Beautification is an integral part of human culture, often a direct representation of the traditions of a specific population or ethnicity. There are various elements of this beautification depending on the culture of the people.
Certain cultures use tattoos, while others use body piercing. The latter is categorized as “body modification” and is quite common in various places, sometimes with tattoos. Therefore, we must take a deeper look into the aspect of body piercing.
Piercing is the practice of puncturing a part of the body to create an opening where the jewelry may be worn or, in modern times, where an implant could be inserted. As human cultures differ, so do the kinds of piercings that exist. Hence, there is a plethora of piercing options and places to apply these options.
The part of the body in focus today is the ear. It is pretty common to find piercings more on the ears than any other part of the body. Ear piercing is a very fashionable practice. The ear is relatively small but has various piercing types it can take, such as:
Transverse Lobe Piercing, Cartilage Piercing, Rook Piercing, Industrial Piercing, Forward Helix Piercing, Conch, Snug Piercing, Lobe Piercing Tragus Piercing, Daith Piercing, Helix Piercing, Orbital Piercing.
What Is An Industrial Piercing?
Now you’re probably reading this wondering to yourself, mentally listing the piercings you know and getting stumped when you saw the word “industrial” as a prefix. Let me put you at easy-if you imagined something large and overly convoluted, that’s not it at all. It’s quite simple and very fancy, if I might add.
Industrial piercing is typically any two pierced holes connected by a single barbell. It usually refers to the double perforation on the cartilage at the top of your ear. This puncture made on opposite sides of the ear is then “linked” by a bar of whatever metal the customer chooses and studs of varying designs.
Industrial piercing can also be called scaffold or construction piercing, mainly in the UK/Ireland. But regardless of where you are, the design and look are the same, although the industrial ear piercing can be without the signature “barbell.” It is a versatile piercing, and the holes can hold earrings instead of the barbell put through them.
The procedure involves making two punctures, one close to the head, known as the forward-helix piercing, and another made further down the helix, on the opposite side of the ear, also known as the helix piercing. Industrial piercings are often horizontal or slanted a bit. A straight industrial piercing is known as a suicide industrial.
Types Of Industrial Piercing
If you are reading this, I have two guesses, you’re either a piercing enthusiast looking to learn more about piercing, or you’re probably interested in getting your first piercing. How exciting, right? Well, if you are the latter, it’s your lucky day. There’s a treasure trove of information available here, keep reading.
The ear might be a tiny canvas for the art of piercing, but its size hasn’t stopped it from being one of the best mediums for beautiful piercings. Whatever type of piercing you want, your ears got you covered.
The topic of piercing, you must have concluded by now, is very vast, and each part has other sub-parts. It stands to reason then that the industrial piercing itself cannot be left out and has different types.
There are essentially three types of industrial piercing based on the position and styling of the puncture. So, naturally, there’s a slight variation in the way the industrial piercing is made. It is also essentially down to a person’s ear size and shape.
The traditional industrial piercing is often horizontal or slanted a bit at one end. It is also known as scaffolding piercing.
Another type of piercing is the vertical one, and it is made by making a puncture in the rook and straight down in the ear conch.
Finally, a third variation that exists, although not very common, is the double or triple industrial piercing. This type combines the piercing style of the horizontal and vertical variations.
How Much Does It Hurt?
We’ve come to the part where most people are concerned about the pain. You’re already sold on getting a piercing, and you need to tick all the boxes in your head. The main question is: how much does it hurt? The ear areas where the punctures are made up of cartilage tissue, and with cartilage, the pain is often minimal at best. This is not to say it won’t hurt, but it’s not so bad.
Industrial piercing is a simple combination of two cartilage piercing points, the skin around that area doesn’t contain an abundance of pain receptors. The process is also quite fast, meaning it will be over before you even notice.
Whatever pain you might feel during the process should be minimal, and if you feel any extra discomfort, you should stop the procedure. However, if the procedure is successful, you will only feel a tingling and minimal bleeding.
The only discomfort after the procedure is the healing process, it can be a tad uncomfortable for you, but that too isn’t a permanent situation as it can only span the first few weeks.
The bottom here, really, is that if you are considering getting a piercing but afraid of the pain, you’ve got nothing to worry about. The industrial piercing pain is minimal and is barely there by the time you’re done with the procedure.
Jewelry Materials For Industrial Piercing
By now, I hope you must have shaken off the apprehension and jitters that come with getting your first piercing. It is an exciting decision you have made and, frankly, a highly fashionable choice. I applaud your bravery to try new things and commend your taste.
While the industrial piercing is decorative and meant to be a fashion statement, you can further improve and accentuate the appeal. There is no limit to beauty after al,; you can style and decorate your industrial piercing.
The choices you have are determined by what exactly you wanted and the piercing you have. For example, if you have a regular barbell, you might want to switch it to something more of a fashion statement.
For example, the ends of the barbell could be a precious stone like sapphire or emeralds. The bar itself can be gold, titanium, or silver as opposed to the normal steel ones.
However, you should be cautious if you choose steel because not all steel is equal, and some impurities can react with your skin. To avoid this irritation, it is best to choose safe steel types: 316L or 316LVM stainless.
The bar, often plain and straight, can also come in different shapes and designs such as twists, hoops, Labret studs, spirals, and even a fancy pitchfork. If you are feeling inventive, many adornments can be added to your industrial piercing jewelry, whether it be plain, loops, or a combination of both.
Costs Of Industrial Piercing
I’ll tell you something before I got my industrial piercing done, I may or may not have made many excuses, too, before doing it. I was worried about the pain, I delayed for a while, and when I finally got past the fear of the pain, I wasn’t sure if it’ll look good or if I could spice it up with alternative jewelry adornments.
You probably can guess the next excuse I had brewing in the back of my mind, can you? Fine, I’ll spill the beans. The moment I saw the procedure and the many adornments worn with it, I was worried about how much it might cost to get it done.
But with each stage of hesitation I encountered, it was met with assurance, as I’m sure reading this piece brings you as well. You’ll find that industrial piercings are affordable, as affordable as any other piercings.
The average industrial piercing cost usually ranges from $40 to $70, depending on the shop or where it’s located. If you want to get adornments added to the piercing, it’ll cost an extra $20 to $40. So, as you can see, there’s nothing to worry about. I bet you let out a sigh of relief. In truth, they’re affordable even if you decide to throw in jewelry to the mix.
There, although can be a variation in the pricing since the industrial piercing is technically two piercings, the piercer might charge double because they’d be making two punctures. However, this isn’t ideal, and you should only have your piercing done where it’s done as a package deal.
The Industrial Piercing Healing Process
As with any piercing, the procedure will always involve cutting or puncturing the skin. When the skin naturally gets cut, punctured, or bruised, it has to heal. Piercings as well need time to heal to avoid infections or further injuries to the wound.
A piercing is practically an open wound, and with all wounds, they need to be treated and cared for to ensure it heals properly. It is essential to let the piercing heal with the barbell inside the holes to avoid the hole healing and closing back.
To fully appreciate the healing process of an industrial piercing, we need first to understand the ear, how each unique tissue reacts to injury, and how quickly they heal.
The ear consists of various types of tissue, and the duration of the healing process is heavily dependent on the part of the ear you have pierced. For example, industrial piercing is made on the ear area that contains cartilage tissue, and studies show that cartilage takes at least four months.
But the healing process for industrial piercing is quite tricky and different from regular cartilage piercings. This is because industrial piercing is two piercings linked by a metal bar. This bar can and will move from time to time, irritating the holes that haven’t completely healed and retarding the healing process.
Because of the likelihood of irritation, the healing process for the industrial piercing is the longest of all the ear piercings, spanning from six months to a year.
What You Should Know Before Getting Into This?
As with any procedure that will involve your body getting cut or pierced, you must know all the facts beforehand, acquainting yourself with the pros and cons of the procedure.
But even before the pros and cons, you must consult your local piercer if you can have the piercing done. This should be the first part, your ears need to be anatomically suited for an industrial piercing.
Your ears need to have enough curl in the helix rim, and the flat curve of your ear shouldn’t protrude at all. So, the size of your ears isn’t an issue, it is more about the shape and features. If you consult and your ears are compatible with the industrial piercing, you need to intimate yourself with the pros and cons of the procedure.
Pros of industrial piercing
- it can be a statement piece or can complement other piercings you already have
- it is very versatile, and you can constantly tinker with it, switching the bar for other conventional or experimental looks
- it is adaptable to a host of jewelry or adornment options that add that much-needed pop
Cons of industrial piercing
- not everyone can get it because of their ear anatomy
- it takes a long time to heal, sometimes a year or even more
- it is notorious for having bumps and irritations
- not every piercer can do an excellent industrial piercing, the ones that can are pretty limited
Lastly, it is important to note that industrial piercing requires a lot of aftercare and caution to heal appropriately and not get infected. You should avoid laying on it for at least the first six months and always wash with mild soaps.
CONCLUSION
If you are considering getting a piercing done for the first time or already have some, and you still need a piece that will complete the set, the industrial piercing is the one for you.
It is trendy, bold, affordable, and a versatile piece of piercing to add to your collection. And if this is to be your first piercing, believe me when I say you are making a wise choice, they don’t make piercings this great anymore.
Whatever doubts or questions you might have are normal, you can’t go into this blind, so make sure you understand the procedure and responsibilities that will come with it before you begin your journey into beautification.
