Cartilage piercing

I've already talked a little about it on my personal blog, but I'm going to go in more depth with what I know about it for those that are thinking about getting it pierced.

Okay, just like any other piercing, if you are under 18, you will need parent's or guardian's consent because there are paper works to do. Since I was already 18 I didn't need to have my parents with me when I did it.

I got this piercing yesterday, and the reason it's a little pink is because when I was putting my hair up to take this picture I accidentally touched it, and I just put on the solution.

The Experience:
The overall experience was good. The girl that did my piercing was nice and she seems to know what she was talking about. It was actually really quick. She used a need gun to pierce my cartilage. Before she pierced it she marked a dot with a marker to make sure that was the place I wanted it to be pierced. I'm not going to lie; it did hurt, but only for like two seconds.

How to Take Care of It:
She told me that I had to clean it twice a day and make sure my hands were clean before I apply the solution. The solution was free with my piercing. I just had to pay for the earring.

• tie hair up
• wash hands
• take cotton swab or cotton ball (I prefer the cotton swab/q-tip so I can reach my inner ear better. I have small ears) and pour the solution on it
• apply it on the inner ear around the earring and behind the ear
• then, twist the earring around 2-3 times
• done!

***Remember you have to do that everyday at least twice.***

Other Things You Need To Know:

• Don't remove your piercing for the first 10-12 weeks. After the 10th-12th weeks you can remove it, but you should still have something in the hole or else it will close up.
• You should definitely have a stud earring in the hole for a year. You can't wear hoops until after a year.
• If you had a choice to choose which earring(s) you want, I would opt for a small stud because it won't get caught in things as easily. You can get bigger ones, but still be aware that your hair or anything might get caught. 
• Try not to touch it. It's very sensitive when it's first pierced and you don't want to have an infection because you touch it with your dirty hands.
• Try not to apply any pressure in that area because it will hurt. I slept on my back and on my left side the whole night and if I really wanted to sleep on my right side I made a little cuff with my hand and just laid on top of it LOL.
• Try not to go swimming for the first 10-12 weeks because the chemicals from the pool or ocean/lake/sea/river/other bodies of water can make you have a higher risk in having an infection.

The key to avoid infection is to take care of your piercing. Clean it 2-3 times a day and try to avoid irritating it.

Cartilage piercing is one of the piercings that heals the fastest besides the lobes.

I got my piercing done at Claire's for about $33. I got some coupons - a 20% off one and a $10 off of purchases that are $20 or more. :)

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!