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Style June 4, 2018
Make sure your next piercing is the result of an informed decision.
Ear piercings are a great way to show off your personality and individuality. Ranging from simple to adventurous, ear piercings offer a variety of options for all personality types.
However, most are unaware of everything that goes into getting an ear piercing. Since piercings require a lot of care, the decision to get a piercing should be a well-informed decision.
In addition to knowing what piercing you want, you should also know what to expect during and after the piercing.
One of the most important aspects of getting an ear piercing is ensuring you go to a professional. You’re essentially trusting this person with the health of your ear, so you want to make sure they know what they are doing.
Seventeen Magazine spoke with dermatologist Dr. Ted Lain, who explained that “improper piercing could ‘lead to permanent and disfiguring scarring, and the formation of cysts underneath the skin.'”
Taking out the time to research ear piercing professionals could make your piercing experience go a lot smoother.
Make sure to speak up and ask whatever questions you have before going through with the piercing. Be sure that you know about the piercer’s experience, the piercing procedure and how the tools are cleaned.
According to Seventeen Magazine, Dr. Lain also advised you should know how long the specialist has been piercing professionally and if they have run into any complications in the past.
Most importantly, it is also vital to know about the tools the piercer uses. While most piercings are done with a gun, professional Adrian Castillo told NYLON that you actually want to stay away from them.
“Any professional piercer who suggests a gun is probably not a professional piercer,” Castillo explained.
According to NYLON, guns do not create a strategic hole. Instead, they break the skin, which can be damaging and lead to scar tissue.
Of course, the piercing itself is going to hurt. However, how much it hurts will depend on you. As everyone’s pain tolerance is different, a piercing may be unbearable for one person but be tolerable for you.
According to Seventeen Magazine, you might experience “soreness, redness, and swelling for 24-48 hours after, plus for another 1-2 days afterward, when you apply pressure to it.”
Usually, a little soreness is no cause for alarm. However, if your discomfort is severe or lasts more than a couple of days, then you should be concerned.
“If the redness and swelling increases after the first couple of days, or reoccurs days after the piercing, then there may be an infection,” Dr. Lain explained.
It is important for you to know how to care for your piercing afterward. Make sure to get cleaning instructions from the piercing professional before you leave.
According to NYLON, “The healing process is so vital for preserving your piercing…The most important two rules: Do not touch it and do not sleep on it.”
Make sure to clean your piercing as instructed with soap or saline solution. Cleaning your piercing as instructed can help decrease the risk of infection.
Even if you follow the care instructions thoroughly, there is still a chance that your piercing can scar. Some of us are more prone to scarring and there’s nothing we can do to help that.
“Anybody who has a scar that has not healed well in the past should be careful with piercings,” Dr. Lain advised.
Now that you know how to go about preparing for your piercing, here are a few ideas to get you started.
Helix piercings are cartilage piercings in the upper ear.
Industrial piercings are two piercings that are linked with one piece of jewelry, usually a bar.
The forward helix piercing is opposite of the regular helix piercing, located on near the root of the helix.
The conch piercing a cartilage piercing located in the middle of your ear.
The tragus piercing is located on your ear in front of your ear canal.
The anti-tragus piercing is a cartilage piercing located above where lobe piercings are traditionally located.
The snug piercing is located above the anti-tragus in the inner cartilage area of our ear.
Daith piercings are located in the inner cartilage fold of the ear.
The rook piercing is located on the ridge separating the inner and outer conch areas of the ear.
The transverse is located horizontally through the earlobe, providing a little variety to the traditional lobe piercing.
Ultimately, piercings are a great way to change up your look but, if you’re not careful, the damage isn’t going to be as pretty as your new stud. But now that you know everything there is to know about getting an ear piercing, your experience shouldn’t be risky.