The Popularity Of Cartilage Piercing

There is a reason for the current popularity of cartilage piercing, and it's not necessarily the same reason it has been popular back in our ancestors' days. Then, it is believed that ear and body piercing was carried out for tribal and religious reasons, when it was generally a mandatory rather than a voluntary means of bodily adornment.

What is Cartilage?

Cartilage is a form of connective tissue formed largely of collagen, with elastin to give it flexibility. Cartilage is the main structural components of your nose, of your ears and of the protective tissue used to absorb the shock experienced by your joints such as the knees. It is tough and elastic, and contains no blood vessels, a fact that will become more important later when we discuss the healing of cartilage piercings.

What Cartilage is Pierced?

The cartilage generally pierced is that in your ears, and to an extent in your nose. However, it is your ears we are concerned with here and there are generally three accepted cartilaginous areas of your ears, namely:

The Helix: the outside part of your ears that curls inwards. This includes the thinner cartilage tissue just beneath it, and was the first form of cartilage piercing carried out by our ancestors. Now it tends to be used for multiple ring piercings, and also for industrial piercings in the form of a double piercing of the helix, one close to the head and the other diametrically opposite, and connected with a long barbell, generally of metal.

The Conch: the sculpted part of your ear inside the helix, and also decorated with single and double piercings such as an orbital, which is two piercings connected by a single piece of jewellery.

The Tragus: a very popular part of your ear for a cartilage piercing. This is the small triangular piece of cartilage jutting out from the entrance to your ear right by your cheekbone. The tragus is commonly decorated with tragus bars or studs in a wide range of materials and designs.

Safety and Healing of Cartilage Piercings

It is very important that your cartilage is pierced by a trained professional, experienced in cartilage piercings. It must be pierced using a needle, because a piercing gun will tear the cartilage tissue and leave a hole that will take a very long time to heal, if it ever does.

As stated earlier, your cartilage has no blood supply, so the components of your immune system have no direct route to the site of any damage or infection. Bacteria will multiply and tissues might rot before your immune system can get to the site to protect them. Guns should therefore be avoided, and needles used to create a hole large enough only to accommodate lower gauge jewellery.

You can increase the gauge later by means of gauging needles, but right now you need the healing process to begin. With cartilage piercing that can take anything up to a year, though 2-4 months is about average.

You should keep the pierced cartilage clean using a salt solution of 1 teaspoon salt per 100ml warm water or a branded antiseptic designed just for piercings. You may experience some pain during the healing process, but once it has healed you will have a platform for some of the most beautiful ear jewellery on the planet.

A cartilage piercing is something you will never regret having done - you will look great and will be able to express your own individuality using the ear jewellery of your choice - a far larger selection than is available for just ear lobes.

By: Brian Hopper

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Brian Hopper offers more information on ear stretching and cartilage piercing on his website silicone flesh tunnels where you will also find a selection of tragus bars.