Looking for a new piercing to add to your collection, or to simply branch out from your standard ear piercings? The auricle piercing could be the right piercing for you! Like any other cartilage piercing, auricle piercings can be very hard to heal. To ensure that this piercing is the right piercing for you, and to make sure that this experience is as pain-free as any piercing can be, I have put together this comprehensive guide to auricle piercings. In this guide, I will cover what an auricle piercing is, what the procedure will be like, and how best to look after your piercing once you leave the shop. Any new piercing is both exciting and scary, so hopefully by creating this comprehensive guide, I can help to subdue your nerves, and hype up the excitement for your new piercing!
Table of Contents
What is an Auricle Piercing?
Auricle piercings are a cartilage ear piercing that is placed mid-way up the outer edge of the ear, in between the lobe and the helix (upper cuff of the ear made of cartilage). This piercing is typically located directly across from the targus. This placement is a fantastic way to step into the realm of cartilage piercings, as though the placement does require some cartilage to be pierced, compared to higher placed piercings, the auricle is quite beginner-friendly in its healing process. Though cartilage is more often difficult to heal, the area where the auricle is located still has a decent amount of blood flow, and should take less time to heal overall, and is also going to be fairly easy to maintain, and fairly forgiving if aftercare isn’t followed to a T.
While reasons will obviously vary depending on the person as to why they are getting different piercings, many people use the auricle as a way to cohesively connect a larger piercing collection. If you have several lower ear piercings as well as several cartilage piercings, the auricle could be the perfect way to transition your ear into a cohesive looking collection. Since the location is so open, it is also very easy to find jewelry to fit the space and match the rest of your collection. This makes the auricle a quite versatile and adaptable piercing!
What should I expect in the Procedure?
Before you even begin the procedure, take a quick look around the piercing studio. Make sure that the environment is clean and that you trust your piercer. The shop where you are getting your piercing should smell like sterilizer and the station where your piercer works should be organized and clutter-free. Piercings, like any sort of body modification, can be dangerous if not done properly, so it is vital to make sure that you are comfortable in the shop you’ve chosen. Don’t be afraid to ask your piercer any questions you feel necessary before the procedure starts.
The procedure for an auricle piercing isn’t that much different than any other piercing appointment. Your piercer will sterilize your ear and mark the spot that you have described where you want your piercing to sit with a sterile marker. Make sure to take a good look at the mark on your ear; if it isn’t in the place you want it to be, now is the time to ask your piercist to move them! If you’re happy with the placement, it’s time to move on to the piercing itself.
Using some piercing tongs, your piercer will grasp your ear in the premarked spot, and using a sterile hollow needle, pierce the skin. They will then thread the shaft of the jewelry into your piercing before removing the needle and adding the backing. This is ultimately a fairly quick process and will be over in a matter of seconds. Auricles are also a fairly painless piercing, as the tissue is thin, making the piercing very quick and easy, and the piercing spot itself is not highly sensitive.
While auricles are very safe piercings, I still want to stress that it is still important that you go to a professional piercer for this piercing and not someone who uses a piercing gun. Piercing guns cannot be properly sterilized and use blunt force to drive the piercing into the skin. This blunt force can break or shatter your cartilage and makes the healing process longer and more painful overall.
How much should I pay for my auricle piercing?
Different piercing shops have different prices depending on the experience level of their piercers, how popular the shops are, and where they are located. Auricle piercings, however, will be a fairly cheap piercing as even new piercers will be knowledgeable about how to safely approach the piercing. Besides, ear piercings are not that expensive typically. It is important to remember that you get what you pay for when it comes to piercings, though. Some cheaper piercing shops can be fantastic, but use your best discretion for what is and isn’t the right store for you. Regardless of where you choose to get your piercing, you can expect to pay:
- Between $20-$50 in the United States
- Between £20- £40 In the United Kingdom
- Between €20- €40 In Europe
I’ve got my piercing, now what?
Congratulations on your new piercing! Now it is time for the most painful part of the process, healing. With a cartilage piercing like the auricle, you can expect it to take between 4 months to upwards of a year to fully heal. That being said, since this is an easy cartilage piercing, I would expect it to take less time to heal than most other cartilage piercings. This will depend on you, however, as the better you are at taking care of your piercing, the faster it will heal.
Different piercers will have different instructions about how to properly heal your piercing. Each piercer has a healing method that works best for them and their clients, so first and foremost, make sure you talk to your piercer about how to properly care for your piercing. Generally, however, the procedures to heal cartilage piercings are the same overall.
In order to heal correctly, first make sure to touch your piercing as little as possible. The more you move and play with it, the longer it will take to heal and the more likely infection will become. I CAN NOT stress this enough. DO NOT play with and touch your piercing excessively. If you need to touch your piercing, always make sure to wash your hands with a mild, unscented soap first to ensure they are very clean.
You should aim to clean your piercing site twice a day. With the piercing left in, use salt water to soak both morning and night to keep the piercing clean. To soak, you can either just put your ear directly into the cup of water, or you can use a paper towel. If you aren’t using a cup, ensure you are using a fresh piece of paper towel for each soak, and do not use a regular hand towel. Towels can harbor bacteria, so it is safest to go the disposable route. Alternatively, you could look into a piercing aftercare spray. These sprays are premade saltwater solutions in an easy to use spray bottle and can be an effective way to directly apply the water to your ear. If you see a build-up of grime around the piercing, you can use a cotton swab that has been dipped in the salt solution and gently use the tip to clean around the jewelry to try and clear some of the build-ups. Always make sure to use a light hand when doing this and try to not move the jewelry much.
Even with proper care, an infection can sometimes be an issue. Keep a close eye on your piercing to see if there is ever excess swelling, pus, or redness. If you are worried about a possible infection, please contact your doctor.
Are there any risks with an auricle piercing?
There are always risks to piercings, that simply comes with body modification territory. Infection and scarring are always a risk, and these risks are heightened by cartilage piercings. However, as I have been saying, auricle piercings are an easier cartilage piercing than most, so though you still need to be vigilant about infection, you should still be ok as long as you follow proper aftercare guidelines. If you believe you have an infection that could be dangerous, it is better to contact a doctor sooner rather than later. If an infected piercing is left untreated for too long, it can leave permanent damage to the ear, sometimes requiring surgery to fix.
Other than infection, though, there isn’t much risk to these piercings. Therefore, as long as you are careful and you follow proper aftercare instructions, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about!
What jewelry should I choose?
Auricles are awesome piercings when it comes to jewelry, as your options are honestly very open. The placement of the auricle allows you to use any form of normal earing, be it fish hook backed, stud, or something a bit more interesting like a vertical labret! The options are endless for these piercings, and I recommend you explore what you like and what looks best with your unique ear shape.
I would like to add quickly that you should not change your jewelry until you are well into the healing process. Jewelry changes can be quite traumatic to the piercing site and can lead to a much higher risk of infection if changed too early. Wait at least 3-4 months before changing the jewelry you were pierced with.
I hope that I’ve helped you determine if the auricle is the right piercing for you to add to your collection. In all honesty, I love this piercing. I think it is an awesome, beginner-friendly piercing to introduce you to the world of cartilage piercings. I also think it looks awesome in a well-pierced ear, or a bare ear. It is so versatile and so fun. I highly recommend this piercing if you are new to the scene and want to try your hand at a more unique, but still easy to look after piercing.
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