What are the odds that getting my cartilage pierced with a gun would get infected?

Question

also, with the needle, does it hurt a lot while its being done?

Answer 1

I haven't gotten my cartilage pierced yet but my friend got it with a gun and, although she cleaned it every day, it still got very infected. I advise you get it with a needle. The needle is heated when it's done and hurts less than a gun.  

Answer 2

Don't use a gun as you can shatter your cartilage. You must use a needle! it's more hygienic, less painful and you will end up with a much nicer, neater, more professional piercing.

Answer 3

I just got mine done today with a gun at piercing pagoda and I can already tell that it's healing up very well. most people say do it with a needle but everyone I know that has of done got it done with a gun and they're fine. so I took the chance. and it hurt waaaayyyy less than I imagined it would!

Answer 4

The odds are pretty high that it will get infected if you get it done with a gun. Guns are not sterile, the jewelry is not very high quality, the jewelry is not large enough in gauge or long enough to allow for swelling, and proper aftercare is not explained. The earrings they use in guns are about a 20 gauge, which is very thin, and they're way too short for a piercing to breathe. Plus, the butterfly style backing is just asking to grow bacteria and nastiness all in it. Also, in some cases, the cartilage could shatter and be permanently damaged. The earring is not sharp enough and is not smooth, so it doesn't make a clean hole. Instead, it makes a ragged tear through your ear, also increasing all of your risks.

A needle can be fully sterilized in an autoclave (note- that's what they use at hospitals, vet's offices, etc to actually sterilize surgical instruments. They don't just wipe them off with alcohol like people at walmart/claire's/wherever do with the guns). It makes a perfectly clean hole. The jewelry is all high quality- the least expensive starter jewelry will be surgical stainless steel. That's implant grade, like what they use for pins and other inserts in people. At the hospital. Where you can't risk putting other metal alloys inside the body. Or into a fresh puncture wound, like a piercing. The aftercare is much more appropriate- sea salt soaks and gentle washing. The "piercing solution" they give you for a gunned piercing is actually terrible. Generally, it's either alcohol or peroxide based, both of which are bad for piercings. Alcohol is too drying, peroxide kills the new, healthy cells along with any bad cells.

And personally, having had both before anyone knew better, the needle is way less painful. The gun may take a millisecond less time to do, but a needle piercing is more accurate and less traumatic. I felt very woozy after having my helix (outer upper ear cartilage) gunned. The earring is blunt and your body can easily overreact. In contrast, I've had much much thicker cartilage pierced with a needle and been absolutely fine. Not to say it felt good, but it certainly didn't compare to the gun.