gets snagged and bumped
every now and then, but it's
never anything too bad. I just
wash it with some
antibacterial soap or ear care
solution to prevent infection.
As long as you are mindful
when you are doing anything
that might snag and catch on
your jewelry, you should be
okay.
Secondly, these kinds of
piercings have very long
healing periods because this
tissue heals itself from the
outside in, meaning the outer
layers might appear healed
but the inner layers might
still be raw and sore. Because
the piercing looks fine, many
people assume after a few
weeks that the piercing is
fully healed, but it isn't. This
can lead to difficulties
healing and even infections.
Other things to consider are
infections, which are rarely
serious, but the Mayo Clinic
estimates that 30% of
piercings result in a treatable
bacterial infection. Because
cartilage doesn't have its own
blood supply, it is more prone
to infection than other kinds
of piercings, and antibiotics
won't help you because
there's no blood to transport
the medication. In addition,
some people experience
allergic reactions to the metal
in jewelry. Although the
jewelry can eventually be
removed, a piercing may
leave a hole or scar that never
heals completely. You may
even experience excess scar
tissue.