Vertical Lobe Piercing
A vertical lobe piercing a piercing, usually using a straight barbell, travelling from the top of the lobe (ie. the anti-tragus) down and exiting at the bottom of the lobe. It is essentially a transverse lobe piercing turned 90°.
Procedure
A vertical lobe is a moderately difficult piercing to have done. After entry and exit points have been marked, and the ear properly cleaned, the lobes and anti-tragus are clamped. The needle is then slid through, and jewelry inserted. Particular care must be taken to avoid piercing either too shallow or too deep into the lobe. If the needle goes through the lobe too close to the outer side, the jewelry can reject towards the outer side, while rejection can happen also if the the jewelry passes through the lobe too close to the head.
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Healing
Much like cartilage piercings, this takes at least several (6 or more) months to heal, dependent upon the piercee's body, and their dedication to cleaning it. For at least several days, there is a good chance of bruising. Sea salt soaks, and hot compresses are essentially vital for proper healing, to encourage drainage. Otherwise, due to the length of the piercing, drainage will become blocked up, and an abscess can form.
