The GetMarkd piercing journal
Piercing guides, written by people who actually heal them.
Aftercare without the fearmongering. Pain rankings without the bravado. Jewelry advice without the affiliate-link nonsense. Plus deep dives on every piercing worth knowing about — and where to get them done well in your city.
Helix vs tragus vs daith: which cartilage piercing is right for you?
Pain, healing time, jewelry style, and aesthetic — a side-by-side guide to the three most popular cartilage piercings.
Latest
19 guidesPiercing aftercare: the complete, no-nonsense guide
Saline, sleep position, what to avoid, and the timeline of healing — everything you actually need to know after walking out of the studio.
Every ear piercing, ranked by pain and healing time
Lobe, helix, tragus, daith, rook, conch, industrial — what each one is, what it feels like, how long it takes to heal, and what jewelry to ask for.
Piercing jewelry materials: what's safe, what's not, and what to ask for
Implant-grade titanium, niobium, solid gold, surgical steel, and the cheap stuff that wrecks fresh piercings. A plain-English guide.
Nose piercings: nostril, septum, high nostril, bridge
What each placement looks like, the pain, the healing, and which jewelry to wear for each.
Daith piercing: pain, healing, and the migraine question
What it is, what it feels like, how long it really takes to heal, and what the research actually says about migraines.
Helix piercing: the complete guide
The most popular cartilage piercing — how to pick placement, what jewelry to ask for, and how to avoid the dreaded bump.
Aftercare
1 guideEar piercings
8 guides- 11 min
Every ear piercing, ranked by pain and healing time
Lobe, helix, tragus, daith, rook, conch, industrial — what each one is, what it feels like, how long it takes to heal, and what jewelry to ask for.
- 6 min
Daith piercing: pain, healing, and the migraine question
What it is, what it feels like, how long it really takes to heal, and what the research actually says about migraines.
- 7 min
Helix piercing: the complete guide
The most popular cartilage piercing — how to pick placement, what jewelry to ask for, and how to avoid the dreaded bump.
- 5 min
Tragus piercing: the tiny one that hurts less than you think
What the tragus is, what it feels like, why it sounds louder than it hurts, and how to deal with headphones during healing.
- 6 min
Conch piercing: inner vs outer, pain and healing
The big flat plate of cartilage in the middle of your ear — what to ask for, how it heals, and the headphone trade-off.
- 5 min
Rook piercing: the deep cartilage commitment
Why it hurts more, why it heals slower, and why people who love their rook really love it.
- 6 min
Industrial piercing: two holes, one barbell, lots of patience
The hardest cartilage piercing to heal — what to ask for, what to avoid, and why placement geometry matters more than anything.
- 6 min
Helix vs tragus vs daith: which cartilage piercing is right for you?
Pain, healing time, jewelry style, and aesthetic — a side-by-side guide to the three most popular cartilage piercings.
Face piercings
6 guides- 8 min
Nose piercings: nostril, septum, high nostril, bridge
What each placement looks like, the pain, the healing, and which jewelry to wear for each.
- 6 min
Septum piercing: pain, healing, and hiding it for work
What the 'sweet spot' really is, why your eyes water, healing realistically, and how to flip it up when you need to.
- 5 min
Smiley piercing: the hidden one behind your upper lip
What a smiley actually is, why it can damage your gums and teeth, and how to decide if it's worth it.
- 6 min
Medusa (philtrum) piercing: pain, healing, and tooth safety
The dimple above your upper lip — what to ask for, how to protect your teeth, and how to swap to flat jewelry once healed.
- 5 min
Snake bites piercing: paired lip piercings explained
Two symmetrical lower lip piercings — pain, healing, jewelry, and why doing both at once isn't always the best plan.
- 5 min
Eyebrow piercing: the surface piercing with a rejection problem
Why eyebrow piercings reject more than most, what placement to ask for, and how to spot migration before it scars.
Body piercings
3 guides- 7 min
Nipple piercing: what to actually expect
Pain, healing, jewelry, breastfeeding, sensitivity — the honest answers to the questions everyone Googles in private.
- 6 min
Belly button piercing: anatomy, healing, and what to avoid
Why anatomy matters more than aesthetics, the rejection rate, and how to dress around it during healing.
- 6 min
Dermal piercing (microdermal anchor): the flat-skin gem
A single decorative gem that sits flush on flat skin — placement, removal, rejection, and what it actually involves.
Jewelry
1 guideFind a vetted piercing studio in your city
We track piercing-first studios separately from tattoo shops, so you're not getting an apprentice with a gun. Browse by city.
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