Ear piercing types: Cool jewelry for your ears
Ear piercings are absolutely trendy! Here you can find out what types there are, what you have to consider, and what the risks are. we are going to introduce about ear piercing types.
Helix piercing, Snug, Conch – One ear piercing is not enough! We would love to cover our ears with great jewelry! We’ll tell you here which piercings on the ear are currently popular and what you have to consider with the different models and methods!
One ear piercing or several? It’s hot right now
Fancy a new ear piercing? How about one of the following trends:
Ear piercing trend: Curated Ear
Anyone considering investing in a new ear piercing may have stumbled across the Instagram trend Curated Ear while doing their research. Under the hashtag, women publish their perfectly combined ear piercings – from simple studs to extraordinary combinations all over the ear. The aim is to create a total work of art with several piercings. This can be achieved, for example, by using similar colors or jewelry in the same style. Particularly popular: astronomical motifs such as stars, moons, and suns!
Ear piercing trend: Flats
Flat piercings steal the show from the classic helix! Even if the two piercing types are similar at first glance, flats are not pierced directly on the edge of the ear, but in the middle of the flat region of the upper half of the ear. The combination of several small flats is particularly popular.
Ear piercing trend: high lobes
A piercing trend for everyone who prefers things to be simpler: high lobes are pierced over the normal earring holes on the earlobe. A small stud is usually used, which is worn over a classic earring or between two “normal” lobes.
The 10 coolest ear piercing types and what you should know about them
There are many different types of piercing that you can wear on your ear. However, depending on how your auricle has grown, not all variants may be suitable for you. But since the selection is so large, there is bound to be the perfect ear piercing for you!
Ear piercing types:
1. Lobe piercing
The so-called lobe piercing is the classic earring hole that many people get pierced as children. Lobes are shot in the earlobe with a pistol and can be done at most jewelers. Depending on the size of the earlobe, several holes can also be worn next to each other, which are referred to as upper lobes. Lobe piercings are the safest accessories for the ears. They usually heal in three to six weeks and usually do not cause any problems. The pain is also absolutely tolerable and usually goes away after a few days.
2. Helix ear piercing
Probably the most popular ear piercing for women is the so-called helix piercing. The hole is punched here on the upper, outer part of the watch face. Both a ring and a plug can be used, which is why there is the right piece of jewelry for every taste. The pain here is slightly greater than with the classic lobe, simply because a piece of cartilage is punctured. The healing process also takes much longer: it can take up to six months for the wound to heal completely. During this time you should take good care of your helix piercing and avoid wearing hats and the like.
3. Daith
Influencers and stars have already fallen for it: We are talking about Daith piercing, which is usually in the form of a ring on the inside of the ear. The cartilage that is punctured is relatively thick, which is why healing at this point usually takes half a year, in some cases even a whole year. But we are happy to accept that for this great accessory!
4. Conch
Conch piercing is also gaining in popularity at the moment. The ear piercing is pierced directly through the hollow of the auricle and is usually worn with a large ring or a conspicuous plug. Normal pricking takes up to six months to heal, while punching (information on this under “Methods”) usually only takes a month.
5. Orbital
The orbital piercing is a relatively young accessory that not everyone is familiar with and can be worn particularly individually. Similar to industrial piercing, two ear holes are connected by a single piece of jewelry (usually a ring). However, the holes are not opposite, but next to each other – for example on the earlobe. You can choose whether the holes should be vertical, horizontal, or even crooked.
6. Tragus
The tragus piercing is done on the small piece of cartilage at the entrance of the auditory canal, the so-called tragus. Because this part of the ear is extremely small in some people, not everyone can get it pierced. This ear piercing takes between two and twelve months to heal. The risk of wild growth (benign growth of skin cells) is particularly high with the tragus, which is why you should take care of it very seriously during the healing process and contact your piercer immediately if you have any problems.
7. Anti-Tragus
The counterpart to the tragus is called the anti-tragus. This cartilage is also particularly small and ear piercings are rarely seen at this point. Healing is usually problem-free within a few months.
8. Snug
Even the snug piercing cannot be done on every ear. It sits in the inner ear bulge parallel to the edge of the ear and is usually worn in the form of a curved barbell. Healing usually takes between three and eight months. The snug piercing can become uncomfortable, especially when sleeping, which should be considered when choosing the side.
9. Rook
The rook piercing sits vertically in the antihelix, i.e. on the opposite side of the helix piercing. It takes an average of four months for the ear piercing to heal completely. Most rook wearers use a small curved barbell or a ball closure ring.
10. Industrial
Industrial piercing is probably one of the most well-known ear piercings. It connects two opposite helix piercings with the help of a long bar. If you have an ear piercing, you should expect a healing period of up to a year, although the punched version also heals much faster.
6 types of jewelry for your ear piercing
You don’t know what to do with the terms labret, barbell, and plug? Don’t worry, we’ll tell you which ear piercing jewelry there is and what you have to consider.
Barbell: The classic ear piercing plug is called a barbell. The plug is closed with a small ball and is available in different lengths and thicknesses. Thanks to its straight shape, a barbell is particularly suitable for the healing phase and is mostly used for a helix or industrial.
Curved Barbell: As the name suggests, a curved barbell is a slightly curved connector. It is particularly suitable for snugs and rooks.
Circular Barbell: Another variant of the classic connector is the so-called Circular Barbell. This is even more curved than the curved barbell and almost forms a closed ring. A circular barbell for a helix is ideal as an ear piercing.
Plug: Plugs are larger plugs that are mostly used for flared ears. They are available in different sizes, materials, and shapes.
Labret Plug: The labret plug is actually made for lip piercings. But thanks to its flat closure, it is also often used for conch piercings.
Ball Closure Ring: A continuous ring closed by a ball is called a ball closure ring. This piercing jewelry is mostly used on the conch, helix, and rook.
Of course, your piercer knows best which shape and which material is best suited to your wishes. In general, however, you should not choose a plug made of surgical steel for the first time. This is quite severe and can lead to allergic reactions. Titanium is more suitable because it is significantly lighter and completely nickel-free.
Prick, shoot or punch – which method to use for ear piercing?
Most people talk about getting an ear piercing. Strictly speaking, you have to differentiate between the terms stab, shoot and punch. As a rule, only normal holes in the earlobes are shot. As soon as cartilage tissue is affected, ear piercings must be pricked with a needle. With an ear piercing gun, the tissue here could be severely injured. A professional piercer would never offer that.
Another variant is the so-called punching. A piece of cartilage is punched out. The advantage of this is that the tissue is not displaced, as it is with the piercing, but is completely removed. Although this leads to heavier bleeding, the wound heals much more quickly and painlessly. The disadvantage of punching is that (so far) there are only a few studios that use this method and the price for it is usually higher than with stabbing. Especially people who have had problems with inflamed ears should still consider this type.
How to properly care for your new ear piercing
Since ear piercings are usually not supposed to grow back, an open wound remains after the procedure. This is particularly susceptible to bacteria and germs, which is why proper care is essential for a quick healing process. Of course, your piercer should educate you on how to clean the chosen spot, but there are a few tips to keep in mind regardless of the type of piercing:
- Try to touch the piercing as little as possible. Constant turning or pushing irritates the wound again and again and heals more slowly.
- Before cleaning, you should definitely disinfect your hands beforehand to avoid infection.
- When showering, you should try not to get your fingers caught on it and try not to get shampoo on it.
- Hair coloring is also taboo during the healing process!
- Avoid solarium, chlorine water, and sauna visits for the first few weeks.
- Try not to put too much strain on your ear when you sleep, but at best lie on the other side.
- Be careful not to get cosmetic products, such as hairspray or makeup, on the wound.
- Do not cover the piercing with plaster! The resulting moisture attracts bacteria.
If the piercing site has become very red, weeping, or even suppurating for several days, you should contact your piercer immediately.