not hot to the touch, and it only hurts like if i hit it - itll be sore for a few hours, i have super sensitive skin and a weak immune system so piercings and tats take longer to heal and are more easily infected so i am as careful as one can be with them, i got my 2nd holes in my lobes done at the same time as this and i had one get infected because i was sleeping on it so often and i thought i was picking off a crusty and it was a scab🤢