If you have ever scheduled a wax, a tattoo touch-up, or a spicy injection day and thought, why does this feel like a personal attack, you are not imagining things. A nurse practitioner on TikTok recently put words to something many people already suspect.

“Did you know that medically speaking, you should schedule your painful injections, waxes, all of that, just before ovulation if you can? Because your hormones affect your pain perception.”

So, of course, we went down that rabbit hole. Here’s what we learned:

So, is pain during ovulation actually lower?

Sometimes. For some people. In some kinds of pain.

Researchers have been trying to map pain sensitivity across the cycle for decades, and the pattern does not look identical in every study. A meta-analytic review of pain perception across the menstrual cycle found that results vary depending on what kind of pain is tested and how researchers define cycle phases.

That said, there is evidence that the body’s own pain inhibition can work better around ovulation for some people. One study on pain modulation found “pain inhibition is more effective during the ovulatory phase.”

So yes, the TikTok advice has a scientific spine. But it is not a universal scheduling hack that will work for everyone, every month.

Hormones do not just change moods. They change the whole pain setup

Pain is not only about what happens on your skin or in your muscles. Pain is also about how your brain and nervous system interpret signals, and hormones can influence those systems.

Research on estrogen receptors suggests that estrogen can modulate pain at the cellular signaling level, including in parts of the nervous system involved in nociception, meaning pain processing.

Meanwhile, ovarian hormones also interact with neurotransmitter systems such as serotonin and dopamine, which matter for mood and how the brain filters discomfort. A 2024 review on estradiol describes its broad effects on signaling systems, including serotonin and dopamine.

This is why two people can do the exact same procedure and have wildly different experiences. Bodies do not run on the same settings.

What the research says about pain during ovulation vs. period week

Here is the most consistent theme across studies and reviews: many people report higher pain sensitivity around the menstrual and premenstrual window, and better tolerance around mid-cycle. But again, “many” does not mean “all.”

One study that tracked daily pain ratings in women with chronic low pain found higher pain in the menstrual and premenstrual phases compared with midmenstrual and ovulatory phases. That pattern matches the idea that higher estrogen phases can coincide with lower pain sensitivity for some people.

At the same time, other work finds weaker or inconsistent effects across the cycle depending on the type of pain measured. One paper on experimentally induced pain reported “no support for the hypothesis that menstrual cycle phase influences pain perception.”

However, pain during ovulation can spike for some people

This is the part TikTok usually skips.

Ovulation is not automatically a painless era. Some people feel ovulation pain. Others get mid-cycle migraines. Some people with specific pain conditions can feel worse at different points in the cycle.

Even in more clinical research, results can conflict based on the method. A meta-analytic review can show variability even when individual studies point to a trend.

So the smartest approach is not “everyone schedule everything near ovulation.” The smartest approach is “track your own pattern, then decide.”

If you are booking cosmetic pain, this is where the internet advice comes from

A lot of laser studios and sugaring salons already coach clients to avoid their period week because they say sensitivity tends to be higher then, and some recommend aiming closer to ovulation.

That advice often reflects what clients report anecdotally, and it lines up with the research trend that menstrual and premenstrual phases can feel more intense for many people. It also lines up with findings that pain inhibition can be stronger around ovulation for some.

But guidance from the beauty industry is not the same as medical evidence. Use it as a clue, not a rule.

What about injections, vaccines, fillers, or medical procedures?

This is where it gets personal and practical.

If you can choose timing for something optional, like cosmetic injections, it may be worth experimenting with scheduling outside the days you know you feel extra sensitive.

If you cannot choose timing, like vaccines or medically necessary care, do not delay care to chase a “perfect cycle day.” The more helpful move is to plan comfort.

That can mean asking about topical numbing, using cold packs when appropriate, eating beforehand, staying hydrated, or using whatever pain management strategy your clinician says is safe for you.

Also, if you live with chronic pain, endometriosis, migraines, or dysmenorrhea, cycle effects can hit differently. A review on primary dysmenorrhea emphasizes how menstrual pain can shape broader pain sensitivity and quality of life.

A low drama way to test whether pain during ovulation is your sweet spot

If you want to try this without turning your calendar into a science project, keep it simple for two or three cycles:

  • Write down your cycle day when you do something painful: wax, laser, shots, intense workouts, or even headaches.
  • Rate the pain quickly on a 1 to 10 scale.
  • Note sleep, stress, caffeine, and hydration, because those can change pain perception too.
  • After a few cycles, see if you spot a pattern: period week pain, mid-cycle ease, luteal sensitivity, or something else entirely.

So, if you find that you do better around mid-cycle, that supports the TikTok claim for your body. If you find you feel worse around ovulation, that matters too.

So the real takeaway is not a viral rule. It is a permission slip to notice your body’s rhythm, and schedule what you can around it, without delaying care you actually need.

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