While outer ear piercings have been in fashion for a long time, recent trends are all about getting piercings in the inner part of the ear. People are opting for fantastic placements like cartilage clusters and constellation piercings. The Rook piercing, located in the inner fold of the ear, is one of these trendy choices. It’s a way to show off beautiful and modern jewellery in a unique spot on your ear.
Rook Piercing?
Rook piercings are a more modern type of ear piercing. They’re done in the little cartilage fold just under the outer rim of your ear, called the helix. You can get a single Rook piercing or pair it with other cartilage piercings in a cluster.
Sometimes, people mix up Rook piercings with Daith piercings because they’re close to each other. When getting a Rook piercing, it’s crucial to be clear with your piercer about what you want.
Taking care of a Rook piercing is similar to other cartilage piercings, but its location in the ear folds can be tricky to clean and care for. So, you’ll need to be extra careful during aftercare, and your piercer should be experienced in this type of piercing. The complete lowdown on Rook piercings covers all the essential information.
Getting a Rook piercing can be painful, but it’s not the kind of pain that lasts. Most of the discomfort people talk about when getting a Rook piercing is because they can hear and feel a “crunch” as the needle goes through the cartilage, not so much the piercing hurting.
The pain level can also depend
on your piercer. An experienced piercer will have you lie on your side to avoid fainting or moving during the procedure. They’ll use a hollow 16-gauge needle to make the piercing, and they’ll guide your breathing to make it smoother. When done right, you’ll mostly feel a little pull and a pinch, and that’s it.
Rook piercing healing time?
A Rook piercing needs around 6 to 9 months, or even up to a year, to fully heal. However, how long it takes can be different for each person, so it’s essential to check with your piercer to be sure it’s completely healed before you stop taking care of it.
If you try to remove the jewellery before it’s fully healed, you might have issues like bumps on
your cartilage. So, it’s best to be patient and let it heal properly.
Aftercare Rook piercing
Like with any piercing, you should clean your Rook piercing 2 to 3 times a day using a saline solution made for piercing aftercare, following your piercer’s advice. When picking an aftercare spray, ensure it only has salt and water. Some sprays have extra stuff like tea tree oil, which can irritate the piercing and take longer to heal.
Here are a few more tips to help your Rook piercing heal faster:
Avoid wearing headphones that squeeze against your Rook piercing jewellery. Pressure on the jewellery can make it rub against the piercing holes, potentially causing issues like piercing bumps. Instead, use earbuds or headphones that don’t press against your Rook.
Don’t twist your Rook earrings. It might be challenging, especially during cleaning, but it’s vital for cartilage piercings. Cartilage is delicate, and moving the jewellery around can harm the surrounding skin, possibly leading to scars. When you do saline soaks, use a cup big enough to cover the jewellery without touching it and refrain from twisting it.
Try not to sleep on the side of your piercing. Like with headphones, this puts pressure on the earrings and can create problems. When deciding where to get your Rook piercing, consider your sleeping habits and get it on the side you don’t usually sleep on.
A Step-By-Step Guide to Changing the Jewellery
Altering a Rook piercing can be tricky because of where it’s located. Let a professional piercer change your jewellery, especially for the first few times, until you become comfortable with the process. Even if your piercing has healed, messing with the jewellery too much can lead to issues like piercing bumps or the jewellery being rejected by your body.
What Kind of Jewellery Can You Use for a Rook Piercing?
Even though the Rook piercing is in a small, tight spot, there are various jewellery styles to personalize your look.
Curved barbells are pretty famous for Rook piercings. They’re great as starter jewellery because they don’t pull on your piercing like hoops might. You can get a longer barbell to allow for swelling during healing. Once your Rook is healed, you can switch to a shorter barbell that sits flush with your cartilage. You can also jazz it up with barbells featuring charms, opals, or other fun beads.
