I’m thinking of getting a cartilage piercing in the upper part of my ear (technically called the “helix,” I believe). Does anyone have any experience or tips on this procedure? I’m pretty good about pain, though this would be my first piercing. Any info would be appreciated…I googled and just found a couple stories about the horror of using a gun as opposed to needles, but I don’t know how much weight I should give them.
Are you going to do it yourself or have a professional do it? IMO it is more painful than the fleshy part and, if you do it yourself, more difficult (I did my own in high school with a gold stud and a potato (hey, it was the 80s) and it was pretty difficult). I don’t know what the big deal is about guns; healt concerns, I assume-- but teen age girls have had their ears done that way for MILLENNIA. Perhaps it’s talk on the part of “specialty” piercing shops to get you to spend $40 instead of the $10 you’d pay at the mall. . . HOWEVER I wouldn’t be surprised if gun-piercing places won’t do your cartilage. If money’s not an object I’d go with the pro-needle shop.
“Retired” body piercer here. Forgive the all caps, but,
DON"T GO TO A PLACE USING A GUN, especially for a cartilage piercing. First, it’s impossible to properly sanitize a piercing gun. They may wipe it down with a disinfectant, but any instrument that touches your skin should go through a cycle in an autoclave (a device medical types use to sterilize their instruments, generally with dry heat or steam) and be completely sterile. You wouldn’t go to a dentist who just “wiped down” his instuments after using them on the guy before you, don’t do the same with a piercing. People tend to think of it as a cosmetic thing that’s no big deal, but don’t forget that there’s blood involved; it’s really the equivalent of a minor surgical procedure. If the person piercing you isn’t sterilizing his or her equipment in an autoclave and following sterile procedure you run the risk of infection from those before you, especially Hepatitus C, which is a very hardy virus outside the body.
Even if infection weren’t an issue, a piercing gun shouldn’t be used for a cartilage piercing. Cartilage is much less vascular than your earlobe and takes longer and more care to heal properly. Ideally a cartilage piercing should be a ring that can be rotated so that you can clean the entire surface. A stud can’t be moved enough to clean it properly, and pinches hard on the area of the piercing, which resticts the blood flow to a cartilage piercing even further. Often, a cartilage piercing with a stud in it will just plain not heal and have to be removed.
Don’t skimp on your safety to save a few bucks. Find a reputable piercing shop, and ask them what procedures they follow to maintain sterility. They should be downright proud to explain everything and show you their autoclave. If they act insulted or don’t know what you’re talking about, leave. Hope I don’t sound too heavy-handed, but blood-bourne infection is serious business.
I’ve got seven cartilage piercings–all of them done with a gun (sorry pravnik!). The pain is minimal at piercing, but it will be tender for a few days afterwards. I’d recommend against getting one done on each ear at the same time; you’re going to want a “safe” side to be able to sleep on.
My main tip is to keep them clean, Clean, CLEAN! It’s much easier to prevent infections than to treat them. Unfortunately, it’s pretty easy for longer hair to get wrapped around the post between the earring back and your ear, so you’ll need to remove and clean the earrings regularly. (after your healing period, that is) I’ve found that hoops that slide into themselves tend to be the least irritation-inducing, especially if you plan on keeping the jewelry in all the time.
Aside from all that, I say go for it. I think multiple ear piercings look very sexy and I love mine. [sub]join ussss, join ussss![/sub]
bella–helpfully 
Belladonna, my advice to you is the same as to the OP: don’t have sex without a condom, don’t share needles, don’t let someone pierce you with nonsterile instruments or procedures. Many people have unprotected sex without contracting anything as well, but it only takes once.
Yeah, everything that pravnik said. Don’t get pierced with a gun under any circumstances. Going to a professional piercer is worth every penny. I have a rook piercing (also in the upper part of my ear) that I got in November. I love it, but man, that thing took a long time to heal. I cleaned it correctly, and did everything that they told me, but it still didn’t stop spitting out hard yellowy crap until May. Now it looks great, and I love it, but there were times when I didn’t think I’d make it. I’m thinking of getting a daith piercing next (which goes in the middle hook-y part of your ear).
Good luck! Hope everything goes okay!
Oh yeah, and mine hurt. It hurt a lot more than my tongue, but I personally liked the pain (because I’m kind of a masochist–and you get a total rush after you’re done!)
I’ve been pierced three times through cartilage; twice with a gun at JCPenney (bad idea), and once for about quadruple the cost at “Inflictions,” a place that specializes in piercings. (They sell a bumper sticker that reads “I got my dick pierced at Inflictions!”)
How the compare:
JCPenney
Never healed. Was constantly sore, to where I couldn’t rest on that side even months later. Became badly infected (as did the other I had done–through cartilage, but lower on the ear), and no amount of H2O2 or alcohol worked. Finally gave up and took out both piercings; they closed seemingly within hours and left no trace. I had those piercings for about a year. BTW, I’d been pierced with generic piercing studs–also a mistake.
Inflictions
They had an entirely different approach. Didn’t really hurt when pierced–my hubby, who’d had his earlobs done the same day, was impressed that I didn’t so much as flinch–but it did throb a bit later on in the day. I was pierced with a needle, and then the earring–a loop with a ball designed for just such piercings–was put into place. Was tender and sore for a few weeks, bled occasionally, got crusty occasionally. I developed a “keyloid”–basically a build-up of skin around the piercing–but stinky Tea Tree Oil worked like a charm on that (this was the suggestion of Inflictions). Every now and then it gets tender from, say, catching a hair pick in the loop (yowch!), and I apply the TTO in those cases. No problems. I can totally tug on it now with no pain. It’s been about 15 months, and I’m already thinking of getting another.
So, what I learned and pass on to you:
What nearly everyone has said:
*Don’t get pierced with a gun. Go to a professional.
Have Tea Tree Oil (you can get it at GNC) on hand.
Piercing stud earrings are a bad idea for this area.
Don’t pierce more than one area at once (so you can see how one turns out, unless you are already confident with the salon you’ve chosen).*
Oh, and remember–you cannot donate blood for a year after being pierced. This bummed both the hubby and myself out after Sept. 11.
Yes yes yes. Do NOT use a gun for a piercing. Not only do you have the health/sanitation concerns (which ARE rather large), but also for the fact that piercing studs are MUCH duller than needles.
Please go to http://www.bmeworld.com/heidi/guns.html and read this. It’s quite informative.
Okay, sounds good. Obviously I’ll be going to a pro. Thanks for all the advice.