Did the fashionista you saw on Instagram with a couple of dainty diamonds trailing up the ears amaze you? Have you spotted a cool girl on social media with several hoops in her cartilage? Has the trendy piercing bug bitten you?
In the recent past, cultivating a collection of beautiful ear piercings beyond the conventional punctured lobe is becoming a rite of passage particularly among celebrities, fashion types and even regular girls alike.
Unlike in the past, having multiple barbells, studs, and rings in your ear does not carry the stigma it did. The challenging part is deciphering exactly what you need in terms of cartilage piercing.
[toc]Cartilage Piercing Guide
Jewelry
Depending on the exact area of your ear you want to get pierced, there is a wealth of options when it comes to the type of metal you want to stick through your ear. Some of the most popular ones include stainless steel, platinum, titanium, rose gold, white gold, yellow gold … and the list goes on and on.
- If you have had a piercing before on any other part of your body, and it healed without any issues, then it is prudent to stick to that metal.
- If you put a piece of jewelry and it takes longer to heal, you should consider replacing it or having it removed. A common culprit of ear irritation is nickel allergy as the metal is present in many non-hypoallergenic alloys.
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Platinum, White Gold, Yellow Gold and Rose Gold
Fortunately, the options for jewelry have expanded drastically in recent years. Yellow gold arrows supplement the standard barbells, especially for industrial piercings. Gemstone-laden hoops add a touch of feminity to the once-tough piercings such as the snug and rook.
The following are the top five types of jewelry for cartilage piercing:
This versatile and classic jewelry works perfectly with almost all piercing types. Ear cartilage studs consist of a diamond, rhinestone, or small charm attached to a metal post.
What we love about them is that they are highly comfortable. You can put them on piercing along your cartilage.
Ear cartilage hoops have the same resemblance as those for the earlobe but tend to be smaller. Moreover, they feature less detailed patterns. The other important attribute about cartilage hoops is the fact that they are like tiny eye ringlets. You can put them on with other hoops or alone. Their best feature is the fact that they are not only thin but also comfortable and gentle on the piercing. Captive bead rings are stunning hoop-style jewelry that features one bead at the middle. Their versatility makes them suitable for piercings such as tragus, daith, and helix. Cuffs are among the best jewelry for a helix piercing. When you wear these, the cuff part curves around your cartilage are a similar way a cuff bracelet wraps around the forearm. Barbells feature a simple design that features a metal rod with two threaded balls that hold it firmly in place with each on both ends. Just like any other earring, they come in various length, gauges, and colors. Additionally, they can be either curved or straight. They are best suited for conch piercings, helix, snug and rook. Both women and men have been piercing their ears for ritualistic and cosmetic purposes for many years now. The practice dates back to over 5,000 years ago. Males and females wore earrings as a symbol of status in the ancient Roman Republic. While men wore just normal and not so fancy rings, women wore gemstone earrings often. For some time between the late 60s and 80s, before the ear-piercing kiosks began popping up in huge establishments such as malls, it was common for guardians and parents to have family doctors pierce their young girls’ ears. Today, piercing shops are present in major cities in industrialized countries such as the USA, Australia, and a host of others in Europe. In the Indian culture and Hindu community at large, cartilage piercing is often accompanied by shaving off a baby’s hair. According to the community, the earrings are handy at maintaining the smooth flow of electric current within the human body. They believe that piercing of the cartilage not only improves the state of mind but also throws away bad humors. Every cartilage piercing features a different name depending on the pierced area. Note: Regardless of the type of cartilage piercing you settle for; it should be done by a professional. Secondly, never allow your piercer to use a piercing gun during the procedure. Piercing guns lack the necessary accuracy. They can cause damage or infection in these areas. The following are the different types of cartilage piercing to give you some ideas on how to go about your piercing: Helix piercings are of two types. Both of them are located on the curve or ‘helix’ part of the ear. A straight barbell, circular barbell or captive ring are all handy when it comes to helix piercings. Learn more about helix piercings Technically, these are two piercings in one with a seamless or captive ring connecting both. This way, you will have the look that the jewelry is orbiting your ear. A piercer can change several cartilage piercings such as the rook, inner conch and helix into an orbital. The tragus is the cartilage’s inner piece. It sits directly above the lobe and over the ear canal. Tragus piercing looks great with hoops and studs. It can also look beautiful when combined with a combination of other jewelry. This type of piercing is not ideal for your maiden cartilage piercing as the process involved can turn out to be more difficult to handle especially if your tragus is thick or small. The closeness to the ear canal means that you can hear a pop whenever the piercer puts the needle through. Obviously, it can be unsettling. The initial piercing is done with a threadless post, a flat back barbell and straight barbell. The anti-tragus part of the cartilage is the area next to the lobe and opposite the tragus. For some people, this piercing can be painful both during the procedure as well as recovery time. Conch piercings are on the outside part of your ear but inside the shell known as the conch. Of great importance to note is that inner conch piercings usually lie higher in the area while the outer conch piercings are on the lower part. Auricle piercings are done in the middle part of your ear, on the outside curve just like the helix piercing but lower. Daith piercings are on the small area in your ear where the helix’s root begins. This piercing sits above and behind the tragus. It is pierced with a clicker ring, seamless ring or captive ring. This is the only type of cartilage piercing that a piece of ring jewelry is encouraged for purposes of healing. You can use rings of different shapes such as the crescent moon, stars, hearts etc. These are done to the ear’s middle curve and slightly above the daith. This vertical piercing cuts through the cartilage fold on the tragus area that rests inside the conch. Once you have healed, you can change the barbell to a captive ring. However, the placement is ideal for curved barbells as it rests with both ends visible from the ear’s front. These are piercings that connect two distinct holes on either side of your ear, normally by a bar. On their own, industrial piercing can technically be two piercings – a forward helix piercing and an outer helix piercing – connected by a long, straight barbell. The first industrial piercing was created in the 1990s. It was an edgier cartilage piercing. At the time, industrials were only limited to a stainless steel barbell. Today, customizable barbells made precisely for industrials with decorative bends or accents to the bar are available. Snug piercings are found below rook piercings via the ear’s middle curve. This horizontal piercing cuts through your cartilage fold over the antitragus. In most cases, these piercings are pierced using a curved barbell whose shape is ideal. Q: How painful is cartilage piercing? A: Cartilage piercing is a little more painful compared to the earlobe. Fortunately, the pain is not long lasting. You will feel most of the pain during actual puncturing. By taking care of your piercing wound, you will experience little pain as you heal. Q: How long will it take my wound to heal? A: On average, cartilage piercing should take 6 – 12 months to heal completely. Nonetheless, if you take excellent care of it as well as have it done by a reputable and experienced professional, it can take 8 weeks or less to heal. Q: How do I take care of my cartilage piercing? A: Having the right information on how to take care of your cartilage piercing is very important. Of great importance to note is that this procedure can take some time to heal. Based on the exact area of placement, healing can take anywhere between 4 months – 1 year. During the healing process, it is crucial that you keep the jewelry in round the clock. Taking it out for any period of time puts you at risk of the pierced area getting closed. As you heal, ensure you clean your piercing at least once at night and in the morning. The best way to go about it is by using a saltwater soak. For this, you will need one bottle of non-iodized salt and a gallon of distilled water. You can get them at a pharmacy or any local grocery store.
Make sure the water gallon has the tag ‘distilled’ as you don’t want to substitute it for other types of water. Sea salt should be the only ingredient on your bottle of non-iodized sea salt. It should be organic pure sea salt. Once you have all the aforementioned items, put 4 teaspoons of non-iodized sea salt into a gallon of distilled water. Shake the bottle. Once you are ready to clean the pierced area, pour the mixture into a shot glass or coffee cup. Ensure the glass containers are made of pure glass or porcelain. Any other material such as plastic or paper contaminates the sea solution. After having the solution inside a glass container, place it in a microwave for several seconds. Doing this ensures the solution is lukewarm. Ensure it does not get hotter because it can burn you or your piercing. When the temperature is perfect, hold your ear into your cup for 7 – 15 minutes. Once you are done with soaking, rinse your ear with water. Alternatively, you can pat it dry. Q: How do I prevent my cartilage piercing from being infected? A: Cartilage piercings, just like any other body piercing, are prone to rejection, migration, hypertrophic swelling, excess swelling and infection. The prudent thing to do is avoid touching your piercing or moving it in any way. If for any reason you have to touch your piercing, make sure you wash your hands for 2-3 minutes with antibacterial soap. Secondly, take extra caution when sleeping. Always sleep on the opposite side. Be careful not to have it snagged on your sheets or hair. Thirdly, avoid foreign water bodies such as oceans, lakes, ponds, Jacuzzi’s and pools. Submerging your piercing into any foreign water body introduces it to various types of bacteria which can lead to an infection. For optimal healing experience, it is prudent to always keep your piercing clean. Q: What is the cost of getting a cartilage piercing? A: The cost of cartilage piercing depends on an array of factors. In most studios, the cost of the procedure should be affordable. Approximately, the prices range from $20 – $100. Q: Should I twist my cartilage piercing? A: Initially, piercers used to advise their clients to twist or rotate earrings in order to heal correctly. This is not the case anymore. To prevent bacteria from infecting your wound, you need to keep your hands off meaning no moving or twisting the earring. What you need to know is that moving your jewelry actually damages the cartilage piercing and prevents it from healing. The other thing you need to avoid after undergoing cartilage piercing procedure is sleeping on your wound. Sleeping on the piercing means, you press it up against your bed sheets or pillow or even against your head. Doing all this exposes it to sweat and bacteria, which can lead to irritation. Laying on the piercing makes, you feel sore for longer. Rather, you should allow the pierced area to breathe for efficient blood circulation to take place. Avoid pressing the wound against anything as you sleep. At some point, your cartilage piercings will leak some clear-to-yellow fluid, which tends to dry as a crust around the area. Just know that the fluid is part of the healing process. It does not mean that your wound is infected. You should avoid picking the crust off with your fingernails or fingers. Rather, wipe it off using a cotton swab that has been dipped in saline. Q: Is cartilage piercing safe? A: Yes, it is safe provided you follow everything we have highlighted on this primer. Q: Should the piercer use a needle or gun? A: A sterile needle should do the trick. Even though guns pierce the hole fast, it is discouraged to use them on the cartilage. Piercing guns can cause deformation. Secondly, the earring they use does not leave ample space for swelling thus making cleaning difficult.Cartilage piercing and culture
Cartilage Piercing Ideas
Helix piercing
Orbital piercing
Tragus piercing
Anti-tragus piercing
Conch piercing
Auricle piercing
Daith piercing
Rook piercing
Industrial piercings
Snug piercing
FAQs
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