Industrial Piercingschmuck | Blue Banana | Alternative Mode

Industrial Piercing Procedure

Looking to get an industrial or scaffold piercing? Use our store locator to find your local Blue Banana Studio. There’s no need to book an appointment; you can simply go to the store of your choice and be pierced on the day.

Please ensure that you have checked the scaffold piercing age restriction before coming to store. It can help to avoid any undue disappointment. In a Blue Banana studio, the scaffold piercing age restriction is 16 (ID may be required) or 13 with parental consent from a parent or guardian who is present.

Once you’re all booked in, you will have some forms to fill out. A member of Blue Banana staff will go through the steps and can help you pick out jewellery. Then you can meet the piercer! They too will give you a quick consultation and briefing before discussing the scaffold piercing location. There are several locations to choose from but the most common is between the forward helix and helix.

The industrial piercing typically involves a sterilised gauge needle which your piercer will pass through the cartilage, inserting the jewellery in the process. When the piercer has passed the needle through the first hole for your scaffold piercing, a plastic retainer will usually be inserted to preserve the hole until the second piercing has been performed and the jewellery can be inserted. Some piercers prefer to partly insert the jewellery in the first hole while performing the second piercing. The piercing site is cleaned thoroughly and marked with a pen first so you can check that you are happy with the location.

Industrial Aftercare Advice

A scaffold piercing can take 3-12 months to fully heal due to the piercing passing through the cartilage of the ear. It can be faster than some other types of cartilage piercing because it is passed through the outer rim of the ear if performed in the common position. Vertical scaffold piercings will pass through thicker parts of cartilage so may take longer to heal. The healing time varies from person to person and the process can be aided by top-notch aftercare.

During the healing process, it is important to avoid knocking the piercing or putting pressure on the area as this will slow down healing and can even cause unnecessary problems. For example, make sure not to sleep on the side with the new piercing and don’t touch the piercing unless absolutely necessary. For this reason, we recommend getting one ear pierced at a time. Other steps that can be taken to aid with healing include tying back long hair, not wearing earphones or other ear coverings, and avoiding contact with any kind of cosmetics including moisturiser and hair products.

Like any piercing, it is important to maintain top hygiene when caring for your industrial piercing. Sticking to your aftercare routine for your industrial piercing will help limit potential infections and ensure your piercing gets the best chance at healing quickly. Gently clean your scaffold piercing twice a day with salt water solution or Tea Tree Oil by gently bathing it using cotton wool.

While it is important to ensure your general ear hygiene is first rate, it is also advisable to avoid using soap on your new piercing so be sure to take extra care while washing your ears and removing ear wax.

If you would like further information, make sure to read our full Piercing Aftercare Guides to learn about side effects to look out for.

Choosing Industrial Piercing Jewellery

There’s plenty of options when it comes to scaffold piercing jewellery from Blue Banana. Some popular styles include:

Industrial Piercing Bars
Scaffold Piercing Bars
Industrial Piercing Jewellery

We tend to recommend choosing a straight barbell for the first year of having your industrial piercing as this will help retain the correct angle for the piercing, therefore helping your piercing to heal. Once your piercing is fully healed there are other styles of industrial piercing bars that include designs with decorations in the middle or unusual shapes such as spirals. It is vital for the healing process that you remain patient and don’t change your jewellery until your piercer has advised you to do so.

Once your industrial piercing has healed you can also change your barbell to a labret or BCR in order to create two separate piercings. This can be handy in situations where you need to cover up or make your piercings less visible. When choosing your piercing jewellery there are a few things you should consider:

Jewellery Size – everyone’s ears are different sizes, so make sure to pick industrial jewellery that sits just right in your ear. If you pick a bar with a length or gauge that is too small it may not comfortably connect your two ear piercings. At the same time, you don’t want your jewellery to be too large as it may increase the chance of it catching.
Jewellery Material – piercing materials differ not only through their look but also how they could react to your skin. If you have sensitive skin that may be prone to irritation, one of the many Titanium jewellery options is recommended. This material comes in a variety of colours and is durable too!

If you regularly participate in sports, you may want to discuss the best piercings for you with your piercer. Alternatively, it is advised that during sport you wear a retainer or some form of flexible bar jewellery to make sure your piercing won’t cause problems if knocked or caught.

When searching for a piece of jewellery make sure you know your measurements. We display the piercing jewellery measurements as Gauge first (displayed in millimetres) then Diameter/Length, e.g. 1.2mm x 8mm.

Gauge – this is the thickness of the jewellery itself.
Length – the length of the piercing bar, usually not including the ball.
Diameter – the width across the widest point of the jewellery for hoops and rings.

We generally recommend that for new piercings you choose longer jewellery. This can allow for extra room in case of any swelling. Make sure to check out the tips from our piercing guides for information about changing and removing piercing jewellery.

Other Guides & Ranges

Please Note: Blue Banana piercing information is based on knowledge from our experiences as one of the UK's top piercing studios. All details provided should be read alongside professional advice. Please see our full Piercing Articles Disclaimer, here.