The first piercings I ever got were my lobes. I was about nine or ten and decided I really wanted them doing. I got these done at Claire's with a gun and they cost £20 ish. I would say these were only about a 1-2 on the pain scale, they barely hurt and it's over within seconds. These healed within 2 weeks.
The second piercing I got was my helix (the top of my ear) I got this when I was about 14-15. I got this done at a piercing place called studio XI, it was pierced with a needle and I had a stud, this cost £15 and I paid an extra £5 for the cleaning lotion. I would rate this a 5 out of pain as it's not the most comfortable piercing, it's a very sharp pain but it's over in seconds. Although this did take a very long time to heal for me almost a year. Even now it still gets lumps on the back occasionally.
My third ear piercing was the one in the middle of my right ear (the photo on the left) I got this done just over a year ago and I stupidly went to a cheap nail salon that also did piercing, purely because it only cost £10. I actually wanted it slightly lower but she did it in the wrong place. So I ended up having cartilage pierced with a gun which is always a bad idea. This one was barely painful, I would say about a 3 out of 10. This healed fairly quickly in about 4 weeks so that's not too bad really.
My fourth piercings were a second lobe on each side. I went to Claire's again for this and it cost £20 and was done with a gun. I really wish I hadn't had them done there now because on one side they are fine but on my right ear it was far too close to my first piercing so I had to let that one heal over. But I want to get it re-done at a proper place eventually. They were the same pain level as getting my first lobe piercings, about a 1-2.
My seventh piercing was the third lobe one on my right ear (I know this isn't in order but It goes with the photo) I decided one night I really wanted this piercing so I did it myself with a pin. I did sterilize it with heat and boiling water first and I also used a piercing earring that was long to allow for swelling. This was really tricky to do on my own, once the pin was in It was really hard to try and change it and get the earring in, but eventually it was in. I would say this was about a 3 for pain and although it swelled for a while it healed after a week or so and has been fine ever since. I am actually quite proud of this one because I got it bob on where I wanted it haha!
As my 5th piercing I decided I wanted my nose pierced, I went to Holier than thou in Manchester (which I recommend) and it cost me £15, which I think is really reasonable. It was pierced with a needle and was over in seconds. This does make the eye on the side you get it pierced really water. It wasn't too painful but it does sting for a while after, so I would say about 5-6 on the pain scale. Although this was my fastest healing piercing, the day after I got it done, I woke up and looked in the mirror and saw it covered in dried and wet blood (see the photo) I think I must have caught it in the night and made it bleed. But once I had cleaned this up it never bled again and healed within a week.
