Those who have an itch for body piercings can never have enough of them. If you’ve recently developed an interest in piercings and want to crank things up a notch, cartilage piercing is a perfect way to go one step ahead of the basic earlobe piercing.

However, it’s always a good idea to research any body modification that you’re planning to get done. In this post, we will be giving you a roundup of everything you need to know before you go for a cartilage piercing.

What Is a Cartilage Piercing?

Most piercings go through the skin, such as earlobe piercings, eyebrow piercings, navel piercings, etc. Cartilage is a kind of connective tissue present on various locations in our body, such as on our ears and nose. It’s harder than the skin and softer than bones.

A cartilage piercing is a bit different than piercing just your skin. It goes through your skin, as well as, the cartilage. It also requires more healing time than skin piercings.

Cartilage piercings are most frequently done on ears. You can have one or several cartilage piercings throughout your ear.

The Most Common Types of Ear Cartilage Piercings

Here’s a list of ear cartilage piercings you can give a try.

Helix Piercing – also known as the upper ear piercing, this is located on the outer rim of the ear. You can have multiple helix piercings done in a row.

Forward Helix Piercing – located on the part of your ear that faces forward towards the upper helix. It’s where your ear meets your face on the upper side.

Tragus Piercing – goes through the center of the small flap of cartilage, located in front of your ear canal.

Conch Piercing – goes through the middle of the cup or shell of the ear. It’s also the thickest and largest piece of cartilage in the ear.

Rook Piercing – located on the little ridge of cartilage right above the center of the ear.

Daith Piercing – located on the fold of cartilage above the tragus and below the rook.

Does Cartilage Piercing Hurt?

The pain associated with cartilage piercings can vary from one person to another. However, you might not feel any pain or just a slight throbbing when you get the piercing. The pain, swelling, and redness appears a few hours later and can continue for up to 4 to 5 weeks and goes when the piercing is perfectly healed.

Cartilage Piercing Aftercare Tips

Cartilage piercing aftercare is similar to that of other body piercings. You have to maintain proper hygiene by cleaning the pierced area with sea salt solution several times during the day for the initial few days. Avoid the use of any harsh chemicals during this time and do not play with your piercing. Drink plenty of water and eat a balanced diet to accelerate the process of healing.