Cartilage Piercings and What Style Fits You
Cartilage piercings are usually referring to piercings of the ear, although then nose is also made of cartilage. There are more piercings to the ear than just earlobe piercings. There are several options to choose from, depending on your own style. The ear has several options to select from and can truly be a stylish way to express yourself.
Cartilage piercings are very trendy and stylish as there are many locations to select from and different types of jewelry for this locations that can truly make the experience unique. They are also not very painful in the scheme of piercings, due to the tough cartilage in the area instead of soft tissue. Here are some of the options for your ear cartilage piercings.
Daith - This is growing in popularity due to the link of this piercing and a reduction in migraines. The location is known to be a pressure point that can reduce the onset of migraines in certain studies. This piercing is located in the innermost fold in your ear before you get to the ear canal. Jewelry selection is usually a captive bead ring.
Tragus - This is the piercing on the flap that almost covers the ear canal. It is usually pierced with a stud piercing or a captive bead ring. It also has been shown to help with migraine relief.
Anti-tragus - The opposite of the tragus found directly across and above the earlobe. This piercing is usually a captive bead ring or a stud.
Helix - This is the piercing found on the outer top ring of the ear. Captive bead rings, studs, spiral rings, and industrial barbells are found in this location.
Anti-Helix - This is the exact opposite location of the helix in the outside edge of ear but closest to the ear canal. If you have an industrial piercing it is usually pierced through here and connected at the helix piercing. Studs and captive bead rings also look great in this location.
Inner/Outer Conch - This is the piercing in the innermost bowl of the ear. Often times an open-ended circular barbell or captive bead ring is used in this location. Other times a stud is pierced with a flat disc backing so you don’t have to worry about the backing pressing on your head.
Cartilage piercings are varied and as unique as you want to make them. You have the freedom of choosing from several locations and decorating with several different styles of jewelry. However, cartilage ear piercings are one of the longest to heal, usually taking 9 months on average and maybe even up to a year. You also may want to select the side of the ear that you don’t sleep on, because that can cause the piercing to take even longer to heal due to irritation. The pricing for these types of piercings ranges from $30-50, depending on your location and the location of your cartilage piercing. Go out and find an experienced piercer and select the look that suits you best.