Rings are one of the most desired types of jewelry for piercings.
But often, people are disappointed when the piercer advises to wait and meanwhile wear a straight bar.
Let's start with the good news: rings can be placed immediately in:
- Septum
- Daith
- Earlobe
- Smiley
- Some of the intimate piercings
However, thin and small jewelry is more difficult to heal, and with small rings, there is barely space for swelling.
Smiley and septum piercings are located in mucous membranes, which are thin, soft, and elastic, meaning small round jewelry doesn't cause any issues.
When it comes to the structure of the ear with cartilage, it's a bit more complex there.
The cartilage itself is elastic but quite firm. On both sides of the cartilage is the perichondrium - this is responsible for the blood supply to the cartilage and also for the growth and repair of the cartilage tissue. There are many blood vessels and lymphatic vessels in the perichondrium.
And only at the top, on the perichondrium, is the layer of skin located. During professional piercing with a needle, all layers of the ear are affected, including the skin, the perichondrium, and the cartilage itself. Therefore, the healing process of a cartilage piercing is a bit more selective than that of, for example, an earlobe piercing or a septum piercing.
They require more time and resources for healing.
This is due to the complex and specific structure of the ear.
And if you make these processes even more complex with jewelry that puts pressure on tissues due to its shape and curve - that is, with rings of small caliber and diameter - you're guaranteed to experience pain and problems.