Before you get a piercing it is important to know everything you need to and want to. It isn’t going to help your nerves beforehand if you still have questions to ask, right? Blue Banana is here to put some of those piercing worries to rest and help you enjoy your *cartilage piercing* experience. After all, what could be more exciting than choosing some new jewellery for your piercing?  So here's the lowdown on cartilage piercings – * **Cartilage piercings** refer to certain nose and ear piercings.  * The **cartilage piercing healing** time is approximately 3 – 1\. months but remember everyone’s bodies will react differently!  * Typically the piercing jewellery used will measure 1.2mm. The types of jewellery you can wear are BCR, Labret, Segment Ring and Curved/Straight/Circular Barbell. Remember not all of these can be worn straight away.  * You may need to wait until your piercing has healed.  * The types of **ear cartilage piercings** include Helix, Antihelix, Conch, Daith, Rook. Cartilage piercings tend to be done with a needle as a piercing gun is designed for softer tissue. # ![](https://www.bluebanana.com/shopimages/blog/uploads/2017/12/main_mixed_piercing_20160414.jpg) # Cartilage Piercing Care It is time to bust some myths when it comes to caring for cartilage piercings! The common advice for ear cartilage piercings is not to sleep on the piercing itself. Many people think this is because of the pain. However, there’s actually more to it than that! Cartilage piercings can migrate which means the jewellery could move under the skin. Sleeping on your new piercing could push on your jewellery and cause the angle of the piercing to change. Ensuring you don’t knock or apply pressure on your new piercing will help the healing process and minimise the chances of migration.  It isn’t always easy to tell if you have a** cartilage piercing infection** as it is possible you will initially experience some redness and swelling. There are some signs to look out with your cartilage piercing that could be signalling a potential infection. These include: heat around the piercing site, abnormal discharge such as thick pus, extreme pain and/or tenderness. If you experience any of these symptoms seek medical help and if you are unsure about your piercing you can always talk to your piercer. These side effects can sound a bit scary but they are completely avoidable! Remember, with the correct piercing aftercare, it is unlikely you will experience these issues.  So, the question now is; what can you do to avoid getting an infection? There are a few do’s and don’ts when it comes to piercing aftercare. Consider them your Golden Rules as you wait for your piercing to properly heal. The main age old rule is to not fiddle with your jewellery. Twisting you jewellery or picking at your piercing is definitely a no no! Another important step to piercing after care is cleaning. A pinch of salt in an eggcup of water it all it takes to clean your new piercing.  If you would like to find out more about how we rate **cartilage piercing pain** check out our blog post, ‘[Which Piercings Hurt The Most (or Least)!](http://www.bluebanana.com/en/news/which-piercings-hurt-the-most-or-least)’  ## Types of Cartilage Piercing Jewellery  All** types of cartilage piercing** will have different suggestions for piercing jewellery so here are some of our favourites! For [helix](http://www.bluebanana.com/en/section/4645/1/helix-piercing-jewellery) and antihelix piercings,** cartilage piercing earrings** such as barbells and BCRs are a popular choice. In a huge rainbow of colours you are sure to be able to choose your favourites.  [Conch](http://www.bluebanana.com/en/section/4603/1/conch-piercing-jewellery) piercings are in the inner part of the ear so are designed for barbells, labret and BCR jewellery. Remember you can have plenty of fun modifying your piercing jewellery by adding a jewelled ball for extra sparkle.  [Daith](http://www.bluebanana.com/en/section/4635/1/daith-piercing-jewellery) piercings are becoming increasingly popular due to their rumoured abilities to reduce migraines. These are mostly worn with **cartilage piercing hoop** jewellery. A particularly popular style is the heart shaped ring which is sure to look super cute. Rook piercings are similar to daith piercings but are placed on the upper part of the inner ear.  [Nose](http://www.bluebanana.com/en/section/743/1/nose-studs) piercings can also vary in their positioning, just like ear piercings. A nostril piercing is most commonly worn with a small stud so make sure you choose a colour that matches your favourite makeup colour palette. For more information about our cartilage piercings and piercing studios, make sure to check them out if you’re considering getting a piercing of your own!  For** Cartilage Piercing Prices**, make sure to check out our [pricing pages](http://www.bluebanana.com/en/article/21535/body-piercing-information). For **Cartilage Piercing Near Me**, go ahead and take a look at our [Studio Locator](http://www.bluebanana.com/en/stores)!