Today let’s talk one of my latest and greatest ideas - getting a cartilage piercing. If You follow me on Instagram You most luckily know that a few months back I got my auricle piercing. Auricle piercing is basically a piercing of an outer ear cartilage at the middle height of one’s ear. Simple. But maybe not. Let’s start from the beginning.
As each decision in my life, this one as well, was well thought through - I chose a safe and experienced place and did my background check what’s for me to expect. I have to admit the research was useful and worth the time but there are just a few things I wish somebody would have told me. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t regret getting my auricle pierced but I feel like I went through some unnecessary stuff, so hopefully if You’re considering getting such a piercing or if You just want to lol at me You will find this post enjoyable.
Also please remember that I am not a professional and all my advice comes from personal experience and I gladly will answer any of Your questions but still BE SURE to contact a professional piercer :)
1. Swelling - obviously any wound will swell and it won’t be the most joyful feeling but it’s not the uncomfortableness that got me, it was the scale of the swelling - it felt massive. In fact it wasn’t, it’s just the contrast to a non-pierced cartilage. So take a deep breath and be patient. I cooled my ear with ice cubes and desinfected it with a post-injury antiseptic which worked wonders and I was out of the pain stage in 3 days.
2. Sleeping - don’t sleep on pierced ear! Like, NO! It makes the ear more achy and is going to keep the pain relatively bothering. Also switch up the pillow sheet as often as possible, this way the germs won’t accumulate in a fresh wound throughout the night.
3. Switching the earring - this is incredibly important - DO NOT TOUCH THE PIERCING UNLESS YOU ARE CLEANING IT. Do not even think about switching it before You can see no swelling and add a month to that. That’s what my piercer told me and I agree but I want to add something. If You’ve ever had any cartilage injury/operation You would know how much time it takes for YOU to get better. If You have such an experience apply it to the piercing as well, for me it was 2 months and at that time a little something happened that my earring was pulled out (about that in a minute) and I changed the earring - it was fine. Remember it is very personal and usually it takes from 3 even up to 9 months for Your cartilage to heel and patience is the key here!
4. New bling - it’s gonna be messy, it’s gonna be weird, it’s gonna be surprisingly difficult to do, it’s not gonna be painless. But that’s it. First change is the oddest one, next one is going to be way easier. For me, I was fine from the second one on and right now I could probably do it with my eyes closed. And a bonus tip: I put my circle earring from the back - less fuss and a way quicker method, at least for me.
5. Paws and chews - have a puppy, a kitty, a pet with any amount of legs? Be warned. That’s how I got my earring out. As quick as it was and as unexpected as it felt I recommend You make the decision of taking the piercing out, not Your 3month old puppy. But in my case, thanks Khata!
6. Hairdresser - fear not, those are people as well, most likely some of the stylists have a piercing of their own - just tell them You have a pretty new piercing and it’s sensitive, my stylist said ‘she knows the deal’ and I didn’t even feel a thing. I wish You the same :)
7. Making out - I’m going to say it and say it once - BE CAREFUL. As cute and flirty You might feel DO NOT whip Your hair back and forth because You will end up in tears. DO NOT cuddle to intensely because You will squill and not of joy. Basically make it clear to Your partner - forget I have that ear, don’t bite it, don’t kiss me in that cheek, don’t come close, but at the same time remember I have more feels in this ear than when I’m about to get my period. Seriously though. I personally had a pretty good experience as my at-that-time boyfriend was used to all sorts of my ideas so he did’t really care about another one hah
Unfortunately as much as I loved my piercing I decided to take it out, simply because I couldn't deal with really long process of healing. However I honestly think that if I was told any of those things life would be easier when I still had my piercing in.
I truly hope that these few tips will make Your day more user-friendly ;)
xoxo, Ala
