I've just recently gotten a new piercing called a "rook". I really love it... a lot. Honestly, I thought it would hurt a lot more than it actually did. I got it on June 3rd, and it really only hurt for half an hour after my ear was pierced, then again after I cleaned it for the first time.
Just in case you've somehow happened upon my blog and you're curious about the rook piercing, here're some pointers for you:
1. Always, always go to a reputable piercing/tattoo shop.
I beg you, never, ever, pierce your rook yourself. I don't care how many piercings you've done before, or how sure of yourself you are... I don't want you to hurt yourself >,<
2. Clean your piercing at least twice a day with unscented anti-bacterial liquid soap.
This is the best cleaning stuff I've stumbled upon in a long, long time. The last two piercings I've gotten, I've cleaned with anti-bacterial liquid soap, and neither of them got infected--at all.
3. Pain-wise...
The rook is quite lovely, compared to the others I've gotten. Granted, the last two piercings I got were done at the same time (uh, ouch).... So they hurt much more than the rook. Honestly, I thought the rook would hurt crap-ton because a thick piece of cartilage was being pierced... But nope. The most pain was exactly while I was getting a 14 gauge (1.6mm) needle shoved through my ear.
The pain wasn't so bad that I cried or anything, don't get me wrong. Compared to my other two piercings, (geez, they're getting mentioned a lot), this rook was a piece of cake. I could even sleep on the side I got the rook on that night. I had never, in my wildest dreams, thought I'd be able to do that!
4. Don't fiddle with your new piercing. Ever. Resist the urge! And if you absolutely have to, clean your hands off with the anti-bacterial soap before you do!
And now, here's a picture of my piercing, the day I got it! It was edited a bit, to take off some of the crusty blood... You know, make my ear a little more photogenic :)
