(PENDING) 6.1.2 Aftercare: Cartilage Piercing

Cartilage Piercing

What is a cartilage piercing?

A cartilage piercing is a type of body piercing that involves piercing the cartilage of the outer ear rather than the earlobe. This type of piercing can be done in various areas of the ear’s cartilage, including the helix, the forward helix, the tragus, the rook, and the conch.

Average Heal Time: 6 to 12 months
Recommended Downsize Timeframe: 6 to 12 weeks

Nostril piercings are best done initially with studs- although they can be done with a ring it is not advised for clients who are not experienced in healing difficult piercings. These piercings are cartilage piercings which means they can be prone to piercing bumps.

Common “triggers” for cartilage piercings

Do not sleep on cartilage piercings that are still healing. We frequently recommend our clients use our piercing pillows** or other travel pillows to avoid sleeping on their piercing(s).
Be cautious while mask-wearing, getting your hair styled, chiropractor adjustments, etc.

** If you’re interested in a piercing pillow, contact us to purchase one from our studio in-person

Simply put- be mindful that your cartilage will be difficult to heal if they are often snagged. Downsizing does help reduce the chance of having your jewelry snag BUT piercees should also practice mindfulness around their piercings and should work “around” the piercings- since the piercings cannot “work around” the piercee.

Some examples of mindfulness: opening shirts extra wide to avoid your ears when getting dressed or asking your hairstylist to be careful when getting your hair done.

How to clean cartilage piercings

Rinse the piercing front and back with water. This is to be saved as the last step before exiting out of the shower. You can also rinse the piercing at a sink.
Spray sterile saline directly on the front and back of the piercing.
After several minutes have passed, dry wipe where the jewelry goes in and comes out. This is the only time we recommend moving the jewelry if you have to in order to wipe. Wipe under the top (the visible piece on the front) and between the flat disk and the back of the ear.

**If your piercing was done with a ring, simply wipe where the jewelry goes in and comes out, it is generally a good idea to hold the ring with your non dominant hand while wiping.
** Wipe with only DRY, paper towel or gauze. We do not recommend q-tips or cotton products as this can cause fiber buildup on the jewelry especially with prong styles.