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I recently had my ear pierced in what is most commonly known as a ‘Helix’ piercing (to denote the outer ear) and is sometimes also called a ‘Pinna’, or the more anatomically specific ‘Scaphoid Fossa’.
This type of piercing goes through the cartilage of the ear, and therefore takes much longer to heal than the ear lobe. Cartilage piercings are notoriously tough to heal on some, while others do well with this type of piercing.
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As I am being asked a lot about this piercing and my experiences with healing, I thought I would share some of the best pre-piercing and aftercare advice/research I’ve come across so far, in the hopes of good healing.
I hope the following info is helpful for those of you who are considering a new piercing or are having troubles with old ones:
1. Go to a professional
All piercings should be carried out by professionals – including the common ear lobe piercings – but it is especially important that cartilage piercings, and piercings on other sensitive body parts are carried out by trained professionals who do such piercings for a living.
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As a professional, your piercer should be able to explain the pros and cons of your choice and all aspects of aftercare, and you should be able to return if you encounter any problems or need to change the jewellery for any reason (which is not recommended during healing, ideally, as changing the jewellery can re-traumatise the wound).