Rook Piercing Diary: Days 1-5

Hello!

So last Friday, my colleague and I decided to head down to the local tattoo studio near our workplace and get our ears pierced during our lunch break. I've had my eye on the rook piercing for a good couple of years now - I think it was after I got my conch pierced that I was itching for my next piercing and thought one day I'm going to get the rook done.

I didn't actually feel nervous until it was my turn (my colleague went first - she got her helix and second lobes done), I've done extensive research about the rook piercing as many people have said it's the most painful one you can get on your ears so obviously I was preparing myself for some intensive pain to be inflicted upon me. I thought to myself, how much worse can it be compared to when I got my conch done? Don't get me wrong, my conch was painful and a super bitch to heal but that was a good 4-5 years ago since it happened so I couldn't accurately remember how painful it was.

The lady that did my piercing was lovely, she explained to me how she was going to do it, showed me what barbell she was going to put it in and marked the position, showing me where the piercing was going to fit. It was over very quickly, it was the way she counted down that made me soooo nervous but it was absolutely fine, it was a very sharp pinch, a burning sensation and then the jewellery was in. I've heard so many people bleed during the piercing process but I was blood-free!

1 hour after piercing - a little red, but barely any pain, not very swollen either.

Days 2 - 4 were fine, it was good to have a weekend to care for the piercing. It's been so difficult to take care of my piercing during a normal work day. I still haven't managed to find a routine where I can fit in 2 x SSS which is slightly annoying. I've been doing a SSS as soon as I get home from work - I walk quite a lot during the day as I live quite far from the train station so imagining how much dirt, grease and dead skin get in and around my piercing makes me cringe a little inside. Anyhoo, as long as I'm keeping it clean I guess I'll be OK?

Today was day 5 - my ear was fine until towards the end of the day, note that I so far haven't knocked it even once or caught it or slept on it so I'm actually doing really well! When I got home from work, my ear was a little sore, it was that dull bruised kind of pain that I hadn't felt ever since I got it pierced. As soon as I got home, I cleaned my ear with some antibacterial soap to try and get all the accumulated dirt out of it. Then had a shower a couple of hours later and oh my gosh, my rook was SWOLLEN (it still is). Did another SSS and clean with some soap and left it. Here is what it looks like now in all its swollen glory:

Day 5 after piercing - quite swollen, painful to touch

Not to disgust you with the gross bits but so far my piercing hasn't secreted any lymph or formed any crusties yet so I think it's still in the very early stages of healing. Hopefully this swelling will go down soon, I usually heal pretty well so I'm optimistic about this one...