14 Types of Ear Piercings: How Much Does It Hurt ?

Standard lobe piercings are fun, but have you tried cultivating a collection of piercings on the entire ear?

Yes, fashionistas are carrying this style around like pros. Multiple ear piercings are no longer the choice of stars and celebrities; you will find piercing lovers in your circle. Piercings began ages ago with both medicine and stigma attached to the practice. Over time this trend has managed to become a much-loved fashion statement.

Instagram can partly be held responsible for the piercing fewer that have been influencing thousands. Justifiably so, the delicate jewelry that ornaments various piercing spots on the ear is irresistible.

If you are here reading this article, then you have already been bitten by the piercing bug. Fear not, you have come to the right place looking for information. Once you get past the aftercare and the wounds heal, you will enjoy getting a particular type of piercing.

Want to make an outfit edgy without making it trashy? A daith or rook piercing will do the work for you. Anyone would love a string of beautiful diamonds climbing up the side of the ear.

Besides the material satisfaction of getting an ear piercing, it is an emotional affair. Many see it as a sign to the world that they own their bodies and are proud of what they stand for. Body modification has mostly been frowned upon, but it does make you wonder, what is so special about ear piercings that society seems to accept them?

You will find the concept of ear piercing available even in the remotes lands of the earth. For tribes and people with a community mindset, piercings define their traditions. Today, if you are getting your ears pierced, there are a few general norms and guidelines you need to follow, such as

1.     Research

Ear piercing is a change that will stay with you forever. You do not want anything to go wrong or suffer needlessly just because you chose the wrong piercer. Do your research; thoroughly study the different types of ear piercings, their aftercare and such before settling on one.

2.     Study your response to pain

It is vital that you are aware of your own body’s pain tolerance. If you cannot handle sharp pain and your body takes time to heal, then you might consider getting pierced in areas such as the lobe.

3.     Sharp objects

If you are not tolerant of sharp objects near your skin and have a phobia or fear of needles, then you might want to stick to artificial earring and ear –jewelry. However, if getting rid of your fear is on your bucket list then this is the perfect place to start. Start easy on places that heal quicker, such as the lobe.

4.     Allergies

Do your homework before stepping into the piercing parlor. If you are allergic and do not react well to a particular type of metal, then your piercing experience back-firing may not be any one’s fault but yours. Be very specific about the metals that can go into the process of your ear piercing

5.     It won’t work

Not all piercings are for everyone. Spots such as the daith may not be suitable for all ear structures, so if your piercer advises you that this will not work for you, do not get it done.

6.     Always, always go to a professional

Most tattoo parlors offer piercing services. Try and go to a reputable place for getting a piercing even if you want your ear-lobe to be pierced. Avoid anyplace else that offers “piercing” without validation.

7.     Go with a friend

By “a friend” we mean one friend. You need to go with someone who you are entirely comfortable with. Sometimes the sharp pain, that only lasts for a minute; can make you swear. You wouldn’t want to do that in front of the whole squad now, would you?

8.     Tips count

Your piercer deserves a generous tip for not spoiling the job. It is a general courtesy to tip your service providers. Who knows the next time you visit, you get some VIP treatment.

 Types of ear piercings

There is a vast variety of ear piercings available, and sometimes it becomes somewhat difficult to decide on one. Each type of piercing has a different caliber of pain and recovery times.  The aftercare process also varies with the specific spot on the ear. It is necessary that you are aware of all the aspects of the different types of piercings before you get one.

One of the main reasons for the popularity of this trend is that there are so many ways you can go about this. Your ear can be your canvas displaying the various types of piercings to show your inner self to the world.

Here is a guide to the most followed trends of ear piercings and what follows once you get them done.

1.     The Helix piercing

These piercings are placed along the upper ear and are cartilage piercings. This piercing is not a painful one; all you may feel is a slight prick of the gauge needle used to perform it. There are no nerve endings in the helix area which makes it ideal for anyone new to piercings. You can choose from a variety of jewelry to adorn this piercing. From studs to bead rings or barbells any think can work for this look.

2.     The forward Helix

That is also a cartilage piercing placed along the upper ear but lower than the original helix piercing. It is set closer to the end of the root of the helix. For the most part, this piercing is adorned with studs. But of course, you can work with other delicate pieces of jewelry too.

3.     Industrial

This is one of the fancier types of piercings. The industrial piercing is composed of two piercings that carry a single piece of jewelry. One of these piercings is placed in the forward helix while the other is on the back of the ear. Usually, this piercing is adorned with a single barbell but you can experiment with other designs with the advice of your piercer.

4.     The snug piercing

This is one of the most noticeable piercings ever. It is printed in the inner cartilage of the ear halfway through the vertical section. This piercing is usually adorned with tiny studs or miniature earrings. You have to go the micro jewelry route because of the inner part of the piercing.

5.     Rook Piercing

Probably one of the most intimidating piercings, this is also quite distinguishable. This resembles the snug piercing carefully, but it is placed more vertically above the tragus. It is placed on the ridge which separates the front and inner portion of the conch. You can use a curved barbell and stunning bead rings.

6.     The conch piercing

This is certainly an eye-catching look. The pain is relatively lesser than what you would expect. There are two categories of this type the inner and the outer one. You can add a stunning bead ring to adorn this area. The name of this piercing comes from its resemblance to the conch shells found in the ocean.

7.     Orbital

This piercing is also connected by one piece of jewelry for any two piercings. But, this is not specifically for the ear, it can be any two piercings connected by a single piece of jewelry. These are common for the helix and antihelix areas.

8.     Tragus

It is placed directly in front of the ear canal. This can be quite challenging to achieve if the tragus of your ear is thicker. But once you have dealt successfully with the aftercare, this is worth it. It is one of the most versatile piercings, and you can flaunt various styles of jewelry.

9.     Anti-tragus

These are regular lobe piercings. It is quite similar to tragus piercings despite being named anti-tragus.

10.Lobe piercings

Well most of us are familiar with this piercing and don’t even remember the pain or wound of this particular piercing. It is usually performed at an early age under your parent’s supervision, and you can whine all about the pain – as much as you want, even when it isn’t as much as you imagined. However, grownups can surely experiment with this type of piercing and get a new one. It is painless, and the tiny wound heals pretty quickly.

11.Transverse lobe

This is the lobe piercing with a contemporary twist. If you are looking to make a statement, this is your safest bet. It is placed on the lobe and is adorned with a barbell that goes horizontally under the lower part of the ear and all you can see are the two metal ends of the barbell. This type depends strictly on the shape, structure, and anatomy of your lobe.

12.The daith piercing

Research is your best friend if you want to get this done. Make sure you know what you are looking forward to and what it should feel like to get a daith piercing done. This is one of the most challenging piercings to have. A lot can go wrong here, and they can go wrong quite quickly, in light of this it is advised you seek the expertise of a professional to get it done the right way.

The daith is placed through the innermost area of the cartilage running through the ear. This is a fold that is hard to get through and getting a clean piercing is very challenging. This also depends on the structure of your ear. But after 3 to 6 months of care, you can rock a variety of jewelry and flaunt one of the most stylish piercings of all time.

13.The Auricle

These are perfect for delicate or bold rings, whatever your taste may be. This is placed on the outer rim of the cartilage. They are usually a part of a strand of piercings from the lobe up. They can complement any other ear piercing that you might have or look gorgeous on its own. It heals within 3 to 4 months and is quite painless.

14.Dermal

These piercings are only visible on the surface of the skin at one angle. They are usually located inwards from the tragus.

What should be done before you get a piercing?

Your piercer may be responsible for most of the piercing experience, but this does not exempt you from taking a few steps to ensure that the procedure goes smoothly. Besides the general guidelines, there r a few things you need to be very sure about.

Do your research! This point cannot be emphasized enough. People do not understand the implications of being uninformed, and this can lead to a slightly nasty experience at the piercing parlor. You should know the exact type of piercing you are looking for; this can save you a lot of trouble. If you are getting the procedure done by a shady individual, then knowing exactly where you want the needle to go can be a lifesaver. But that isn’t recommended. Find a reputable piercer and review a few testimonials from friends or colleagues before doing anything else

A piercing gone wrong can end up destroying the structure of your ear. Consider each and every aspect of the piercing before you step into the piercing parlor. The cost of the piercing is another very impactful factor in this experience. If you do not have enough money to get a piercing from a reputable place, it is best to postpone the piercing until you get the funds for the specific piercing. Not all piercings are priced the same, they depend on the aftercare, healing times and the difficulty of the location.

It is almost always a good idea to get a piercing done with a friend or family member who is versed in the chapter of ear piercings. If you are looking forward to getting a daith piercing, then it is best that you determine whether your ear structure is suitable for it or not. The same applies to snug and rook piercings as well.

It is never with the little extra money that you will save if you get ear piercings done at the mall. You need a professional to do it. Another important aspect is to get a feel for a few prospect places where you would like this procedure done. If you see a piercing gun being used anywhere, it is strongly advised that you run like the wind and never return.

Piercing guns can damage the tissue of the ear severely and cause infections due to the tool not being clean. Piercing guns may be cleaned thoroughly, but there are always chances of skin and blood residue being left somewhere inside it.

You also need to study the various jewelry options that are available for your specific choice. Besides being informed about the metal that you may be allergic to you should also be aware of the piece of jewelry that your ear structure can support.

Avoid any strenuous activities throughout the day before getting the piercing done. Also, eat a hearty meal at least two hours before the appointment time. Always reach the piercing parlor beforehand and be ready for the pain associated with the piercing you are about to get.

The Aftercare

This is as important as the instrument used to perform the piercing. You cannot ignore the instructions at any cost. Daily care is necessary and cleaning the wound with sea salt, and warm water solution can speed up the healing process.

You also need to increase the intake of vitamin K and potassium which helps keep wounds clean and infection free while decreasing the healing time. Incorporate healthier foods into your diet especially vitamin C and E. You do not want the wound to “heal” halfway.

There are various salves and solutions available in the market made of natural ingredients. Try and get one that does not include any harmful chemicals or chemicals in general.

You do not want to spray an open wound with anything potentially harmful. If you experience any itching or swelling immediately after getting a piercing, go to the piercer or rush to the hospital. It may not necessarily be an infection as sometimes the body tries to push the piercing out.

Try and leave intervals between piercings on the same ear. You can get a few at the same time for areas such as the ear lobe, but for tricky cervixes, it is best to avoid multiple piercings at the same time.

Keep your ears clean and moisturized a few days after the wound has completely healed. Do not overburden a new piercing with heavy jewelry and always do a metal test before you decide on wearing a specific type of jewelry.

Bottom Line

Ear piercings are one of the most comfortable piercings to flaunt and get done. Although this is also a form of body modification, it is hugely being accepted in societies as a fashion statement rather than a taboo.