Cartilage piercing takes longer to heal than skin piercing, and there are risks of infection and damage to the cartilage. It’s important to use sterile needles, watch for signs of infection, and follow care instructions. Hypoallergenic metals may also help.
Cartilage piercing is a relatively common procedure, and many people choose to pierce their upper ears or mid-nose. This penetrates through the cartilage tissue, which may or may not be fine. There are particular risks to cartilage piercing that should be considered before making the decision to pierce any cartilage area.
A very different element that is common in cartilage piercing is that the cartilage does not heal in the same amount of time as piercing through the skin. A person who has had their lower earlobe pierced without complications typically makes a full recovery in a couple of months. Cartilage doesn’t work that way for a variety of reasons, and the healing time can be expected to be two to six times longer than piercing through the skin. This could mean additional months of pain, bleeding or other complications as the cartilage heals.
One reason cartilage is very different from a part of the body like an earlobe is because it doesn’t get blood supply in the same way as skin. It doesn’t even have the same kind of healing mechanisms or properties as the skin. This means that the piercing is very likely to cause damage to the cartilage that does not heal right away.
An even bigger issue is what can happen if the cartilage piercing causes an infection. Sometimes, there are reports of more than one infection originating from a single source such as a mall ear piercing shop. Usually these occur in a context of contamination at the shop and a lack of reliance on ear piercing hygiene measures. The problem is that treating cartilage infections can be much more difficult and could mean longer treatments, more aggressive antibiotic treatments, and severe pain from an infected piercing.
Given the increased sensitivity required when piercing cartilage, there are a few steps you should take to make sure you are piercing under the best of circumstances. First, people are advised not to pierce this area with a piercing gun, as this can cause considerable damage that lengthens healing times. A completely sterile needle piercing is considered the safest way to pierce.
Also, people should watch for signs of infection such as pain, boils, bleeding, or pus, and notify a doctor if they notice any. They should follow the instructions for storing the same earrings, without changing them, to avoid complications. Piercing care, as recommended by your piercer, should be followed to the letter. It can also help to choose hypoallergenic metals for piercing, as metal allergy can cause complications in cartilage piercing as well.
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