Unlike the lobe of the ear, the cartilage is avascular, meaning that it is not supplied with blood vessels. Normally, blood brings nutrients and auxiliary cells to the site of a wound (like a piercing) in order to fight off infection and to help it heal more quickly. Because there is no blood supply in the cartilage, the healing period for a cartilage piercing can be anywhere from two to nine months (compared to four to six weeks for a lobe piercing) and infection is a constant risk during the duration of this period. This is in part because the period is simply longer, but it is also a result of the area�s poor vasculation.

A notable medical study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has also said that Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an infectious bacterium commonly recently transmitted in piercing kiosks, is especially likely to take hold in cartilage piercings. Because P. aeruginosa is resistant to antibiotics (in turn made worse by the fact that oral antibiotics won�t reach avascular tissue like the cartilage) you should take special care to have any cartilage piercings performed by a professional body artist, as opposed to an employee at a mall kiosk (e.g. Piercing Pagoda).

This said, cartilage piercings are not especially dangerous. If you have yours performed by a skilled professional and take proper care of it, you should find it relatively easy to stave off infection altogether. Regular cleaning is the first key to keeping your piercing healthy, as always.

The best time to clean your piercing is straight out of the shower, because the steam and hot water will loosen the crust surrounding the piercing and soften the skin. This makes it less likely that the crust will be stuck to your jewelry when you clean it. You can begin by using a sea salt solution or saline. Depending upon the location of your piercing you may be able to soak the piercing in it directly, which is best. If not, wet a sterile cotton ball with the solution and apply for a few minutes, dabbing gently and holding it against your piercing. When you are done (and this is the most important step), use another cotton ball and a drop of antibacterial soap (unscented, to avoid allergies and irritation) to clean your piercing gently, moving your jewelry around carefully to clear any debris and crust from the wound. Leave the soap on your piercing for a few minutes while you move your jewelry so that the disinfectant can do its work. Many body piercing professionals say that a captive bead ring is the best for this because it can most easily be rotated through the piercing, but you should encounter few problems no matter what sort of jewelry is used. Rinse the area thoroughly but carefully with clean water and dry with a tissue, not a towel. Cloth towels are home to many billions of bacteria who would love to take up residence in your new piercing.

Repeat this process no more than twice a day for the first week and no more than once a day thereafter to avoid irritating the area. If you find that the skin does become dry and irritated, you may need to use a gentler soap or be gentler in your application. Infections are not usually very problematic when they occur, and can usually be solved by improving your cleaning regimen, but a serious infection can be the end of your piercing, especially with cartilage, so keep your piercing clean and away from sources of infection (like dirty pillowcases) and you should be able to enjoy it safe and comfortably for years to come.