For anybody considering an industrial piercing, I think that you should research the procedure, watch some online videos of the procedure so you know what to expect, and find a reputable studio to have the piercing done at. I would try to avoid places that just specialize in tattoos. While there are places that specialize in piercings only, I have had good experiences with places that do both tattoos and piercings. The place I go to has several people that specialize in piercings, and several people that specialize in tattoos, so after you get a piercing you can get a tattoo touched up as well!
At A Glance Author downward spiral Contact downward spiral@bme.anon When N/A Artist Jason Deal Studio Ink Slingers Tattoo & Piercing Location Statesboro, GA As per usual, I filled out all the paperwork required to obtain the piercing. There was a short wait as the studio wasn't that crowded that afternoon. I was led to the back and asked to sit down in the chair. My ear was measured where I wanted the industrial done by the piercer to determine the length of the jewelry, and the piercer marked my ear at the entry and exit points of the piercing to make sure I liked the placement of it.
Placement is pretty important with these piercings. I got mine slightly slanted, as I like the slanted look better than the perfectly horizontal look, and you can see the bottom part of the industrial bar when I have my hair down. My piercer does a great job and has a keen eye for detail, and he always gets the placement right the first time. I have always been pleased with how he marks the points for the piercings I have gotten, so make sure you go to someone experienced so you don't have to spend much time re-marking because it can be frustrating.
He then got everything ready, cleaned my ear and pulled my hair back from the location of the piercing, and inserted the gauged needle through the cartilage of my ear closest to my ear using the forceps, towards the cartilage of my ear farthest away from my head. I don't personally think that the actual process of getting this piercing hurts, it's just when the jewelry is slid in that makes it painful I have heard, but my piercer did this very swiftly and gently that I was actually surprised at how much it didn't hurt! He then screwed the last ball onto the piercing, very carefully, being sure not to jerk on my ear.
He then cleaned it. I only bled a small amount, but have heard that the amount of bleeding varies from person to person. My ear felt very hot where my new piercing was, but otherwise was not painful yet. Cleaning this piercing actually feels really good after your ear gets hot and red. My piercer then reviewed care instructions with me, and I was left to admire it in their mirror. It looks awesome, as this guy did a really good job like always.
A sea salt rinse is necessary, but you don't need to buy the expensive sprays or bottles of it because it is cheap and easy to make yourself at home, not to mention those spray bottles just don't last very long. I recommend using Q-tips to clean around the hard-to-reach parts of the inside of your ear to avoid any irritation that could be caused by your fingertips.
The worst part was trying not to sleep on the right side of my head, because it was sore later. I think the worst part is a few hours later when the cartilage gets sore... but is well worth it. Once again, finding an experienced and knowledgeable piercer is extremely important - I have seen some friends of mine that got industrials done with too short of a barbell because they got it "for cheap," but it is worth the extra money to have somebody that knows what they are doing pierce it. The infection and migration is not worth the money you will save, and you will probably end up taking it out if it gets nasty looking.
It has been a little over a month now, and it is still healing. None of those weird skin bubbles have appeared like some people get when they have their cartilage pierced, so I was quite happy about that. Your ear will be sore for probably about a week as far as sleeping on it goes, and it's pretty important that you avoid catching the barbell with a brush if you have long hair, because it sucks! I tried to keep my hair up and off of it as much as possible, because my hair tended to get tangled around the balls, and would hurt to untangle. Also, your hair can be greasy and have product on it that can irritate the piercing, so I would recommend avoiding keeping your hair down that first week after you get it done if you have longer hair, just to be extra safe and careful! My experience was great because of an excellent piercer, me keeping up with the aftercare, and just being careful doing everyday things so you don't knock it around. I can't wait to get a black metal barbell for it once it is completely healed!