The best way to pierce ear cartilage (or any cartilage) is with a needle. Using a piercing gun (a machine which fires a sharpened stud through tissue) is generally a bad idea as they tend to crack the surrounding cartilage because guns were not designed to pierce cartilage. This cracking results in a longer healing time, more pain, and can cause wonky piercings and increase your chance of keloids (bumps of scar tissue around the piercing).
So, with a needle the procedure is simple. A straight, bevelled, medical grade needle, usually 14 or 16 gauge is pushed through the ear. The jewellery then slides through afterwards. Easy.
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Professional piercers use a sterile hollow needle to create a hole through the cartilage in the ear. The needle is pushed through the cartilage in one swift motion to minimize discomfort and reduce trauma to the tissue. Proper aftercare is crucial to prevent infection and promote healing.
The term for the flexible material in the ear is called cartilage. It provides structure and support to the ear, helping it maintain its shape and flexibility.
Yes, you can feel earrings in your ear because they rest against your earlobe or ear cartilage. The sensation of wearing earrings may vary depending on the earring type and your level of sensitivity.
When the ear is pierced, the needle creates a clean puncture that doesn't disrupt major blood vessels. The body's clotting mechanism helps stop any bleeding quickly, and the earlobe tissue heals rapidly.
Elastic cartilage is a type of connective tissue found in the body that is highly flexible and provides shape and support to certain structures, such as the external ear and the epiglottis in the throat. It contains a higher proportion of elastic fibers compared to other types of cartilage, making it more resilient and able to return to its original shape after being bent or compressed.
Cartilage thickness can increase through a process called chondrogenesis, where chondrocytes (cartilage cells) produce more extracellular matrix components like collagen and proteoglycans. This leads to the growth and expansion of the cartilage tissue, resulting in an increase in thickness. Additionally, factors such as mechanical loading and appropriate nutrition can also support cartilage growth and increase its thickness.