Often associated with the grunge and punk scene of the early nineties, industrial piercings are becoming a mainstream way to express yourself and showcase your personal style. An industrial piercing, also called a construction, bar, or scaffold piercing is typically two separate holes pierced on the upper ear and then connected or bridged with some type of bar jewelry. Thinking an industrial piercing might be the look you want, but a little nervous about going through with it? Keep reading below to find out how painful industrial piercings are and how long you should expect them to heal.
History of the Industrial Piercing
If you think piercings are a modern way of expression and rebellion, you may be in for a surprise. Peoples throughout the world have been performing body modifications and piercings for thousands of years.
Archeologists have uncovered evidence of 5,000-year-old mummies with ear piercings. The Romans, Mayans, and many other civilizations have made piercing a part of their culture. One popular piercing was even made famous by a prince!
Industrial piercings have a much more recent history. In the early 1990s, an innovative piecer Erik Dakota would develop and coin several new piecing styles; Daith, Rook, Industrial, and others.
Able to fill styles ranging from masculine to feminine and cute to tough, industrial piercings have continued to grow in popularity since their inception. However, not everyone will be able to get one. If you don’t have enough ear ridge for the bar to set, you will have to go for another style. A qualified piercer can get you set up with what works best for you.
How Painful are Industrial Piercings
It will vary by individual, but typically an industrial piercing can hurt a bit more than a traditional piercing. Both sides of the piercing have to go through your ear cartilage. Besides being double the pain of a single ear piercing, the cartilage in your ear is tougher and harder to get through. This can increase the level of pain you feel.
After the bar is in place across the two piercings, your ears can become red, swollen, and a bit sensitive to touch. This is not uncommon with other piercings, but you will have double the chance of infection and inflammation with an Industrial piercing. This makes aftercare incredibly important to lessen pain and reduce any harmful complications.
After Piercing Care
The care of an Industrial piercing is not unlike how you would care for a traditional piercing. Wash your hands before touching your ears, twist the piercing a couple of times a day, and wash your ears regularly with water and soap. Cleaning with rubbing alcohol is also recommended.
There are a few things to keep in mind when caring for an Industrial piercing. The biggest being to avoid catching or snaring your bar on anything. The bar on these piercings has been known to tangle up in people’s hair, causing them to pull. Constant pulling and tugging can lead to you damaging or stretching your new piercing holes.
Like other earrings, it is also a good idea to avoid pressure on the pierced ear. Headphones and earmuffs should be avoided till the ear is completely healed. You should try your best not to sleep on your newly pierced ear side for a while, either. Because of the risk of damage and infection with pressure and tearing, it is recommended you wait for one Industrial piercing to fully heal before you move over to the other ear for another piercing.
Healing After Your Piercing
A piercing through the fatty tissue of the earlobe will usually only take a couple of weeks to heal. However, piercings in the upper ear cartilage, which is more rigid and tougher, can take six months or more to heal fully. So don’t get discouraged if you’re not healing as fast as you have in the past with other piercings. Just keep cleaning the piercing area and ear properly, and things will heal up nicely in time.
Like other piercings, industrial piercings can become infected if they aren’t clean regularly. You need to be on the lookout for any blood or pus that may be coming from the piercing site or swollen, painful tissue. You should remove your piercing and seek proper treatment, as these are signs you’re developing an infection.
People have been expressing themselves with body modifications and piercings for thousands of years. The practice of piercing continues to grow and push boundaries. An industrial piercing is a great way to show off your style and let the world see your personality shine through. They look great on both men and women. And the great news, it doesn’t hurt much more than a regular piercing!
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