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My granddaughter just had her ear cartilage pierced, but is...

<< Back to: rec.arts.bodyart: Piercing FAQ 7--Healed Piercings

Answer by Jen
Submitted on 4/10/2004
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Okay, to everyone here. I have my cartilidge pierced and I am turning 13. I got it when I was 12. I went to Claire's and they wouldn't let me get it but they gave another place to go to. My mother and I went to a tatoo parlor. i was afraid, like most of you, but I was so excited. The guy that pierced it took a needle and just shoved it through the ear. Then he took out the needle and put the earring in. Although I though it would hurt I barely felt it. It didn't get infected, turn green or fall off. It was all worth it, so if you're thinking about getting it pierced use a needle, not a gun and it doesn't really hurt so go for it! Oh yeah, if they use a gun they can hit an atery or something bad and screw it up.

Answer by katie
Submitted on 4/27/2004
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here is an answer to everyones questions: go to BMEzine.com and click on ears. read the experiences posted there. there are hundreds upon hundreds of them and they will answer all your questions and there are also tons of pictures to look at. but i do have to say- DON'T get a cartilage (or any) piercing done with a gun. it shatters your tissue, the jewelry is horrible, and it hurts A LOT more. both during the actual piercing, and afterward when you are trying to heal it. take it from me. i have 4 cartilage piercings. 1 done with a gun and 3 with a needle. the whole experience with the gun piercing was just horrible. oh and they dont bleed much if at all because cartilage has very little blood supply. hope this helps.

Answer by Goonka
Submitted on 5/5/2004
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Hmm.. pretty sure that most of the posts I have read here do NOT have responsible parents. WHO allows an 11-16 yr old to get any type of piercing OTHER than an ear lobe piercing? My son last year when he turned 18 couldn't wait and ran out to get to his eyebrow pierced.. it is STILL disfigured one year later and he had to use bolt cutters to remove it! Within the first month, his eye blackened THEN began to swell shut. That is when I convinced him to take it out. The piercing place they use advised him to 'deal with it' since he already had it in and had scar tissue build up. That is yet another problem. His eye will never return to normal. THEN he went to get his tongue pierced. Thank GOD nothing has happened with that and it has been a couple of months so far.. BUT then he decided to go and get his cartilage pierced this previous Monday afternoon. He woke up this AM with blood everywhere, ear swollen, head hurts, tongue hurts and his throat hurts. Called our Dr who flat out said 'rush him in to the ER because he probably has a severe infection that will cause him to be hospitalized". Well.. MOM is home. He will inpatient for at least 3 days if not longer! Sorry. .I dont care how 'cool' ya'llthink piercings look.. they are NOT worth the potential for health problems. And there are more health problems that arise from cartilage piercings than any other. While I know that the place that did his piercings may be well known, I have to conclude they do not know what they are doing for two piercings of his to have gone wrong. I guess I am happy that the owner of the place is the one that did his tongue. Perhaps he needs to examine his 'help' better. And the hospital will be contacting the health department to investigate. IF the cultures come back with the bacteria that they believe caused this to happen.. they will be shut down and we will bring forth a lawsuit. Dont try and tell me that is why you sign a waiver, cuz those waivers don't mean crap once someone is hurt OR becomes ill.

Answer by Katie
Submitted on 7/3/2004
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Hey, I just pierced my cartilage about a month ago? It really didn't hurt. I jumped a little when she pierced it (BAD idea- it can rip your ear) because i wasn't expecting it yet, but it really doesn't hurt. Because there's hardly any blood in your cartilage area, getting your ear pierced up there hurts less and bleeds less than getting your lobes done. So if you've had THEM done- don't worry about pain in your cartilage. You can pierce your left or right cartilage, it really doesn't matter; people have both. They recommend doing the side that you DON'T sleep on though- so that when you sleep it won't bother your piercing. That is really important. Most places you have to be either 12 or 13 with a parent to sign forms, or 18 to do it alone. I'm 18 and they made me show ID and everything, so don't try to pretend your eighteen; it doesn't work and they wont pierce it. Hope this helps! Ummm ps: needles and guns are the same thing... there's a needle in the gun- it just goes through automatically so it hurts less because it's faster. Guns are usually more sterile too. I would never get it done with a needle- too much risk of infection, pain, and deformities.

Answer by Jacki
Submitted on 7/11/2004
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Wow... you guys are all so lucky! I'm 18 and got my cartilage pierced last night. I got my nose pierced over spring break, and it didnt hurt at all. I went to the same place, but a girl that i never saw doing piercings before did it. eek. I wasnt't nervous at all - i was expecting the no pain i had with my nose. So I'm sitting there and she asks if I'm ready. I'm all relaxed and say yeah. holy hell... what pain when that needle went through. then shes trying to put the ring in and i jumped cuz it hurt so bad. She goes over to get a taper (a needle without the point, to put in the hole so it doesnt close) I feel something hit my chest. It was a drop of blood, all the sudden, I swear a river of blood was dripping all over my ear down my neck and down my chest. it was horrible!!! my friend who just got her belly button pierced 10 minutes prior was shocked to see how much blood there was. I was under the impression there wasnt't a lot of blood up there, too... but there sure is! So the owner comes in and put the ring in lickity split! no pain! So i think you should KNOW who is doing your piercing, i think it made all the difference! My ear was really swollen, i was scared it would get infected quick... but it didnt't! I don't know about guns or needles but the guy who pierced my nose and ultimately my cartilage told me needles were safer. I was told to not sleep on my pierced ear and to elevate my head with a few pillows. The elevation prevents over night swelling. Anyway... its fine today! It doesnt't hurt, cleaning was easy and i can move it around (when i clean it). Sea salt is a good idea for any piercing, it helps it heal so much faster! I love it though.. but I'm too scared to get it done again. But everyone IS different. So asking people how much it will hurt is useless - know the health and aftercare questions, not the pain rate. Hope my story helped!

Answer by Zea
Submitted on 7/12/2004
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take a straw from a broom stick soak it in alchol make sures its clean by rinsing it after let it air dry burn the ends with fire make sure its thin enuff to put into ur ear and there u go im in JROTC so i know the feelin of them wantin to to not wear it on uniform days and cartilage don't hurt dispite what everyone thinks of it its like a pinch its over as soon as it starts thats all u have to think of 1 2 3 its over in and very cute or take a friend or bf 4 support but really its not that bad i have 4 cartilage would have 6 but let those close went back to get the other 4 at the same time what helps me make it through pain period tho its not painful is it won't kill u hope u conquer ur fear Zea~

Answer by molly
Submitted on 7/16/2004
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first of all, i just got my cartilage done yesterday, and it stopped hurting after 5 minutes. i haven't had any problems. my advice, get it done somewhere sterile like a tattoo parlor where professionals are doing it, not someone at Claire'swho's trying to run the register at the same time she's piercing your tender ear. also, the needle works best, you barely feel it. and yes, it does bleed, obviously, it's a part of body! but not long, as soon as it stops up, it's fine. lastly, wait till your older!! 11 and 12 year olds should NOT be getting cartilage pierced! I'm15, and responsible enough to take care of it myself. the best places to go don't even allow people under 13 inside, which is good. that's my opinion, as someone who's had it done and knows how it feels. don't be scared, and don't rush into it. p.s.i wouldn't take advice from someone who can't even spell, if i were you!!

Answer by Summoneryuna
Submitted on 7/16/2004
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I got my cartilage pierced June 1st, i got it done at walmart by my friend who use to do them in a parlor but she used the gun, the only time that it hurts is when I lay on it, since then I have had it swell up once, and that was after I was playing around with the guys and it got pulled and all that (from headlocks) since then I have had a small pocket of clear liquid but I can still twist it and move it and it doesn't hurt, went to a Dr and they said to just use hydrogen peroxide and neosporan, which is helping but I am looking for any other ideas to deal with this, I really do not want to take it out. And another thing, a reg earring was used, I am almost thinking that the barbell earring they used is irritating it, should I try to change it to a ball (plain and simple) earring? Let me know thx

Answer by AJ
Submitted on 7/16/2004
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hey i luv piercings i got many!cartilage piercingz r mad kewl but yea they hurt..1 tyme i was brushin ma hair & by mistake the brush got stuck on the earring and that hurt lyke hell..u jus gotta b careful and if u take care of it well u shudn't hav a problem...out of all the 1's i hav which iz kinda a lot lol...the cartilage piercing hurt the mos..but datz jus me evry1 iz different so 2 u sumthin else mite hurt mo..but yea i'm gettin mo done and i'll let u kno bout it.p.s belly ringz r was up..i got all 4 sides done it looks gud...if u got n e questions or concerns jus holla 001 p.s.s molly no 1 iz perfect so ppl obviously gon hav mistakes including u but evry1 shud consider a lil bit bout wut evry1 iz sayin cuz they xpiernced iight i'm gon bounce fo real 001

Answer by FhNcheerchik05
Submitted on 7/19/2004
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I'm 16 and I got my cartilages pierced in March of this year. I got mine done with a gun and I was terrified!!! It wasn't near as bad as i thought it would be. It stung afterwards for about a day. My ears are still extremely sensitve i have to cup my ear to lay on it when i sleep because it hurts to let it touch the pillow. I'm now having problems with them. They started bleeding and are REALLY sore, i think they might be infected but i dont know how they could be because I clean my ears and earrings almost everyday.I've heard a lot of horror stories about cartilage piercings I honestly wouldn't suggest getting them to anyone. They might be cute but there are a lot of risks, your cartilage can collapse, and you can get really bad infections, these are things my parents warned me about and i wish i would have thought about them more. Also if you are in sports where you can't have piercings DON'T get them til after the season is over, I made that mistake, they try to make you take them out before they are ready to come out and it's extremely hard to get them back in. I'm thinking about taking mine out b/c I don't want to get a bad infection.

Answer by Aragorn's Gal
Submitted on 7/20/2004
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Hey everyone. Okay, so there seems to be tons of concerns/questions about ear piercings on here. Let me just share my experience quickyly... Before I went to get my ears done, I did some research on cartilage piercings, and I ended up at this site somehow. Anyway, after reading a lot of the stuff on here, I was a little nervous about getting it done, but I finally did. I got it done with a gun at a beauty salon (not Claires or Ardenes, a place where they are trained to do piercings). YES, it was with a GUN, and it did not hurt at all. It's been three weeks since I got mine done, and I've been lucky cos it doesn't really hurt and I can now sleep on that side of my head. I have had NO problems with it, and I simply love it. I've been wanting to get it done for like 4 years and I am so happy I finally went out on a limb and did it. It looks and feels great! But that brings me to my main point here: It all depends on the individual, so just because it did not hurt for me, does not mean it will not hurt for you. Here are the answers to some of your questions: 1. Do cartilage piercings hurt? It all depends on the person, but from my experience it was only a pinch. 2. What side to get it on, right or left? Again, that all depends on you. Usually, people put their hair to one side, so try to do it on the ear where it is going to be more noticable. As well, whatever ear you think it would look better in, it's all up to personal taste. 3. How much does it cost? Obviously, different places will have different prices. Check around, but don't go with the cheapest place cos that usually means they will not do a great job. 4. Gun or needle? I got mine done with the gun, but honestly, the needle is much safer and it is guaranteed to heal quicker. And besides that, everyone thinks it is so expensive at a tattoo parlour, but it isn't. You can get one done for like $30-40. 5. How long does it take to heal? From the reseacrh I have done, it's 4-6 months, but that is ONLY if you take care of it properly EVERY DAY. That means, cleaning it properly and not touching it. And so, I hope that helps some of you out there. Good luck with it and do your reseacrh before you get it done!

Answer by jodi
Submitted on 7/21/2004
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i got my first cartilage piercing when i was 12 and it didn't realy hurt that much.Im getting 2 more cartilage piercings in a few dayz and i can't wait. My cartilage piercing was done with a gun but i did have my worries about this as ive heard some really bad things about having it done with a gun but i was ok.Ive had a few infections in the 3 1/2 years ive had it done but nothing serious and the infections were from wearing cheap jewelry as i have very sensitive skin.About 2 years ago at school i was on the football pitch and a football hit my ear and the piercing went into my ear and got stuck and i had to go hospital to have it removed and it bleed for a few days but a week or 2 later i could put my jewelry back in but it hurt real bad.But other then getting ya hair caught in it and ocassionaly catching it its a great piercing to have.And i advise that if you have long hair try and keep it tied back till its healed. But i love having it pierced and can't wait till i get it done again.

Answer by Haley
Submitted on 8/2/2004
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hey guys, this isn't an answer but a question....im 11 and im getting my cartilage pierced tomorrow..im going to this really clean place where all of my cousin's piercings done. i'm getting it done with a needle ( dont wanna get an infection or mess friend's go to get their tattoos and up my ear ). i just wanted to know, and be honest, from a rating 1-10, does cartilage piercing hurt? i've read it really depends how u can take pain, but i just wanna know from someone close to my age and whose gotten one. I've been watching this ashlee simpson show and i've seen all the episodes..especially the one where she got her cartilage pierced...so if u can just answer my question..email me at Hidden Shad0w25@aol.com thanks...holla

Answer by Lynzi
Submitted on 8/3/2004
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I just got my cartilage pierced for my 13th birthday. That was 5 days ago. Yea i got it with a gun, but it really didn't hurt, jus a little pinch, but i do prefer the gun because it is faster. But i won't lie, it was sore afterwords, but only when i cleaned it or accidentally touched it. I already have 3 lobe piercings on each ear, along with numerous body piercings (it helps that my dad is a piercer) and it hurt about jus as much as my 2nd lobe piercing. But it is really important that u have very good quality jewelery, or you could have bad reactions to them. But i was scared because sum of my friends said it hurt alot, for a long time, and i had heard alot of stories of people ending up with deformities. I do think that is important to think about, but if u are sure u really want it, go 4 it. And about the kids who's parents won't let them get it done, ask for a lobe piercing, then when u get there see what they think about a cartilage piercing. But i really don't suggest getting it if ur in any sports, or if ur school has strict dress code policies. And if ur parents don't want u to do it, don't do it urself, they will make u take it out, and it's not worth the pain. So if ne of yall want to talk or have ne questions u can IM me on Loztinmyownmind. And oh yea, jus cuz i'veonly had my done for a short while doesn't mean i don't kno anything about it, i did research, and my dad is a piercer, so he's told me alot about it. So, later, Lynzi

Answer by andora5012
Submitted on 8/7/2004
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To ALL concerned about a cartliage piercing: I work at Claire's and i have been doing piercings for 3 yrs. 1.The reason we dont do cartliages on anyone under 13 is because of the risk of deformities. OSHA has a policy and we stick by it. 2.As far as the gun not being sanitary.We clean them with germicide cleaner.We dont sterlize.But the gun doesnt touch your ear. In fact the only thing that touches it, is the earring, which is set in a pre-sterlized cartridge. I have my cartliage peirced twice, the first time it got infected, not the fault of the employee, but because i didnt take as good of care of it as i should. The second on is fine, after 8 weeks i was able to put a hoop in it and i love it. The gun is not dangerous...You cant hit a major artery. If there were any dangers other than possible infection, Claire's wouldn't do it...If you are really concerned about the infection ask questions where you go to get it done...watch them clean the gun or needle.

Answer by Ally.xo
Submitted on 8/10/2004
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Hey guys i was researching cartilage piercings because i am going to get a barbell that goes in one side of the cartilage and out the other. And somehow i ended up here...anyway when i got my cartilage pierced it was mortifying, i went to a place were i didn't have to bring my birth certificate so that my moms friend would bring me. And i found a place in the mall...there was a Chinese lady at the counter that bairly spoke English. and i asked her the price and so on. i finally decided i would get it done there and i did... guess who was the piercer go ahead guess... yes the Chinese lady. she asked me were i wanted it, i said the right side. and i asked her to make sure she wasn't going to hit that artery or a vain and she said "there are veins in there?" i wanted to run away! but i didn't! i replied yes , had my moms friend show her were to pierce it and she pierced it with a piercing gun...it did hurt. i am not going to lie to you. but it was worth it...needless to say she didn't hit the vein or artery. today it is healed and as you read at the top of my message i am looking to get another one!! :) don't worry it is painful but worth every penny! P.S. mine was only $20

Answer by Jesserama
Submitted on 8/10/2004
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hey guys...first of all. i got my cartilage pierced july 2003, when i was 12. for all of you people who think that piercing with a gun is just as safe as piercing with a needle, you are WRONG. Needles are so much better for your piercings, and i am sure of that. i first got mine done with a piercing gun, and it was 6 months (the regulation healing time) before i decided to take it out because it simply was not healing properly. i am now getting it re-done tomorrow at a specialized tattoo/piercing place. i also hope you gun-agreeers are aware that guns are illegal for piercing purposes in Oregon and other various places. i am sorry if i offended anybody, but you have to know the truth. also, i think people who have piercings other than their ears who are under the age of twelve are too young, but their parents are DAMN cool! love ya, peace, god bless and happy piercing! ~jess~

Answer by annonymous
Submitted on 8/11/2004
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fack u ppl, just get it facking done, its doesn't facking hurt.... lol... k, sorry. I have 3 piercings. my first piercing was my left lobe, got it done with a needle. didn't hurt. then i went to visage and just wanted to get my right lobe done, but they told me it was cheaper if i get the pair. So i decided to get my left cartilage and my right lobe done. The lady said i should get the cartilage out of the way first. so she got those done, didn't hurt one bit, but when she did the right lobe, it hurt a little, but not really. both of them were done with a gun, but it was all good, they seem to be fine, no swelling. its only hurts when i touch them

Answer by blueorbital
Submitted on 8/18/2004
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I had my cartilage pierced 5 days ago. The place I went do didn't steralize the needle infront of me which I should have noticed right away, but I had a terrible ear infection 2 days later. My ear got swollen, red, shiny, and it was throbbing, felt warm, tingly, and hurt like hell when I touched it. It was all bad the only part that looked normal was my ear lobe..well because the ear lobe isn't cartilage and gets more blood supply. Anyway, I had a pretty ugly infection..one ear bigger then the other. I went to the doctor's office and he gave me some Ciprofloxin, which I've been taking and my ear isn't as bad now but is still swollen. The main problem with Cartilage piercings is that since there really isn't any blood supply going to the cartliage there isn't enough white blood cells (fight infection) that can get to the infection right away. Therefore, it takes a while for the infection to heal. And in some cases I've heard if the infection gets really bad doctors are actually having to go in and chop off parts of people ears around the cartilage area..sad but definately true..I have 2 cartliage piercings. My first one was done with a gun and that healed in like 6 months, it was at SUB Q in Sacramento, CA. Never go to WICKED, in Berkeley CA..thats where my infected one was done. Oh yea, and sea salt doesn't work..it's BS. Anyone can email me any comments or other questions, that would be great. blueorbital83@yahoo.com

Answer by muse
Submitted on 8/18/2004
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I was desperate to get my cartallidge done but my 18 year old sister had it done with a gun and she was in agony. Its fine now but she has a lump where the cartallidge has been pushed to one side. I decided to have it done but I had it done with a needle. the guy who did mine sprayed numbing spray and then jammed a needle through and it was only a tiny prick but it began to bleed. It only bled for about 15 mins and it did the same about a week after. It didnt hurt one bit after but it was swollen and red. After a week or so it went down and now it is fine. I am ready to take it out now but i cant! I have tried twisting the ball on the ring loads but nothing happens and i really want to change it. so thats the only bad thing that happened to me but if u ask me GO FOR IT it looks really cool and no pain involved but i say get it with a needle.

Answer by Eileen
Submitted on 8/23/2004
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ok this is a question...i got my cartilage pierced 1 day before i turned 12 which wus april 10th... and since then its been hurtin 2 months afta i got it pierced i changed the earrings ALOT (I WANTED TO TRY NEW THINGS) then like 2 months later i got this big red ball on tha back of my ear but i put some ahlcohole and it crusted up and fell off... but since april 9th it been killing me and i want advice on weather this infection is serious or minor PLEASE SOMEONE HAVE MERCY AND HELP ME!!! lol p.s i got it done with a gun and look wut happened to me so think twice on weather u want it with a gun or needle and to give me the answer PLEASE! email me at xxnybabygrl69xx@aol/msn.com email me on msn or aol i dont care jus please help me

Answer by Vanessa
Submitted on 8/25/2004
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Well, I'm confused. Let's see, I have a friend who had recently pierced her cartilage with a GUN. And she said it didn't really hurt. I dunno, that was her opinion. I have read that experts said that the safe ones are needles and the NEW TYPE OF GUNS. Guns that were made to pierce earlobes are NOT MEANT to be used for a cartilage piercing! It would ruin your ear! Best places, please go to tattoo shops. Do not go to cheap jewelry kiosks, etc. I think some of you think differently because you all have different threshold of pain. Whatever it is, it will still hurt a bit no matter what. Needles are a bit more painful as, well, the guy have to push it in right? Ouch! As for guns, they just "snap" together. So, maybe there's a slight diff. If I'm wrong, please correct me.

Answer by AGK
Submitted on 8/26/2004
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I went and got my cartilage pieced today It look so cool It didnt hurt all that bad I had it done with a gun and it didnt take put a minute and it was over with. If you truely wont to get it done you will dont let the worry of a needle stop you it only last a second and when its done its done and it looks good. Make sure You keep it clean and I would use 24 k gold earring that way it would not be likely to get irriated. I hope Ive help anyone that has any question now go for it. Remember you arent the first to get your pierced if they can stand it you can. The best place to go to get it done is walmart if you take a friend you can split the price of the earrings cause they sell them as a pair all you have to pay for is the earrings the piercing is free i paid 17.00 for me and my aunt and we used 24k earrings. and they give you stuff to clean it with. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Answer by ileana8
Submitted on 8/27/2004
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On my 16th birthday (about a month ago), I was finally allowed to have my cartilage pierced. Great experience for me! I got it done with a needle, in a tattoo parlor, with trained professionals because I was extremely cautious about infections. Warning: If you are going to have this sort of piercing done, don't go to a Claire's, etc. Please go to a location where the people actually have a clue about what they're doing. Oh yeah, I have NO idea why 11-13 year olds are being allowed to have something like this being done. Granted, it's not as serious as a tattoo, but the children (because that's what they are) need to be responsible enough to care and clean the ear everyday or an infection and deformity could occur. Good luck!

Answer by Petit.
Submitted on 9/5/2004
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Hey, I just got my cartilage done about 4 weeks ago in TN. I got it done with a gun. Surprisingly, it hurt ALOT less than my lobes and was only sore if I touched it. I take very good care of it, and it is wonderful. I considered using a needle to do it, but price was the ultimate deciding factor. Gun for $11, needle for $45. I went to the same place that my sister went to for hers, because she loved it. I got a barbell put into it with a crystal on the front. The healing time is rapid. They healed faster than my lobes. However, I do have a question. Just this past week, I have noticed a grey substance (powdery) to the piercing (around the front of the barbell),and it's easily scraped away. I was wondering if either the metal is wearing off in my ear, or if it is dead tissue because I clean it so often (2times a day with piercing cleanser and 1 time a day with a coat of Neosporin). I have never had problems with Surgical Stainless Steel before, but I do have a lot of dead skin behind my 2nd holes ( done about 4 years ago.)Does anyone have this problem, or have any suggestions on what to do? Thanks!

Answer by Eva
Submitted on 9/6/2004
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Okay well this is for everyone pretty much... Well, I was only 13 when I had my cartilage pierced on August 23, 2004 (it was 3 days before my 14th birthday). I got it done at Claire's (they made an age exception) with a gun and it didn't hurt as much as I expected it to AT ALL. I got it done on my left ear. It's a lot less painful than the lobe piercings. It only felt like a pinch to me. Also, the gun WAS sterilized and it was wrapped in an individual wrapper as well, so it was completely safe. It only hurt for about a day after I got it done. After that it would only hurt when I touched it or if I hit it on something. It's hard to tell how much it cost because I also got another lobe piercing on each ear that day, but I'd say it was about $15-30. Healing is about 12 weeks and you can change it after 6 weeks I think it was (don't remember off the top of my head). So, if you really want to get it done, it's completely worth it. BUT make sure you read the after care extremely carefully because it can get infected really easily - mine almost did because I missed a day of cleaning it. There's honestly nothing to be scared of.. I was terrified when the woman did it but afterward I wanted to get another one!

Answer by nottelling
Submitted on 9/7/2004
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In response to Goonka. Hi there. I'm only 14 but I know that your being irrational. I'm not a stupid teenager who doesn't know anything until I grow up blah blah blah. I've had my cartilage and my nose done, and neither one of them gave me much trouble. Perhaps if you hadn't been so strict with letting him get a piercing done in the first place, he wouldn't have been so eager to get it done at the nearest place possible--in the shortest amount of time--armed with no background knowledge of the piercing and/or piercer, and more confused than a lobster who had a magnet waved in front of his head (lobsters use the natural magnetic force of the earth to distinguish their sense of direction) So basically, lighten up, and maybe the story wouldn't have ended in the emergency room. Its the same with alcohol, drugs, etc. Reverse Psychology! But then what do I know, I'm just a kid, right? Peace.

Answer by Taste_of_a_Poison_Paradise
Submitted on 10/6/2004
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Okay, I just got mine pierced. I'm 16 and I went w/ my mom to Claire's. I was a little nervous b/c of the needle, but not scared. The girl who did it had a tongue piercing (which is my next task after my ears heal), so I knew she probably knew her stuff. She took a gun. I knew it was definitely clean b/c she took out a clean one...brand new and never been used. I got both of my ears pierced. That was a week ago. They're sore, but that is to be expected. It cost 45 dollars all together. No, it doesn't hurt and it will be well worth it. Clean it twice a day w/ the antibiotic medicine. Keep turning them. OH...AND MAKE SURE U KEEP YOUR HAIR FROM GETTING WRAPPED AROUND THEM because IT COULD CAUSE THEM TO GET INFECTED!

Answer by Jess
Submitted on 10/7/2004
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I have quite a few piercings; Labret, Eyebrow, Navel (top and bottom) nipple, and an ear cartilage piercing. Out of all of these I found that the ear cartilage was the most painful when it came to healing. The actual piercing isn't all that bad (I had it done with a needle, no piercings other than lobes should be done with a gun as they can cause the cartilage to break and/or nerve damage.) But after I had it done any slight bump to my ear was pretty damn painful. After a few weeks it will stop hurting as much, but I wouldn't suggest touching it until it fully heals as it can cause infection. Use an ear care product for the first two weeks, but after that it's useless. Switch to sea salt (make sure it's sea salt) mixed with some warm water.. don't use too much salt, it isn't a good thing if it burns! Also make sure they pierce it with a ring. Bars can act as a plug for bacteria. Ok all that said, it's an awesome piercing and very cute too. I recommend it to anyone who is considering getting one done.

Answer by sweet_kisses
Submitted on 10/17/2004
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hey! I got my cartilage pierced last night..and they did it with a gun..it did not hurt AT ALL (it was just a little uncomfortable)! i was soo scared it would hurt..but after about a minute i couldnt feel anything..but my ear was really red. it looks soo cool so if you want to get it done DO IT! as long as you clean it three times a day with the proper stuff and turn the ring three times a day then it wont get infected..if you dont you could get califlower ear which is really painful and looks really bad..but if you take care of it you dont have anything to worry about. it only cost me 11 dollars to get it done (including ring and solution). I hope this helps! if you have any questions just email me at Wildmonkey00@aol.com!

Answer by carmidy
Submitted on 11/1/2004
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Can someone help me? I've had my cartilage pierced for about 2 years now... it wont heal! They used a gun on my ear but i never knew they could use a needle... the person that pierced it made the hole crooked so i didnt want to wear the stud they put in it so i switched it to a silver hoop and it felt like it healed for a long time but i'd have to take it out for cheerleading about 3 months after that and it would start hurting again and its been doing it forever... i cant wear studs because it looks weird and i dont know how to make it heal... i try cleaning it once and a while but it seems when i do that it just starts to hurt worse. i REALLY dont want to let it close!!!!! can someone just give me some tips on how to make it heal?

Answer by susie
Submitted on 11/8/2004
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heya everyone i am twelve now and i got my cartilage pierced when i was 11 and i know you are all probably thinking that's a young age but i really wanted to at the time and my cousin is 10 and she got it done when she saw mine. Anyway, i was really scared about it so i took my best friend Sabina with me and as i entered Claire'sshop i started to feel really hot and scared. I sat in the big scary chair as my mum asked the assistant to please pierce my cartilage. I picked out a beautiful blue stud and my mum/the lady filled in all of the details on a sheet. Then they marked it with a black dot and let me look in the mirror. I nodded and the lady put the gun in place. I was really scared so i was holding my best friend and my mums hand and shut my eyes tightly. Then said they would count down and all the waiting around was scary, they counted 3.....2.......1....and then i still had my eyes shut and then the lady said there and i said " WHAT?!" and she said it's done and i was like omg because it didn't hurt!!!!! i was so shocked and i swear to god it didn't hurt ONE BIT!!!!!!!!1 I WAS SOOOOOO HAPPY!!!! since then i got my second holes done in may and my last piercing will be my belly button when I'm 13 or 14-wish me luck:P anyone who wants to talk to me bout 1st lobes,2nd lobes or cartilage then email me or add me to your msn on susielawlor@hotmail.com thanks peeps and i swear all of that is 100% true! xXx

Answer by Goonka
Submitted on 11/10/2004
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response to Erica : I never said that my son was smart.. in fact, the fact that he did it ONCE was proof enough for me that he is not thinking straight. And as far as the business goes, they are 'supposed' to be good, however, I noticed that they are being reported more frequently to the BBB .. so maybe its the way they run their business. My son took care of the sites ( he lives with me.. he didn't have a choice to be lazy about it.. either take care of it OR I would have pulled it out myself ). His infection came on quick in both the eyebrow and the industrial he had done.. his tongue (much to my chagrin) has been pierced YET again,and <knock> on wood, it is doing okay. HOWEVER - he has been quite ill, and doesnt seem to shake things as quickly since he did it. So to those of you that have it done.. great.. wonderful. AGAIN my point is WHY are parents allowing THOSE too young to do it. My say ended when he turned 18 - he sees my 'wisdom' now (and a VERY large MD/hospital bill helped him see my point!) and wishes he had not done them.. but again.. the tongue DID get pierced again.. so I don't know how much he grasped NOT a good idea. I am not knocking anyones 'self expression' .. if your old enough.. and TAKING care of your OWN MD/hospital bills .. fine.. pierce yourself silly. My point - one last time - is that YOUNG children should not be doing it. And parents should not be allowing it.

Answer by Nicole
Submitted on 11/11/2004
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I have 10 total ear piercings... I actually got the last 2 done a few days ago, and they were 2 cartilage piercings to match the two I have on my other ear. I just went to Claire's with my sister because we were in the mall and feeling spontaneous. My first cartilage was done in high school before they were so ultra popular, and I don't remember that one hurting too much. (I also got the second and third lobe pierced at the same time, and the third one, which is on the border of my lobe and cartilage, hurt the most.) I got the second cartilage done a few years later when I turned 18, and again, it wasn't that big of a deal. (I think I did get a little faint when that was done, but after sitting down for a few minutes I felt fine.) The most recent ones hardly hurt at all. I felt a very brief sting, and then my ear got a little warm, and the pain went away. The second cartilage piercing that I did afterwards that was below the first one hurt more. And now, two days later, it doesn't hurt at all. The only time I remember that it's pierced is when I push my hair back behind my ear or when I sleep on that side. Since I got it done at Claire's, it was done with a gun, like all my other ear piercings. Anyway, I have a pretty low tolerance to pain, and I don't think getting ear piercings is such a big deal. I'm sure it's different for each person, but most the people I've talked to have felt the same way. Do go to a reputable place, and if you're under 18, get permission from a parent or guardian and bring them with you. Make sure you take care of it. Don't get it pierced with tiny little piercing studs. I've done that before, and if the stud is too small, it can get into the piercing and aggravate it more. Also, as soon as my ear is healed enough to change the earring, I usually change it to a hoop, because there's no backing that rubs against the still-healing ear. I'm also very lucky that my ears aren't sensitive to any type of metal, so make sure you take precautions if that happens to you. Anyway, I can't really think of any more advice. Good luck if you decide to get it pierced!

Answer by Nikki
Submitted on 11/15/2004
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I got my cartilage pierced like almost a month ago on both ears and they are great. I got them pierced with needles. It's just a pinch. But the second ear it hurts alittle bit more because of the anticipation of the piercing. I clean them every single day, when I wake up in the morning, and before I go to bed,and I have no problems. For those of you who are debating on getting your cartilage pierced, I strongly suggest that you go to a tattoo parlor, because they are professionals and they will pierce it correctly. Also, for the ones that are 15 and younger, I strongly suggest that you wait until, your older to understand, and to know properly how to care and clean your piercings, no matter where the piercing is. I rate the pain out of 1- 10, a 3. Basically it hurts for like 3 seconds. But if you want to get it done, go for it. I waited two years and I am 19. It's very cute though, so go for it!! - For those of you who don't know what side to put it on, I suggest the side that looks the best on you! (The side you take pictures on! lol) -But don't worry like I said there is hardly any pain, it's really minor pain! -I Strongly suggest using a needle, not the gun because with the gun you are more prone to infections, and the needle is more safer and sterile! Thanx!

Answer by lil ash
Submitted on 11/16/2004
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hey in getting mine done in a few days alot of people r trying to get there parents to let them well the easiest time to ask is for ur birthday or christmas trust me my parents hate pierceings but i talked them in to leting me get it done for christmas im jus wondering wuts beter a gun or a needle cause see i always go to claires to get piceings i got 3 ear lobe piercings on each side there but now im sacred to get a cartledge done thereim not scared of nedles ive pierced my nose myself 10 times so i dont really mind either way bt id like ur guyses addvice and possibley some proffesional advice o and will they do cartledge piercings on 12 yera olds if ur parents sign for u plez write me bak i dont have an email adress but u can instant message me with aim at xosk8erchick14xo answer me asap thanx luv ya all for ya great advice peace

Answer by Emi
Submitted on 11/22/2004
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Ok, I got my cartilage pierced w/ a gun and although getting it pierced didnt hurt, it got a little crusty and was sore for a while. I've never had it done w/ the needle, so I'm not sure which is better. Also, any of you on this board who are younger than 13: Claire's doesn't do cartilage piercing for anyone younger than 13 and neither will most tattoo parlors. I was 16 when I got mine done, and I hated my mom for making me wait that long, but in the end, I'm kind of happy she made me wait. Enjoy your childhood--if you are 11 and wanting to get piercings like this; you have no idea how much responsibility it is making sure you clean your cartilage every day. I didn't and now my cartilage piercing still hurts. Grow up before you get piercings like this, I have no idea why you guys are allowed to do that at such a young age!

Answer by Lo
Submitted on 11/26/2004
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Okay well i was doing some research on cartilage peircings on google and happened to stumble onto this website. it helped alot but every response contradicted another. how do you guys no if a needle or gun is better? i mean obviously at claire'sthere going to tell you a gun is-because thats what they use. and at most tattoo parlors there going to tell u a needle is- because thats what THEY use, adn they want ur money to get it done at there store. im thinking of going to claires to get mine done becuase i realy dont feel comfortable letting some old tattooed man in some dark dump put a needle through my ear. im not scared of the piercing itself- but i am of afterwards. i DO NOT want my ear to be deformed and have to go to the hospital and get it cut off!! lol and i want to be able to sleep with out ripping it out of my ear! please help! NEEDLE or GUN?

Answer by pinkie
Submitted on 11/27/2004
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i've had my cartilage pierced since March...i got i pierced with a gun and it didnt hurt...ofcoarse the fallowing days it hurt but nothing that wasn't exspected...it wasnt so bad...i always took care of it and i cleaned it just the way that they told me too...i developed a lil' bump or iritation...i dont know how it got there or how to get rid of it...all my ear rings r sterile and brand new...plz help me...for my birthday i wanna get 4 new piercings(2 for each ear)...the new piercing that im trying to describe is 2 seprate piercings conectted with 1 bellbar...im not sure if my parents will let me get it though...i think that this time i'll try a needle to see how that works for me...my firend tells me that they tissuse doesnt get torn and it is a lot faster to heal...well let me know what u think

Answer by blondiegrlforever
Submitted on 11/30/2004
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Its not really an answer but a question i really wont my cartalige done but my parents won't let me i won't it pierced because ive had one of my ears pierced 3 times and the other 2 what happens is i have it pierced and then it starts to fall not rip fall so it gets so close to the bottom of the lobe that we are scared it will rip so we close it and try again (I have really relly little lopes) now one of my ears finally worked but not the other so i had to close it and i pirced it again and now its starting to fall so my mom said i have to close it and so i was thinking that i would try my cartilage but my mom searched it medically and she saw all the infections that could happen so she and my dad talked and they decided no and know i don't know what to do so if any of you know why thats happening to my ears or have herd of it please let me now i would be more than greetful and also some ways to talk my parents into letting me get it pierced thankyou thankyou thankyou.

Answer by Justin
Submitted on 12/14/2004
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I just got my left earlobe pierced at Claire's, I guess with a gun I just like kept looking at my friend he's the best he was right there the entire time keeping me sane during it. I guess It was a gun, maybe a gun with a needle? Do those exist? I know she pulled out one of those sterile bags and did the deed But I didn't even feel it, then afterwards my left ear went numb, I couldn't hear out of it, I was light-headed, and I look to my friend "Dude get me a drink please ima bout to throw up" and hes running threw the mall runs back with a drink and I drink it I feel perfectly fine... then i took my hoodie off lol. Anyways, It didn't hurt, and hurts now (the day after) because I RECKLESSLY took off my shirt and the back of the stud fell off and I found it but it got e curious... how do you take the back off? I just want to know and lol try too...

Answer by hey
Submitted on 12/18/2004
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hey everyone....i 15 and i just got my upper cartilage pierced on my left ear with a gun this morning at Claire's. I decided to go home and research about it like how to care for it and stuff. Then I found lots of websites with stories (like this website). It seems like everyone is saying that they have gotten infections and their ears are sore. I am afraid that something bad will happen to my ear (like getting deformed or swelling, etc.). Also, lots of people are saying that it is better to get it done at a place trained for piercing ears. I was just wondering if someone could tell me if something will happen to my ear b/c it seems like a lot of people's stories are about bad things that happened :( thanks!!!

Answer by Kurea
Submitted on 12/28/2004
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God, there's a lot of misinformation on here....and we won't even touch upon the stupidity. YES, there is a risk of infection or serious complication with ANY procedure altering the body. needle or gun, you're still forcing a foreign body into your flesh and asking the flesh to heal in a certain way and not reject the entity. Piercings are RELATIVELY safe if done by trained professionals, however even with proper care one may become inflamed or infected, depending on the individual's immune system and other factors. I, myself, have been pierced six times with a gun and have only experienced minor inflammation. The majority of my pain was due to my skin being sensitive to silver, and titanium posts have alleviated this problem. Pain-wise, the experience was incredibly mild and ached only slightly....as I have no experience with a needle I cannot comment, but the gun hasn't caused any aggravation to my cartilage, though it does carry this risk. The most important thing I can stress is BE RESPONSIBLE WITH YOUR PIERCINGS! They carry the potential to cause great amounts of pain if not dealt with properly, so consider this if you feel you won't be responsible with cleaning and upkeep. Sterilize OFTEN! Using Neosporin can increase healing time and also aid in preventing infections, but there is no substitute for PROPER CARE! Parents - consider the risks and maintenance when authorizing your children for piercings and go to a trained professional. I did not and have been lucky to not have any complications, but this was an acknowledged, calculated risk. These piercing procedures are serious work, despite their simple wrap, and children may not be prepared to take care of the site or allow for proper healing time, and consider that their sports and schools may not allow for this sort of jewelry as well. These are all things to account for when taking your children to get pierced and need to be carefully considered by both of you. I am an advocate of body jewelry and enjoy it myself, but I am also a responsible 18 year old and work my butt off to protect my body from any sort of harm these may cause - and I acknowledge that even proper care may not be enough to stave off infection. This isn't something to make light of, and doing so is the reason for so much of the swelling, injury, and cosmetic damage mentioned in the above posts. If I could do it all over again I'd go to a tattoo parlor and have it done by a professional with a needle, but not knowing any better at the time I ad it done at a mall kiosk. Had I known the potential risks I wouldn't have had it done there. Period. Good luck and happy piercings everyone. Despite the doom-and-gloom message above, I love my piercings and support the art as another form of self-expression. Just be smart about it and the whole experience will be easier on everyone involved!

Answer by WolfGirl
Submitted on 1/1/2005
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I got my cartilage pierced in November of 2003 at a tattoo parlor.The lady who pierced my ear used the needle and cork method and put a captive bead ring through it. At 1st it was fine, I cleaned it every morning and evening. After about a month it became really swollen and there was a lot of puss. Later the swelling came down a little bit and the lump hardened. Its still like that, I can't even take my earring out without bending it. When I was at the doctors for a different reason she took a look at my ear and said that its a cauliflower ear and it might not me able to be fixed at all. She also said the lump won't go away on it's own and to take the earring out. It looks really bad without the earring at least when I have it in it just looks infected, so I left the earring in. It seemed pointless to take it out. I'm going to see a plastic surgeon next summer but I don't know how much they will be able to do. I not saying its a bad idea to get you cartilage just be aware of what might happen.

Answer by Nikki_mouse2006
Submitted on 1/5/2005
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hey, i got my catiledge(?) pierced like a year ago with a gun and a little while ago with a needle. Personally i think that the needle hurt a LOT more. and im having more problems with it. It might just be me but i think that a gun is quicker and less painful. so i would advise to use a gun and dont skimp on cheap jewelry, my cousin (who pierced the same time as me) did and hers got infected and now she has a real ugly scar. so spend a little more it will pay off and you can get somthin that you really like, so that your happy with it when its healing, Oh and wait at least 1 month more than they tell you to then you dont have to rush to put the earring back in. have fun and dont forget to clean then A LOT!

Answer by nicole died of ennui
Submitted on 1/19/2005
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i got my cartilidge peirced in november along with my second earlobe holes. the cartalidge hurt only a bit more then the earlobes, but not nearly as bad as i was exepting. it was a bit of pressure, but no more. nothing to flinch over. but i have kind of a high toerance for pain, and my friend said that it hurt her. everyone is different. compared to, say, getting a shot at the docters it hurt less was faster and didnt sting. however i got it done at claires w/ a gun and it didnt stop hurting for about a month. i had SO much more trouble with my first pair of earlobe peircings, which i had done w/ a gun in a hair salon by an adult friend who worked there when i was about ten. the peircing turned out crooked, and where constantly infected and painful for god knows how long. i havnt had ANY trouble with my new earlobe peircings, and my cartilege is doing fine. however i am now 15 and mu MUCH more responsible and able to take care of myself. next time i get my catilege done ( i probably will) i will get it at done with a needle in a place trained to do it. i dont mind paying more for a lot less healing time.

Answer by Kristin
Submitted on 1/25/2005
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I got my left cartilage done about 3 and a half months ago, and it still hurts to this day. I have a small bump where the hole is because the woman put the earing in crooked, and it sticks out on the top. She put it in very close to the lip at the top ouside edge of my ear, so it gets caught under the lip and is almost hidden. I think its infected, and it stings. I cleaned it and everything, but I have very sensitive ears. I got it pierced with a gun. My question is HOW do you know if it is infected, and what CAN you do to save it so that you dont have to take it out forever? Does the amount of pain you experience vary timewise from person to person? WHAT DO I DO!!!!!! HELP!

Answer by Kona
Submitted on 2/18/2005
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i dont hav many piercings (only 5) but i've gotten them done in a variety of ways. once with a gun, once with a needle, and three times ive just done it myself. a lot of my friends have even had me do theirs. so, in answer to some of the questions that have been asked: piercings done by a gun run a higher risk of deformity and infection, as piercing guns in chain stores like claires are made of plastic and cannot be properly sterilized. also, the abrupt insertion of a blunt metal object tears the flesh and can also split the cartilage (takes a year to heal). needles, which are hollow and extremely sharp, are gentler on the flesh and hallelujah! are completely sterile. as for self piercings, as long as youre just doing it on your earlobe, a safety pin -burned first, to kill bacteria- is just dandy. make sure you have a sterile earring to insert right afterwards.

Answer by Brittany
Submitted on 2/23/2005
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hey guys.I JUST got my cartilage pierced today.I was so nervous I cried.I have my cartilage done and 2 holes on my earlobes but i got it done with a gun.Is there really a difference?B/c i dont wanna take it out.i spent 20 mins. in there driving the lady who pierced it crazy.I was SO nervous.It doesnt hurt.The only thing is it burns for about half an hour - an hour.And i think it would hurt to take it out.So does it really damage it?i'dthink if it did it would hurt but mine doesnt.i got it done 3 hours ago and its not even red.Do u think its okay even though it was done with a gun?O i forgot.My ears get REALLY bad infected EVERY TIME i get them pierced.Do u think im okay?

Answer by Brittany
Submitted on 2/23/2005
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hey guys.I JUST got my cartilage pierced today.I was so nervous I cried.I have my cartilage done and 2 holes on my earlobes but i got it done with a gun.Is there really a difference?B/c i dont wanna take it out.i spent 20 mins. in there driving the lady who pierced it crazy.I was SO nervous.It doesnt hurt.The only thing is it burns for about half an hour - an hour.And i think it would hurt to take it out.So does it really damage it?i'dthink if it did it would hurt but mine doesnt.i got it done 3 hours ago and its not even red.Do u think its okay even though it was done with a gun?O i forgot.My ears get REALLY bad infected EVERY TIME i get them pierced.Do u think im okay?

Answer by a
Submitted on 2/26/2005
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I just got my cartilage pierced two days ago; went to a tattoo parlor and got it done with a needle. Everyone had been telling me that it was going to hurt so bad, but honestly it wasn't bad at all. I got a hoop put in and it usually bleeds when I sleep maybe because I lie on it by accident. Other than not being able to sleep so great, its really cute and not that painful, so I would suggest getting it done. In reference to the question of gun/needle, I would say it really doesn't matter. If you go somewhere professional and clean the piercing properly (usually 2-3 times a day in the beginning), it should be okay. Both my cousins got it done with a gun and they are fine,but I would suggest the needle probably because it heals faster. Good luck for anyone who is going to get it done!

Answer by meghan_doran04
Submitted on 3/3/2005
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Hey Im 13 And I Have 5 piercing two on my lobes both sides and one on my left cartilage and my friend did my first two on my lobe and on cartilage but i let the cartilage heal over i recently got it pierced at wal-mart snicker snicker and its a myth the guns don't crack your cartilage it dose make a "cracking" almost "snapping" sound but it never really cracks it but ive also had my ears pierced by a needle and the gun is fast and less painful. this month im going it to get 9 more piercings on from cartilage down to lobes on both sides.. oh and don't be scared if u fallow all the aftercare instructions and pick a good place thats very sterile good to watch them pierce someone else's ear first to see it they were gloves, earings come in sterile packages and that they clean the ear thourghly you'll be fine

Answer by cat
Submitted on 3/7/2005
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Are you people STUPID? Piercing guns are a huge NO!!! Piercing guns are NOT suitable for cartilage! It's called research... do it! There's a wealth of information out there. My advice? Don't ask other 11-year-olds for advice about piercings! A great source: www.bmezine.com will teach you anything you ever need to know about piercing/body modification. After 2 failed cartilage piercings done with a gun, I am living proof of why piercing guns suck. At first, I thought the piercings were. The actual piercing didn't hurt at all, and they didn't swell or anything. Well over 6 months after I got them done, they still weren't healed. They began to get swollen, and the earring backs constricted them even further. This brings me to point #1. Piercing earrings are of an unsuitable length for cartilage piercing. Their posts are far too short to accommodate the swelling that occurs with cartilage piercings, or any other body piercing. Yes, body piercing. In many states, piercings other than lobes are considered body piercings. Anyway, back on topic. Piercing earrings have butterfly backs. Anyone who owns a pair of earrings knows what these look like. These completely cover the back of the piercing and trap bacteria and germs inside!!! So, when inevitable swelling of the piercing occurs, the post is far too short and the earring back will only constrict the swelling, further irritating it! This was the main problem with my piercings. They could never heal because the earring back kept the area irritated. Point #2. Piercing earrings can cause horrible damage to the cartilage. Piercing earrings aren't all that sharp, as they have to be worn for long periods of time. (You don't want anything constantly stabbing you, do you? No. That's why they aren't so sharp.) Piercing guns force this dull earring through the ear cartilage. The force of this can cause great trauma to the ear, which causes SERIOUS problems further down the road. Such damage to the cartilage can result in extreme deformation. Any scars left over from cartilage piercings are far worse than those done by needles for that reason. I have 1 lump of scar tissue on each ear, resulting from the piercings I had to take out. Point #3: Piercing guns are dirty!!! So many people on this little, dinky site seem to think that piercing guns are cleaner than needles. WRONG. These people haven't done their research. Piercing guns are just an infection waiting to happen. If you think that they are clean just because the employee wiped it off with a wipe, think again. The proper method for sterilization is by an autoclave. An autoclave, used in medical facilities, is used to sterilize metal. It is a hollow metal vessel and uses very hot steam in combination with high pressure to clean objects. In piercing and tattoo studios, the needles and every other apparatus that comes in contact with human skin/blood/anything else is sterilized by an autoclave. Piercing guns are made of plastic, and cannot be sterilized that way(plastic obviously can't withstand high heat and presure.. it melts and/or collapses). Antiseptic wipes used to "sterilize" these piercing guns do not eliminate blood-borne pathogens such as HIV and Hepatitis B or C. Say the gun gets stuck during piercing and the employee must manually fix it (this happens frequently, by the way)... he/she will have to touch the gun and your ear to do so. Any germs that were on the gun and her hands are now in your new piercing. Great. Do you see the dangers in piercing guns yet? No? Good, because I have more to tell you. Because of the factors discussed above (the short post and constricting earring back that exacerbates irritation... the high risk for spreading bacteria), piercings done with piercing guns are more likely to become infected than those done with needles. Infections can spread in a period as short as one day. Most kids will be reluctant to do anything about it because "it will probably go away tomorrow". Wrong again. Infections spread quickly throughout the cartilage, destroying the tissue. Once the tissue is destroyed, it is dead and it collapses. The docs will have to amputate the infected, collapsed portion of your ear. If caught early, infections can be treated and healed, but the process is difficult. If you ask me, this is way too much of a hassle just for one little hole. Get it done right. Do your research, THINK about this, and go to a piercing studio once you're old enough. Piercing guns are not sanitary, nor are they safe. I just wrote a social action paper about the dangers of piercing cartilage with piercing guns (I'm in college), so I'm not just being a smarty-pants trying to prove everyone wrong... everything I know has come from research (and a bit from personal experience). The info is out there. Use it.

Answer by Aly
Submitted on 3/7/2005
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I just got my cartilage peirced like three days ago. I got it done with a needle and it really WASN'T that bad. I went to a place called like La Belle Vie and they just took me right back to the back room and I had to sit down in like a hospital chair and he just unwrapped all the stuff, marked it with a pen, and then asked me if it was in the right spot and then put the needle through. Unless you have a REALLY REALLY low pain tolerance, then it might hurt. It doesn't feel good, but it doesn't hurt that bad either. I was really nervous..the only thing now is that its sore right now and you just shouldn't let anyone touch it. Be careful when you're changing your clothes because you could get it snagged on your shirt or something and that hurts.

Answer by Corrie
Submitted on 4/15/2005
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Okay everyone. A few things...cartilage piercings DO NOT hurt, they DO NOT bleed, and they generally don't get infected unless you got pierced by someone who wasn't a professional. Or if you don't take care of them. 95% of all infected piercings get that way because people are too irresponsible to take care of them correctly. With cartilage piercings, you need to clean them at least twice a day WITH CLEAN SUPPLIES AND CLEAN HANDS. Wash your hands before touching your new piercings, always. I know they're fun to play with, but when they're new, don't twist them all around or change the earrings. It doesn't matter what you get pierced with...some people prefer the gun, some prefer a needle. There are no health issues with the gun, regardless of what you may have heard. It's all just a matter of preference. The main thing is to relax. Piercings aren't painful or permanent. I don't care how many soccer moms come on here and tell you that they don't look cool. THEY DO. So make sure you go to a professional, make sure you take excellent care of it when it's new, and avoid playing with it. Happy Piercing!

Answer by michelle
Submitted on 4/19/2005
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Hey... haha... about cartilage/helix piercings.. yeah... apparently you're not supposed to get them done with a piercing gun because, like other people have said, it can shatter your cartilage and leave your ear disfigured, but there's a very slim chance of that happening. It's still better to get it needle pierced somewhere professional though, although more pricey. I've got 2 helix piercings, both done by piercing gun and they're fine thus far. I got them done at a salon though, NOT Claire's or Ardene or some place like that. Those people get like, 10 minutes of training and an instruction booklet. They are NOT trained well and I've heard tons of stories from friends/relatives about really really bad experiences there. If you're going to get your cartilage gun pierced anyway, find a place that people recommend and where the people piercing your ears have experience. Oh, and it's not worth spending 25 bucks at Claire's when you can get it done with a needle professionally for around 30 bucks. keke, anyway... yeah... does it hurt? It really depends on the person. For some reason, the first one I got didn't' hurt at all, but the second helix piercing I got hurt a bit more ... same with my friend who came with me. haha she was like, swearing the second time o_O;;. Oh, and it didn't bleed at all for either of us. Haha, and for the person who asked the question first, if you still need an answer... if you go to any small asian stores where they sell jewelery, they might have these little colored plastic stick-like thingys... because in China, in some schools, you're not allowed having piercings... they're cheap and better than a lot of other options haha. or you could always just stick a band-aid over it.

Answer by Yasmina
Submitted on 5/27/2005
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i got my cartilage done yesterday. i did it very sterile. sterilized the piercing stud, and everything. but i had a friend do it, she's done a bunch of other people's piercings and her own, she knows all about it, researches it all the time( she wants to do it professionally). we didnt have a hollow needle so she shoved a piercing stud through my ear. i didnt really feel it,but afterwards it was kinda like a hot burning pain. i'vebeen cleaning it with sea salt solution, about 3 or 4 times a day. it still kinda hurts but not very much, and its not swollen or anything, after i clean it, it gets a little red and hurts,but thats all. so if u cant get it done legally, i suggest that u do the best you can with a friend or someone u trust, and be sterile. and for those of you who want to know what can go wrong, i knew a girl who got her cartilage pierced, and her ear got infected, but she didnt take it out, and then her ear ended up curling over and getting all wrinkled and stuff. but i dont think it would have gotten that bad, if she had simply taken it out or gone to a doctor after signs of an infection occured.

Answer by Grayce
Submitted on 6/2/2005
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Well, I got my cartlidge pierced yesterday and it is doing great. If any one want any advice here is some but first my ears background: I have 8 lobe piercings, and 3 cartlidge. Ok, the first time i got my cartlidge pierced i got it at a place in the mall you have all probably heard of ( well at least in the US ), "Claire's". I walked in and i was 11 years old, yeah that is pretty young to get a cartlidge but oh well ... when the piercer marked my ear i had no knowledge of a cartlidge piercing except the memories of my mother hating hers. I thought it would hurt like fire but no... it didn't. i kept that pretty stud in for 4 months. after that i let it grow up because 1, it way way too high ( for a stud ), it hurt, and it was infected. Now sorry this is long but i want everybody that is thinking about piercing to read and learn from this. See when i went to Clair's, i walked in, asked them to pierce my cartlidge, said i was 13, my mom signed the waiver. I sat in the chair and click it was over I had my first cartligde piercing. What i didn't realize until i got my last is how important they should have taken it. All I am saying is that I reccomend that you should go to a studio such as a tattoo shop are body piercing ... ect. What I learned from this experience is that you need to know the precautions and all that stuff... to me what i am writing does not make sence but bare with me ... From my own piercing experiences, my conclusion is that if u r gonna get Ur cartlidge pierced, go to a studio , it will turn out better!!!

Answer by marissa
Submitted on 6/19/2005
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I'm 14 and got my cartilage pierced yesterday. I got it done at Piercing Pagoda in the mall. It was with a gun, and barely hurt at all. I also have two piercings in each lobe, and honestly, I think those were more painful than my cartilage. I was nervous to do it, and once it was done, the first thing I said was, "That didn't hurt!". The lady told me afterwords it would be painful, and it felt really hot for the first 5 minutes and after that it didn't hurt at all. It's like a bruise, it's only sore if you touch it. I showered last night and while washing my hair avoided my ear. It was easy to clean, and it doesn't hurt at all today. It was a very good experience for me. I've told my friends and they've all said the same thing, "Did it hurt?". I told them all what the lady who did it told me: It depends on the person. It's like a pinch. Some people really feel it, others don't. I think as long as you go to someone experienced, it won't hurt. For me, it wasn't painful and I'm extremely happy with it.

Answer by Bethany
Submitted on 6/25/2005
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Ya i have my left cartilage pierced and it was with a gun, i got it done 2 years ago and I swear to you i asked the lady if she pierced me yet or was she just testing the gun....well she pierced me and I didn't even know it! Ya but the only thing that was wierd was right when I got up and started walking around the air hitting my ear made my piercing hot feeling but all in all I was fine and it has never gotten infected!! EVER. (knock on wood) The only thing that hurts when you get it is when you try to sleep on that side it hurts really bad but I love it and I am going to get my right crap what do you call it!!! well that thing that's closet to your cheek but not your tissue the cartilage and I am going no matter what and I am going to try the needle! Go me! lol Talk to you all later!

Answer by Jackie
Submitted on 7/6/2005
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Hey people its like 4 30 in da moring and im really bored and like june 11th i got my cartelge pireced by a friend at my house and i finally got it done lol but my mom said no 5 mouths before i got it done ive wanted it for like a year haha i was down staris when my 2 friends did it it was a ear pircing needle and u kinda hear a pop in ur ear it didnt hurt i just closed my eyes and put my hands underneth my legs sittin on the couch haha it hurt when i touched it or moved the earing aroun and my friends told me a couple days later 2 weeks when u got it pirced to twist the earing and im like wtf and they said u have to do that so the skin wont go aroun it and heal and make the hole closed. guess what i never got my mom promissin so i had to wear my hair down for a week and then i randomly put my hair up and my mom saw it a got mad and told my dad and yea. my ear hurts like crap when i move it to the side or sleep on it it sucks and esp when i looked on the net and it said it takes like 4 mouths to let it completly heal im like grr no and my friend said if u take the earing out for 30 mins or so the back of ur ear will close i dunno if thats true tho so yea it will bleed a lil bit after like 2 weeks but if u take care of ur ear better than i did lol u will be fine. im fine rate now so yea

Answer by Graham
Submitted on 7/11/2005
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I had my cartilage pierced at a piercing parlor during senior week (June 18-25, 2005) in Ocean City, MD. It was done at a place called Swirled World by "American Dan." He was very good and very clean...in fact, he spent more time cleaning up than piercing. He used a needle, which, according to them, is much better than using a gun which uses the dull post of an earring to rip thrugh your ear. I won't lie, it wasn't painless but there wasn't any blood, whatsoever. There was a dull, residual pain for about five days afterward and then some pain if i bumped or quickly moved my earring until recently (it's been about 3 weeks since I've had it pierced.) Now the piercing moves freely and there is no more discharge or lymph secretion but I still clean it regularly with H2Ocean (purified salt water.) It's more interesting than having you lobes pierced (or in addition to them) and doesn't disfigure your face (like an eyebrow, labret, nose, or Monroe (piercing) does.) Just make sure your parents consent to it and make sure you find a clean, reputable piercing/tattoo parlor. Talk to people that have gone to the one you have in mind...your research will pay off in the end. And more on pain, expect the worst and it won't be that bad. Good Luck.

Answer by Jade
Submitted on 7/21/2005
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ok just as kind of a 'sum-up' of all this. I work at a tattoo/piercing parlor. and in regards to the "gun vs. needle" debate let me say this. it is a poor poor decision to have it done with a gun. im not so close-minded to say that some people are lucky and it heals up beautifully, but 90% of our customers that come in for cartilage piercings are there for a second piercing. we always ask "what happened with your previous piercing?" and guess what the most common answer is..."i had it done or at claire's or the icing or knab'stake your pick...in other words a piercing gun was used. piercing gun are great for lobe piercing but once you get into helixes and tragus' and industrials, it is very unwise to have those done with piercing guns. they are COMPLETELY different from lobe piercings. a piercing gun is stored energy (a spring) that results in a high velocity impact....basically that a bunch of fancy words to say the impact of the gun is so strong it shatters your cartilage. once again there are a few lucky people (as demonstrated in some of the comments) but if i were you i wouldn't risk it. also piercing guns cannot be autoclaved (sterilization system) because the intense heat melts the inner workings of the gun. where as the hollow point needles used in professional shops are usually brand new and in very rare cases at least autoclaved. overall, needle piercing is just safer and allows for quicker healing. Not to mention more practical. Piercing your cartilage with a gun is like trying to pierce you belly button or your nose with a piercing gun. it can be done, but its highly dangerous and not at all recommended. also, like others have mentioned, try to use a captive ring in either surgical stainless steel or 14kt gold/white gold. it just heals much much faster. and in regards to pain, the actual piercing is virtually painless. afterwards the piercing is, obviously, sore and tender. make sure to follow all after procedures VERY carefully. if you get it done at an parlor they usually offer a cleaning agent of some sort that also relieves pain. good luck with all your piercings!

Answer by .:Ashley:.
Submitted on 7/26/2005
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Hey guys! heres some information i found on having my cartilage (sp I KNOW!) well im 15 and i got myne pieced like 2 yrs ago. i was worried because if they Peirce the wrong place on your ear it will paralyze you, so you may want to think about that. I didnt think it hurt, if u can pinch ur ear, u can peirce it!!! another thing is that what i found out is that another place in ur ear will make you gain weight and u wont be able to work it off u just constantly gain weight! so theres another risk to ur image since most of u want to get it to look cool! I got myne pierced with a gun. it didnt hurt and i know ppl who got theirs with a needle and said it hurt, it might just be them tho. just remember to get it personally done because they know where those spots are and are less likely to hit them!!! so if u want one. just remember these things and then decide!

Answer by Anise_GUrl
Submitted on 8/8/2005
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hey im thinking about getting my cartilage pierced just in case i cant get my belly button pierced!! but the thing is the only place that i can get it pierced is Cats Tatts..its very populare were i live but really i dont think they do a very good job:s becuz when i went to get my first ears pierced there (since my mom won't let me get them pierced with a gun) they got very infected and didnt heal for 8 other months after they said i could change them!!!! and i wasnt the only person that has troubles there. like my friend ashlee got her belly button pierced there and it also got infected and roseanna got her tounge pierced there and it pussed and got swollen wayyyy more than it should have!!! and i no getting pierced with a gun is very bad but also sum of my friends got their cartilages pierced with guns...sum turned out and sum didnt......soooo I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT TO DO!!! and my mom wont let me get it pierced with a gun. but i really really really want sumthing pierced!! so plz help me!!!!!! if u want e-mail me at orlandobloom_hot89@hotmail.com ok thanx!!

Answer by gymnastchic
Submitted on 8/9/2005
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hey guys i need serious help!!!i've wanted to get my ears pierced on the lobe for the second time since i was 9/10 and i am almost 13 now.my parents will not let me do it no matter wut i do. but one things for sure, i m never getting my cartilage pierced after readin all this.and 2 u, goonka, u sound like a responsible parent to me and i respect u for letting ur son experience it and letting him suffer the consequences,although he was the specified age.my parents dont think i am old/responsible enough. i tried to convince them with a good argument, but it didnt work.really, itz not my mom that i really the problem, itz my dad!he wont crack!my friend just got hers pierced the second time, but her mom is really laid back. i need help!!!!!!!

Answer by HyPeZ
Submitted on 8/11/2005
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hi im Roze im 14 and i've bin wanting to get my cartilage pierced 4 tyym now and i've asked a few of my m8s if it hurt etc and 1 of there m8s had it dun and it hurt soo much she had to take it out,another 2 said they got it dun with a gun and it didn't hurt at all i live in the UK and your not sposed to legally get it dun with a gun but sum people do,and apparently it dosent hurt but with a needle it hurts ALOT my mum has rang up places previously and even they say it does hurt alot but i really want it dun so i'm a bit unsure also i heard it means u are gay if you get it done on the left ear :S is this true i don't no what its like in the USA but my mate told me that it was gay to get your left ear cartilige pierced:S this now makes me want to get my right done so whatever but does anyone know if this is true please anser back X

Answer by K
Submitted on 8/19/2005
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I've had my cartlidges pierced for a long time now. When i was 12 i got my left one done. It didn't hurt at all, sure i jumped up a lil bit but it was my first time. Then in February i got my other one done (my right side) and it was a piece of cake.Then in september i got 2 more , so now i got 4 cartlidge piericings and 4 ear lobes. My opinion is cartlidges can be painful if you have sensitive ears. I had sensitive ears but it turned out ok. As long as u care for it, it should be fine. I do have trouble lying down on both sides of my ears, and u will discover uncomfort at first but you'll get used to it. They used a gun on my ear, and i think a gun works better than a needle, but that's just my opinion. I got my piercings done at Claire's and Walmart at the jewelry section.I love my cartlidges piercings and they look cute..so good luck and enjoy ur new piercings!

Answer by Caitlin
Submitted on 8/28/2005
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Hey Guys I'm 12 and I'm pretty sure that im going to get my cartilage done. I'm going to get it done from a needle because I am too young for Claire's and my mom thinks a needle is more safe and what not. =)... I'm getting it done at a tatoo parlor... while we are over there, maybe she'll let me get a tatoo too.. ;) I'm thinking of getting it done on my left side, although i have sort of a rivit at the top of my ear. Sort of like I'm a leprechaun or something except its a lot smaller. And I sleep on my left side too; but thats ok I can change that. Also getting it on my left side shows my Irishness.... =) My mom and my friend say it would stand out more on my left side any way. Still waiting to find out if my school dress code allows it... i hope it does. Quick question. When you get it done is it possible to get a ring from the begining or do you have to get a stud? Hearing everyone's opinion makes me want to get it even more. Thanks guys!

Answer by Mintie
Submitted on 8/30/2005
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I just got my cartilage pierced ... in Claires. I'm scared now. Right now it is 11:05 on Tuesday ... I had it done yesterday around 4:50. There's no redness, swelling, or pain ... at all. They, duh, used a gun. I felt a slight pain when it went through, but really nothing afterwards. When I turned the stud about 10:00 last night, it hurt a little while afterward ... then the pain went away. I couldn't sleep on my left side. (where I got it done) I think I can now ... Should I be scared?? I wasn't so educated in the subject of cartilage piercings until now. The lady sterilized everything ... so it seemed alright ... If it hurts when I turn it, is that normal? Please reply!

Answer by Tim
Submitted on 8/31/2005
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Just a note to anyone thinking about taking advice from Emily: DON'T! Emily, I don't know everything there is to know about piercings, but I am related to a body piercer, and one of the things I have learnt is that it's always safer to get a piercing with a needle, not a gun. GUN'S CAN'T BE STERILIZED PROPERLY!! There may be other advantages and disadvantages to using a needle, but the most important one is that guns cannot be sterilised properly. Have you ever been to a place where they proudly tell you that all piercings are done with a needle? That's because they know that it's the safer way to do it, even if you don't. Needle's are always completly sterilised, therefore, there's less chance of an infection. Guns simply cannot be sterilised properly, so if you want a piercing, dont walk into a place that's gonna use a gun, your better off finding another place.

Answer by PurpleSweetie
Submitted on 9/2/2005
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Ok...I started out with 3 earrings in each ear and wanted to try the cartilage so I did it the old-fashioned way (numbing your ear with ice and using a needle). I was SO excited! A year later I had cartilage piercing done in each ear with the gun..which for the first time might shock you with the noise and a "Pinch" and then it's over and Wohoooooooooooo you're lookin' cool. My daughter (who's 12) wanted to get her cartilage pierced (she already has 2 in each earlobe)so she and I both got our cartilage pierced at Claire's..which did a great job btw. I got 2 cartilage piercing in my left ear and 2 in my right...3 days later I got 2 more in my left ear (it CAN BE very addicting..haha). Count..10 earrings in left ear... 7 in my right ear minus 2 because 16 days later my right ear started pounding in the middle of the night Ouch it woke me up with all the throbbing (which is the ear I sleep on)I waited 1 day thinking maybe I pulled on the holes a little while sleeping on that ear so here I go doctoring it, not wanting to pull them out. One whole day was all it took..the swelling wasn't going down and they were POUNDING, so I took those 2 out. **Ok...Now there is a lesson to be learned here about CARTILAGE PIERCING** They DO and I mean DO take time to heal. I've learned over the years that cartilage piercing can be tender for a long time and changing your cartilage earrings often can irritate them ..all ears are different. IF* you see any redness watch for swelling (they will swell around the earring and it hurts touching it) take them out and don't take any chances. If you have to remove the new piercing, clean the holes with a Triple Antibiotic Ointment daily and let them heal. After you take the earrings out there can be a knot behind your ear..the sooner you take them out (the minute it swells around the earring along with redness and pain)the faster the hole closes and the knot will go away and you CAN NOT see that your ears were ever even pierced. That's my experience and Hey! you can always get it done again..just don't take any chances when it don't look right. My daughter's cartilage piercing has been done twice and each time the ear rejected it, so we'll leave that alone for now and maybe she might want to try it again when she gets a little older. There is hardly any blood flow the higher up the ear that you go..that's why it takes longer to heal. First of all, don't touch your cartilage piercing unless you have washed your hands. 2nd..follow directions of cleaning front and back 3 times a day with the antiseptic given to you and glide the studs back and forth so that the antiseptic can go inside the piercing, then twist your earrings 2-3 times a day and DO NOT take the earrings out for up to 6 months. I hope that this was helpful. There's no need to be scared about it, it's only a "pinch" then it's done. Remember, if your ear swells up around the stud and is red and painful to the touch..remove it before it gets worse! Try one at a time at first..you have years to pierce! :)~

Answer by Sofa
Submitted on 9/2/2005
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OK, im 11 and i just got my cartilage pierced. Twice. Like 30 mins ago. I had mine done with a needle. for anyone who is getting theirs done go to a PROFESSIONAL place. its really clean and alot better for you and your ears. it does not hurt too much. you hear a bit of a crack and then pain for about 5 seconds. then you just feel blood rushing to your ear. and thats about it. i just want to say whatever you do dont do it with a gun. you can shatter your cartilage and it will be all floppy like the lobe. i have had friends who did that and it happend. its really gross. and make sure you LISTEN(!!!!!!) its the most important thing in the world! if you dont its your fault if it gets infected. when you leave the peircing place its perfect. but if you do it wrong its YOUR FAULT not theirs. hope it helped. and dont feel nervous. cause as soon as you get it done youll fell stupid for being scared.

Answer by gnomemafia
Submitted on 9/7/2005
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When I had my cartilage pierced for the first time, I had it done at Claire's with a gun. After the first three days, a puss bubble formed on the back of my ear. I had cleaned my ear three times a day every day for two months, and the bubble turned into a cyst. It got to the point where when I decided it was time to take my earring out, it was stuck in the cyst. I had to rip it out, causing severe scarring. Just last month, which was a year later, I went to a tattoo parlor in hopes for a more professional piercing. They said that my previous piercing was right on a nerve, which led me to believe that Claire's had no idea what they were doing. The tattoo place used a needle on my cartilage; It didn't hurt a bit and I haven't had any problems with it yet. But I suppose everyone's experience is different, you just have to use your best judgment.

Answer by ashley
Submitted on 9/20/2005
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i don't care what anybody says i have 8 piercings total and they all hurt. no matter what it is. my gun piercings felt like someone smashed my ear with a hammer. the needle hurts because they take a longer time piercing the holes. in my opinion i would think about do you really want a piercing first. or are you just doing it to impress your friends.some of you might think how can i talk when i have so many but i'm20 years old and got most of them after i turn 18 and could pay for it buy myself. i did experience a terrible ear infection though my right ear had swollen up to about the size of a quarter and it bleed all the time for about 3 weeks when you lay down or even when the wind hits it it feels like someone is trying to ripe your ear off. HONESTLY THINK IT THROUGH BEFORE YOU DO IT

Answer by Anne
Submitted on 9/26/2005
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I've heard some bad things about any piercings done at Claire's. My friend's first piercings were on her lobes. The woman who pierced them for her was inexperienced and had never used the gun before. She ended up nearly missing the ear. My friend had to go and get them repierced a few weeks ago because her earrings were getting screwed up. I'd like to get a cartilage piercing- don't have my lobes pierced, but I want the cartilage done. I'm hearing more bad than good things about the guns. I'd like a bit more clarity in any answers because it seems like everyone would rather argue about which is better (opinions mind you!) instead of weighing options. If someone could give me an unbiased preference though....

Answer by Natasha
Submitted on 9/29/2005
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Hey...Me and my friend decided today we wanted to get our cartilage done...not even thinking, haha jst spur of the moment...we got permission...surprisingly....went to a hair salon, and they wouldn't do it, haha i was so mad...but kinda happy now...i've had a chance to read about some risks, and wat to get it done with...I'm getting it done with a needle...i've heard alot of stories from people about getting it done with a gun...not pretty, and when i got my bellybutton done the piercer ( real kewl guy) said worst thing to do....never to get nething done with a gun...but if the gun is so bad..then why is it even legal to use em?...meh..i'm getting it done with a needle no matter wat, and i don't care about the pain..and as for kids between 11-15 getting it done..if you got permission go ahead...they're kewl, and if you feel you want it done go ahead i love piercings..their just for me...I have 2 in each ear lobe soon to be third, nose, and bellybutton, and in a few days cartlidge...and i love em all...none of them hurt at all and i love em..i just got my belly button over the summer...got my nose done last winter...and got my ears done like 3 ears ago...and i'm15...but yea..if yea want it done go for it...i'm not really concerned about the pain but i know i will be a bit nervous when the day comes..but i'lllive...it'lll be over in a matter of seconds...thats how i look at it...just keep it clean, and you'll be fine! well good luck! and enjoy your piercing! haha ttyl...if yea have ne questions about ne of my other piercings jst e-mail i'llbe happy to help yea all out >> baby_fine_009@hotmail.com << ttyl!<3

Answer by Michelle
Submitted on 10/10/2005
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OMG!I have had my cartlidge donr for about 2 months, and its infected.In the inside of my ear it has a bump that i think might have puss in it and at the back right beside that back piercing of my hole it has another bump and its sorta bumpy and flat at the same time..but the bump in the front is a big bump..im trying to take it out its 11:46 pm and it hurts like hell what should i do cuz the person at Mayan Tan did it wrong..i got it done with a needle but she did it to close to the full side of my ear...most ppl get it all the way around so i like it and i dont like it, it hurts alot but i dont no if i take it out if i will get it done again, and i dont no how to get it out! thats the biggest problem, its a hoop with a little ball seperating the 2 ends of the hoop and im trying to un clamp it and bend it to get it out...its not working..please help! my e-mail is cuti_pie202@hotmail.com ...i usually dont go here so just send me some advise on my e-mail thanks

Answer by AngelS.
Submitted on 10/22/2005
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okay i have three piercings.. my earlobes n three on my cartilage. two on my upper cartilage and one inbetween the flesh n cartilage. Not to scare ne one. But this morning.. i went to feel for the third earring.. and i couldn't feel it.. i looked in the mirror.. and the swelling.. ate up my earring.. so now my piercing is still there.. but they're just skin on top of it.. i can't even take it out.. becuz the skins ontop of my earring.. u can only see the bakc of the earring.. my other two cartilage peircings are fine. im scared about my third one.. i don't kno what to do.. im really scared.. do they like.. need to cut my ear or something.. HELLLLLPPPPP im like...crying over here... :'(

Answer by Liz
Submitted on 10/22/2005
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I am trying to talk my parents into getting my cartilage pierced. My father says it's plain ugly to have one but my mother is a nurse and she says that I have the right to express myself so she's letting me do it. Not that I wasn't going to do it even if she did say no since I only have my ears pierced once where everyone has them done (lobe). I'm getting it done at a crappy store (Claire's) with a gun, which they did with my first piercing. A lot of people have been saying that people eleven to twelve shouldn't get it done but why? It's a right to be able to express ourselves. And it's not like we are going around getting our eyebrows, lips, nose, and other body parts pierced. I, myself, am twelve and a lot of people have theirs done at my school. I'm not afraid to get it done and such since I got over my fear of needles awhile ago. My school allows ear piercings too so I won't have to worry much about having to get a retainer but I will mostly get one for future piercings since, when I'm 16, I plan on getting my tongue done and such. Anyway, I know I'm getting it either this week or next week and am getting a 14k gold loop earing (I'm allergic to cheap metals) to have in it. It's also going on my left cartilage since I tend to have my ear showing on that side and I sleep on my right ear. My ears always tend to get infected no matter what I do. When I got my lobes pierced, I cleaned them everyday, twisted them around atleast two times a day to keep the holes open, put ear solution in them daily, and other than that, never touched them for a month and a half. My left ear healed perfectly but my right one got infected and then, it closed back up and my mother, stupidly, just took an unsterile needle and it got another infection that night. My mother told me to keep it in and not to touch it, turn it, and whatnot, Well, one day, she told me to take it out and see if it was okay, and it had grown into my ear. My mother took the back of my earing and went 1,2,3 and ripped out my earing, causing the back of my lobe's skin to rip off. I had to wait for that to come back and got my earring back through, myself, since the hole was still open. It's doesn't hurt now but there is this big bump that is scarred tissue. I've still been caring for it a lot but it doesn't seem to go away. Any tips to help that go away faster? I currently have my favorite earrings in there that droop that make the earring holes a little wider but will that make healing go slower? Should I switch to regular studs until the scarred tissue goes away? Also, about the cartilage. Any kind of solutions/ cleaning stuff I should look into buying to help it heal cleaner and faster? Also, any types of earrings to get in it at I can still wear in gym,etc since I can't take it out for 4 months to 1 year according to a piercing chart I saw? I was talking to a professional at Claire's today, who have those done, and they suggested I went with 14k gold or titanium for the healing process and then wear whatever I want in them afterwards.. I trust the professional since she did my lobes and it didn't really hurt but I want to make sure that I don't get an infection next time since my infection with my lobe has been horrible but I don't want my hole to close up..

Answer by sarah
Submitted on 10/29/2005
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hi i have my ear cartilage pierced,, at first i was scared, excited and i wonder too much..it went fine da first 2 dayz but since my hair waz too long and mah hair hits it it srtta hurtz so i got an infection.. it was sooooooooo soooo painfuLL.. i regret havin it.. if u take care of it meaning cleaning it carefully it'll go away within 1-2 weekz but thank god mine only stayed 4 dayz.. i have mine on mah right side since many pplz say boyz alwayz have deirz on left.. lolol.. haha.. and now its ok.. it looks so cute and many pplz are jelouse... my advice iz wen ur goin to get it have an adult or parents wit u cuz wen ur alone they'll do it in any way dat might be dangerouse.. but wen ur with ur parent they show proffesion!>. also think carefully havin in for some pplz is painfull but at de end yu'llenjoy it..

Answer by Becki
Submitted on 11/1/2005
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I got my upper cartilage pierced with a gun. They cleansed and numbed it well before hand. The actual piercing itself didn't hurt at all, just stung for a second as it went through. Afterwards it hurt whn I caught it brushing nmy hair etc, but the pain passed in seconds. I cleansed it with salt water several times a day. My only error was sleeping on it every night when I was told not to for a couple of weeks! My ear started to swell eventually and would be leaking gunk when I first got up. I stopped sleeping on it, took some Ibuprofen and cleansed it with Tea Tree & Chamomile essential oil blends, as well as the salt water. It was back to normal in a matter of days and it's been fine for nearly 2 years since then. I'll be going back for another one directly below it shortly, just need to wait for my Tragus to heal! I hope that helped some of you!

Answer by kaylynn
Submitted on 11/6/2005
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hi!!!.. i am 11 but i am about to turn 12 (nov.18)...iam going to get my ear peirced through the cartilage later on today!!.. i have been waiting forever to get it done!!.. i have a school dance on my birthday and i am going to have my hair down.. will i be able to?.. i really wanna show off my new ear peircing to all my friends and also to prove my bf wrong.. he thinks i will star crying..lol.. i need to know if i should get it done with a needle or a gun.. which one hurts less..hehe.. and which one will cause me to have any infections.... when i was a baby i got mine done then i let them close then i had them done again.. i screamed..hahaha.. everyone came looking.. i got mine done at claires.. but this time i'm getting mine done at afterthoughts.. the cleanest place around... i don't wanna get any infections... i wanna get my nose pierced but i'm only 12..hehe... i dont wanna get hooked on them but in getting there..whats the age limit for yer nose.. and do you clean yer ear with the stuff you have around the house or the stuff they give you..thanks!!..please w/b!!

Answer by just wonderin
Submitted on 11/7/2005
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I'm 15 and my 16th birthday is this Sunday, so i was considering getting my cartilage pierced. when i was researching it, i found horrible pictures of infected ears and that TOTALLY creeped me out. I'm not the type of person who can stand pain very well, but i really want to get my cartilage pierced!! i have a few question s that have probably been asked before, but ill just ask again anyways. 1. i part my hair on my left side, so would it be better to get it pierced on the left then? 2. if you were to ask me, id say getting my lobes pierced even hurt a bit. is the cartilage worse than lobes?? 3. was the pain afterwords all worth it? how long did it sting after you got it done? hours? days? months? sensitive to the touch? how long? 4. i will probably just go to Claire's and I'm assuming they do guns (right?). are guns better than needles?? thanks for your time!

Answer by Brett
Submitted on 11/10/2005
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Right, had my cartilage pierced 2 days ago. Yes it will hurt you; but only while u are having the needle through your ear. I live in the UK and it has been illegal here and in the whole of Europe for years to pierce cartilage with a gun. Gun piercings should be for lobes only. Cartilage will shatter if the force of a gun shoves an earring through. This leads later on in life to your ear possibly folding on itself. GET it done with a needle; at a clean and certified place. Apply ice to the piercing everyday for the first week. For at least 4 weeks apply Salt water followed by tea tree oil and then salt water again. Do not remove the piercing before 6 weeks minimum and note that it may take upto 6 months to heal fully.

Answer by JJ
Submitted on 11/13/2005
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Piercings are really something to think about a bit more than some of you seem to. 12 and 13 year olds, you might want to look ahead to high school. I know that some private high schools do not allow students to have piercings other than the ear lobes. Other things to consider would be future jobs. Some businesses refuse to hire people with "odd" piercings (yes, this often includes cartilage). Especially when working with food, this may be a factor. When you are 12 and 13 it may be too much for you to take care of, because piercings do need a certain amount of care. That being said, if you want a piercing, go for it! My advice would be to set a timetable. Wait for a little bit (a month or more) to make sure it is something you really want. Then, do some research, the fact that you are reading this is a good sign. Go to several different piercing places and ask questions. Get specific answers!! You really don't want some skeezy guy putting a needle through you skin! So, enjoy your piercing, I know that i do!

Answer by IAmBleedingJustForYou
Submitted on 11/15/2005
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Wow, some of the responses on here made me wonder how stupid some people could be. First of all, use spell-check, my eyes hurt so much from trying to read what half of you were trying to say. Secondly, yes a needle is better than a gun. Needles are sterilized and packaged until use, guns are used over and over again. Yes, they clean them, but some of the plastic parts, however, cannot be properly cleaned because they are hard to get to, therefore they can transfer bacteria into the new hole. Also, using guns causes trauma to the ear which could shatter the cartilage and cause too many problems. I had my cartilage pierced with a gun a few years ago. I took care of it how they told me, I cleaned it twice and day and made sure not to mess with it until it was time to change the ring. Now, a few years later, I have a knot on the back of my ear and it will start hurting at completely random times. If I could redo it I will do more research on it like I did with my tongue piercing and get it done with a needle instead of the gun.

Answer by Hayley
Submitted on 11/16/2005
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Hey I'vehad my ears pierced 11 times now. Although i was advised not to have it with the gun i got 9 out of 11 of them done with a gun i have 4 piercings in my cartilage of my right ear and 2 in the cartilage of my left 2 om the piercings in my right were done with needle these were the only ones of all my ear piercings that got infected however the infection went down after a week so it wasn't bad at all. I thought that the gun piercing hurt less than the needle and this is why i choose the gun most of the time. I got all my gun piercings at a little place called visage. They charge �4.50 per piercing and show you each time how to clean in properly etc... my other 5 piercings are in my lobes, 3 on the left 2 on the right. Hope this helps people.

Answer by crazed rocker
Submitted on 11/18/2005
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I just got my cartilage pierced an hour ago. I had read a lot of things on line about it, including it getting infected and your ear turning purple. I walked into the piercing place down town and got kind of nervous. The guy that pierced my ear I knew pretty well, and he assured me that it didn't hurt very much, it was just a pinch. I lay down on the heated massage bed and he put this orange stuff on my ear. Then he played with it for a bit. He told me to get ready, and shoved the needle through my cartilage. I thought he was just doing some other preparation, put when I heard my friend say cool, I asked if that was it. He said yes, and I relaxed. It didn't hurt very much, only a little more than my ear lobes. It feels like a pinch. I am so glad I did it! It looks great, and doesn't hurt any more. My only caution is to make sure to watch out for it when you are brushing your hair. It feels like they are shoving the needle through your ear again! And for those who are afraid of needles, I was laying down and didn't see the needle at all. By the time I could sit up, he had gotten rid of all the things. So I say, if you are thinking about getting it done but are a little afraid of needles or scared of the pain, go for it! The after result is great!

Answer by inmyownworld8262
Submitted on 11/18/2005
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Okay, just to clear up some things about cartilage piercing....I do this at work, so I can tell you from experience, it is very sterile. If you hear rumors about the gun not being clean, well, there is no need to clean the gun, the gun never touches your ear. There is a plastic part you put in the gun,(which is sterilized) and that is what touches your ear. I don't know honestly which way is better, gun or needle. Once you get it pierced with a gun, you have to leave the earring in for 12 weeks, cleaning it three times a day and turning it three times a day to make sure it doesn't adhere to your ear. After the twelve weeks are up, you can change the earring but you must immediately put one in to ensure the hole doesn't close up. In the first six months, you can't go longer than 24 hours without an earring in or the hole will close up and you will have to get it done again. And it doesn't hurt, the worst part is the click of the gun. It's all a mind thing.

Answer by edward
Submitted on 11/25/2005
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oh yeah, it was done by a needle, the guns have a real high rate of infection, i think likes like 70% or something.. pretty high if you ask me.. so stick with the needle. oh and you dont need the sea salt, its a waste of your money.. just stick to a qtip and some hydrogen peroxide, wipe around the peircing, then follow with some neosporin on a qtip. repeat twice a day. and dont listen to people when they say dont touch it, you cant as long as you know your hands are clean, and make sure you do turn it ever so often, like once a day. helps from keloids (its gross, trust me, my exgf got it when she got her industrial..) i put in my aim sn, dont be timid to im me..

Answer by Fiona M
Submitted on 11/27/2005
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Hey there my names Fiona and Im 13 years old. When I was 10 I finnally got my earlobe pierced after argueing with my mom about it for a bout 3 years :). And now im thinking about getting my cartilage pierced but I still need to convince my mom to let me get it done. Currently I wear a fake regular mettal earing in my cartilage, but my mom doesn't like me wearing it because she said that it can get infected even thought its not pierced. Is that possible? Just so you know I dont want some 11 year old answering my question with "its lyk imposibl 2 get ur cartilige infectd if it aint peerced i meen lyk how culd it" I want a SMART answer :) Im sorry if I have offended anyone, But im asking a serious question and would like a serious answer. Thanks if you would like you can send replies to o0omagicgurlo0o (thats my aim sn) Thanks again - fiona

Answer by Caroline
Submitted on 11/27/2005
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I plan on getting my cartlige percied on Christmas, and i know it isnt going to hurt, but i am still having some doubts, like how much it will hurt because most of the girls telling their stories on here about them being 7 and getting it done...WOW i had to beg on my knees untill my parents gave in.. But i guess it is because your parents trust that you would take care of it and i am sure it looks awesome... but if you 7 8 9 year olds think it doesnt hurt then i believe you. because most 9 year olds would be scared and tell everyone it hurt... i dont know if you are tellings us that it doesnt hurt because you dont wanna sound like a baby or what i dont know but i will take your word and believe it...i hope i dont cry....lol

Answer by NIkki
Submitted on 12/2/2005
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Hey there is a risk of infection with a gun or needle. They say that the needle can't cause deformities but you're putting a hole through your head. Even a needle can cause deformities. Cartilage feels like a pinch nd then it gets really warm. You have to take care of it really good because its hard to keep that area clean posing a threat to infection. You can't get your ears or any other body part pierced without parent permission or unless you are 18 or older. I got my cartilage done last year for my birthday at Clair's BY GUN and it was just a pinch and warm. It didn't get infected at all. It closed on me over the summer and i just got it redone. As long as the person knows what they're doing you should be fine. before you get anything pierced: 1. make sure the place is known for piercing 2. Make sure you have plenty of time to clean and care for the pierced area. 3. Any piercing has a risk of infection and deformity so think about what you really want 4. If you go to a place known piercing and you see dirt on the counter near the earing's, needles, or guns, go to a different place 5. Enjoy the piercing and take care of it and everything will be fine Enjoy Hope this helped any questions? feel free to e-mail me anytime at lildevilnikki233@yahoo.com i check it everyday and will respond with advice or personal experience. Goonka-it could be your sons fault for his piercing. Just because most people on here are under 18 doesn't mean we don't have responsible parents. My mom just keeps on eye on me and gives me freedom. Maybe your to protective of your son but i don't get into trouble I'ma good girl. No drugs, sex, anything, and my mom gives me freedom. Maybe you should have backed off your son and he would stay out of trouble.. Once you have freedom there's no reason to sneak around to get things done. If anyone really wants something done they'll do it.

Answer by Tinkerbell
Submitted on 12/30/2005
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Hey the whole thing about being older then 13 i think is crap. if you are responsible you will take good care of it and if you have a responsible adult i think it would be fine. I am 12 going on 13 and i was thinking about getting my cartlage pierced but i am sooo freaked out from all the horror stories i have heard about them. Please i need some answers and is a gun or a needle better ? i twas also thinking about getting it done at icing or claires is that the rite choice??? Oh yeah and before i forget to whoever that GONNKA personis ur son probly is an idiot who didnt take care of it soo it got infected. Oh yeah and it was reallly smart of him to get one done at that place and have it get infected then get another piercing at the same place what an idiot. Som please help me with my questions i need some answers people!!!!!

Answer by Maria
Submitted on 12/30/2005
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Probably an old post that is being ressurrected from the dead.... but~ I just got my cartilage pierced yesterday at Claires, and they did it with a gun. They sterilize it and everything. So long as you keep it nice and clean and take good care of it, it won't get infected. And NO, it did not hurt. And guess what? I'm 21 who just got this done. I've wanted it for many years, but been put off. Just wait until you young kids are a bit older. An 11 year old DOESN"T need a cartilage piercing, does he/she? Anyways, it didn't hurt a bit and its a small silver stud. No one has noticed or said anything at work either (I work part time in an office building). I do plan on getting another cartilage or two perhaps in the near future. Once this one heals up. Going to get 2 lobes each next week hopefully!

Answer by Taylor
Submitted on 1/7/2006
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Hey guys, I've read alot of stories on here. They all seem to have their own points and what not. I'm going tomorrow to get my cartalige pierced, I'm excited and nervous but it happens. And I guess as long as i take care of it try to keep my hair out of the way, don't be an idiot with it and what not it'll be perfectly fine right? Well also as long as the person who does it for me knows what they're doing. I'm going to a place called Artistic Impressions, its in Welland and St.Catherines of Ontario. This place is also a Tattoo place so it should be professionally done. Thanks for all the advice even though I've never left anything on here before and just tonight at 2 in the morning read all of this to see what kind of things I'm getting my self into. And in case you were wondering I'm 16. so hahaha. yeah.. and a guy. sometimes its hard to tell if some of you guys are boys or girls but it happens. Cheers Taylor

Answer by Pete
Submitted on 1/13/2006
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Getting pierced with a gun is always a bad idea, even if the piercing turns out well. Professional piercers ALWAYS use medical-grade hollow, angled needles like the ones used to take blood samples and start IVs. If your piercer does not LEAVE!. Guns usually pierce using the stud of the jewelery as the needle, it's usually a solid, blunt piece of metal that punches the skin or cartilage away rather then removing it (as a hollow needle does). Piercing guns are also very difficult to properly sterilize, they can not be autoclaved easily unlike needles. Many piercings done, especially on cartilage, with a piercing gun will develop lumps which do not go away, even when jewelery is removed, this is usually caused by the damage the gun does to the skin and surrounding tissue. This is very rare (as well as temporary) when the piercing is done with a needle. Regardless of whether or not it hurts less or more, guns are physically more destructive to the skin because of the way they operate. ALWAYS get pierced with the type of needles I mentioned above.

Answer by torie
Submitted on 1/17/2006
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well i've had a pretty bad experience with cartilage piercings, it didnt happen to me but happened to my sister. We got ours pierced with a guy at clarie's Mine was fine but about a week after the piercing my sister's was still all read and she said it hurt bad. It eventually swelled up and she had to take it out. Even after all this it was still swollen and hurt, so she finally went to the doctor's, she had some kind of infection and had to get a piece of her ear removed, b/c of this piercing. I don't know weather it was the way it was pierced by a gun or if it was just how she reacted. but either way it was a horrible event. so just think before u go and do anything, and of all the risks, we never thought about this!

Answer by Anise
Submitted on 1/22/2006
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hey guys! its my 14th birthday today and i was supposed to get my cartilage peirced but i couldnt go because my car is broken and we cant drive anywere..so now i have to get it peirced next weekend, so while im waiting i can use this time to ask a few questions, first of all does it get infected easily? and wut shuld i do if it does get infected? do i have to take it out if it gets infected? is there anyway u can get parilized if it gets peirced wrong? does it bleed? if it does how much? i hope u guys can help me answer my qusetions...at least one of my friends is going to come with me and shes gunna get hers peirced too! hopefully at the same time! well wish me luck!!! XoXoXo -Anise

Answer by _Never_Dramatic__
Submitted on 1/25/2006
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Hey well I think that she should be able to wear them at school mean I'm allowed to wear them at school....The only time I would have to take them out is when I am playing basketball or a sport that my earings could get ripped out in but even then we have to option to just tape them up....I think you should just leave them in like what are they going to do kick you out of school!!!!Serouisly Then you would be able to start this BIG issue with the school district!! I'm taking it you go to a private school though becuase in ALL public schools you are able to even in the private school I went ....I had my nose periced and they didn't say anything about it! I think you should stand up for what you want so I think you should take a stand and wear it with out any care ....but thats just my opinion!!!!

Answer by ilizzle
Submitted on 1/25/2006
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to Goonka no offense but your son didn't do his research.. he probubly went to some cheap place and by the sounds of it and infection is probably the least of his problems, I hope he got checked for hepotitis and what not. Any peircing place that tells you to 'deal with it' because the jewlery is in is NOT a good place. Healing would not have taken long, and he could go back and redue it in a matter of months. Never just deal with it because the longer it is in, the less chance it returning to normal will be, and then you won't even be able to get a new nice peircing, because you'll be so messed up from that terrible one you just 'delt with' PS.. piercings are cool, I don't care what you think, they have a long history and people get them for many reasons besides being cool w00t

Answer by X elise X
Submitted on 1/31/2006
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hiya, i've read tons of your questions and answers on this and some have helped but some have just made me even more scared. to night i just wanted to see what it would feel like. so i got a pin and i just did a little prick because i didn't want it to end up going in. it hurt a little and it made me jump. but when i did it it didn't just prick my ear it went in a bit of my ear. and it started to bleed. now im a little scared because if that little prick made it bleed i wonder what the piecing will do. and im also scared about having it done with a needle. every one says its safer and i agree but when i did it with a needle it was slow and it didn't even go all the way in,and guns sound like they are quicker and less painful. so i really would like an answer and quickly cause i might be getting mine done on the 12th of feb and im scared now . thnx x x x

Answer by Jess
Submitted on 2/12/2006
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I'm 12 years old and i've had both of my cartlidge's peirced for about three years now. it's truly not anything to be afraid of... i got both of them periced with a gun and at first it pinched a little bit and then got warm but in about one minute i couldn't feel a thing... i took my friend a month ago for her birthday to get her ears peirced and trust me she was SCARED!!.. she held my hand and they peirced her cartlidge and she didn't even know they did it... to tell you the truth when i first got it i didn't really clean it and it didn't make that much of a difference.[[but if you get your's you probally should clean it]] but if you want to get your cartlidge peirced don't back down or be worried it's worth it.. you'll love it!

Answer by Steph!!
Submitted on 2/16/2006
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I dont know why everyone is like oh dont get your cartilage done with a gun they don't staralize it enough and everything. I got my cartilage pierced about a month ago and i went to and actual piercing place. If your wondering about if it hurts or not .. you may be different then me but it didn't hurt me at all. Yeah it will be red for the first couple days after you get it done and everything but i got two cartilage on my right ear and it looks adorable. So who cares if it takes longer to heal its only what a year and a half that's not that long!! I don't know what the pain is with a needle though so if u want to get it done with a needle and are afraid like i was ask someone how much it hurts. Or you can just be like me and go with the gun because needles freak me out. Also have someone who has been doing the piercings for a while so it will be done correctly. I had the manager do mine and no problems.

Answer by sam
Submitted on 2/28/2006
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Hey i got my catilage pierced there a while ago and i got it with agun and it didn't hurt at all i didn't even feel it but for the next while it hurt so bad when i was in bed cause i was laying on it but then it got better but just recently (i'm not sure exactly what happened) but i think the piercing went into the hole and and it's now covered over with skin almost completly (i just saw it yesterday) and the earrings still in underneath and i have to go to the docters in two days and i don't no what will happen but if i have to let it close in I'll probaly get it again if my mom let's me cause as soon as i told her she said that's why i didn't want you to get it because things like this happen. But I'll be sure to tell you what happens on thursday!!

Answer by Becks
Submitted on 3/6/2006
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I have both good and bad piercing stories. I�m 20 and I got my cartilage pierced when I was 15 and it didn�t hurt AT ALL. The only problem I had was that I couldn�t sleep on that side for maybe a month while it healed but no biggy. I got my belly button done when I was either 16 or 17 can�t remember and that didn�t hurt either. This past summer I decided to get my traigus pierced (the little triangle nubbin like on the side of your face in your ear) and I had it done at the same place as the others (a tattoo parlor VERY CLEAN) but three weeks after getting it done it became infected and I was in the hospital for a two weeks on IV meds, and they of course had to take it out. I am not trying to discourage anyone from getting anything done, but just be careful! Make sure the place is CLEAN and make sure you take care of the piercing afterwards. Even if you do all of this, it could still get infected like mine did. At ANY sign of infection, redness, increased tenderness ANYTHING tell your parents and see a doctor! I went from it just being a little red and tender around the piercing before I went to bed to not being able to open up my mouth all the way in the morning because the infection had spread so fast. I ended up having something called cellulitis and then infected cells were calcifying, or hardening. With any piercing you should be VERY careful but especially with piercings on your ears and mostly your face. They can be very dangerous like in my case, they were worried because the infection was spreading around the back of my neck and they were afraid that it would get to my brain stem! Scary I know, but that doesn�t mean it will happen to you. JUST BE CAREFUL!

Answer by rob
Submitted on 3/13/2006
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i got mine done 4 days ago, it didnt hurt really just felt a mild burning for 1-2 hrs..only hurts when you clean it, but clean it 2-3 times a day just to be safe...i got punched in my ear the other night and it bled ALOT but its alright now, just tender and a lil swollen...take some advil and use alcohol on a q tip on the front and back and make sure u can turn it both ways and move it in and out a lil bit, alcohol stings a lil bit but its honestly worth the 20 seconds of burning to make sure theres no infectious bacteria and stuff..so if you wanna get it done, go for it...i like mine...and also, if it bleeds at all, make sure you clean out the dried blood in the hole because that makes it heal faster and lets it air out and stuff......peace easy! - rob..

Answer by Babygurnala
Submitted on 3/14/2006
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Ok check this out. I aint really know nuthin bout gettin my cartilage pierced but I knew that I really wanted to get it. Of course I had people sayin it was gon hurt and then people who said it wasn't much of nuthin. So for my 16th birthday I decided I didn't care about the pain. It would look good afterwards anyway so it was worth it. First I tried goin to Claire's but that dumb lady needed too much I.D. so I said forget it. Then my mama told me that this beauty supply up the street did ear piercings. When I tell you that is the most ghetto thing I have ever experienced. One of the cashiers did it from OVER THE COUNTER! She didn't even ask me if I wanted to sit down! I got it done with a gun and it was over in like 2 seconds. It aint nuthin to be worried about. Just a little pinch. I had a little bit of itching afterwards for about 10 minutes. Next thing you know I was at this arcade ridin go-carts. I had forgot all about it. Well I don had it for about 3 days now and I don't have no problems sleeping or doing my hair. I just believe that different people have different pain tolerances. I was kinda skeptical about gettin it cuz me bein a black girl and goin to a school where 98 percent of over 2000 students is black, there aren't many people I see with cartilage piercings. But I wanted to be different so I did it anyway. And if anybody got sumthin to say about it, I'll just punch em in they face and bleed some noses. I holla

Answer by *Mallory*
Submitted on 3/17/2006
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Hi Guys! I'm 18 and have 2 cartlidge piercings and got both done with a gun. It didn't really hurt when I got it done, it was the healing process that sucked. The first one took 2 Years to heal and I said I'd never do it again. But sure enough I did end up doing it again and went through the same loooong healing process but it still seems totally worth it and I'd do it again and again. But let me tell you, it does take a long time to heal and stop hurting for good. If you are going to get it done be sure that you are ready for the down time and are able to put up with the pain for a long time. I have my ears pierced 5 times on each side (8 lobe piercings, 2 cartlidge) and the cartlidge piecings hurt less when you actually get them done but the lobe piercings heal and stop hurting alot quicker. My next step is getting that little nubby thing next to the opening of my ear pierced, apparently this doesn't hurt at all but we shall see. But good luck to everyone planning on getting the cartlidge pierced, just don't jump into it until you are sure you can deal with the consequences. After you get through the healing process, you will love it! :) PS- There is know particular side to get your cartlidge pierced on, just pick what side is best for you. And as far as whether to get it done with a gun or a needle, that is also your preference, whatever you think you will be more comfortable with. I prefer the gun myself, but you should do some research to find out what you think it best for you. I hope my experience was of some help to you guys...Good Luck!

Answer by Rachel
Submitted on 3/17/2006
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Hey everyone. I am fourteen and have my ear lobes pierced 4 times, my cartilage twice, and my belly button. I've had my cartilage pierced twice with a gun, and piercing with a gun IS NOT safer than with a needle. Guns can cause damage to your cartilage (ie shattering..but of course at the time I got mine I didn't know this). When I got my cartilage pierced I felt nothing more than a slight pinch. It really didn't hurt, but everyone is different. Piercing with a needle does not hurt worse. I have even pierced my own ear lobes with a needle, which was a great experience. Also, www.bmezine.com is a great website to look at if you are worried or you just want to see pictures of piercings. It has hundreds of stories from real people who have gotten pierced, and it really helped me to figure out all the risks before getting my next piercing (I'm hoping it to be my tongue). I hope this helped!!

Answer by Grace
Submitted on 3/18/2006
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Wow. I never knew SO many people were this scared to get their ears pierced. I have 6 ear lobe piercing and 4 cartilage piercing. 6 of them i did myself, All the cartilage piercing and 1 set of lobe piercing. It DOES NOT HURT. I do it in about 2 minutes and I'm done. Never had ANY problems with them either. And I'm only 14. And constantly playing sports and when the reffs tell me to take them out i just do it and put them in after without a problem. So what i have to tell you is that if you want it, stop your crying and just do it. There's nothing to be worried about. But if your gonna sit there and cry about how your scared of needles or guns... don't do it. Guns aren't bad. Neither are needles. But I just use the clean earring and put it through my ear without a problem. [It saves money too.]

Answer by Dr. C.D. Dunham PHD
Submitted on 3/22/2006
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Cartilage Piercings are a harm to society and should not be practiced for other than religious purposes. Although they are "in" with todays youth they can lead to serious health issues. Recently, while seeing a patient that had just pierced their cartilage i had discovered a severe infection in not only the ear itself but the entire inner ear and throat area. This infection could only be treated through intense operations involving the removal of the left ear drum. This particular patient has sadly fallen victim to this Cartilage Piercing "Boom" in society and will never regain her hearing. If there are any other questions involving this very serious matter feel free to contact me at my office in Peru.

Answer by Kail
Submitted on 3/26/2006
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I got my cartilage pierced, and it hurt sooooooooo bad, there was blood gushing, spurting, and spewing EVERYWHERE!!!!! OMG i was crying and bawling, and my ear turned green, got so swollen it was the size of my hand, and then fell off. Then my eardrum fell off onto the floor, and i had to go get re-constructive surgery and now my ear is half the size the size it used to be, and its plastic, so i got it re-pierced, cus it was plastic and couldnt hurt, or bleed. But i would recommend you get it done cus it was so cool to bleed and have surgery, and eat ice cream...any flavour you want! Just to let u know guys think its hott and its totally worth it, meaning the small ear, not the piercing!!!!!!!!!

Answer by Jessica
Submitted on 4/4/2006
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Ok, so lots of you people have been wondering about getting your ear peirced. 1. MAKE SURE THEY DO IT WITH A NEEDLE. If yo do it with a gun, you can get parlized and it's not pretty, my friend got parlyized form doing it with a gun I got myine done iwth a needle. 2. Make sure the piercer is experianced. I went to a tattoo palor and got my done, he was very experinced for 30 to 35 years. 3. Clean it daily, I have a bad habit of not cleaning mine so mine can get infected easly, i got mine done lastlast tuesaday ago, I forgot to clean it and it got infected, use Sea salt IT WORKS!! soak it for about half and hour, I did it yesterday, It really works!! My ear was swelled up, but I soaked it in sea salt and the swelling wnet down, I also realized it is not as purple anymore and dosn't hurt as much, at first I regreted getting my ear peirced, but now I totally love it! I am 11 years old, And I may be tlaking like some1 older but really, I have my ears peirced 3 times, and now the top of my ear, It costed $40. But you need to keep care of it, don't be like me. Also if your earing is infected, keep soaking it with sea salt beacause if use antibacterial soap, It makes a barrier and keeps the infection in, Sea salt take the infection away...so I've been told by a peircer that is close to me! If you want to get it done, Think twice, talk it over with your parents, and make sure you ablulty wnat it, don' take it cause thats a waste of money then Right? any questions just email me at k_j_mikkonen@hotmail.com

Answer by Michelle
Submitted on 4/6/2006
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I just got my cartilage pierced last week! I wanted it done for a REALLY long time. But when I went to get it done before i chickened out and decided not to get it done. And then I went to Walmart a second time and decided that I am going to get my cartilage pierced no matter what. so i was a little nervous but the lady got the gun ready and said ''Don't worry, I got my cartilage pierced and it felt just like a lobe piercing'' that made me feel better, so she clicked the button to the gun and she said she was done! I only felt a tiny pinch, and it really did feel like my lobe piercings (wich didnt hurt at all) So now I am so glad i got it done because it didnt hurt one bit and just so u no i got it done at walmart w/ a gun. And no Guns really arent that bad! if u have an ?s E-mail me at michellebaldassarre21@yahoo.com and dont be afraid to get your cartilage pierced cause it doesn't hurt!

Answer by Ivey
Submitted on 4/14/2006
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I just got my cartilage pierced, and i was worried about a lot of the same things the night before, so i did some research. The reason everyone says use a needle is because the guns cause a lot of pressure in a bigger area and cause your cartilage to break and crack or shatter, unlike with the hollow piercing needles that go through and take out the cartilage and skin because they are hollow. the person doing it should have on clean gloves that they haven'ttouched anything but you and they're STERILE equipment with. Make sure they are clean, your piercing isn't worth getting an infection. Also when they're done, make sure they re-align your skin because that can all give you bumps and cause your ear to heal wrong. (You have to re-align it with the needle and the gun) other than that, if the person knows what they're doing, its really painless, i think my cartilage hurt less than my normal ears (i got my ears done with guns) so go for it! and make sure you keep it clean and do the follow up cleaning etc. cause it can really mess up your ear if you get an infection cause there isn't a whole lot of blood in that area.

Answer by Raven
Submitted on 4/17/2006
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Bleh...I just got mine done like an hour ago so I'll give you my experience along with the stuff I know about them. It does hurt, but the pain isn't so bad. It feels like a pinch when they put the needle through and then again when the put in the earring (I have a circular barbel). Your ear will likely turn red and you'll feel a warm/burning sensation in the upper part. It will likely sting a bit for awhile afterward, but that probably depends on the person. After that it will likely only feel sore if you sleep on it or hit it, but that's ALL piercings. Actually, for me, the nervousness was worse than the actual piercing. I recommend getting it done with a needle, for several reasons. First, a needle can crack the cartilige, which is rather painful. With guns, the impact is quicker, so you have more of a chance of the piercing getting infected and bubbling(plus I've NEVER seen anyone clean the guns) My ex'smom actually refused to do mine with a gun, though she offered the lobe. Needle peircings also heal better. Personally, I've had bad experiences with guns, everything past my first set of holes has become infected, and they're still sore sometimes. BTW, I have 4 lobals, 3 in the left, one in the right, and the cartilage I just got.

Answer by nadia
Submitted on 4/21/2006
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Getting a cartilage done with a gun is okay i guess, but personally i was too scared to. I read in a magazine where this girl got hers done with the gun. Two weeks later it was swollen and infected. Surgery had to be done to drain all the 'icky stuff' out of her ear and to remove the earring. After the surgery her ear is now permanently disfigured. It also said that a cartilage piercing was supposed to be threaded (with a needle) not a gun. The gun shattered her cartilage! But i can be contradicted because at least three of me friends did it with the gun and theirs is fine. I guess it can happen sometimes though or maybe now something new has come out with a safe gun...but i don't know. Well i got mine done like 4 months ago...actually i did it myself with a proper piercing earring(like a needle), not a gun. I took a little while to heal but i kept it clean and now its fine...doesnt hurt at all. I cant verify if a gun really is dangerous on the cartilage but that is just what i have heard. So maybe you should do some research. Also if it will not heal at all after a really long time take it out because the scar tissue will leave a very noticeable permanent mark. Mine ear is perfectly fine up there now...but just be careful.

Answer by Snowfireangel
Submitted on 4/24/2006
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So that question about the gun or needle is easy to answer! with a needle your cartilage is more prone to get infected unless the needle has been sterilized and the earing only touches your ear. With a gun the earing is sterilized and the piercer does not even have to touch the earing directly. it is in a small packaged and it is opened only when you are about to get your ear pierced. I hope that this answered some of the questions about cartilage piercing. I had mine done a while ago and it was at Clairs. the procedure which i explained is used at Clairs (the gun one) so i believe that it is the safest way. also the pain factor is no different from needle to gun no matter what something is gonna be shoved into ur ear. its gonna hurt it just depends on ur pain tolerance. hope this helped!

Answer by Lee
Submitted on 5/1/2006
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I have my cartilage pierced. I got mine done when I was 18 by a professional piercer, as such, it was done with a needle. It is not that a needle or gun hurts more then the other, it is that one is safer (the needle). Needles and the equipment used with them are able to be sterilized or thrown away after each use. This decreases the chance of contracting an infection, such as hepatitis. The amount of pain a person experiences is due primarily to the person and their perception of pain, and to the skill of the person doing the piercing. I urge all of you to continue your research before getting a piercing of any sort. This is a great place to see what peoples experiences were, however this is no substitute for medical advice. http://www.bmezine.com/ http://www.tribalectic.com/Home.asp These are two good places to look for information. Please do so. The best way to ensure you are happy with your piercing is to have all the good, reliable information you can.

Answer by JJ
Submitted on 5/7/2006
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I'm 13 and I got my cartilage pierced about a year ago. I got one on the left side, and I got it done at Claire's. Yes I got it done with a gun. Guns and needles are the same thing except a gun is just like faster. It doesn't hurt until like 5 minutes after its pierced. It takes about one week for it to become not so sensitive, but it may still hurt Everyone is saying it doesn't hurt, their lying. Think about it, its a little needle poking its way through ur skin. Ouch! I got mine done and it was only $25. Make sure you clean it and twist it! If you take better care it will heal faster. Make sure you don't have to take it out for sports before you get it pierced. I hope I helped.

Answer by Louise
Submitted on 5/24/2006
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hey everyone. i was very nervous about getting my ear cartilage peirced! i had already have my navel done and it didnt hurt one bit!! after braving up my friend said she was going to get her navel done aswell so i decided to tag along and get my cartilage done! soo, lol my friend watched and said a horible great big needle went through my ear!! but i didnt feel anything until i had left the place! it stung and was so painful, i couldnt lean or touch it! but after a month it cooled down and felt normal. i had a bar. then i was stupid enough to have about 1cm below done aswell and i had a ring! at first it wasnt at bad as the last, but after months it is still hurting! it does nothing but puss up and give me pain! but i refuse to take it out cause im that stupid :P cause i love it too much!! so the advice i would give .. if your having it, choose a bar!!

Answer by Emma
Submitted on 5/27/2006
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I got my 2 cartilage piercings done with needles, no problems. About the pain? it hurts as much as a sharp piece of metal through your ear should. About guns and needles. Go for needles. I know loads of people have ok experiences with guns, but they blast a stud through the tough cartilage on your ear, and studs have pretty blunt points. It might not be visible, but they do cause more trauma to the tissue. Guns shatter the cartilage, needles slide through. Also, it's better to have it done with a needle and a ring rather than a gun and s stud, because if it does get infected it will swell, and rings accomodate for this better. My sister's stud piercing got infected, and the stud was too small and very painful. Aviod infection at all costs because it WILL hurt, and the best way to avoid it is DON'T FIDDLE. Your hands have loads of bacteria on them. And Katie was right, try to have it done on the side you don't sleep on. Ouch. As long as you take good care of it, you should have no problems with your piercing. and don't change it before it has stopped hurting completely, or you risk upsetting it and being back to square one. Don't be scared of needles! Shut your eyes while your piercer is setting up, and you won't see it at all for the actual piercing as it is on the side of your head. One last thing-age. Under 16s stand no chance of being pierced by a reliable piercer without consent, and you'll need id if you are 16+, but it is different for each place. Good luck and enjoy!

Answer by JaMie
Submitted on 6/14/2006
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Heyy all u people out there if your wanting to get a piercin up the top of ur ear in da cartlidge, i suggest u go with a friend coz nerves can somtimes get the better of u nd don't believe all dat crapp about ur earr turnin green or fallin off i asked a professional nd theyy said that, that is a myth. if u look after it well enough it won't get infected and u will b able to change ur earring earlier in the healing stage nd although it takes almost twice as long to heal as a normal piercing it is all worth it, i suggest the gun hurts less nd it is just like a prick in ur ear but it does hurt if u pull on it or whack it for the first few weeks. i'm12 going on 13 and i have 3 piercins in each ear nd i got mine done at a very hygenic place that had very clean and satisfactory equiptment and i got a professional to do it. nd if u have any queries u should ask the person that is peircin it coz if they are a specialist they should b able to answer any of ur questions.

Answer by I_pierce_everyday!
Submitted on 6/15/2006
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Cartilage piercings are totally cute and totally fun. I am a manager at the Icing (same as Claire's) and I do about 20 piercings a day! In most cases, the person getting pierced needs to be at least 13 due to the fact that your head is doing some major growing and changing up until that point. Ears never stop growing; however, they begin to slow down and there is less of a chance of hitting something important on older ears. The risk involved with cartilage piercing is that nerves could be affected in the piercing process, and in extreme cases part of the face could permanently lose feeling and could be paralyzed. There is generally no big deal between gun or needle. I prefer the gun because the hype of the needle scares me way too much. The gun pierces with the earring, so click....it's all done. Needles are sometimes preferred due to a slightly lower rate of infection. Piercing needles are hollow and simply remove a chunk of flesh from the ear. In regards to which side it looks better on....which side do you normally sleep on, because for about a week you probably won't be able to sleep on it.

Answer by Joe
Submitted on 6/18/2006
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I got my ear cartlige done yesterday. I had a ring put in because they're funky and i think it's less likely to catch on stuff. I had it done at the cambridge(england) piercing studio. when i went in the guy who said he was doing it was like covered in tatoos and piercings so i was a bit daunted but he was really nice and explained what he was going to do, how he would do it and why it had to be done. he told me to breath out as the needle went in because it helps you relax. Afterwards i felt a bit light headed (im the same with injections) but the actual piercing didnt hurt at all. he gave me a glass of water and told me to put my legs up higher than my head to get the blood going again. Later i went to a party where it got knocked a couple of times it didnt hurt but bled a bit so i had to clean it upnote ALWAYS wash your hands before and after cleaning it. Really im very happy with it and if you're nervous really dont worry just go to a place which is clean and the people treat you with respect-dont go to claire's its a barbie pink charnel house secretly. Joe xxx

Answer by neinei
Submitted on 6/21/2006
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hey all a lot of my friends recently got their cartilage pierced with needles, it was a friend ship thing and I chickened out. They all got infected and some got lumps on the backs of their ears its so gross. The gun also scared me because it could shatter your cartilage and id still get a bump so i did it my self i just sterilized the earring stud and pushed it through. no blood barley felt it This was 3 or so wees ago. 2 week later i switched it for a 16 gage earing and its fine so i am against piercing studios and do it my self. i know that this is dangerous and stuff but i researched it first and i think it was the best choice not only did i end up with a cute piercing i saved about 30$ and don't have a hideous scar!

Answer by asdfjlk
Submitted on 6/27/2006
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hahaha. i just got my cartilege last night. me and my friend just went to wal-mart, got a self piercer gun, (her mom got the gun, because you had to be 18+) and then we just numbed my ear for about a min, then gunned it. didn't hurt a bit. it's alittle sore, but i clean it about 5 times a day. i changed it yesterday, which i wish i didn't. i took out the stud that came with the gun, and it started to bleed and hurt really bad. so i quickly whipped up the blood and stuck in my hoop. it's fine now. stopped bleeding right away, and it didn't close up in the whole 45 secs it was out. my friend uses a self gun all the time to pierce anywhere on her ears. she just cleans them alot, and they all turn out wonderful =]

Answer by KtG
Submitted on 6/29/2006
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I just got my cartilage done a couple weeks ago. I had been wanting it done since I was probably 12 but I never had the chance to do it. I went to a parlor once with my mom but the piercer wasn't there that say. (So they said I think the piercer was just lazy) Then I kind of forgot about it. Now that I'm 18 and don't need parental approval I got it done. I was going to get it done with the needle but the place I was going to go closed early that day. So I ended up at the mall. It didn't hurt at all. Honestly I didn't feel a thing ... lol it hurts worse to stub your toe. Anyways about ten minutes after I got it done it did sting a bit but that wore off quick. I haven't had any problems with it except for the other night I slept on it accidentally and for the rest of the day my ear was bright red and throbbing. Although the pain wasn't really that bad. Well I soaked it in hot water or about ten minutes (with a wash cloth and VERY hot water)and then put on the ear care solution again. After that it stopped hurting and the redness went away within the hour. (<<<just some advice for anyone who may be having the same problem. Anyways --- I love it ... and I'm glad I finally got it ... I'm also glad I waited as long as I did because I know if I was younger I probably wouldn't have taken care of it properly. The horror stories aren't fake I know people who have deformed ears because of a poorly cared for piercing. Just make sure you take good care of it and if it starts to get infected don't hesitate to take it out. If you really want it done then wait for it to close up and heal and get it done again (and take care of it this time!) because a little earring is NOT worth a DEFORMED ear!

Answer by Alicia
Submitted on 7/4/2006
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Okay, well I've finally convinced my parents to let me pierce my cartilage. I'm 15 and I know some of you think that's a little young but I had to promise my mom this would be the last one I would do until I was 18. (I already have 2 piercings on my earlobes. So my main question is right or left side? One of my friends (when I asked her, and I am not trying to make this sound bad at all) said "left is right and right is wrong" like straight people on the left? But I didn't know if that applied or if that's just some made up stuff. Then my mom said her initial thought was like..whether you consider yourself right or left brained. But I need y'all's help. Also, I have the option of driving in one direction, going to Claire's in the mall and getting it done with a gun, or going to this place called Whatever IV where a couple of my friends said they did an amazing job..but I don't know if it's done with a gun or a needle. anyway, any help is appreciated.

Answer by u dnt need to no
Submitted on 7/5/2006
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about 5 weeks ago i got my cartliage doing at SHY hairdressing and i got it done with a gun so u ppl whu r saying it hurtz uze r fukin lying anywayz its been 5weekz and i still cant sleep on it but besides that its fine and i suggest u get it done on the left side like i did cause da right side is 4 LESBIANS so be carefull which side u get it done on anywayz i cleaned it everyday but ive been forgetting to latley but im gonna clean it 2night and im going to try and clean it LOL. ummm i put a small studd in it cause it lookz way hotter dnt get a ring they r discusting. k well goodluck 4 any1 whu getz it done and do sum resreach b4 u get it done im soo dumb im doing reaserch on it 5weekz after i got it lol mwaa lterzzz...peace out

Answer by Yen
Submitted on 7/16/2006
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I got my cartilage pierced aprox 3 years ago. I'm almost 20 now. I got one cartilage piercing in each ear, with an ear piercing gun. I had heard all kinds of things, and to tell you the truth everyone's stories really scared me and turned me off piercing at the time. Despite all of the different things I'd heard I decided to go through with it. Getting it pierced hurt just as much as a regular lobe piercing, though afterward it was alittle more tender. I loosened the earing back to allow room for swelling and the natural healing process. I cleaned it three times a day, washed my hands before touching it, kept my hair away from it, etc. (the place you get it done should have all of the care info for you). I'm not going to promote piercings or knock them. It is a very serious subject and everything really depends on the individual. Anytime you want to do something to alter your body permanently it requires serious thought and consideration. Do what feels right, don't do it just because everyone else is :) Hope I helped and good luck. If you want to write me do so at: BrittChick@gmail.com ~Yen

Answer by destiny
Submitted on 7/20/2006
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i got my cartilage pierced with a gun. at first i did not experience any pain. the piercing itself does not hurt because it's over in 2 seconds. However, MAKE SURE that you clean it three times a day AT LEAST, and with sanitized hands. rotate it often and make sure that blood and puss don't build up around your piercing hole. Also, don't hit it hard against something or get it caught on clothing. The cartilage where your piercing is can start to bleed, causing buildup around your hole and leading to an infection. The first time I had my cartilage pierced, all of those things happened to me. My entire left ear was red, swollen, bleeding, and throbbing. It was INCREDIBLY painful and it left my ear with cartilage deformity because it caused the cartilage (not just where I got it pierced, but the whole ear) to swell up, disfiguring my ear and leaving it stiff and swollen. If you want to have it done, make sure you won't react to any of the metals they use for first time earrings. Allergies to certain metals can also cause immense pain! To younger girls-11-14 years of age. Wait until you are older to get piercings other than ear lobe piercings. I know you want to set a "cool" image, but if you aren't capable of taking proper care of it, save yourself the time, money, and PAIN! There is a reason some places don't permit younger girls to get their cartilages pierced.

Answer by Energizer21
Submitted on 7/23/2006
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To all of you youngsters, be careful and do some research! I'm 21 and I just got mine pierced at a tattoo parlor last weekend. Mine was done with a needle. I HIGHLY recommend that! It didn't hurt when the guy was doing it and it didn't hurt that day, until I went to sleep. I accidently rolled over on my left side, where my piercing is, and that hurt. It felt like a burning sensation. It's been a little over a week now and it still hurts on occasion, like when I am moving it in and out, but moving it up and down, when I'm cleaning it, doesn't hurt. I just use the foam soap from Bath&Body Works to clean it twice a day. It seems to work well. I also use a warm cotton ball and pour a little salt on it, to help dull the pain of moving it and to help it heal quicker. It looks really cute and I am glad I did it! Do some searching for answers, before you jump right into doing it!! (=

Answer by Laney
Submitted on 7/24/2006
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Hi I have seen everyones concern about the cartilage peircing...I got mine done in january 2006 and I was going to get it done at claires with a gun but the line was too long....so my mom and I went to a tattoo parlor and we told them about almost getting it done with a gun...and they say NOOOO! that it takes longer to heal and your at a higher risk of getting and infection...so I got it done at the parlor..I didn't feel a thing...the peircer was really gentle...he told me to take a deep breath in and hold it and I could exhale when he got the needle through...I didn't feel a thing...the most pain you will probably feel is when they put the earring in (but it also depends on what kind of earring you get) I got a captive hoop...and so it hurt a little more..but my ear only hurt for about 5 minutes after the peircing was in place...the hardest part about it was sleeping though...it might swell while you are sleeping...but dont worry once you wake up and take care of your ear it will be fine. I hope this information was helpful :D

Answer by Helen
Submitted on 7/27/2006
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I had my cartilage pierced yesterday with a gun and I didn't even feel it go in, it didn't hurt after, it doesn't hurt now, it barely swelled and the only time it is slightly uncomfortable is when I clean it cuz you have to move it back and forth to get the stuff into ur ear. Some people will find it painful, it depends on you as a person and how much pain you can cope with plus if you build it up into a huge thing before you go it is bound to either hurt or make you feel ill after cuz ur getting too stressed! I don't agree with what everyone says about guns causing infections and messing up your ear i have had 4 piercing's with a gun now and never had any problems. They only infection I got was from wearing cheap earrings when I took out the original stud.

Answer by wolf
Submitted on 8/1/2006
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Any piercing should have a meaning; a purpose behind it. A piercing isn't something that was meant to be a fad, a trend or just something "cool". Just like a tattoo, a piercing should have meaning to it, and most importantly once you get one it signifies that you will never part with it in your lifetime. Personally, I deeply contest with anyone wanting to get a piercing simply because it's "cool". Get one because it has a special meaning to you, it signifies something. If you really want it, pain, cost, look, difficult maintenance, and any other excuse shouldn't hinder your decision. I think the majority of you should mature, develop a sense of self, read into the very distant history of the piercing and what it represented, and then, maybe then think about getting one.

Answer by Dan-UK
Submitted on 8/2/2006
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you people are SO ANNOYING!! It mmay or may not hurt - every1 is different! I got my lobe pierced like yesterday (the firs piercing) and cos every1 has it dun i was really naiive - bu afterwars i wanted to kill someone! it was so painful! - but im ovr it now. Im gettin my cartilage pierced hopefully soon but cos of skul i might wait till next year when i leave skul. They wont get infected!!! If you go to a well-known place and actually listen to what they tell you to do and clean it, look after it, dont touch it etc its fine!! and stop aking where to get it done - jus somewhere well known! they'll probly hav certificates etc on wall so u no they no wot they're doin! im gettin my artilage dun with or without a gun - i dont care cos i no they keep em clean cos u can c them cleanin it and takin it out of weird acid stuff! i got mine dun at belly bar and is only �7.50 for all piercings! SO PPL SHUT UP STOP BEIN WIMPS AND JUS GO GET IT DONE!!!!

Answer by Bora
Submitted on 8/2/2006
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Hey ppl ... I just got my cartilage pierced yesterday ... I got it with the needle , and it didn't hurt at all , when I was little I got my ear-lobes done with a gun and its just the same , for me it does not hurt at all ... and i'mgetting more piercings . YAY . just remember after you get your ear pierced ( cartilage or ear-lobe ) starting the day that you got it pierced for 1 all month you need to clean it with BACTINE 4 to 6 times a day and you have to apply a cream( POLYSPORIN ) before you go to sleep , and after you take a shower you need to dry up the area with Q-TIPS , and you should not touch it with your hands and DO NOT REMOVE THE EARING FOR 1 MONTH and don't get all of them at the same time , its not good cuz you can't sleep on your piercing side for 1 month ... AND REMEMBER IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT YOU TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT , YOU DON'T WANT IT TO GET INFECTED!... if you have anymore questions you can e-mail me at redhead_punk@hotmail.com Bye - Bora

Answer by dream angel
Submitted on 8/4/2006
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Hey girls. A word to the wise. I'm 21 years old, I have two tattoo's, my belly button is pierced and I have two holes in each lobe. Last year I got my cartilage pierced at the mall with a gun and from personal experience I suggest getting it done at a piercing parlor with a needle. Though some people are just fine with the gun, others who are sensitive will have the effects that I had. My right hear was swollen and my cartilage was as thick as my finger. The earring pulled all the way through and bled the whole night. ( I literally passed out. LOL. I fell right over!) Anyway, keeping them clean is not enough. The utensils that are used need to be STERILIZED from the start. Needles are fresh out of a package and are not used on anyone else. Again, this is just my personal experience. I have never had any of my tattoo's or other piercings become infected. Get it done, but BE CAREFUL. Good luck! :)

Answer by Sarah
Submitted on 8/7/2006
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I can't believe you people would take the advice of 11 and 12 year old girls who think the best place to go is Claire's. I have two piercings in the cartilage of my left ear and I did a TON of research before I got them done. If you think guns and needles are the same, you clearly don't know what you're talking about. Its not a lie that a gun can shatter your cartilage, and also a regular earring is less appropriate for this type of piercing than an 18-14 gauge captive bead ring. I am afraid of needles like you wouldn't believe, but I chose to just look the other way instead of taking the risk of having a deformed ear the rest of my life. I'd rather pay the $54 it was for both of my piercings than pay to have reconstructive surgery done after a gun caused my cartilage to collapse or pay for medicines after I get a serious infection from cheap metals and a lack of sterile materials. You can't completely sterilize a piercing gun no matter what the girl behind the counter at Claire's may tell you. Which would you rather deal with, a more expensive piercing technique or a disfigured ear? I'd rather spend the money to go with the trustworthy method. But its your ear, do with it as you will.

Answer by Scratch
Submitted on 8/13/2006
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Honestly guys, all of this stuff depends on the person. no two people are alike. Im 21 and i have had cartilage piercings in and out since i was 16. Half were done by the gun, and half were needles. and on me, none hurt, and none got infected or anything, but again, it all depends on the person. in very very rare cases the gun can shatter cartilage, but again VERY RARE. both ways work good. I recently got both the left and right cartilage done at the same time, and im fine, the only thing i didnt think about is how to sleep, but that wasnt a big problem. also, when you first get it pierced, a Stud(gun), or small Barbell(needle) are going to be your best options, they usually have less chance of catching on things. if you take care of them, they'll be fine

Answer by Krista
Submitted on 8/14/2006
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I too had my cartilage done with a Gun. It didn't hurt...AT ALL. I also recommend taking two Tylenols (300 mg each) about 45 minutes before having it done, that way the pain killers are already in your system, and it REALLY helps. My ears are both fine, as long as you clean them good, with either a commercial cleaner or with either Witch Hazel or Hydrogenporoxide. I don't recommend Alchol, as it burns, and dries out the ear, so when you turn the earring, it breaks open the scab again. Hydrogenporoxide is great, because it foams when it detects infection, which is helpful, if it foams a lot, clean it more, if it foams a little, you're probably doing it right. I am going in for my second cartilage piercings (4 holes in each ear)and I have no worries about using a gun.

Answer by Aevanis
Submitted on 8/21/2006
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I've had my ears pierced with various tools and techniques over the years. Last year a friend of mine did a fourth hole in my left lobe with a steel piercing stud sterilized with a flame and in vodka, and it healed within days; currently I'm healing from a right upper cartilage piercing done by the same girl with the same stud, sterilized. It didn't hurt while she was piercing it, and it doesn't hurt at all unless I move it or brush it while I'm doing my hair; I'm doing aftercare with benzalkonium chloride just as I did for the piercings I got at regular stores. I feel confident that this one will heal just as cleanly and in a few weeks I'll be able to exchange the stud for a hoop, which will help it heal better. My advice is to follow aftercare instructions to the letter, make sure to watch for any signs of infection, and generally be careful. Otherwise, enjoy the hell out of your new piercing.

Answer by Emily
Submitted on 8/23/2006
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Hey, I've wanted to get my cartilage pierced for a few years now (note to all you 11 year olds, I have thought properly about this, and being 18 I am mature enough to make this decision and care properly for my piercing. Take it from me, things I thought were 'totally cool' when I was 11 seem stupid to me now, and if your piercing does go wrong you'll regret it much more when your an actual adult) Anyway I had never considered the difference between guns and needles before reading all the stuff above so I decided to look it up some more as I wasn't�t sure whether "needle is best" is just one of those old wife�s tales. It does NOT appear to be. I found this site that lists in detail many reasons why a NEEDLE IS BETTER. Reasons to do with how hard it is to sterilized the gun, to detail of what size and type of earring a gun can take, and why it is not the best thing for a cartilage. For more information go to http://www.bmeworld.com/heidi/guns.html. I found it very helpful and have decided to have mine done with a needle at a proper tattoo parlor. I was just going to get it done at Clair�s but this site made me think about the lack of sterile environment, skilled staff and the use of a gun. I want to get it done now but have a really bad cold, illness lowers the immune system and so the risk of infection is higher so I think I'll wait till I'm better; I figure that if I've waited to make sure its not a phase I'll grow out of, I can wait another week, after all I�ve got the rest of my life to enjoy it!

Answer by stephania__x
Submitted on 8/25/2006
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hey hey people. I've heard alot on here about the pain of a cartilage piercing. I have to tell you that i was nearly crying with fear, as i had the theory that it would hurt more since its going through soft bone. I already have my belly button pierced and that didnt hurt much. I thought this would hurt much more. I got it done on the right, i dunno why, i just think alot more people get it done on the right for some reason. Anyway, i chose the colour, pink ofcourse, and yeah they cleaned it and then just said 1, 2,3 and the gun went through. I felt it alright, but the pain lasted a couple of seconds, and lets face it a little bit of pain and you have a cute piercing, so theres absolutley every reason to go for it. If your scared of it, dont be cause for a tiny bit of pain you will feel a bit stupid afterwards for thinking it would hurt so bad. Also, there are alot of things on here which say are guns or needles better. I have heard that if you get it done with a gun the needle is not hollow so it pushes all the skin to the back but the needle actually cuts it out and is better to heal. Personally i dont think that theres any difference, as i got mine done with a gun, and it hasnt hurt AT ALL so far, and i can sleep on it after only one week. Its healing perfectly, and one of my friends who also had it done, changed her earing already which i wouldnt advise but this is only after one week and she found it easy, and left it out for about 5 mins. I do alot of gym and i am wondering how i will cover it. i have had it for two weeks could i take it out and it wouldnt close up after 2 hours? pleaase give me an answer cause i go tomorrow. thanks ! Love yas! and hope it helped and its worth it chikades. StEpHaNiA...<3

Answer by ashie965
Submitted on 8/26/2006
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Hey, I just turned 13 and I got my cartilage peirced on the right side on the 21st with a gun. The guns ARE cleaned unless you go to a filthy place and you can't assume they're not. Needles could be the exact same, And needles and guns are the same, one's just faster. Getting mine done only hurt the same as getting my ear lobe done, but now it's a bit sore. But it's only because i slept on it 2 days straight. It turned purple and then red, which it is now and it's a little bit swollen, but it's okay. Some warning signs of infection: - Fever - Swellingness without hitting it, sleeping on it, etc. - Weird feelings AFTER a week or 2 of the peirce. Swellingness will occur but thats because your body has to get used to the peircing. And if you have ANY of the symptems of infection, take it out and clean it right away, and do NOT put it back in. Putting it back in raw skin will KILL and it's just not worth it. Don't just take it out because that will make it worse.. If you don't watch it you will have to get your cartilage sergically removed or it could collapse. And once you get an infection in your cartilage it does NOT go away. I hope this helped, note to ALWAYS take care and never clean more then 3 times a day.. you're causing more harm then good.

Answer by sazzle
Submitted on 8/31/2006
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i am 14 almost 15 and i got my cartilage pierced yesterday at Clair's and it didn't hurt a bit and its not infected...i hope it wont be loll! but it didn't hurt at all all their equipment is in sterile boxes and they use gloves and its all very clean! it hurts a bit now because its sore!but i can twist it and clean it and brush my hair and do all normal stuff! it looks soooooo rad tho lol i am so pleased with it and all my friends love it 2 of my friends got it done at Clair's and their r all fine too! tbh i don't think it matters if its a gun or needle just as long as its sterile and they do it properly and i hink you should go to a place where u know their history and know friends who have got it done at the same place so you know its safe! just as long as u take care of it and clean it! then it should be fine! peace xx

Answer by Lizzie
Submitted on 9/8/2006
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I am 13 and i have wanted my cartilage pierced for a LONG time. i went to Claire's but they changed their age to 13 w/ and 18+year old to 14 w/ and 18+year old. My mom and i couldn't find anywhere else to go and my friend had just gotten hers done with a gun and her cartilage split. my mom and i decided to do it at home and we couldn't find a very sharp needle and a potato so we used a push pin. It hurt REALLY bad and it was definitely worth it. I did it last night so i still cant sleep on that side(i got it on my left) but i love the look and all my friends are terrified to get it because it hurts so bad but it gives me my individuality. also, i did it near the middle of the cartilage because it bleeds less and studs look better in the middle.

Answer by Liz
Submitted on 9/16/2006
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I got my cartilage pierced yesterday. They cleaned the area and took a marker, marked a spot on my ear and gave me a mirror to see if that is were I wanted it to be. I hate needles but I'll get something done if I want it or need it. They used a gun though. The lady was very nice and told me to look ahead and to not move my head. I could feel it against my ear but it needed hurt at all. It felt like a little pinch and then after a few minutes, it was numb. It's not bad at all but, I guess that can vary from one person to another. Just make sure to take proper care of it. If the person who is piercing it fails to tell you how to take care of it, ask them about it. They told me to clean it once in the morning and once at night and after cleaning the front and back of the ear, twist it all the way around once and then push it forward and then back. My biggest problem for me is that I toss and turn at night and last night, every time I moved to my left side, I woke up and had to turn back to my right and it continued all night.

Answer by Brandy21
Submitted on 9/23/2006
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Go to a tattoo parlor and get your cartiladge pierced because it hurts alot less and you probably want even feel it. If you go to Wal-Mart or Claires in the mall it will definitely hurt worse. I know this from experience. Anyway I dont know why it hurts worse with a gun but it does. Everyone that I have talked to said that it hurt bad with the gun but those I have talked to that have had it done with a needle don't feel it. Plus they are professional and know what they are doing. People at Wal-mart and Claires are good with lobe piercings but DO NOT have alot of training or experience with cartiladge piercings so obviously the one who is more professional will hurt less and heal quicker. Just look in the yellow pages or online and find a trusted local tattoo parlor like ink wizard, or something. It may cost just a little more but it will definetely be worth it. Also people who have friends or relatives to pierce there ear with a needle don't feel it at all either, plus they use ice to num it. Anywhere you go they want nun your ear but hear is a hint: grab some ice on the way to the tattoo parlor and leave it on your ear until you get there and dont take it off until there about to pierce your ear and you wont feel a thing, guareenteed. That is if you are really afraid of piercings or get sick at the sight of needles. The ice really numbs your ear and you won't feel it. Also take some tylenol 30 minutes ahead of time and that way by the time they pierce you, you want suffer. Anyway good luck to everyone getting piercings. (I have 8 myself) ~Brandy

Answer by li'l lady
Submitted on 9/29/2006
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i haven't had my cartilage done, but i do have 2 piercings in each ear. Take it from someone who knows- DO NOT just get it done a tattoo parlor. even if it doesn't hurt or get infected, chances of getting AIDS of hepatitis are wayyy higher. get your piercings at piercing pagoda (they only do lobes and cartilage, so its completely safe) where they sterilize everything and never use a needle twice. or get it done at a different pro piercing parlor that you have researched and know it's safe. there is a 0% chance of any blood related disease to be transfered. at a tattoo parlor, however, they are never even NEARLY as careful. personally, i value my health more than a few dollars

Answer by nicky
Submitted on 10/1/2006
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ok so im only 12 almoast 13 and i am supposed to get my cartilage peirced. i am sooo excited but after reading some of these comments i am getting nerves. i am supposed to get it done with a gun at claires should i????? i can take pain i am not afraid about that cas i have to take lazer every 3 mothes on my face. my sister got her nose periced at a tatoo place with a needle and that did not get infected. should i get it there??? or is claires ok if i make sure they clean it. i just dont want it to get infected or any thing like that. should i get it ??? should i get it at the tatoo place?? will it hurt as much as lazer??? please awnser i dont have to much time to decied?????????????????????????????????????????????????

Answer by Lisa
Submitted on 10/4/2006
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Goonka: So why is it acceptable to get a normal ear piercing but not belly button or cartilage piercing? ARe you saying that parents who allow their children to get certain piercing'sare bad parents? That's ridiculous! I understand not allowing thing's like tongue rings and tattoo's etc. But your on here saying "WHO allows an 11-16 yr old to get any type of piercing OTHER than an ear lobe piercing"? Give me a break. We don't live in 1965 anymore! Your acting like we are allowing them to go out and do drugs or soemthing. I think before you question other people's parenting skills, you shouldn't question why you didn't teach your son to be more responsable and to stop blaming everyone else for him not taking care of it.

Answer by Aly
Submitted on 10/11/2006
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Okay, so I got my cartilage pierced when I was thirteen. I got it pierced with a needle, but my friend got it done with a gun. We both agreed that it didn't hurt at all. Both of us took care of ours, and so they didn't get infected. Just take care of it and nothing should happen. Goonka- You are really overreacting. Do you know how many kids under 16 have something pierced other than their earlobes? Are you saying that all these parents are irresponsible? Like I said, I got mine done when I was 13, and my parents are totally responsible and checked on my ear everyday to make sure nothing was happening that shouldn't be happening. They constantly reminded me to clean it, and so everything was perfectly fine. I'm not saying that you're a bad mother for wanted your child to wait, but you should judge my mom just because she let me get my cartilage pierced. You shouldn't go around judging other people you don't even know.

Answer by Christina
Submitted on 10/20/2006
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Hey Everyone, One I would like to say whoever says that a gun is not sterile is wrong depending on the place you go to. If you go to any Piercing Pagoda, Plumb Gold or Silver and Gold Connection it is 100% sterile. The associates never touch the earrings that go in your ear. They are pre-packed and sterilized and sent to the store to be used for piercing so there is no way it isn't clean. I have heard that a needle hurts more but does heal faster but never experienced it so I wouldn't know. Only been pierced with the gun. If the person piercing you knows what they are doing it should be quick and painless for you. PS The piercing gun is always clean and it never touches the persons ear on the the fresh ear and cartridge. So when you go to one of the above mentioned places there is absolutely nothing to worry about it.

Answer by [Lewis].__x
Submitted on 10/24/2006
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Hey. I have my cartilage pierced twice, one on each side. I've had it done with both gun and needle, and I must say, needles hurt the most. I first had it done with I was 12, on my left side. I had it done with a gun at a local tattoo and piercing parlor. It didn't hurt that bad at all, I was expecting much more pain. He said are you ready? So I said yeah, go on and closed my eyes tightly and squeezed my mums hand and all of a sudden....BANG! and it was over. I looked at the man and said... thats all? He laughed, and said yeah. He said most people over react. Then... On my 13th birthday I decided to have it done on my right side. Now, my Mum passed her course in college and was a hairdresser. They did ear piercing in this hairdressers too, so I had it done for free. When I got in I said Mum.. is it going to be done with a gun? No.. a needle, My mum replied. God, I was so scared. My friend told me she had it done with a needle and she said it hurt really bad. So there I was, lying down waiting for the needle to go through. All of a sudden, my ear started stinging like crazy. Oh my god! I said. Then, she slid the stud through and it was in. But then.. the tricky part, putting the back on. I told her to do it quickly so she did. It really hurt, but it was over in seconds. It hurt for about 10 minutes then, but apart from that, I've had no problems with it. If you have a choice, I recommend having it done with a gun cause its over in seconds. Also, don't worry. It's really not as bad as most people say it is. Anyway, hope this post helped! Lewis x

Answer by Shelby
Submitted on 10/25/2006
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hey guys im 15 and i got my cartilage pierced a little while ago.. still when i was 15 tho so it was this year.. i wanted to get it done when i was 11 but the ppl said that i was to young and that i cant get it done until i was 13.. because if u get it done earlier ur ear can get disformed.. thats what they said not twhat i said.. anyways so 4 yrs later i got it done.. i heard that it hurts realyl bad or more than the lower part of your ear.. but it didnt hurt me at all.. and they did it with a gun not a needle.. i herd that guns are bad but i guess i got lucky.. i had no probs with the gun tho.. and jsut to let u no.. it hurts a little bit to sleep on for the first couple days and then i found that it u slide the earing outward like ur gonna take it out but keep it in with the backing on and all if u scoot it forward and then lay down it wont hurt when u lay on it.. otherwise the backing with poke into ur head and then move the earing and kinda hurt.. but for teh first couple days i suggest that u lay on ur other side. mine cost like 28 dollars but i got teh stud with the diamond.. it looks really cool :) no regrets at all.. i am in soccer tho so idk how that is going to work since i have to alwasy have somethign in there for a year.. but anyways u have to have a stuf in for teh first year u can change the stud but it has to always be a stud for the first year .. hope this helps :)

Answer by xox Alice xox
Submitted on 10/27/2006
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Lissen i got mine done yesturday WITH A NEEDAL! I have really wanted it done for a long time. Please before you get any peircings done please concerder it and look in to the health risks! I spoke to a friend of mine who is a peircer and found out some of the best places to get it done. Please DO YOUR RESEARCH!! The place i went to was really profectional and told me all about the procedure and what kind of jewlry they where going to use. ASK QUESTIONS. The peircer should be a pro and i am sure that they would be really happy to anwser all your questions. I peircing did not hurt at all (and i am not just saying that) if you get a pro peircer it should be clean, quick and painless. I have read alot of coments and the amount of 11- 14 yr old wanting to get this done is frightening. Please wait and concider if this is what you really want. Because like it or not it will be there for ever and you guys have your whole lives ahead of you. PLEASE BE CAREFULL.

Answer by viky
Submitted on 11/1/2006
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i can certainly see there are a lot of young people on this site, i am much older than you all with kids of my own, my ears have been pierced 2 times on each side with a gun and then another time a few years ago with a gun on my cartilage which hurt so bad the rest of that day and night that i had to remove it , hurt so bad it hurt the whole side of my face on the side i had the piercing on, so i have had 5 total ear piercings with a gun, they do hurt, it aint about being scared, if we were scared then we would have never had it done to begin with, i just got my cartilage pierced again with a needle by someone who knows what they are doing, very clean and sterile and you have to make sure the person doing it has all clean sterile things...it is very bad on the ear to have the cartilage done with a gun, all you have to do is research it online, you can find plenty of information about needle piercings compared to gun piercings..so stop all this nonsense about people being scared, anyone here can do whatever they want and does not have to take anyones advice. good luck

Answer by amanda
Submitted on 11/7/2006
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i really want my cartilage done, and i've wanted to get it for the longest time. all of my friends have it, they've all gotten it done ever since i've said that i wanted it, and they all say that wal-mart is way better than claires. i'm not worried about pain at an extent to the imagination, i didn't even flinch when i got my ears double pierced, and i went out shopping for hours afterwards with all my girlfriends, and didn't feel a thing. mainly i'd like to know; wal-mart, or claires. and i'm kinda iffy about the needle. deffinetely needlephobic. i'm 14, and finnaly got my parents to say yes to cartilage, but i deffinetely wanted to do my homework on it, and from what i've read heree, you all know what your talking about. needle, or gunn? and, i appreciate the answers very very much, but please don't talk about pain to any extent because i'm not worried about that. if there's no chance of me dying from it, and it's going to be cute; i mine as well do it. i'm only going to benefit from itt. thank you all very very much for all your helpppp =]

Answer by Ali
Submitted on 11/8/2006
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I had my cartilage pierced a couple weeks ago. It was only my third piercing (after lobes), and I had my second lobe piercing done at the same time (at Piercing Pagoda). It's definetly different for everyone, so whether or not it's going to be infected really depends on your ears. I think I'm really lucky. I didn't think it hurt anymore than lobes (which I actually think hurt a bit more than a "pinch" but not terrible..). I didn't see any blood either if you're worried about that. It didn't get infected or anything, and after the first day or two it only hurt when I had to touch it. It's barely sore now after about two weeks. I'd say if you can't decide, go for it IF you had no problems with your lobes. Make sure they use a good earring..like gold. Gun or needle? I don't know..mine was with a gun, but I've never had a piercing with a needle so who knows? Piercings are addicting too, so watch out.. :-) Hope this helps..any questions email me: falling_together12@verizon.net

Answer by Shalah
Submitted on 11/13/2006
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Hey eryone on herre im 16 and have been piercing myself since 6th grade well hey guiz i do all of my own piercings cuz if they get messed up then i can only blame myself but i have done 6 times on my cartilage and i have 13 piercings only on my ears and i have done my nose and my belly button like 3 times each and i have done tones of other peoples ears because i am experienced and i reesearch on what can happen and where not to put it but i bet a lot of u didnt know that piercing your cartilage is illegal in so many states because it crushes the cartilage and can cause parilysation and cauliflower ear and hurts worse than a needle because the stud earring opens too much of the cartilage at the same time and can bust it into pieces i have heard of many cases that people have sued the piercer for using a gun beacause it was illegal and they caused cauliflower ear, but just a tip, make sure they know what the hell they are doing and make sure it is sterile and a needle well peace (%) <3 shalah

Answer by Kaybo
Submitted on 11/14/2006
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Okay, I don't have my cartilage pierced, but I'm planning on it sometime this year. Now after reading these I've found out a lot. But even though I've never actually experienced it, I have to tell you guys..Maybe the difference between the gun and the needle, isn't really between which is better and painless; but more of the person thats doing it. There's a ton of stories that say needles infect it, then there's a bunch that say guns infect it. But maybe its just about who does it, I mean it could hurt either way if the needle/gun was at an angle [I know, I do have 3 piercings and when they did my left ear lobe it was at an angle so it hurt more then my right] I've also got it pierced right under the cartilage on the left ear [about where a triple lobe piercing would be] So the best choice is to trust the place you go to, I'm going to a place I've gotten all mine done. [PS I've had my lobes done at Claire's, and I took care of them really well, It took 12 months for them to "SEEM" to heal, but then after taking out the earrings, They began bleeding bad. That was when I was 7. Now I'm 13.]

Answer by sarah
Submitted on 12/17/2006
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1. NEVER get a cartilage piercing done with a gun, it can shatter the tissue and cause permanent scarring and lumps to form around the hole 2. Don't change the jewelery until the piercing is fully healed 3. NEVER use rubbing alcohol to clean your piercing as it can dry it out, use a saline solution made of approximately one tablespoon sea salt and a cup of hot, not boiling, water 4. Soak the piercing for 2-3 minutes each day for the first week or two at least, it is recommended that you do it until the piercing is completely healed 5. Always go to a good, clean, tattoo/piercing parlor to get your piercings done, make sure the piercer is wearing gloves at all times, ask to see them cleaning or opening all instruments used 6. Follow all instructions given to you by the piercer 7. If you have an uneasy feeling about the place you are getting the piercing done, don't do it there, go somewhere else

Answer by Erik
Submitted on 12/23/2006
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Hey. I am thirteen years old and I am going to get my left cartilage pierced. I am so confused cuz a lot of people are saying needles are safer. then other people are saying that guns are safer. I like the feeling of piercings with guns. But this is going to be my first cartilage piercing. My friend said that she did not even feel it and that it is worth it and not expensive at all. I have 2 peircings on my ear already and an infection. It has been there for a pretty long time and it has not gone away and it doesn't hurt or anything. Hope u all the best if you do choose to get yours pierced. I hope mine goes well too! Thanks for reading please reply. I have a few more days.!.

Answer by Bless
Submitted on 1/2/2007
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i got my cartilage pierced exactly 6 months and one day ago.[July 1st,2005] and i was really really scared. i got it done when i was 14 years old. i am now 15. but i was so scared that i told my mother to hold my hand. but i told the lady who was piercing my ear "count to 3 before you do it". by the way i got my cartilages pierced at piercing pagoda[which uses a piercing gun] i was really happy with them using a piercing gun because once they do it it's over and done with. so the lady said 1,2,3 and did it really fast but the earring back got caught in the gun and she quickly got it out and put it on then i was stuck on the decision whether to get both my cartilage's pierced or not. the lady advised me not to, she told me to let my first one heal then come back and get my other one pierced but i decided to get them both pierced anyway because i wanted them both done and it was cheaper.in all honesty getting my cartilage's pierced it hurt really bad when she pierced it, my ears immediately got hot and it hurt for a day or more but everyone is different. but my ears are still healing after six months but i have no regrets because its cute!

Answer by ren
Submitted on 1/2/2007
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i got my cartilage pierced at a tattoo parlor where they use a needle two weeks ago they used a surgical steel earing and it was fine the first 3 days but on the 4th day it got a little swollen and red but not too bad today i had to get it removed because it got so red and purple and big that they couldn't remove it they actually had to use twisers or something to get it out i cried like a baby. but i want to get it done again on the other ear and i was thinking about doing it somewhere like Claire's one of my friends did it there and it was perfectly fine even though she has poor scaring but i want to know if the fact that it wasn't gold affected because at Claire's they told me that they only use 14k gold earrings to do the cartilage because its a very delicate area i also want to wait a little to let the other one heal but I'm worried it wont go back to its normal shape size and color:S

Answer by Chiefy
Submitted on 1/14/2007
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I've had cartilage piercings done 3 times at both Claire's and Ardene's. The first one was done at Claire's and they used a sterilized little gun-thingy. I have a tremendous fear of needles (I once kicked a nurse when she gave drew blood) but it didn't hurt. It feels very hot for an hour or so, but it isn't painful. After that you just have to be sensitive -- I slept on it that night and it was very sore the next morning. But if you clean it twice a day and take good care of it (don't get hair product on your ears and make sure to keep your hair very clean, or it could get infected) it'll be fine. The last two I got done at the same time -- they used another kind of gun-thing that you had to press through the cartilage using hand-power. It hurt more than the first because it was slower, but they all turned out fine. Frankly, if you get your piercing done where they use a new gun head and piercing every time (at both Claire's and Ardene's the heads come pre-packed and sterilized) then you're at little risk. I wouldn't recommend doing it yourself or letting your friends, because it's not worth saving the $20.

Answer by shortiegal
Submitted on 1/15/2007
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ok guys heres mine expericence. i went to my grandmas who does peircings. i was REALLY scared! i was getin both dun. when you sit in the chir they make a mark on yur cartalidge, with a pen, and then yur handed a miriorr, to see if that's were you see if it's were you want it. ((yes, yes, yes, i got mine dun wit a gun.)) it didn't hurt to much, but it did hurt a little more then the lope, but certainly not terrible pain. it all started out well, but advice, if you sleep on yur side, don't get them both dun on the same side at once, i rolled over on mine and i would wake up, automaticlly. make sure u take real good care of it. i didn't take care of my right one an d my earring eventually started rubbing a hole through my ear!, so i had to take it out andlet it fill in. a year later i wanted to get it redun. becouse i got it dun the first time wit a gun ((becouse a gun shaters the cartaledge)) it went through the broken scar tissue of the first one, it hurt a liitle more, but yet again, not bad.final line if yur wnating it dun go for it, but don't get it dun judt for the fashion, AND AKE SURE U CLAEN IT! and in a bout 4 to 5 weeks, you can take the starter out and make yur earring totally fashionable!! god luck ya'llif ya'llhave any questions or comments drop me a line at shortie49799@yahoo.com.

Answer by PrettyPrincess_xx
Submitted on 1/23/2007
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Hmm.. pretty sure that most of the posts I have read here do NOT have responsible parents. WHO allows an 11-16 yr old to get any type of piercing OTHER than an ear lobe piercing? My son last year when he turned 18 couldn't wait and ran out to get to his eyebrow pierced.. it is STILL disfigured one year later and he had to use bolt cutters to remove it! Within the first month, his eye blackened THEN began to swell shut. That is when I convinced him to take it out. The piercing place they use advised him to 'deal with it' since he already had it in and had scar tissue build up. That is yet another problem. His eye will never return to normal. THEN he went to get his tongue pierced. Thank GOD nothing has happened with that and it has been a couple of months so far.. BUT then he decided to go and get his cartilage pierced this previous Monday afternoon. He woke up this AM with blood everywhere, ear swollen, head hurts, tongue hurts and his throat hurts. Called our Dr who flat out said 'rush him in to the ER because he probably has a severe infection that will cause him to be hospitalized". Well.. MOM is home. He will inpatient for at least 3 days if not longer! Sorry. .I dont care how 'cool' ya'llthink piercings look.. they are NOT worth the potential for health problems. And there are more health problems that arise from cartilage piercings than any other. While I know that the place that did his piercings may be well known, I have to conclude they do not know what they are doing for two piercings of his to have gone wrong. I guess I am happy that the owner of the place is the one that did his tongue. Perhaps he needs to examine his 'help' better. And the hospital will be contacting the health department to investigate. IF the cultures come back with the bacteria that they believe caused this to happen.. they will be shut down and we will bring forth a lawsuit. Dont try and tell me that is why you sign a waiver, cuz those waivers don't mean crap once someone is hurt OR becomes ill. kay well,honestly,i have 8 peircings and i just turned 12,and none have got infected,and your a really over protective parent,peircings are cool,and i like them,so do alot of other people in the world,so whatever,anyone that wants it and is to scared to get it,dont be scared,ive peirced mine myself and mine didnt bleed at all,and ive peirced it like 20 times,but just go get it profesiionally,its not good to do it yourself.But im dumb so i did it myself, good luck.

Answer by Elley belly
Submitted on 1/26/2007
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Every1 Listen to me!!!!lol I got mine pierced 3 weeks ago with my best friend and me and her are Both 14!It took me 2 years o convince my parents to let me..haha!!!But any ways IT DOES NOT HURT!!!! I promise that all you feel is a slight pinch and that is it!!It isn't anything that nobody can handle!! love my pierced cartilage!!!!(in the ear ppl)MY advice is not to take it out before they tell you cause i did by accident and my mom had to quickly shove the earing back into the hole and it was bleeding every where and that hurt 10x more than getting it pierced!!! Also i got it done with a gun and it is completely fine!!! Trust me before i got it done i probably read every comment on here and was freaking out!! DONT WORRY!!! It will be fine and you will look great!!:)It cost about 15$,and it is completely normal for it to be red for about two weeks!!! Just keep on cleaning it and it will be fine!! Now my next mission is to get my belly button pierced and my tongue!!!lol GOOD LUCK Everyone and don't worry!!!

Answer by helen
Submitted on 2/11/2007
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I just got my cartilage pierced yesterday, and I spent like an hour reading all of everyone's responses up here before I went. And they definitely helped a lot because I knew what to ask and look for in the place that I went.. In the end I went to the piercing pagoda in the mall. They use one-time, pre-packaged guns.. so, it's the best of both worlds. I know it's still early to know for sure how it'll turn out, but it didn't hurt too much going in, and I could only feel it for a couple hours last night. This morning I woke up and it's not red, and it doesn't hurt and hopefully everything is good! My advice cause it's everywhere and it's what everyone says: clean it obsessively!

Answer by jojo
Submitted on 3/1/2007
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My 15 year old wanted her belly button, second ear lobe, and cartilage done. Since both my husband and I know how to pierce we did all three for her. No signs of infection. That was over two months ago. She takes good care of them. I did all the ear piercings with a gun. She said it only hurt for a second on her cartilage. As for her belly button since I am not a needle fan myself I have never pierced with a needle, that is my husbands department. After that was all done and said I decided I wanted a couple more piercing for myself. So, I had my third, fourth and fifth ear lobes done, both side cartilage and nipples pierce. Everything but my nipples were done with a gun. So, far looks good. I have a hard time sleeping on my left. I will tell you, know that piercing both sides at the same time, leaves a couple sleepless nights.. Gun or Needle it doesn't matter as long as done right. And the only way to have done right is professional!!! It does cost more but in the end you will be greatful. Thankful for our home both my husband and I have been piercing for a couple years.. (15 years)

Answer by Caitlin
Submitted on 3/9/2007
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You guys, I know most of you guys might be worried and have some questions so I'm going to try to answer them they best I can. I am 13 and I have 2 piercing on both of my ear lobes and tomorrow I am going to get my cartilage pierced. I was and still am very excited but for the past couple of days I was worried about what would happen. Sometimes I read all the stories that people write about what went wrong and if a gun or needle works better and I found that some of them make people feel more worried but don't worry! That wasn't you that was someone else's experience. Every human is different and for some people a needle works better, for others a gun. It all depends on your body structure. So when you go in to get a piercing go somewhere other that a cheap jewelry store like Clair's etc.. and ask the people working there what they think would be best for you and if you still aren't ready go home and think about it, there's no rush! For both of my lobe piercing they used a gun and I find for me it works well because it's fast and they don't have to pull out a needle then put in the earring. If you think it will hurt really bad and you are worried it probably will hurt you just need to relax and think of something good when you are getting it done, just breathe. Bring some ice to ice it after if it really really hurts, but again it depend on the person and if your worried how much it will hurt. Pick out good quality earrings so your ears don't get infected, if they do get infected they will sting at times and hurt a little but they only get infected if you do not take care of them or if the place that pierced them didn't clean the gun or needle. When you go to get it pierced ask for them to re-clean it or make sure it is clean. You should also buy rubbing alcohol which you can normally get where you got your ears pierced. Clean your ears 2 times a day. Again for the people who didn't want to read the big paragraph..lol.. Does a Cartilage piercing hurt? -Well, it all depends on the person and your body structure. The more you worry & think it will hurt the more it probably will but if you relax it will just be a pinch or you won't even feel a thing! Gun or Needle? -Again it depends on you body structure, ask someone who works at the place where you get it pierced which one would be better for you. -Guns can be better because they are fast and quick and just get it over with. -Needles are better for people who feel more comfortable having a needle put in and pulled out to put the earring after or for people who have tried and like needles better. -Most people say needles are better than guns but it all depends on you! Infections(how to treat them & prevent them) -Make sure they gun or needle is clean or ask them to clean it again once you get there. -Buy special rubbing alcohol for your ears and clean your ears 2 times a day until they are ready to be taken out then you would be safe with cleaning then 1 time a day or at least 3 times a week. Leave earring in to clean, use a Q-Tip! -Don't touch it unless you have washed your hands and try not to get hair suck in-between the earring. How long to heal? -A few months. 4-6 about. You should really ask the people who pierce it because they know more about how long it will take it to heal on YOUR ear depending on how well it pierced for you and if it will get infected. -If it gets infected it will take long but ask the experts! Cost -Different places have different costs. -Cheap places cost less but they aren't the best place to go. -Go somewhere where you feel comfortable even if the prices are higher, you want to get a good piercing in a clean environment. -Most cost somewhere around $30.00 and up. Now just relax, don't think of all the bad things that could happen because there is hardly anything that could go wrong and only a 20% chance they will. Just breathe, take a stress ball with you or someone you trust to comfort you if your really worried, after all, if you take care of it it will look awesome and you'll love it! Remember I'm only 13 so for you adults don't worry I'm getting it done tomorrow.

Answer by dkjfdksld
Submitted on 3/10/2007
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i just pierced my own cartilage a few hours ago, it didn't hurt at all. i used an earing that i had from getting my lobes pierced years ago, that were from a gun and still had a point on them. i could feel the earing go through, and since i was doing it slowly, i could hear my ear pop when the earring went through my ear. my lobes are a 2gauge, and i actually think stretching them, hurts a bit more than a cartilage piercing. my word of advice is to never use alcohol or peroxide on a piercing. it slows the healing prosses more than you would think. i once used peroxide to clean my ears after gauging them to the next size up, and it took them twice as long to heal as it should have. instead use an unscented antibacterial soap such as dial, it works much better. even though i do it, i wouldn't recomend piercing yourself. i pierce my ears a lot, and they usually end up getting infected, no matter how clean i think i make the earrings first. the only reason i still pierce myself is because my mom does'nt approve of it, and I'm underage so i cant get it done professionally.

Answer by hi its me
Submitted on 3/15/2007
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well let me start off by pointing that why the guns are more painful is because they are'nt sharp enough. when that 'pinch' happens, it causes something called blunt force trauma. this is what causes scarring and deformities. as for cleanliness, yes gun places do clean the guns with commercial disinfectant, which can auctually grow barteria inside the bottle before the bottle is even opened. another cause of bacteria is the felt point pen. you know, when you are sitting in a chair getting ready to get your ears peirced, and they pull out a pen and mark where the stud will penetrate the skin? that pen has been used on plenty of other people's skin, of which the cleanliness may be questionable. this leaves a barterical residue on your skin and when the stud goes through, it brings that direstly into the new wound. i had my upper ear pierced at claires. i have a big needle issue, as well as a very low pain tolerance. when it went throught it hurt but it was plenty bearable. it looked awesome but i had to remove the earring because it was crooked. i dont know if i will get it again. but after about 10 hours the pain was not there unless i bumped the piercing, and i could sleep on it. i dont think children under about 14 should even consider upper ear piercings, or anything but lobes. hope it helped.

Answer by Lindsay
Submitted on 3/15/2007
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I got my cartilage pierced about 2 months ago at Claire's (with a gun). I would highly recommend going there to get it done. I haven'thad any problem at all. The only pain I had was sleeping on the side with the piercing, but that went away in a couple weeks. I have very sensitive ears and I had numerous infections with the piercing on my ear lobes, but so far none with my cartilage. As far as the gun vs. needle situation goes... there are risks either way you go. They can both cause infection, shattering of your cartilage and so on. So if you say that guns are worse than I can't see how that is true because there is always a chance that you can have problems. Make sure you go to a well known place that sterilizes their tools and you should be fine. Also clean your piercing 2-3 times a day.

Answer by Belle
Submitted on 3/15/2007
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Hey guys, here's an update: I got my first cartilage piercing about 8 months ago, (July, it is now march 07') anyways overall it was a pretty positive experience. I got mine done at Claire's (foolish, I know) though I would reccomend a tatto/body piercing place instead. They tend to be more knowledgeable and use a needle which is much more safe. Needless to say, when I got it put in there was immediate pain but it really only lasted about three seconds and then it just felt pretty hot. The girl knew what she was doing, and it also only cost 20$! Now, 8 months later there is hardly any pain unless I accidentally catch it on a brush/towel. I would reccomend this to people who are willing to take care of it, and also who don't just want it because their friend did. REALLY be sure this is something you want, because there is a possibility that it could get infected, and it IS something that is going into your body. I loveee mine, and good luck with everyone else's!

Answer by carla
Submitted on 4/2/2007
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alright i didnt read any of these questions so im just going to put what my experience was like. i was 12 at the time, it was a few months ago and i wanted it for such a long time but i was so nervous. i finaly went and almost backed out but i didnt. he just picked a spot and shot the gun or whatever they do. at first its just like a sting, yeah sure it hurts but nothing to worry about ill tell you the truth it hurts a lot less then you expect it too. its nothing that you cant handle, and its no shock. its afterwards when it gets sore. you cant sleep on it, and it throbs for a while. i have mine done about 5 months ago and its still tender if i touch it. anyway, the guy suggested i waited at least 6 weeks to change it, i waited three and put a cheap barbell in and ive never had any problems. to anyone thinking about doing this, GO FOR IT. its worth it and ive never had any regrets! and its cheap too, dont worry about a think and dont tense up. just go in and relax, to anyone who says it hurts, you must be insane i have a very low tolerance for pain and like i said, it hardly hurts at all.

Answer by EJ08
Submitted on 4/24/2007
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hey guys! i really wanted to get my cartilage pierced! after reading these i was really scared so i stared talking to my friends that had theirs done. the ones that got it with a needle said it hurt n the ones with the gun said it didn't! so i got mine done wit a guy today! there was no pain at all! it burned a little afterward but thats it i also went to Clare's n they did a great job it just depends on who does it the lady i went to knew what she was doing! so you shouldn't be scared! its really nothing to me it felt just like getting my lobe pierced! so if u want it i say go for it! n all the horror stories they only happen to a low percentage of people so really don't be scared!

Answer by Jacey
Submitted on 4/28/2007
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I asked my mom the other day if I could get my cartilage pierced. She said "we'll see". I'm not sure if she actually might consider it but I totally want one. Would it look better on the left or right ear? I'm thinking my left but the piercing person will probably tell me which one will look better. I have heard many different stories about a needle or gun. Most people have said a needle is better and wont hurt as much. I think it probably depends on how thick your ear is. The thicker the more pain. I don't think there are any tattoo parlors (spelling?) around my area except there are little piercing places (booths) at the mall. I really want one but I'm scared I wont be able to swim in my pool once it pieced because summer is on its way you know? Hope everything turns out okay for me. ~Jacey

Answer by Brandy
Submitted on 5/2/2007
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I was afraid of getting a cartilage piercing for a long time and finally my friend was going to get one as well but she was frightened also. I told the lady that I may get mime done if I see how my friend reacts first after hers. She did not budge and said that she did not feel it and that 100% convinced me to go for it... I have been afraid for so long and I finally done it!!! I did not even feel it, it felt about like getting the bottom of the ear done but maybe a tiny pinch and thats it.. After that it doesn't hurt and doesn't hurt when I sleep or anything. My war itches a little once in a while but it was NOTHING! This doesn't hurt as much as a shot and it was easy, I would do it over and over again with no fear.

Answer by Carla
Submitted on 5/2/2007
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Hey Guys......Well this may be pathetic but ive read every review on this page. Im 14 years old and thinking about gettin my cartilage pierced. The thing im most scared about is infection. Im pretty sure im gonna get it done with a needle just because ive heard good things about it. My real question though is Dose anyone know a place on Long Island New York where you can get it done in a Steril,Safe place where i know i will be okay to get it done. Please respond because im really not sure. P.s. Thanks for the responses people left it really helps to read this stuff to all the people that got infections i hope it gets better and for all of you that rae happily pierced YAY! for you and i hope i get the same result ~Carla

Answer by xiggy89x
Submitted on 5/3/2007
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I got my piercings when I was in 6th grade. I'm a senior now. I have two cartilages and two on my ear lobe. I also got them done with the gun. My ear lobe actually hurt a lot more than when I got me cartilage pierced. Believe me I don't like pain and it didn't hurt at all. It just stings for a few minutes afterward and then its fine. The biggest problem is the cleaning of it. YOU MUST CLEAN IT AS THE INSTRUCTIONS SAY. Or it will get infected. I've had my cartilage pierced three times. The first I had to take out because it got really infected. I learned later that it was because the backing was to close to my ear and the earring wasn't getting any air. You have to make sure that the backing is far enough away from your ear and you'll be fine. I'm going on Saturday to get it done a third time. My mom doesn't really want me to. She thinks I have to many as it is, but I'm 18 so it doesn't really matter.

Answer by hannah
Submitted on 5/12/2007
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Well I had my cartilage pierced in February of 2007 (not too long ago) at this place in the mall near my house called Piercing Pagoda (i got every other piercing of mine done at Claire's, but I was too young to get my cartilage pierced there)and they used a gun. I have 1st and 2nd holes in my ear and my cartilage pierced and i've never been pierced with a needle, I'd much rather have a gun anyway. Not to scare you or anything but having my cartilage pierced hurt much worse than having my 1st and 2nd holes pierced. It could just be that they used a gun instead of a needle. but i don't know because I've never had a needle piercing. but when getting your cartilage pierced I recommend a gun because the process is quicker and the pain will be over quicker. After you get it pierced, it is important to take good care of it because if it gets infected it hurts really bad. and for the first few days (like 3 or something) i couldn't sleep on my ear with the piercing. i recommend only getting 1 ear done, not only is it less painful and easier to sleep at night, but it is easier to maintain. Don't worry, having only 1 looks fine. It actually looks better to me. Mine's still a little red, but trust me, it looks totally cool and it is all worth it in the end.

Answer by lou
Submitted on 5/13/2007
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hey hows u I'm 14 and I'm scared of everything but to tell u da truth i had my cartalige ear piersed about 2 weeks ago and i had it done with da gun i had it done at cut above and they were realy good.it never hurt one bit it only hurt when i got out of da shop coz it was windy.i mean i total scared of everything but it never hurt ive have my ear piesed 2wice and i was going to get my nose done but i wouldnt get it done now my mates had their belly done and sed it never hurt but remember that evry one is diffrent.anyway bout ear pising mine sstill hurts and i didnt have enogh money to get the cleaning stuff but dont worry if this happenes to u just use t.c.p OR cream it should be ok ....... dont worry bout it u will be finee

Answer by Tommie
Submitted on 5/20/2007
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hey,first i want to say NEVER get cartilage pierced with a gun,always go to a clean and licensed piercing studio!!make sure that the person doing your piercing is using a NEW sterile needle and that they open it in front of you.also make sure that the ring/bar that they are using has been cleaned properly.when your piercing is done (not painful at all) don't jump up straight away take your time and take deep breaths as some people can feel faint afterwords. Cleaning. Cleaning should be part of your daily routine and you should avoid alcohol based lotions.The best thing to use when cleaning a piercing is SALT WATER (sea salt) wash out a cup with boiling water boil the water twice then put about a table spoon of salt into a half cup of boiling water.leave the water to cool for a while and when the water is still hot (but not boiling hot) soak some Cotton wool bud in the water and hold it to the piercing for a min or two,repeat this a few times,you should clean a cartilage piercing at least 3 times a day and when you get out of the shower etc, when washing hair make sure your ear is the last place you wash and make sure there's no soap left on it! I hope this helps and NEVER LET ANY ONE OTHER THAN A PROFESSIONAL PIERCE YOU!!!!!!

Answer by Jess
Submitted on 6/17/2007
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Why don't you guys wait till your older? I got my nose done when I was 12 and my parents took me. Then when I was 18 I started getting them on my own. There is definitely a difference between getting pierced when your 11 and when you're 18. It's like when you're young you want it cuz of the style, or other people have it, like an i want i want situation. Which I'm sure your parents had to take you to get it done since you're not old enough. When your older it means a lot more. I definitely know the difference. I'm 21 now with 13 piercings. When I look back on the once I got when I was young, there really isnt nothing to look back on, except the fact I was practly holding Mommy's had walking in the tat shop. But the more recent ones I look back and they have meanings behind them. Like friends, boyfriends, making the decision on my own and walking in the tat shop solo. I don't know maybe i put too much in to the thoughts of piercings. I just wish i would of got my early piercings when I was older and mature so i can look back on it positively. Instead of I got my nose pierced with mommy, and cuz i wanted to be the only one in jr. high to have something other than my ear lobes pierced. (back then piercings wernt too common)

Answer by Christy
Submitted on 6/18/2007
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hello everyone i just got my cartilage peirced 3 days ago with a gun and it didn't hurt as much as you thihnk it would hurt. It felt liek a small pressured pinch that lasted less then a second! i went on this same websit when i was about to get mine and it scared me a little bit but you guys really have nothing to worry about. oh and afterwards it felt like my ear was burning but it didn't hurt, its just like a warming heating up sensation but it goes away and sleeping on it doesnt bother me. oh and i got it done at clairs for a total of around 30 dollars. cartilage peircing is an extra 2.50 dollars and ear lobes are free if anyone was wondering. but thers no need to worry! its fun and looks great at the end! :]

Answer by Christy
Submitted on 6/18/2007
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hello everyone i just got my cartilage peirced 3 days ago with a gun and it didn't hurt as much as you thihnk it would hurt. It felt liek a small pressured pinch that lasted less then a second! i went on this same websit when i was about to get mine and it scared me a little bit but you guys really have nothing to worry about. oh and afterwards it felt like my ear was burning but it didn't hurt, its just like a warming heating up sensation but it goes away and sleeping on it doesnt bother me. oh and i got it done at clairs for a total of around 30 dollars. cartilage peircing is an extra 2.50 dollars and ear lobes are free if anyone was wondering. but thers no need to worry! its fun and looks great at the end! :]

Answer by Ashley
Submitted on 6/24/2007
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Hi, I'm 14 and planning on getting my cartilage pierced tomorrow morning, and I am so scarred. I mean I am not a real fan of needles. I don't know if I need to get them done with a gun, or a needle. Everybody says that needle is better. But I truly beleive in that everybody is different, so I don't know how I will be, cause I only have my ear lobes done, and I really can't remember if it hurt or not cause I was to young to remember, I was only two, so yeah. My mom wants me to get it done at Wal-Mart, but is there places, that are supposedly better, and non painful, I'm thinking about getting it done at Claire's, but I don't know, please answer my questions, cause I am getting it done tomorrow morning, PLEASE HELP!!!

Answer by 3Stephanie3
Submitted on 6/27/2007
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THIS IS GOOD INFO PLEASE READ WHAT I GOTTA SAY. :P ya guys... the experience is gonna differ from person 2 person. i dont know why i wanted mine done... no1 at my school had them... i just got this urge.lol.and told my mom.i was 15-still am.she just asked me why and i asked her if i did it would she care?and she said i dont know.probably not.(i dont have rules except 4 no drinkin and drugs,sex,that type of stuff.)but rules were NEVER layed down for me and my brother.we know whats right and wrong and we know whats against the rules that AREN'T there.our mom is UBER cool and we love her...AANNNYWAYS-my dad was the only problem.so i thought...he has always been so over-protective.and i told him i wanted 2 get a piercing and showed him where.nothing happened.i asked if he had money.and he said that the rent was almost due.but not in a complaint kinda way...so i asked my brother.=].and he gladly gave me 10 bucks 2 go get it.mom brought me that night...and i was crazy excited and nervous.(we called ahead 2 see which cartilage studs were the cheapest and NOT nickel.because MOST ppl are allergic 2 nickel).and we went 2 the store...picked what color...and CLICK! lol. all i felt was a quick pressure and it BARELY hurt for a couple seconds.after that,we went around the store,got regular around the house groceries...and when we got 2 the car i got a burst of excitement because i remembered my new piercing.lol.so it didnt hurt much.and as long as you read the after care instructions,buy more med when you run out,and dont sleep on that side,it'll be fine.and if you wanna do it,do it.you'll be ok.i have 3 now. =D and they're awesome. just watch out for when your tuckin your hair behind your ears.lol. wanna know more? xx3stephanie3xx@yahoo.com ok? please write with responses. :D PEACE

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Question by rcindy
Submitted on 2/8/2004
Related FAQ: rec.arts.bodyart: Piercing FAQ 7--Healed Piercings
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My granddaughter just had her ear cartilage pierced, but is not permitted to wear an earring in that location at school. Is there something she can put in the piercing to prevent its closing (like plastic)? We need an immediate answer. Her only other alternative is to remove the earrings she has and let the piercing close.

Answer by 29_pierings_in_my_ears
Submitted on 3/14/2004
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Yes you can get things called retainters from www.bodycandy.com they are 3 dollars and are see through so the piercing will not be noticable!

Answer by Chorx
Submitted on 3/19/2004
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i am afraid of getting a cartilage piercing. I dont like needles! But i really want a cartilage piercing! HELP!

Answer by Tracy Rich
Submitted on 3/29/2004
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Well I just got my cartilage pierced last week and I didnt feel the earring go through my ear. It may be different for people but if the person does it right it wont hurt at all.So if you really want it done go ahead and do it. I am not a big fan on needles either but dont worry about it. It doesnt hurt just take good care of it while it is healing in your ear and dont touch it with your hands unless you wash them first.

Answer by KIDintheHALL
Submitted on 3/29/2004
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When I got my cartilage peirced about three weeks ago, the earring got stuck on some cartilage and the lady had to wiggle it through..VERY PAINFUL. But she said that it doesn't happen often..its just my luck I guess. Afterwords, I felt really sick like I was gonna puke but after sitting down for a couple of seconds I was alright...needless to say I HAVE NO REGRETS ITS SOOOO COOL!!!! I LOVE IT!!!

Answer by Appin
Submitted on 4/8/2004
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Um, I'm trying to get my cartelage pierced, but I need some questions first. Like, how much does it hurt? What's the cost? Is there any danger ( like my ear just turning green and falling off). Would it affect my schooling and career?

Answer by chelie
Submitted on 4/9/2004
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i want mine done like today but i keep hearing all this scary crap that i dont knowe what to do but i think it looks so cute ... ahhh what should i dooooo???

Answer by sweEtswimmer
Submitted on 4/9/2004
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i want to get my cartilage pierced but i'mhearing all these scary things about it.and if your going to get it pierced, is it better to get it pierced with a gun or needle and is either of them more painful than the other?

Answer by TeeKay
Submitted on 4/9/2004
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DON'T get your cartilage pierced with a gun. Normally they don't clean the gun correctly, so you're at HUGE risk of an infection, and it also splits the cartilage. Once that is done, it takes about a year and a half to heal. A needle piercing will take up to 3-6 months to heal to where you can change your earring yourself. Needles are also sterilized, and they hurt much less. You'll experience less soreness and such, and paying more is well worth it in this case.

Answer by nina
Submitted on 4/15/2004
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i have a question ??? which one is better gun or needle???? i really want to get my cartilage pierced and my mom wont let me ,what should i do??

Answer by Natalie
Submitted on 4/17/2004
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Well this isnt an answer,but i need an answer within 2 days,im getting it done o tuesday if i choose to,i wanna get my cartlidge on the righ side,im 11 and a half and in year at school,i need to know will it affect me in school,and will i be told to take it out?I realldont know and need help,thanx dudes,peace.

Answer by TG
Submitted on 4/21/2004
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get it done by needle it doesnt hurt as much as the gun would. i just gotten my cartilige(?) done and it was worth the money. to all who want to get it done you wont have to be asked to take it out unless your school/work place says its a health hazard. but other wise no you dont.

Answer by Megan
Submitted on 4/25/2004
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hi if i get a cartilage pierced will it hurt lots and how much does it cost .......................ps does it bleed:(

Answer by Emily
Submitted on 4/26/2004
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Hey Guys...Getting cartlidge with a gun is no different with a needle! I expieranced it 3 times! So yah for all you whos scared!

Answer by anglz
Submitted on 4/28/2004
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hey guyz...um, i got my left ear pierced on March 22nd...it's alright to take out my earring and clean it, right? as long as i put it bak in immediately? also, how do i know if it gets infected?

Answer by Karli
Submitted on 4/29/2004
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hey! Last night I was bound to get my cartilage pierced lol. That really didn'twork because they were closed. I am going to go with my dad and get it done tonight. Help me I'm so scared! Just tell me everything about it.

Answer by Amber
Submitted on 4/29/2004
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I'm 12 and this weekend im gonna get my cartalige pierced! Does it hurt? My friend say it hurt alot but im scared!

Answer by hayle-marie
Submitted on 5/5/2004
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im gettin mine done for the second time soon, the first time i got mine done it woz with a gun , it didnt hurt at all, but it got infected and the earing went through my ear!!!, this time im gettin it done wiv a needle, im 16 and i swear the needle is best option!!!!!!!!!!!!! also get it done somwhere proper!! peace outX

Answer by Magz
Submitted on 5/10/2004
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Hello, uhhh my mom wont let me get my cartilage pierced. She is worried about it getting infected! I am almost 12!! help i want it done bad!

Answer by April
Submitted on 5/10/2004
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This is for "Magz". I got a cartilage piercing a couple months ago and the place I went won't even allow a child under the age of 13 to get it done. Mine still hurts and cartilage piercings can cause much worse infections and scarring than tissue piercings. If by chance you do find a place that allows it and your mother gives in, please follow aftercare instructions very carefully.

Answer by L:BVR
Submitted on 5/13/2004
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I don't agree with the comment on the gun, during the summer holidays at the end of year 7 I got mine done at Claire's, didn't even realise. The ear lobes are horrible compared to it...trust me. I'm getting mine done again! Yay! ^_^ and my belly and ear lobes...so excited!

Answer by CHELSEA
Submitted on 5/28/2004
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Yall I got my cartladge peirced @ Clairs and yes WITH A GUN! YAll it dont' hurt! Please! Idano wut those other people are talking about but I no with me it didnt hurt, well okay after wards, i cant lie it KILLED! But i mean, i dont think the gun had anything to do with it! Ya' just shoved a sharp peice of metal in yer ear of course its guna hurt! You can use a gun or a needle, its a fact, sharp objects through skin hurt! lol but hay JUST DO IT if ya' want it go 4 it!.....its not THAT bad... :) Hope i helped!

Answer by nuttyellie11
Submitted on 5/31/2004
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i wanted my top of my ear done no affence u lot have totally put me off i think i will go 4 the natural look from now on thanx anyway plz reply

Answer by erika
Submitted on 5/31/2004
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cartilage piercings do not hurt. my sister pierced mine 2 years ago, and it was fine, but i let it close up. then i repierced it myself, but let it close up again, and just recently did it again. i`m totally fine and so is my piercing. it didn`t even hurt and it was done with a piercing gun. to goonka: you say your sons eyebrow messed up, so he went back and got his ear done at the same place? that was smart. did you ever think that maybe it was his fault by not taking proper care of the piercing? or maybe he was allergic to the jewelry? and if he woke up with it like that, then he probably slept on it that night and somehow managed to hit it/snag it on the pillow.

Answer by miko1984
Submitted on 6/1/2004
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I just got my cartilage pierced a few days ago and i'm concerned about some of the deformities that happen with these type of piercings. i am taking proper care of it but i am just concerned with the deformity thing. i got it done at claire's with a gun and the barbell, it didn't hurt.it's just really sore now and only bothers me when i bump it or clean it..if any one can help about the question i asked, i will be more than grateful

Answer by ME! From earlier
Submitted on 6/2/2004
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I also got mine pierced in the thicker cartilage, on the outer edge, lower. I got it pierced with a 16G barbell. I <3 it!!!

Answer by IMIK
Submitted on 6/5/2004
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i have 4 cartilage piercings and they all rock and one got infected and i had to let it close, but i honestly like the pain whne they pierce it..:)))))

Answer by Danielle
Submitted on 6/12/2004
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Hey Some of you guys are SOOOO SCARED!!LOL... I've had my cartilage pierced since i was 7 on both sides! I have my ears pierced to death lol 3 lobe piercings on both sides & 2 cartilage piercings on both sides! I also have my belly done i'monly 12 almost 13 on July 6th! my mom is pretty cool! By the way the piercing doesn't hurt and it is better to be done with an ear piercing gun than a needle according to a local piercing place i called and asked them. If any of you guys have any questions email me at crazy_blonde_grl@yahoo.com

Answer by Cher
Submitted on 6/12/2004
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Hey Everybody!! I just got my cartilage pierced, and it didn't really hurt. I mean it did a little bit, like a regular ear piercing, but its really no worse than that. It's a little sore now, but I mean what do you expect? lol. But yeah I got mine done with a gun, haha, I got it done at wal-mart, seems fine to me, as long as the people who are doing it know what they are doing it shouldn't hurt too bad. So for all of you who are scared, don't be, you're just workin yourself up over nothin:-) haha. Peace ~ Cher

Answer by Catie
Submitted on 6/18/2004
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i've had my cartilage pierced for almost 2 years now, it doesn't hurt at ALL, i it actually hurt more when i pierced my ear lobes, but thats just me. also i got mine pierced with the gun, and it didn't "tear the tissue" or anything like that, they do clean the guns if you go to a store or somewhere that does it professionally...

Answer by Dana
Submitted on 6/18/2004
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What is the best place to get your cartiladge pierced at.

Answer by Nik Nak
Submitted on 6/18/2004
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hey every 1!i'm hoping 2 get my ear pierced 2 tomorrow @ the top in the cartilage n i wonted 2 know how long it will take 2 heel if it is dune properly n what happens n stuff. i've already had both ear lobes pierced 3 times on each side n is the pain like that? because it isn't much if it is WRITE BACK SOON PLEASE!!!!!! xxx

Answer by abby
Submitted on 6/18/2004
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i got my cartalidge pierced about 4 days ago with a gun...it was fine but i fink i must of lay on it wrong or my hair bugged it because now my ear is so big and puffy the piercings in so tight i cant get it out n if i pull the back to hard the actual stud if so small it could go through the hole if i pull the back uncarefully...so i dunno wot to do..ive tried getting it out,no such luck.so im just gonna keep it really clean and hope the swelling goes down..but my advice is get it done with a needle..:) dont end up like me lol

Answer by runa
Submitted on 6/20/2004
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i just got my cataloger pierced today and bigot it done with a gun.

Answer by Jen
Submitted on 6/25/2004
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It doesn't tear tissue, the gun holds a risk of passing infection and shattering cartilage [this is where you ear can cave in at the top]. I've had my cartilage piercing with a needle twice, and it holds no problem, with no risk. As opposed to the gun which is a potential problem with risk of disease and deformation.