Rook Piercing: Pain Levels, Healing Time, Aftercare and More

Rook Piercing: Pain Levels, Healing Time, Aftercare and More

One of the more uncommon inner-ear piercings is the rook piercing.

Although the tragus and the daith are more frequently chosen, who wants to have the same appearance as everyone else?

In addition to having a modern and delicate appearance, rook piercings are flexible and highly popular at present.

Although no piercing is painless, we were interested in learning more about the rook piercing’s level of discomfort, healing time, best kinds and materials, and suitability.

What is a rook piercing?

An ear’s antihelix is punctured to wear jewelry in a rook piercing.

Unlike many ear piercings that effectively span between a “front” and “back” surface, this one is situated immediately above the tragus on the ridge between the inner and outer conch, with the piercing going from the bottom to the top of this ridge.

It is said that Erik Dakota, a well-known professional piercer who is credited with creating and popularizing the rook piercing, named this alteration after a truncated form of his first name.

He is probably the first among the rook-piercing men.

The term “industrial ear project” was first used in print references to industrial piercing in 1992, when it was first mentioned in the magazine Body Play and Modern Primitives Quarterly (published by Fakir Musafar).

This is when the piercing was originally named.

Procedure

Finding a trustworthy piercer who upholds a sanitary piercing environment is the first step in the rook piercing process.

Your piercer will assess your suitability for a rook piercing once you’re in the chair by looking at the structure of your ears.

Everybody has different ears in terms of size and form.

Additionally, your piercer will suggest a high-quality barbell or other beginning component.

The piercer will mark a location with a marker and ask if you are happy with the placement.

Tell them where you would prefer it marked if you don’t like where they marked it.

After that, your piercer will clean your ear with a surgical soap or solution while donning surgical gloves.

The actual needle penetration will happen quickly.

The most uncomfortable part may come when your piercer inserts your beginning jewelry inside the newly created hole.

Aftercare guidelines will be given to you to ensure the safety and health of your new piercing.

During the first several months as the site heals, you will wear the starting jewelry.

The jewelry will be thicker than what you’re used to putting in your earlobes since it will hold the spot open while it heals.

Rook Piercing: Pain Levels

You need to prepare for experiencing sharp pain and pressure during and after the puncture. The acute discomfort will become a more widespread throbbing within an hour or two.

It will take a few days, at least for this severe throbbing ache to subside. The first few evenings should be a little challenging for you to fall asleep.

Rook piercing vs daith

A rook piercing passes through your ear’s innermost ridge’s topmost portion.

It is located two levels above the Tagus, the curving bulb that covers the inner ear, and one step above a daith piercing, which is the tiny ridge above the ear canal.

Rook-piercing Jewelry

A 16-gauge, 5/16-inch ring is the most popular jewelry size and provides adequate room for growth.

You can choose to maintain the piercing at 16 gauge (5/16″) or reduce its size after a few months.

Your piercer will be able to confirm the size of your ear and suggest a particular size that will fit snugly if you decrease it.

When you see your piercer downsize, it’s normally acceptable to choose to place a captive ring inside the piercing.

When the piercing has healed and stopped swelling, downsizing should be considered.

What kind of jewelry is worn with a piercing on the rook?

The positioning of rook piercings is ideal for elegant, curving banana bars or incredibly comfy seamless clicker hoop earrings.

To allow for swelling, you will first have a larger banana bar or clicker hoop pierced, and then once the healing process is complete, you will be able to size down for a tighter fit.

Use a bar during the first healing phase and you can also select between a bar and a hoop.

The most convenient rook-piercing jewelry includes:

Hoops: The most popular choice for people who have rook piercings, is also the most difficult to heal, particularly for those with varying textures and shapes

Barbell: A barbell consists of a metal rod with one detachable ball on each end.

It needs to be smaller to accommodate the rook area, depending on the structure of the ear.

Curved barbell: A 16-gauge curved barbell can be more comfortable and move less than a ring. It also displays more!

Others include:

• Ball rings
• Bead rings
• Rings
• Studs

Quality materials are essential for any piece of ear jewelry.

Select light, hypoallergenic metals for your piercing jewelry, like surgical titanium or gold, for comfort and security.

Rook piercing costs

The price range for the rook piercing is $30 to $100. Frequently, the jewelry is not included at this price.

Rook piercing could cost about N5,000 in Lagos, Nigeria. Don’t compromise on cost.

A novice piercer might make you seem ugly by using subpar tools, not piercing deeply enough, selecting the incorrect beginning jewelry, or making any number of other mistakes.

Locate a piercer with sufficient experience to deliver you the piercing you deserve.

How to change a rook piercing

A rook piercing’s position can make changing it difficult.

For the first few times, until you become used to the procedure, you might wish to have your jewelry changed by a piercer.

If you tinker too much with your jewelry, even healed piercings may suffer trauma and develop side effects, including jewelry rejection or piercing bumps.

To replace the jewelry, just open it up, use your fingers to feel for the hole, and then carefully put the new piece into the piercing, tightening it.

Remember that jewelry with threads needs to be fastened securely but not too tight.

If you screw it in too tightly, you risk stripping the delicate threads.

Rook-piercing pain

A rook piercing hurts more than several other kinds of piercings in the ears.

It is far more difficult to pierce your ear cartilage since it is thicker than the soft tissue in your earlobe.

Since the rook is a cartilage fold, puncturing it might be challenging.

Rook-piercing healing time

In the event of no difficulties, the healing time for a cartilage piercing above the earlobe is typically 12 to 16 weeks.

You should refrain from doing anything that can aggravate the ear and impede recovery during the healing period.

Faux rook piercing

The placement of a faux rook piercing is similar to that of a conventional rook piercing; however, unlike other traditional piercings, it enters the ear from the front and exits on the back.

A faux rook piercing isn’t intended to look like a real rook piercing, despite its name.

The fake rook piercing, on the other hand, creates the appearance of a diamond floating inside the ear.

The front-facing entrance and exit holes of a typical rook piercing let you see the complete piece of jewelry.

Even though the actual rook piercing’s placement is primarily dependent on the shape of your rook ridge, a faux rook piercing allows for more customization.

Rook-piercing benefits

Rook piercing, which is more popular among women, is supposed to improve the digestive tract and menstrual cycle.

This piercing is located above the little cartilage fold in the center of the ear.

Different regions of the body are affected, depending on where this piercing is located.

In a female’s biological system, the lower region of the Rook relates to the uterus and calm pelvis; stimulation of this area relieves cramps and pain associated with menstruation.

The upper portion of the rook aids in the digestive system by making connections with the kidney, intestines, bladder, and even the sciatic nerve.

How do you treat an infected rook piercing?

How should an infected ear piercing be cared for?

• Place a warm compress on the cartilage or earlobe that is infected.
• Using sterile saline, clean the infected ear piercing.
• Applying antibiotic cream to the injured region.
• Treatment of serious infections with oral antibiotics

Rook-piercing men

Important things to know pre- and post-piercing

The following are some excellent suggestions to help you decide and get ready for the needle:

• Deep-sea diving or swimming pools should not be visited for at least six weeks after the piercing because you should not submerge the piercing in water.
• This also applies to baths; make sure your head is well above the water.
• The good news is that using over-ear headphones shouldn’t cause any problems if you have a rook piercing for your commute.
• Eat something sweet and drink lots of water. When you get to the piercing studio, it’s advisable to eat something substantial. For those who are prone to fainting, a sugar rush can help.
• Additionally, we advise against drinking alcohol before getting pierced.
• A rook piercing is not suitable for everyone.

The piercer will determine whether the cartilage shelf is prominent enough to support the piercing and promote safe healing.

However, there are plenty of great substitutes, such as a faux rook.

How to keep your rook piercing from getting infected

When it comes to cartilage piercings, like rook piercings, the risk of infection is approximately 30%, while it is only 21% for earlobe piercings.

If bacteria enters your piercing before it has completely healed, infections may result. This can occur if:

• The rook-piercing instruments are not sterilized.
• Your piercing is touched by unclean hands.
• Before the piercing fully heals, you take off your jewelry.
• You don’t regularly clean your body jewelry.
• Before your piercing heals, you swim in a lake, river, hot spring, or pool.

Keep an eye out for any symptoms that could indicate an infection, such as:

• Leakage from the puncture
• High temperature
• Redness, warmth, or edema surrounding the piercing
• Sensitivity near the piercing

A steer clear of the following a rook piercing. To lessen the risk of problems following a rook piercing:

• Refrain from doing your bodywork.
• Keep your hands off crusty discharge.
• Never pat dry your piercing with a cloth.
• Once your piercing has dried, avoid twisting the jewelry inside of it.

Side effects of piercing

One of the procedure’s hazards is infection, which could result in a permanent malformation of the punctured tissue.

Severe and protracted pain is undoubtedly a negative effect.

Severe pain or tenderness when palpated, pus draining from the area surrounding the puncture, and a burning feeling are all signs of infection.

If you observe any of them, you must visit a physician.

Migration and rejection: On occasion, the body will reject the piercing and cause it to move or push out.

This may be the consequence of things like improper positioning or the body’s natural reaction.

Reactions to allergies: People who are allergic to metals should use caution when choosing jewelry.

For those who are sensitive, titanium, niobium, and surgical-grade stainless steel are frequently advised.

Hypertrophic scarring and keloids: Hypertrophic scars, or elevated and thickened scar tissue, can occur more frequently in certain people.

Scarring can be reduced with the right aftercare.

When to see a doctor

If you observe any infection-related symptoms, consult a physician. The following are red flags of a dangerous infection:

• A fever
• Shaking and sweating
• Colds
• Vomiting or nausea
• Red streaks emerge from the piercing
• Ache that gradually worsens over time

Conclusion

A fascinating kind of body art that lets people show off their uniqueness and sense of style is rook piercings.

You may make wise choices and guarantee a positive rook piercing experience by being aware of the process, aftercare, advantages, and any risks.

Although getting your rook pierced may seem like a nice idea, it’s crucial to commit to appropriate aftercare.

It’s also important for you to be aware of the possibility of unpleasant side effects or an infection.

Recall that the actual job is done after the piercing; the actual part is straightforward.

FAQs

Is a rook piercing painful?

A rook piercing hurts more than several other kinds of piercings in the ears.

It is far more difficult to pierce your ear cartilage since it is thicker than the soft tissue in your earlobe.

Since the rook is a cartilage fold, puncturing it might be challenging.

What is a rook piercing good for?

It could assist in stress and anxiety relief

In essence, auriculotherapists think that having a rook pierce sets off an ear reflex or pressure point linked to pain and stress reduction.

Can a rook piercing cause headaches?

There is very little scientific evidence to support the claim that newly placed ear piercings frequently cause headaches.

Although piercings might have negative effects, headaches are not the most common.

What is the most painful piercing?

This is a list of potential pain levels for each form of piercing, from most to least painful.

• One of the body parts with the highest density of nerves is your genitalia.
• Another sensitive place that is frequently pierced is the n*pple.
• Level of pain from a nose piercing.
• Painful dermal piercing.

What is the hardest piercing to heal?

Because of the nerves that go through them, nose piercings are infamously difficult to heal.

Before they may be altered, they must wait at least 12 weeks, and even then, further time might be required.

Is a rook piercing risky?

When it comes to cartilage piercings, like rook piercings, the risk of infection is approximately 30%, while it is only 21% for earlobe piercings.

If bacteria enters your piercing before it has healed completely, infections may result.

This can occur if the instruments used to pierce your rook are not sterile.

What are the disadvantages of rook piercing?

Drawbacks: extended recovery time: Rook piercings can take anywhere from six to nine months to fully heal.

Difficult to replace or downsize jewelry: Replacing or downsizing jewelry in a rook piercing can take four to five months.

What not to do with a rook piercing?

During the healing process, it is crucial that the piercing stays in place.

Stay away from touching, spinning, or moving the piercing while it heals.

If you fall asleep on the side opposite the piercing, make sure to turn over to the other side as soon as you become alert.

What is the downside of rook piercing?

Because cartilage is stronger and lacks blood vessels compared to other tissues, rook piercings are also linked to poor healing and high infection rates.

It can take up to six months to heal. The following are some dangers connected to rook piercings: painful edema.

How long until a rook piercing stops hurting?

Pierces on the rook heal more slowly than others.

The full healing process will take three to ten months

It might continue to be tender over this period, particularly if an infection develops.

Research indicates that roughly 32% of cartilage piercings eventually develop an infection.

How long does a rook take to heal?

Three to twelve months

In general, it takes three to twelve months for a rook piercing to fully heal. It can take more time.

We advise waiting the entire 12 months just to be sure.

When the region around a rook piercing is free of discharge (crust) and pain, the piercing has healed completely.

What happens if you sleep on a rook piercing?

Your new piercing may hurt during the first few weeks due to the extra pressure of your ear on the pillow, so you should avoid sleeping on your side until it heals.

If you choose to sleep on it, be cautious not to snag the pillowcase or your hair piercing.

What is the safest piercing to get?

The safest pierces

The most popular and safest body parts to get pierced are the earlobes, followed by the belly button and nose.

When the piercing is done at the right angle and the area is cleansed properly regularly, the flesh of the earlobe heals nicely.

What piercing heals the fastest?

The earlobe piercing is the one that heals the fastest.

The healing phase of the earlobe normally takes a few weeks if sufficient treatment is given.

It could take a few months for other piercings, like the nose or navel, to heal.

What do I need to know about rook piercings?

The rook is situated adjacent to the daith in the upper cartilage.

The cartilage fold that divides the inner and outer sections of the ear is punctured horizontally.

Even though roach piercings are becoming more and more common, lobe piercings are still more common than roach piercings.

Do rook piercings bleed a lot?

It’s common to have some swelling and redness after getting your piercing initially.

Additionally, you can observe crustiness, bruising, and bleeding.

Anti-inflammatory drugs that are available over the counter can be used to relieve swelling.

Some relief may also be obtained by soaking a clean cloth or paper towel in freezing water.

PHOTO CREDIT