Once upon a time I had my nose pierced. That only lasted a few weeks… turned out I guess I was playing with the piercing in my sleep, and one morning I woke up with a nose ring beside me in bed, and the hold closed up in my nose.

I got my ears pierced when I lived in Africa. Since it was Africa, after all, I went the safe route and sterilized a needle with a flame. Then I had my roommate stick the needle in my ears.

I’ve thought about getting a cartilage piercing for a long time, but problems like what you describe are the exact reason I haven’t!