When it comes to piercings, many different women are now finding it very fashionable to have multiple piercings in a single ear. When it comes to sporting a look like this – The conch piercing is probably the most iconic. Conch piercings have really taken off in recent years. Celebrities such as Victoria Beckham have been seen with them, influencing many young women to try to look for themselves because it is unique, bold, and unapologetic.
So what is a conch piercing exactly? When you get a conch piercing, it is basically a perforation of the auricle, The external ear.
This part of the year is relatively large so you are able to accommodate multiple piercings. You can even further categorize conch piercings into an inner conch piercing where they are located around the middle of the ear and outer conch piercings where the piercing is around the lower helix of the ear.
Do They Hurt?
As with all piercings, the first thing you may be wondering about this type of piercing is how much it would hurt to get one. Of course, this is not something that is very easy to answer. Different people have different tolerance for pain. This is especially true if you consider whether that person is used to getting piercings or not.
Getting a conch piercing would definitely sting a little bit though. The area of the ear that these piercings are placed in has a relatively thick chunk of cartilage. So they would definitely be more sensitive compared to when you get a piercing and one of the lobes of your ear instead.
How Fast They Heal
A conch piercing definitely takes a little bit more time to heal compared to traditional lobe piercings. A timeframe of 5 to 9 months is typical for the wound to truly heal after you get pierced. This is because this part of the ear is more vascular than just the lobe so the damage to the area will be more severe.
While you wait for the piercing to heal, make sure that you incorporate salt water or an alcohol-free soap about two times per day on the area to expedite the process and to make sure that the wound does not get infected. You want to make sure that you do not touch the area at all because constantly rubbing against the wound will not only slow down the healing process but also lead to infection.
Always try to monitor the area for any swelling or redness. If the area is swollen but the pain is relatively manageable, that is simply part of the natural healing process. If ever the pain becomes more intense than usual, however, then you should probably consult your physician about it especially if you are exhibiting other symptoms of infection such as fever.
Be Careful About Earbuds
Since these piercings are located at a very sensitive part of the year, you are going to want to hold off on wearing headphones or earbuds while the wound is healing. This would normally not be a problem if you get pierced in one of the lobes of your ear but it is different with these types of piercings because the earbuds will be touching the piercing directly.
As we mentioned earlier, this will not only worsen the inflammation and slow down the healing process, but it can lead to bacteria from the earbuds infecting the wound. Once the piercing has healed, however, then you can feel free to wear headphones and earbuds again as long as you do not wear them simultaneously with your jewelry on. This is one of the drawbacks, as you can probably tell, of getting these piercings.
Costs vs Value
So now that you know all there is to know about conch piercings, you are probably wondering to yourself whether or not you should get these piercings at all. Afterall, they do look nice but they are a little more painful and will compromise your music-listening habits at least in the short term.
If you want a very Boho minimalist look and you want to put jewelry over that area of the ear, however, there is no reason why you shouldn’t give these piercings a try. It is probably a good idea to utilize this area of the ear only on special occasions.
It will take a little bit of time before you can truly curate unique looks for your conch piercing, but the aesthetic that you will be able to pull off is well worth the wait. As long as you use the right aftercare routine and you make sure to avoid touching the area, your wound should heal in no time and you will be able to sport this new look — completely unencumbered!
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