Video: Mandy’s Industrial Piercing – Up Close and Personal

We have a treat for fans of our real body piercing YouTube series. Watch as Mandy gets her industrial pierced. This is the second time she is getting her industrial pierced; she has had her other ear done for some time and wanted to be symmetrical. This piercing was done by James at American Skin Art in Buffalo NY. The actual needle insertions are at 15 seconds and 27 seconds. This piercing consists of connecting two holes in the ear’s upper cartilage with a long straight industrial barbell. It can also be called a scaffold or construction piercing.

The entry and exit points are measured and marked, to ensure proper placement and jewelry sizing. Then, two holes are made with a 14 gauge hollow needle, one close to the top (anti-helix), and the second further down the cartilage, on the opposite side of the ear (helix). A straight barbell is then inserted to diagonally connect the two piercings (vertical versions of the industrial are also popular). It is normal for swelling and redness after the initial piercing. The industrial can be a rather difficult piercing to heal, so great care must be taken and your piercer’s aftercare recommendations are of the utmost importance. Sea salt soaks are generally the recommended cleaning method, but premixed products like H2Ocean may also be used. You should be very careful not to bump or get hair entangled in the sensitive new piercing.

Many people are not able to get industrial piercings due to the lack of sufficient tissue. It is important to have proper placement because the piercings are connected. Stress and pressure on a cartilage piercing is very painful. If you are experiencing pain, your piercer may change out the long barbell for two separate, smaller pieces of jewelry. If this happens the piercings may not heal at the correct angle, and then you may not be able to insert proper industrial jewelry from that point on.

Industrials are a beautiful addition to your ear. If you are considering getting yours pierced, as always, go to a professional piercer. If you already have your industrial pierced please share your stories, tips, and experiences in the comments below! Stay in the loop, and make sure you subscribe to the BodyCandy YouTube channel for more fun piercing videos.