There are so many different ear piercings to choose from, so it is important to do some research before heading to your piercer so that you know exactly what you want and where. If you’re nervous about getting a piercing, then knowing more about the piercing beforehand can help you to gauge how painful it may potentially be.
You might hear words such as tragus, daith, rook and conch – all of which are ear piercings – but where do these go on the ear, and how do they look? Let’s take a look at some of the most popular ear piercings you can get.
Lobe Piercings
Healing Time: 2-6 months
Pain level: low
Lobe piercings are the more common ear piercing and as lobe piercings are done on a fleshy part of the ear, it is relatively painless. Depending on the size and shape of your lobes, you can get multiple piercings on this part of your ear. Healing takes between 2-6 months, depending on how well you look after the piercing. Once the piercing site has healed, you can change the earrings, choosing from a wide range of styles and designs.
Helix Piercings
Healing Time: 6-12 months
Pain Level: medium
Helix, or cartilage piercings, are located on the upper cartilage of the outer ear. A helix piercing can be located anywhere on the outer side of the ear, from the top of your lobe right up to the top edge of the ear. It’s important that, with helix piercings, you take proper care of the area as if it isn’t regularly cleaned, or if you choose the wrong jewellery, you may develop cartilage bumps, which can be uncomfortable and look unsightly. Cleaning the area twice a day with saline solution can prevent this from happening.
Tragus Piercings
Healing Time: 12-18 months
Pain Level: medium
Your tragus is located on the small bit of cartilage which partially covers the ear canal, just above the lobe. As the piercing site is relatively small, this area is ideal for mini studs or hoops and there are plenty of different tragus earrings to choose from! The piercing is considered medium in terms of pain level, as the cartilage is quite thick, so just ensure to follow the aftercare steps provided by your piercer.
Conch Piercings
Healing Time: 6-12 months
Pain Level: Medium
Over the last few years, conch piercings have become increasingly more popular. Named after the conch shell, this piercing sits within the inner cup of your ear. You can pierce any part of this cartilage and choose to have more than one piercing in the area. This piercing works well with studs or a cuff which hangs around the ear.
Daith Piercings
Healing Time: 4-6 months
Pain Level: Medium
The daith piercing is located on the inner ridge of the ear, just below your rook, and the piercing hugs the cartilage inside of your ear. Not everyone can get a daith piercing, as it depends on the thickness of the cartilage on this part of your ear. If the cartilage isn’t thick enough, then the earring wouldn’t sit comfortably within your ear.
If you have enough cartilage for a daith piercing, then it can be quite a fiddly piercing to do and is rated medium in terms of pain, however, once it’s done it looks great! You will need to wait between 4-6 months for the site to heal, however, this can take up to 12 months to heal fully. Once healed, you can change your daith earring to something a little more colourful.