I’ve been wanting to get more ear piercings, but one thing stopped me: I was scared of the pain.

This sounds ridiculous because I have a lot of tattoos, so many that I’ve lost count. But tattoo needles don’t actually puncture your skin through and through, and that was the thought that was freaking me out.

The last time I got pierced was when I was a baby and, naturally, I have no memory of it. As a teenager, I accompanied a cousin to get her helix pierced at a stall in a mall. The salesperson used a piercing gun, my cousin got woozy after and I had to bring her home. For a long time, the memory of her ashen face put me off the thought of getting extra studs.

But over the last few years, I’ve found myself wanting to get pierced more and more. I’d read about it, stare at people’s multiple piercings on Instagram, look up piercing artists, and then chicken out.

A few weeks ago, it finally happened. The opportunity presented itself while I was getting tattooed by Wiji Lacsamana at Tattoo Nebula in Parañaque. Sandra Bandong was there, giving people new piercings.

Wiji spotted me watching Sandra and said, “Sabi nila magaan daw kamay ni Babygirl.”

Magic words

Body piercer Sandra Bandong (left) and some of her work

Those were like magic words to a coward like me. As I continued to get tattooed, I gathered the courage to actually get pierced. I messaged my brother who, in the course of his life, has gotten a crazy amount of piercings, including one that he did with a thumb tack (please don’t try this at home or anywhere else) and a tunnel piercing he DIYed using a classmate’s pen (I have no words). I asked him what hurt more—getting tattooed or getting pierced.“Tattoo,” came his quick reply. “Except ‘pag nipple pierce. Holy sh-t.”

I wasn’t getting my nipples pierced so that wasn’t going to be a problem. I stared at the ear piercing chart they had at the shop. There were so many I wanted to get.

But since I kept worrying about the pain, Sandra suggested that I start with my upper lobes so I can see if I can handle it.

You see, just like with tattoos, pain levels differ, depending on the spot you’re getting pierced and your pain tolerance, of course. Lobes are among the least painful places to get pierced, and lobes and upper lobes still remain the most common and popular piercings, Sandra said.

Sandra suggests just getting one ear done at a time so you can still sleep on your side. But some customers insist on getting both ears done at the same time, saying they can manage to sleep on their back. But I decided to listen to Sandra and I asked for two piercings on the upper lobe of my right ear.

Piercing needles

Just some of the many ear piercings you can choose from

Sandra uses piercing needles (as professional piercers do)—they’re safer, cleaner (they’re single use), more versatile and cause less pain than piercing guns.

Sandra marked the spots on my earlobes and asked me to take a deep breath as she did each piercing. They were right, I felt no pain. It was weird hearing the needle go through my flesh but it really didn’t hurt. The piercing spots just felt a little sore after, but it wasn’t bad at all. I even went straight to PasigLaban and spent hours there after getting pierced.

Aftercare is just as important as the piercing process, and Tattoo Nebula provides detailed instructions. They recommend cleaning with a saline solution, so I ordered NeilMed Piercing Aftercare from an online seller. I’ve been using it to clean my fresh piercings twice a day and I think they’re healing quite nicely.

Lobe piercings take six to 12 months to fully heal, said Sandra. I’m not changing the surgical steel studs in my ear until she tells me I can. As I left the tattoo shop that day, Sandra told me she had a feeling she’d be seeing me again soon. And she’s right.

I’ve already booked another appointment with her, this time at Crimson River Tattoo. By the time you read this, I will already have upper lobe, helix and forward helix piercings in my left ear. I’m also really tempted to get dimple piercings from her.

If you’ve been wanting to get piercings but the thought of how painful it would be is stopping you, trust me, it’s not bad at all. And whatever discomfort you feel will be worth it once you get that curated ear you’ve been wanting.

Sandra is a professional body piercer who also does other parts of the body, including the navel, eyebrow, nostril, tongue, labret and more. Some clients book her for home service piercings—a little piercing party, what a great idea.

Here are some expert tips from Sandra:

Make sure that your piercer is a well-trained professional who uses sterilized tools and follows precautions for dealing with blood and controlling infections.
Share your health history so your piercer knows your health risks.
Make sure your body is in good condition. On the day of your piercing, make sure you are not tired and you’ve had enough to eat to avoid dizziness.
Do some research so you’ll be prepared.

Sandra Bandong is at Crimson River Tattoo on Thursdays (https://www.crimsonrivertattoo.com/) and Tattoo Nebula (https://www.tattoonebula.art/) on Fridays to Sundays. Find her on Instagram @sandrabandong_.