I’ve always loved piercings. I already have a few: a conch (the hollow of the inner ear), a helix (the upper ear rim), second lobes (right above the regular ear piercing), and an industrial (a bar that connects two points on the upper ear). So I’m no stranger to the sting.
But there’s one piercing I kept putting off: the daith. It sits deep inside the ear’s inner cartilage, and every forum post and YouTube video I watched made it sound like the most painful one of all.
Photo: The Pierce Place/Facebook
I wanted it badly, but I was scared of what everyone called the “worst part of the ear.”
The Pierce Place doesn’t have a fixed studio, which I thought was interesting. They’re often at pop-up events and also offer home service around Manila and Bulacan. That already made the idea of getting pierced less intimidating—it felt more relaxed and personal.
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The piercer, who’s a medical student (and has plenty of piercings herself), immediately put me at ease. She’s extremely knowledgeable, not just about technique, but about anatomy. She’ll actually tell you if a piercing won’t suit your ear shape, which I really respect. A lot of piercers will just go for it, even if it’s not ideal for healing.
When it was finally time for the daith, I took a deep breath and braced myself for pain. But honestly? It didn’t come. Curious, I asked her why it didn’t hurt as much as everyone said it would. She explained that a lot depends on technique.
All I felt was a firm push and a bit of pressure, and before I knew it, it was done. No sharp sting, no tears, no lingering ache. It was over so fast that my brain didn’t even have time to panic.
I’ve had two piercings done by her so far (one unfortunately closed), and both were surprisingly comfortable. She explains every step, keeps everything sterile, and informs you without overloading you with info.
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Healing was smooth and uneventful: no swelling, no infection, just the usual mild tenderness. She provided aftercare advice right after the session. It’s small touches like that that make the experience feel genuinely professional without being intimidating.
Pain is subjective, of course. But for something I’d built up in my head as terrifying, this was honestly one of the easiest piercings I’ve ever had. If you’ve been hesitating to get a daith (or any cartilage piercing) because of the fear factor, The Pierce Place might change your mind.
With the right piercer and technique, even something deep inside your ear can be, dare I say, painless.
The Pierce Place
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What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.
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