That's what a lot of people don't understand. Some people think that getting it done at the mall with a gun is a quick, cheap and painless method to use, but they don't realize the problems it can cause in the future (and of course, the people in the mall won't tell you :p).

If you get it done with a gun again, please be careful and take care of it to the best of your ability, but I really do not recommend piercing guns. :)

I want to get my cartlidge done but now I'm terrified it will get messed up with a gun and I'm extremely phobic of needles. Like there's generally crying and kicking involved when I get a shot... I'm 18. Heh.

Lol... I take piercings better than I take shots. I hate shots. The needle isn't that bad, and its usually over within seconds. Its also a much better and more sterile method in the long run.

I got my cartilage pierced with a gun and it honestly feels the same as getting it with the lobe. For the first week when sleeping on the ear, it was a tad sore, not bad but just a tad and after that I cannot feel it at all now, not a bit and I don't even know that I have it in their. I can sleep on it with no pain and I never know that it is even their like I said. Me and my mom both got ours pierced at Claires and they do use disposable guns and throw them away after use and they wash their hands and use gloves also, they are extra careful! My mom did hers first and she did not blink, I asked her if it hurt and she said no, just a tiny sting if that just like the lobe but hardly noticeable or could hardly feel it. If you can take a small shot in the arm then you can take a cartilage piercing with a gun. I am sure that a needle hurts worse.. I cleaned my ear for like 3-4 weeks afterwards, although it sais longer but I was fine.. My mom only cleaned hers for like 2 weeks because she is soooo impatient and she only cleaned hers once a day but ours did not get infected at all.. No puss, bleeding or nothing but my second lobe bleeded more than the cartilage because my cartilage did not bleed period. I cleaned my ear twice a day though Claires will also give you free large bottle of anticeptic per customer. At first there was a small lump that developed on my ear at the top on the back of the ear, with my mom this did not happen but just with me and it went away after one or two months and it was not painful but I also got this on my second lobe piercing as well so I guess I am extra sensitive. My mom did not get a lump but I think it was from pulling on my ear a lot.. Anyway you won't regret getting this done! I was sooo scared and there is nothing too it, no pain afterwards and it is so easy.. Good Luck and Claires did a great job for both my mom and I.

Well I've just had my cartlidge done on the side were you say you want it done and my mate did it for me all she did was numb it wit ice,it hurt a bit but not enough 2 make me cry or anyfin I've had it dne 4 like 2months now and mine perfectly fine all it did was hurt when I sleep xxx

I did mine myslef 4 days ago and it didn't hurt at all when I did it. But now I can't sleep at night because of the pain. I've heard it's normal to hurt a long time, even with a professional.

If u have it done by a gun it can shatter your cartilage as the force is to strong.
If your still unsure ask the piercer what they recommend.

I have had it done on my left ear with the gun and my right ear ( industrial so to holes with a bar threw em) done with the needle...

I reakon the gun hurt a lot more and healed a lot slower... it actully took longer to do my left ear (1 hole) then my industrial

My industrail was saw to bump for awhile but that's prob because I'm clumsy lol

Hello!

I believe I had my facts straight. I might have been a little vague I suppose.

Yes, a needle obviously needs some force to go through the ear. I wasn't suggesting it magically penetrates. Thank you for clearing up the "basic physics" for me. What I meant was a piercing gun forces the skin out of the way. In contrast, a piercing needle creates a space for the piercing.

Although they might have thrown away the gun used on you, around here it is NOT common practice to throw away piercing guns after every use. Actually, I have NEVER heard of a piercing gun being thrown away after a piercing.

nauticalstar420 , thanks for explaining what I meant. I haven't been on in awhile, and I appreciate it. :)

I just got mine done two days ago and they used the gun and I'm not going to lie it did hurt some but just when it went through and its just sore now, if you get the gun make sure it is clean where you get it and clean it at least twice a day and you should be fine

It is not painful if you numb it with ice and than do it quick and fast that is what I did it might hurt a little after but not much as long as you don't touch it a lot after. And be shure not to sleep on it after

I would suggest getting it with a gun, it is faster,and you usually don't really feel it. It hurts worse to get you earlobes pierced for some people. If your saying using a needle by a friend, I really don't recommend it, because you chances of infection and mistakes go up a lot. If you take care of it after you let a professional do it, you should be fine. If you just get it and don't clean it with the solution that they give you, you can get infection and some people get something called "calliflower ear." Basically it deforms your ear to look like a calliflower, you can probably look it up on Google. I think it takes about 12 weeks to heal a cartilage for most people, but they recommend you leave an earing in there for about a year.

I just got mine done today in the mall... not at claire's but at a piercing pagoda. I was so nervous to get it done because I am not very tolerant of pain but they used a gun and it really didn't hurt at all. Also they do use disposable guns.. I saw the woman take a brand new gun out of a fresh package so I would definitely recommend using the gun I hear the needle hurts a lot more

They use disposable cartridges that fit into the gun. They do not throw away the gun itself. Even though they use a new cartridge on everyone, they still do not properly sterilize the gun itself.

I got my cartilage pierced with a gun about 3 years ago. I can say that it did hurt (not terrible or anything) and the girl who performed the piercing did it crooked... anyways.
After 3 years you would think that the hole wouldn't close, but one day my earring came out and by the time I realized it, it had already closed. For good. I think most piercing are fairly safe these days as long you yo see sterile equipment, and you yourself take care of your piercing.

I had mine done by gun at Wal-Mart 3 days ago. It hasn't hurt at all.. Only when I sleep on it or bump it..

Heyy I read these helpful answers earlier today (a couple hours before getting my cartilage pierced) and they were really helpful so THANK YOU!!
I got mine done at a jewelry store w/ a needle. I was really scared, but as some other people said, most of it is the fear and that there isn't much pain compared to the fear. I've heard that the needle is safest so I'd go w/ that.

Tell me if you have any Qs!

Gigi:)

Hi, I've had the top of my ear done only recently, well in fact 3 days ago. It hurt yes, but not enough to make me start screaming with pain. You can hear the pop of it go through your cartilage. It will sting a little bit afterwards, but I definitely recommend getting it done with a needle as it is a lot more sanitary because they only use that needle once, and also because it doesn't shatter your cartilage. I've had no problems with my ear, which has a hoop earring in it. But it will be a little uncomfortable to sleep on for a few days keep it clean and make sure your hands are clean if you're going to fiddle with it. Also, when you go and get your piercing done make sure you've eaten something at least 4 hours before because I made the mistake of not doing so and nearly passed out a few minutes afterwards so get some sugar, a chocolate bar or something and just relax it's well worth it afterwards.

I am a guy and have my lobes pierced got them done when I was 18 and would like to get my cartilage pierced. I would like to know a few things first. DO the girls and other people think they are OK on a guy? Does it hurt for a long time? How much does it cost? Also thinking about getting my lip pierced any tips or ideas?

I just got my cartilage pierced two days ago with a needle. I personally think it did hurt... it was definitely bearable though and wasn't that bad,it was over before I knew it and only hurt for a little afterwards.I do think that you should read up on piercing information before you do anything though. My friend got her cartilage pierced at claires with a gun and said it was more sanitary and I figured I would rather go there than some tattoo place.. turns out I was wrong. Luckily at first my mom didn't want me to get it done so instead of going to the mall my family went shopping in a town at lake george and my mom had changed her mind so we stopped in a tattoo place. I got my cartilage pierced there with a needle and afterwards I went online and read how unsanitary guns were and how the people at claires are not experienced. I'm lucky that I went to the tattoo place instead