisingly i enjoyed it. it was like this pinch that gave a pleasurable rush. but i kept fooling with mine for the first 3 wks and didn't really clean it 3 times a day like i was supposed to, and one night i guess i'd been playing with it in my sleep and i woke up with no ring. i'd unloosened the ring i guess and it fell out, couldn't find it...

so now it's almost may and this post reminds me that i should get my hole done again. in fact  i just have decided that that's going to be the first thing i do when i reach my gw, which should be within these 2 wks...yay, like i said, i loved the feeling i got with the eyebrow piercing. but im one of those people who like that pleasurable kind of piercing pain (although like i said it wasn't "painful" in the least really). i might work at a piercing place some day :)

I have my eyebrow pierced.

It hurt in a good way.  I enjoyed it.  But I'm a freak like that. 

iv never had my eyebrow peirced but currently have my tongue, septum, and tragus pierced.


the worst piercing i ever got was my upper ear. it didnt hurt but i have this really bad gross scar on it. i call it my lil attached brother =[  i tried to get it removed but it came back.

my septum didnt hurt at all. lots of people look at it like "gross!  didnt that hurt?!" but it didnt!

I have my nose pierced, (the side, not the middle) and somebody told me that it was similar to getting your ear peirced (cartilidge i mean)....and it hurt quite a bit. Not unbareable, but if I had to let it close for some reason, I don't think I'd go get it done again.

I think piercings are a fun and adventurous way to celebrate, and as long as you keep them clean and avoid infection they can always be taken out without scarring.  I've had everything pierced except  the top of my ear, but the nose and eyebrow didn't hurt a bit.  The problem with the eyebrow is that when it's healing it's sensitive and changing clothes can be difficult.  But I think you both should try.

Good luck!

Oh, and you must not touch it with dirty hands and wash it with anti-bacterial (non-scented) soap every day in the shower or sink.

Just keep in mind that whatever you peirce if you are using clear fillers then that is what they will have to pierce it with and then you will have to leave in until it heals.  Then you can start changing them out after school hours.
I have the top cartilage of my ear pierced.  I did it myself with a diaper safety pin and it didnt really hurt to do it.  However they do take a long time to heal.  Things like hair and sleeping make it sore.  I have had it about 15 years now and I can leave the hole empty for a year and it will still be there when I put an earring in it. 
I have my nose pierced which you said you werent interested in and that didnt hurt much either.  It just took some time to heal.

When I got my eyebrow pierced, I found it less painful than even regular ear lobe piercings, much less cartilage piercings.  Cartilage piercings are by far the most painful thing I've ever had done, except for possibly my lip.

But as far as the eyebrow ring, mine never bothered me for a bit.  It's important you go to a REALLY good parlor, though.

I have ZERO tolerance for pain and i've had.... lobes, lip, nose, top of ear (3 times), right tragus pierced. Lip was worst! Never had my eyebrow done but i know many who have and they've said it wasn't too bad. You just have to remember to clean it well, and keep an eye on it while it heals. I found the top of ear cartlidge fine pain wise, had it by gun so its fast i guess. Actually quite liked the pain... odd as that is!

I had my eyebrow pierced, it was extraordinarily painful, much worse than having your ears done.  After about 9 months it was rejected by my body, so the ring basically just got pushed out - I have a scar running across my eye brow where it came out.

Would I do it again - probably, I loved it when I was 15 :) 

I have had several piercing and have come to the conclusion that if you want it that bad, the pain is secondary.  Cartilage piercings tend to hurt more after than during the actual piercing.  Their healing time is one of the longest out of all piercings.  I have not had my eyebrow pierced, but I heard that it is a quick pinch.  This piercing does tend to scar however.  The best part about piercings is tbhat you can take them out, so go for it.

I'm going to agree that if either you or your friend get any piercing done, go to a GOOD tattoo / piericng parlor, and make sure everything is clean and sanitary. I would do some searching around your area and do your homework. And if possible, ask people you see whom do have piercings, ask them where they got them done and if they would recommend them.

I have four piercings myself, one in each lobe, and one cartilage in each ear. The lobes I had done when I was about 7, the cartilage ones I had done last year, as a way to celebrate getting the heck out of my last horrible job. Lobes were done at a place called Claires Boutique. HORRIBLE mistake, because they became so incredibly infected. The cartilages, done at the Silver and Gold Connection. A step up from Claires, a LOT cleaner, the lady knew exactly what she was doing and what she was talking about ( she had several piercings in her ears ). But I had to learn the hard way that while the piercing posts are 'good' ( I use that term VERY lightly ) for initial piercing, once the holes have started to heal up more after a month or so, it's probably best to switch over to a yellow gold or white gold hoop, or something with no backing, to let the piercing BREATH. The backings on post earrings gather a LOT of germs and dirt and oil, requiring you to have to clean a HECK of a lot. I found a pair of small white gold hoops, they're MUCH easier to sleep with, less painful, easier to keep clean, and since they don't have a post backing, the piercings are healing up MUCH better.

~~Bee

When I got my cartilege pierced, it didn't hurt at all, but I had friends who went with me and said it hurt terribly. But hey, I didn't think it hurt when I got my tattoo, so maybe it's just me.

Like everyone said, just make sure the place is clean- they should be able to show you their procedures for cleaning- and that the person knows what they're doing! An infection can not only be painful, it could require hospitalization if it's bad enough.