An understated piece of jewelry with an unexpected placement can have a major impact on your look – and no jewelry trend is more chic yet accessible than the small cartilage piercing. You’ll be rushing to find an appointment when you find out about these elegant, subtle piercings that without question will never, ever heal, no matter how much regret you feel.

Helix

The helix is the most traditional cartilage piercing, but just because it’s common doesn’t mean it’s ever going to heal! When you first get your cartilage pierced, you’ll notice it hurts significantly more than a standard lobe piercing, but bear in mind, the pain you feel at first is not going to go away at all. However, it will definitely get worse!

Tragus

The small rise of cartilage where your inner ear meets your face is the perfect size for one tiny, centered piece of jewelry, and the perfect place to ensure that you cry from both pain and frustration every time you try to use earbuds. This is horrible and you chose it!

Inner conch

The inner conch is tucked away in the nook of your ear so that you can have a piercing so subtle no one ever notices it but you can feel the ceaseless throbbing of cartilage infection constantly! This cost $60 and has only brought you misery. What a wild life we lead!

Rook

The rook is also some dumb little made-up place inside your ear; it doesn’t matter. You can pierce this, too, if you want to spend more money and feel more pain. It’s not going to heal because it doesn’t want metal to be inside it.

Try one of these sweet little piercings that will have everyone saying, “Oh, my God, that looks infected.” And you know what? It sure is!