Cartilage Piercing

Ear piercings are very popular. Those done on the upper ear lobe are called cartilage piercings. These are viewed as a fashion statement by many youngsters. If you are planning to pierce your cartilage, it is extremely crucial for you to know its details.

Cartilage piercings include tragus, daith, antitragus, helix, rook, snug, conch, shell, and industrial piercings. As the skin on these areas are thicker than the ear lobes, the safest method of piercing is with the help of a piercing needle.

If a piercing gun is being used, it would be best for you to refuse. The main reason for this is that, gunshots are not made for such type of piercing and as the same machine is used for everyone, the chances of infection are very high.

Once the piercing is done at the spot that you wanted, the next step would be to insert the jewelry. The best type of jewelry suited for the cartilage are captive bead rings, because, enough space is provided for the pierced area to get air, thus, minimizing healing time.

On the other hand, in case of industrial piercing, the best type of jewelry would be a straight or a curved barbell, as they look very stylish. The material used for jewelry should be 14k gold, surgical stainless steel, or titanium. It is also important to remember that one must not change the jewelry before the pierced area has completely healed.

Once the piercing is done, do not think that your job is over. Rather, if you want to enjoy your piercing for a long time, it is important that you take the proper aftercare precautions.

The time taken for proper healing is around 3-12 months, depending on how you look after the pierced area. During this period, there are certain steps that you have to keep in mind to avoid any kind of infections.

One must remember that this piercing does pain a little, and the area is likely to swell for a few days. Hence, it is important not touch it with unwashed hands as this can increase the chances of infection in that area.

One must wash with antibacterial soap, once everyday. Soaking the area in sea salt solution will also help in quick healing. It is advised by the experts that one must never try to change the jewelry during the healing period.

However, if you have to change the jewelry desperately, you should always go to a piercing artist. Even though it is important to clean the piercing regularly, overdoing it can cause problems.

The most common dangers of such a piercing is bacterial infection. The reason that leads to infection in the ear cartilage is because of not taking proper care. There have been cases where the tissues of the cartilage have got inflamed leading to problems like pain, redness, discharge of pus, etc.

Other than this, wearing the wrong kind of jewelry can also be another reason for infection. People who wear cheap or bad quality jewelry during the healing time are likely to suffer severe problems and may also have to remove the piercing.

Hence, one must make sure that the jewelry that is inserted is the one which is mentioned earlier. If you observe any bleeding, scars or bumps on your cartilage, do not waste your time and consult your doctor who can recommend the correct treatment to cure the infection.

So, people who are apprehensive about getting a cartilage piercing done, all we want to tell them is that there is nothing to worry. However, if you want to flaunt your piercing for a long time, it is your responsibility to follow the aftercare instructions carefully.