Gah. I remember getting mine out right after schoolies a few years back now. It wasn't pleasant. The first time I had two taken out and it hurt for over two weeks. The second time I was up and about in two days. In hindsight, it was the experience of the person performing, the first time i had some newbie doing it and the 2nd time it was an older lady who had been doing it for a long time. Barely felt a thing but that 1st time was excrutiating.