Does It Hurt? Why we won’t use numbing creams.

Why We Don’t Recommend Numbing Cream Before a Piercing

Numbing cream might seem like a helpful way to make a piercing more comfortable, but it can actually create additional challenges during the piercing process. For that reason, we recommend avoiding numbing products.

Here’s why!

Depending on the product and how it is applied, numbing creams can change the way the tissue feels and behaves. They may make the skin feel tacky, slippery, or otherwise different than its normal state, which can make it more difficult to properly mark, prep, and accurately pierce the tissue. Even small changes in how the skin moves or feels can potentially affect precision and placement.

There is also another consideration: your skin doesn’t need another unnecessary product applied to it. Numbing creams contain active ingredients and other components that can potentially cause irritation or an allergic reaction. When we are already preparing tissue for a fresh piercing, keeping the process as simple and controlled as possible is preferable.

The good news? With a knowledgeable, experienced piercer using proper technique, the actual piercing process is typically very quick. For many people, the sensation is brief and comparable to or most of the time even less intense than a routine shot at the doctor.

That said, everyone’s experience is different. Pain tolerance, anxiety, anticipation, anatomy, placement, and even how someone mentally prepares for a piercing can all influence how it feels. A piercing that feels relatively easy for one person may feel a little more “spicy” to someone else, and that’s completely normal.

The goal isn’t to convince you that a piercing will be completely painless. The goal is to make the experience as safe, efficient, and comfortable as possible.

Choosing a reputable professional who understands anatomy, uses appropriate equipment and jewelry, and has proper piercing technique goes a long way toward making the process quick and manageable.

So if you’re nervous about the pain, talk to your piercer! We can walk you through what to expect, answer your questions, and help you feel prepared without introducing unnecessary products that could interfere with the procedure.

A little nervousness is normal. You don’t need to be fearless—you just need to be informed. 🖤