Industrial Piercing - Aftercare, Jewelry, and Tips

For those looking to make a bold statement with their jewelry and body piercings, the industrial piercing is a popular choice.

Sometimes also called a scaffold piercing, this stylish piercing usually consists of two holes through the upper cartilage of the ear connected with a single piece of jewelry. It is possible, however, to have an industrial piercing with as many individual piercings as your anatomy will allow. Usually, long barbells are used for industrial piercings, though there are several other types of jewelry available on the market.

Though the name industrial may sound a bit harsh, this piercing actually has the ability to be quite beautiful or even delicate depending on the jewelry chosen. That being said, this is still not a piercing for the faint of heart. The industrial is often found listed amongst the most painful ear piercings. This is likely due to the fact that an industrial piercing always involves at least two piercings in one sitting and is usually done in the thick cartilage area of the ear, which is known for taking extra time to heal.

There are ways to minimize the discomfort of getting this piercing, however, if the pain is a deterrent for you. The two biggest things you can do to help your piercing process go smoothly and painlessly are choosing a reputable and experienced piercer and sticking to a diligent aftercare regiment. Both of these factors will help assure your piercing heals properly.

Once you’ve decided to adorn your ears with this stylish and unique piercing, it’s a good idea to do proper research on caring for your new piercing. This handy guide will give you the low down on the best aftercare tips and jewelry options to help assure you get the most out of your industrial piercing.

Industrial Ear Piercing Healing Time

It’s important to consider healing time when deciding on any type of cartilage piercing. Healing time can vary greatly for industrial piercings. Industrial piercings take a minimum of 9-12 months to heal, this number goes up with triple or quad industrials or interesting yet viable additions.

A good cleaning and piercing aftercare regiment will help speed up the healing process and help assure you land on the shorter end of the healing spectrum.

Decide carefully on the ideal time of year to get your piercing. Bear in mind that its best to avoid pools, hot tubs, oceans, lakes, and other types of water-based activities while your piercing is healing. If these are normal parts of your summer plans, perhaps its best to get pierced in the winter. However, if you often wear hats in the winter, you also might want to consider that they could pose a risk of getting snagged in your new jewelry.

It is also not recommended to get industrial piercings on both ears at the same time. This is because you will want to avoid sleeping on the side with your new piercing while it heals.

Caring for your Industrial Piercing

Aftercare is crucial to ensuring your piercing heals correctly. Improperly cared for piercings can result in infection! Luckily, proper piercing care is not difficult or expensive. For the most part, all that is required is taking the time to clean your piercing properly, keeping irritants away from it, and avoiding pulling or snagging your new jewelry.

In order to clean your piercing properly, you first want to make sure your hands are clean. Always wash your hands thoroughly before touching your piercing. we only recommend a sterile saline for irrigation and a mild, medical grade soap to clean the area of the piercing but to never rub soap in the piercing itself. Your piercer can usually recommend a good product for this purpose. At pierced.co we recommend NeilMed Neilcleanse Piercing Aftercare. Avoid using any other solutions such as hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, or scented soaps on your piercing. Substances like this can actually slow down your body’s natural ability to heal.

It's important to keep any foreign irritants away from your new piercing. This includes any hair or skin care products you may use. Ideally, it’s best to avoid products such as hair spray entirely while your piercing heals, but if that isn’t possible make sure to protect your ear from being exposed to the spray.

Pulling or snagging your jewelry can also slow down the healing process, so use extra care when brushing your hair and avoid wearing any hair accessories or hats that run the risk of snagging. Those with long hair may wish to tie their hair back to avoid it getting tangled in the jewelry while your industrial piercing heals.

What to do if you Suspect an Infection or Hypertrophic Scarring

Piercing bumps, swelling, pus, or hot feeling skin around the piercing area could all be signs of an infected piercing for any type of body jewelry. Infection is actually very unlikely unless in cases of extreme neglect and a source of bacteria transfer present, 99% of issues related to piercings are irritations, caused by issues like sleeping, pressure, ill fitting jewelry or touching. If you suspect your piercing is infected, it's best to get it checked out right away rather than giving the infection the opportunity to get worse. Visit your doctor to have it evaluated, especially if you notice a fever alongside other infection symptoms.

Another potential cause of irritation could be an allergic reaction to certain metals. It's always best to stick with implant grade metals when choosing your jewelry in order to avoid any potential reactions.

Types of Jewelry for Industrial Piercings

A straight 14 gauge barbell is the classic jewelry style for industrial piercings. However, you are definitely not limited to the industrial barbell! There is a range of other fun jewelry styles and options you can consider for your industrial piercing. Fancier barbell options are available featuring dangling charms, zigzags, or words. You can also swap out the plain metal threaded ends of your barbell for ends with a bit more style, such as unique gemstones or fun shapes. It should be noted that costume jewelry should never be worn as the materials are not fit for wear inside the body. only implant grade materials should be worn

Our Favorite Ear Piercing Jewelry

Ready to Get your Own Industrial Piercing?

If you are in the Newmarket, Mississauga or Toronto area and are ready to learn more or get your own industrial piercing, the team at Pierced is ready to help. Our highly rated piercing parlour is staffed by experienced piercing professionals that care about making sure your next piercing session is comfortable, quick and as painless as possible. Not to mention we have a broad selection of jewelry to perfectly accompany your industrial piercing.