I am getting the top of my ear pierced, like on the side in the cartilage. I was wondering how much it will hurt if it is being done with a needle (not a gun) and how high chance it is for infection. I know that it takes a lot longer than a hole in your earlobe to heal, about a few months?

I have had mine done before and the needle by far is more safe and sanitary then the gun. At first it did not hurt but the days after it was really sore and eventually it did get infected but than again my ears are very sensitive. Some of my other friends have had it done though and have had no problem.. so it really just depends but yes it will be painful for a while and your hair will get caught in it so be very careful!

I had this procedure done many years ago with a gun and stainless steel stud - it shattered the cartilage and never healed.
Now, where I live you can only get this done by needle and a hoop earring because it does not shatter the cartilage and allows maximum turning for better cleaning and faster healing time.
I would suggest for you to choose a 10 or 14 carat gold hoop. I learned after the fact my ear did not heal because of the stainless steel.
Also, buy the cleaning solution - it's worth the few extra bucks.
Regardless of what some people say, never put peroxide on it, it damages new tissue and will cause the healing process to take longer.
When you have it done, they should give you instructions on how to care for it - follow them and you should do just fine.
As for pain... it really depends on your pain tolerance.
Good luck,
Kae

I don't think you will have a problem I had a friend do mine in both ears and she did her own as well ours both turned out fine no infection and we used studs but it does hurt after

Cartilage piercings honestly do not hurt.. I was scared for a very long time of having it done and when I finally did I did not feel anything at all. It feels like when you get your lobe done... you may feel a light pinch but I didn't feel anything at all. It hurt heck of a lot less that a shot, I mean you really can't feel it. I got mine done at Claires with a gun and it didn't hurt. I heard that if you go to a tattoo parlor they will do it with a needle and it will hurt a little but with a needle the wound heals faster so it is up to you. I am chicken and I am afraid of needles and I got mine done in the mall, it was not bad.. A lot of people was watching and afterwards there is NO pain. I said that's it, I didn't feel it! My ear was sore for a few days afterwards when I slept on my ear, only and after I got off my ear it don't hurt. Also it is a little sore when I touch the ear and clean it but when I don't touch it my ear is fine. I have had a pimple in the back of the cartilage area of my ear that hurts bad before but this piercing doesn't hurt.. A pimple on the ear is worse, honestly. The worse part is thinking that it is going to hurt but it won't hurt. They say that having your cartilage pierced with a needle, your ear will heal faster and you can use a ring also instead of a stud but the pain is more too when the needle goes through, you won't even feel a ear gun though, also a needle is more sterile. I have had absolutely NO problems with my piercing though, everything has been fine~~ Hope this helps

As for after care the best thing to do is use sea salt packs on the ear for cleaning at least once a day... Not table salt, but sea salt. You can buy sea salt in the spices aisle at any department/grocery store or you can buy it at a pharmacy. Use one cup of sea salt in really warm water and mix 1 tea spoon of salt or a little more if you can tollerate it. Also clean the ear with Dial (unscented) anti-bacterial soap and rince very well 2-3 times a day. Scented soaps will irritate the skin, Dial is recommended for all cartilage piercings. It is the best! After you clean the area apply the anticeptic with a clean cotton ball or gauze and pat dry with a paper towel. Never use wash cloths, etc because this can hold bacteria. Always wash hands with the anti-bacteria soap before touching or cleaning the ears! Contrary to what people say and a lot of places like Claires etc. It is not necessary to rotate earings, especially during the few days of the piercing. This will aggravate the piercing and will most likely delay healing time.. Where I work we do not recommend rotating the earrings.. Do NOT remove the earings because this can cause an infection and the earring needs to stay in the ear for at least 3 months if not longer, I recommend longer for Cartilage piercings. Studs heal a little more quick than loops, although loops are much easier to clean. After care is easier with a needle and a little safer but the needle pain will hurt a little, a gun you won't feel it but will take a little longer to heal.. Pain is minimal or should be minimal after the procedure. Excessive pain, puss, bleeding, swelling, or redness could be a sign of an infection.. You can get a medication from the doctor for an infection and keep cleaning the ear like I mentioned above. Do not use Peroxide, alcohol, Antibiotic ointment because this can delay healing. Just use the anticeptic, salt packs and clean with anti-bact soap. Hope this helps!

last year I got my left cartilage pierced, and I ended up in the hospital for 2 weeks. The infection was really bad. But I also got it in my right ear, but that didn't get infected. So its up to you. Good luck =]

Well, I just got my cartilage pierced yesterday, so I clearly remember what it feels like. I got it done with a gun, so there was this hugely intense pinch, with a stinging sensation afterward. Then it hurt for awhile, but after about half an hour the pain faded, and it only hurt when I turned it. Now it doesn't really hurt at all, but don't sleep on that side for a while.

I've done mine four times with a needle.
It doesn't hurt too bad, although it does get pretty sore, it's nothing unbareable. You really don't want to sleep on it either, because the pressure might actually push it through if it's a stud[that's what happened to me the first time]. It might hurt if you hit it or something, but soon enough it will go away.

Okay, I have mine done 3 times. Twice in my left done with a gun, and I just did my right by myself with a piercing stud. Any piercing hurts a little, and the cartilage ones hurt very litte. For a week or so it's a little sore when you lay on it. Mine are fine, healed good etc. Good Luck!

I think it would hurt a lot less if you got it pierced with a gun, seriously! Try going to walmart or claire's because they'll pierce it with a gun... I don't think its easy to get infected because mines never got infected and I didn't clean it as much as I was suppose to.. leave the earring they pierce it with in for 12 weeks.. good luck and if you can avoid getting it done with a needle than its better!

I agree that it all depends on you pain tolerance and ear care.
My friend and I both got our cartilage pierced at the same time. I'm a boy and she's a girl. She went first and didn't even flinch. According to her, it didn't hurt at all.

When I went, I didn't feel any pain. I was actually surprised by how painless it was. I heard a tiny pop (hers didn't pop), and it was all through. We both got ours done with needles. From what I hear, that's definitely the best way.

One shouldn't go to the mall to get cartilage (or anywhere) pierced. The guns use force to drive a stud through. Plus, a gun cannot be cleaned well. The needles are clean and safe. They only use them once.

So far (two weeks in), the piercing is healing well. It doesn't hurt at all, and I can already sleep on it.

Just get it done with a needle, in a clean, professional environment, following the piercist's cleaning directions, and enjoy!

Hope I helped!

I had mine done and honestly, its more of a fright than painful. It will ache a bit if you lay on it, and your hair will probably get caught in it, but all it will really be is a bit tender for a while, nothing really painful...
When I got mine done my mom knew it wouldn't hurt, but she sat there and said "oh, this is gonna be really painful..." being smart :P... it hardly hurt at all - working yourself up is the worst thing about the whole piercing experience.
It shouldn't get infected if you clean it regularly while its healing, but if it does, it's best to use professional products, so get the solution while you're there and save yourself some time. :)
Hope this is helpful.

I just got mine done yestrday and I'm only in middle school and I'm the third girl to have it done it doesn't really hurt but I got mine done with a gun so I can't help if you are getting it donewith a needle with a gun it is fast and painless it just is sore after for like an hour then it hurts to sleep on it that's about it just make sure you clean them and twist them 3 times daily!! GOOD LUCK!!

It really doesn't hurt. Its actually better to do it with a needle because doing it woth a gun will cause the cartilage to shatter. It all dpends on your pain tolerance level. I didn't even feel it, but a few days later it hurt.

I had mine done... im only 13 so I have it commin 2 what pain feels like...
I had mine pierced 4 times and I actually didn't feel anything
It did hurt 2 sleep on but that is expected... :[
I am planning on piercing my ears though by myself... I hope it doesn't hut... because I'm getting it done in the middle... even though I have had it done 3 times in the lobe and 1 time up at the top

I know this thread is a tad old, but I'll contribute anyway. If you are going to get your cartilage pierced, it is best to get it done at a piercing/tattoo parlor rather than somewhere in the mall, or somewhere like it. In the mall they use piercing guns. These guns are not sterilized, which could lead to infection. Not only that, they sometimes have a tendency to get stuck on the earring causing your ear to tear. Ouch! If you go to a tattoo/piercing parlor they will use a hollow needle, a brand new one out of the package that has never been used by anyone else. This is much more sterile.

I have had it done both ways. The gun didn't really hurt, but like I said there is the sterility problem. When I had it done with the hollow needle, it was a bit of a shock, but I wouldn't really call it pain. You would have a lower risk of infection in the long run if you get it done with the needle. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gia1630

One shouldn't go to the mall to get cartilage (or anywhere) pierced. The guns use force to drive a stud through. Plus, a gun cannot be cleaned well. The needles are clean and safe. They only use them once.

Hope I helped!

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I know this is old but I just wanted to get your facts straight-

~ I've only gotten my ears pierced at Claire's... and I watched them throw the gun away when they were done.
~Using a needle, still uses force. They push the needle into your skin, the push is the force. It's basic physics.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by not_done_baking

I know this is old but I just wanted to get your facts straight-

~ I've only gotten my ears pierced at Claire's... and I watched them throw the gun away when they were done.
~Using a needle, still uses force. They push the needle into your skin, the push is the force. It's basic physics.

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They threw the whole gun away? Are you sure? Or did they throw the cartridge away? Even with a cartridge, it is still unsanitary to not clean the gun after each piercing.

And just so you have things straight, yes, a needle does need to be forced through your ear, but the hollow needle makes room for the earring, while the piercing gun does not. It forces an earring into a space where there is no room for it, which is highly irritating to the ear and almost always causes significant scarring.

The needle is the way to go.

They might have just thrown the cartridge away.

And I understand how you explained the force thing- I didn't really take into account that the earring has to go somewhere...