Cheek piercings are also known as dimple piercings or cheek piercings. They are usually pierced in the dimples of the cheeks on both sides. Because many important nerves run through the cheek and infections are common, cheek piercings are considered one of the most dangerous piercings.

If nothing goes wrong, the piercing heals within approximately 8 to 12 weeks. Barbells (as initial jewelry) and labret studs (after healing) are commonly used as cheek piercing jewelry. For all information, please scroll down to the bottom of the text.

A cheek piercing is almost always done on both sides. However, many piercing studios refuse to do this because cheek piercings often become infected, and piercing through the cheek is very dangerous due to the important nerve pathways that run there.

If you can find a studio that does cheek piercings, the cost, including jewelry, for cheek piercings on both sides is usually between €50 and €120. Before you decide to get a cheek piercing despite all the risks, you should consider the alternative of dermal anchors in your cheek . Cheek dermal anchors are significantly less dangerous and offer the same visual effect as real cheek piercings.

Pain and risks of cheek piercings

Many important nerve pathways and muscles, as well as an important artery, run through the cheek. To be precise, the facial nerve and the facial artery. Nerve injuries can lead to numbness or changes in facial expression. Injury to the facial artery can also cause severe bleeding. Even though dimple piercings seem harmless compared to genital piercings, for example, they are among the most dangerous piercings due to the numerous risks involved.

Piercings in the cheek are also quite painful due to the multitude of nerve pathways and muscles in the face. However, this pain usually subsides fairly quickly after the piercing.

Healing and care after piercing

Once you've had the piercing, healing from cheek piercings is usually not without its problems. The cheeks often swell and turn slightly blue. During the approximately 8 to 12-week healing phase, you should definitely avoid dairy products, acidic foods like meat and fish, as well as alcohol and smoking. It's best to regularly care for the external pierced area with piercing spray.

You should also regularly rinse the internal area with mouthwash. You should touch dimple piercings as little as possible, and if you do, only with thoroughly disinfected hands.

Cheek Piercing / Dimple Piercing - Which piercing jewelry should I order?

As initial jewelry, piercing studios usually use a barbell (straight piercing bar) measuring 22mm to 24mm in length. Barbells do not fuse with the oral mucosa as quickly as labret piercings, making them a better choice. Labret studs, on the other hand, are more suitable as cheek piercing jewelry for healed cheeks. However, labrets should only be inserted once the cheek piercing has completely healed, as otherwise there is a risk of the jewelry growing into the inside of the cheek. The piercing jewelry should be made of either PTFE (Bioflex), titanium, or high-quality surgical stainless steel. The bar thickness is usually 1.6mm, and the length of the jewelry for a healed cheek piercing is approximately 16mm to 18mm.

Removing a cheek piercing – will there be a scar?

If you choose a dermal anchor in your cheek, thus avoiding most of the risks of a cheek piercing, the only scarring that will usually remain after removal is a small 1-2mm scar. However, if you have to remove your cheek piercing due to infection, the scarring may be somewhat larger. However, small dimples almost always remain in the cheek.

How quickly do cheek piercings heal?

Because a portion of a cheek piercing is located inside the mouth and lined with mucous membrane, the cheek piercing usually heals very quickly after the jewelry is removed. The outer skin on the face takes a little longer to heal.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, scarring is to be expected on the outside. It can take two to three months for the dimple piercing to completely heal after the jewelry is removed.

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