Auricle Piercing- A Complete Expert Guide

Nowadays, almost all little princesses get their ears pierced before they reach the age of three. Not surprisingly, when girls grow up, one earring in the ear is not enough for many. And then they go for more piercings, mostly for the upper lobe and auricle piercing.

What Is Auricle Piercing?

This is a type of piercing in which the puncture is made on the cartilaginous part of the auricle (a region between the lobe and helix). A cartilage piercing and its consequences are different from a regular earlobe piercing with a needle or gun.

Try to find a professional piercer. Who understands that each auricle is unique, which means that the individual approach when choosing the place for the cartilage puncture is mandatory. Remember, auricle piercing can be painful, but who minds going through the pain to look as good as they dreamed?

Never think of doing this piercing yourself or with the help of “acquaintances” at home. Although you have often seen how a pro practices it, don’t try it yourself. Because cartilage is a sensitive tissue of the ear, any damage can become serious. And don’t look for the cheapest salon deals. Such experiments with a price are reflected in the health and treatment costs much more time.

Are you excited yet to get this piercing done? But before you go for it, read this article to learn everything about auricle piercing.

Auricle Piercings Procedure

When piercing the ear cartilage, the main task is to avoid injury and crushing of the cartilage. Preferably, the puncture is carried out with a catheter needle manually. Guns, especially disposable ones, can shatter cartilage. In this case, necrosis (death) of the cartilage occurs with long and difficult healing, after which an extensive hole or scar may remain. Cartilage piercing needs to be taken care of very carefully.

Most likely, you will be asked to lie down on the couch; after all, it is easier to keep your head in one place. The procedure is done quickly, and after it, an earring is inserted immediately into your ear.

Treatment Before The Procedure

Before marking, the ear is wiped with 95% alcohol.
The decoration is immersed in an antiseptic solution for 15-20 minutes (alcohol 95% disinfectant solutions).

Main Procedure

The piercer will make the marking with the pen according to your wishes.
The terminal clamp is used to hold your ear.
A sterile catheter needle is poked through the ear.
The needle is removed, and the catheter tube is left in the ear cartilage.
One end of the jewelry is inserted into the catheter. As the jewelry is inserted, it pushes the catheter out.
When the end part of the jewelry appears from the opposite hole, the catheter is removed, and the stopper is placed, or if the ring is being used, it is clammed.

There is a small risk of allergy to the metal of the earring. It is preferable to use titanium or medical steel for the first puncture.

Auricle Piercing Aftercare

The healing of the puncture and the formation of the canal during the puncture of the cartilaginous part of the auricle takes a minimum of 4 weeks, after which the jewelry can be changed.

We recommend applying chlorhexidine digluconate to the puncture zone and decoration for 2-4 weeks 2-3 times a day. The earring should be moved and rotated so that the solution gets on the earring shaft and into the channel.
Do not remove earrings for four weeks.
In the first three days after the cartilage puncture, refrain from visiting the pool, baths, and swimming in reservoirs.
It is impossible to treat the puncture site with alcohol – tissue burns may occur.
After a shower, sports activities, baths, and bathing treat the puncture site.
After four weeks, you can remove the needle earrings and exchange them for other piercing jewelry.
If there is redness, swelling around the earring, pain, and discharge, you should immediately remove the auricle piercing jewelry and contact the specialist who made the piercing.

Auricle Piercing Quick Facts

The Placement	auricle placement is between the helix and earlobe
Pain	3/10 only
Heal Time	3-9 months only
Auricle Piercing Jewelry	6mm or 8mm auricle earrings or cartilage hoops

Healing Tips And Doubts

How Does Helix Ear Piercing Heal?

After the piercing, touching it is extremely harmful. Many people around you want to touch your piercing immediately after the procedure. Do not hesitate to deny them, even if they promise to wash their hands several times before. It is easy to introduce the infection into the wound, but it isn’t easy to get rid of it afterward.

How Long Does The Healing Take?

Usually, Auricle piercing heals for a few months. The wound is tightened faster with care, but sometimes the whole process can take up to six months.

How To Handle Auricle Ear Piercing?

After the procedure, your piercer will guide you through all the nuances of aftercare. The piercing must be treated with a disinfectant solution for several days.

Top Healing Tips

Before touching a new wound, wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap. Do not touch any other object or surface. Make sure no one else uses your sanitizer.
Handle the wound regularly. Initially, it is desirable to do this at least twice a day, and after a while, the treatment procedure can be done once, for example, before going to bed.
Avoid Sour and Spicy food for better healing.
You can take some anti-inflammatory medicines if swelling and inflammation become bothersome.
Avoid sleeping on the side of your pierced ear.

Can I Change The Earring If The Puncture Hasn’t Healed Yet?

A professional does not recommend this. The puncture is essentially an open wound, so it’s important to protect it as much as possible while it heals. As a rule, the wound should be protected for the first 2-4 months, after which you can start experimenting with ornaments. Although, in any case, the longer you wait, the better.

Does Auricle Piercing Hurt?

Perhaps the most important question that concerns many about this kind of piercing is how painful and unpleasant it is. Of course, here, the pain threshold of each individual is important. Some girls who have had this procedure say that doing the helix piercing is almost painless, but it almost feels like piercing the earlobe. Others say the cartilage piercing was very painful for them.

And yet it should be understood how much in this matter depends on the assistant who conducts the procedure. The technique itself is important because not all piercers are skilled equally, and in some places, the procedure is done poorly. Therefore, it is better to choose a salon responsibly.

How Much Does Auricle Piercing Cost?

Auricle piercing is not generally expensive. It is affordable for many costing roughly around 30 to 50 dollars. However, many salons can offer you lower prices, but you need to make wise decisions. Some people do offer cheap service, but the quality of their work is seriously questionable. So it’s better to invest once in an experienced and skilled piercer who has all the necessary equipment and knowledge. Moreover, the professional piercer performs the procedure with less pain and without making mistakes; thus, choosing them wisely can make your spending worth it.

Auricle Piercing Risks And Side Effects

The piercing usually rarely heals without problems. But sometimes, it can be accompanied by unpleasant risks. This type of piercing is more difficult to treat because the soft tissues are pierced and the cartilage. So what are the unpleasant side effects that are completely normal, and what are the alarming side effects that require treatment and a visit to the doctor?

Common Side Effects

Redness, which is small and persists for one to two days after the procedure;
Minor swelling in the first days – another normal phenomenon; for your body to react to interference.
A feeling of discomfort; will be increased after the auricle is punctured;
Itching – with the healing of piercings and tattoos, is a completely normal and natural symptom.

Serious side effects

A rise in temperature and permanent swelling are clear signs of an allergic reaction or the onset of inflammation.
Bleeding: blood may ooze for several hours after the procedure, but see a doctor if it continues throughout the day.
Hematoma around the piercing. It is a side effect of an allergy to metal. If inflammation is not getting better, contact a doctor immediately.
Severe itching is another sign of an infection.
“Migration,” If the piercing moves from the puncture site, the piercer most likely made a mistake. Consult a professional immediately.

Almost all of the anxiety symptoms described can be caused by poor piercing care. So listen carefully to your piercer and follow all his recommendations.

Which Earrings To Choose For Auricle Piercing

What kind of jewelry can you choose when doing Auricle Piercing?

Earrings can be very different – from the simplest jewelry or rings to the most expensive jewelry made of precious metals using gemstones.

As with more budget versions of earrings, you can choose from several options:

A variety of rings (note that their attachment should be made in the form of a ball)
Small decorations
Labrets (bar-shaped earrings with a ball)
Circular (semi-circular ornaments with rolling balls on both sides).

As mentioned above, there is a variety to choose from. And after healing, the decorations can be changed freely, without feeling any discomfort. For starters, it’s best to stick with gold, surgical steel, or titanium earring, as these metals are the safest.

Final Lines…

The auricle piercing is beautiful and aesthetic. It will help make the image bolder and more unusual, with appropriate and well-selected decoration – romantic and feminine. But don’t think that only girls choose this piercing. Many young people, representatives of certain informal subcultures, also get this piercing.

We hope by now you are well-informed about auricle piercing. How about giving it a try?