Opens a new windowEarlobe piercings stand out as the #1 most popular type of piercing. In fact, 83% of the U.S. population has pierced ears. From standard lobe piercings to a wide variety of cartilage piercings, the ear offers boundless possibilities for self-expression. Since ear piercings of all varieties are so popular, people have a lot of questions about them. Use our ear piercing FAQs for all the answers you need.

Ear Piercing FAQs:

What parts of the ear can be pierced?Opens a new window What are the different ear piercings called?Opens a new window Which ear piercings are cartilage piercings?Opens a new window Should I get pierced with a piercing gun or a piercing needle?Opens a new window Where can I go to get my ears pierced?Opens a new window What starter jewelry should I wear in my new ear piercing?Opens a new window What’s the best aftercare treatment for new ear piercing?Opens a new window Where can I buy jewelry for my ear piercings?Opens a new window Can I stretch my ear piercings and cartilage piercings?Opens a new window Where else can I find information about ear piercings?Opens a new window

Opens a new windowWhat parts of the ear can be pierced?

Nearly any part of the ear can be pierced. The index below identifies parts of the ear that are most commonly pierced:

• Earlobe: The soft tissue that dangles from the bottom of the ear, also known as the lobule.
• Helix: The curved upper rim of the ear cartilage. The helix spans from the outer-upper curve of the ear all the way to where it connects with the head.
• Auricle: The auricular tubercle is the rim of the ear in between the helix and the earlobe. This part of the ear accommodates ear cuffs.
• Antihelix: The curved ridge of cartilage that runs alongside the auricle.
• Antitragus: The small peak of cartilage directly above the earlobe.
• Tragus: A prominence of cartilage that grows in front of the concha and the entrance to the ear canal.
• Concha: The scooped area of central ear cartilage that is somewhat cup-shaped, more commonly known as the conch.
• Crus of Helix: The ridge of innermost cartilage directly above the tragus where a daith piercing is placed.
• Crura of Antihelix: The ridge of cartilage directly above the crus of helix where a rook piercing is placed.

Opens a new windowWhat are the different ear piercings called?

The index below identifies all possible ear piercings:

• Antitragus Piercing: Goes through the antitragus, located above the earlobe and across from the tragus.
• Daith Piercing: Goes through the crus of helix.
• Earlobe Piercing: Any piercing of the lobule is considered an earlobe piercing.
• Forward Helix Piercing: Goes through the forward rim of the helix, where the helix connects to the head. This piercing is also located almost directly above the crus of helix, where a daith piercing would go.
• Helix PiercingOpens a new window: Any piercing through the outer top rim of the ear.
• Industrial Piercing: Two cartilage piercings connected by a barbell. This piercing is typically comprised of two helix piercings connected horizontally. However, piercings can be connected vertically as well. Multiple industrial piercings can form what is popularly known as an “ear cage.”
• Conch Piercing: A piercing through the inner scoop of the ear.
• Orbital Piercing: Two piercings side-by-side through part of the ear. A ring placed through the two holes appears to be orbiting through the ear. An orbital can be placed through the upper earlobe or even through the upper ear cartilage, directly below where an industrial piercing bar would run.
• Rook Piercing: A piercing through the upper-inner rim of ear cartilage that runs over top where a daith piercing would be placed.
• Snug Piercing: A piercing through the antihelix.
• Tragus Piercing: A piercing of the lower prominence of cartilage in front of the concha.
• Transverse Lobe Piercing: An earlobe piercing done at an angle.
• Upper Lobe Piercing: Any piercing of the upper earlobe, where the skin is still soft and fleshy (i.e. the soft tissue located immediately below the cartilage).

Opens a new windowWhich ear piercings are cartilage piercings?

The following ear piercings are cartilage piercings:

• Antitragus Piercing
• Daith Piercing
• Forward Helix Piercing
• Helix Piercing
• Industrial Piercing / Scaffold Piercing
• Conch Piercing
• Orbital Piercing (can be either a soft tissue or cartilage piercing)
• Rook Piercing
• Snug Piercing
• Tragus Piercing

Opens a new windowShould I get pierced with a piercing gun or piercing needle?

We always recommend getting pierced by a reputable artist with a sterilized piercing needle. Piercing guns are not safe for the following reasons:

1. They cannot be put in an autoclave, so they cannot be sterilized as thoroughly as needles.
2. They force a blunt-backed stud earring through the ear using a lot of pressure. In other words, they tear the skin, which can hinder the healing process and potentially lead to infection.
3. Piercing guns should absolutely never be used for a cartilage piercing in particular. When a blunt stud gets shot through your ear cartilage, it can shatter the cartilage, leaving a jagged hole behind. The result is extreme discomfort and a disrupted recovery process.

Learn more here: Which Is Better: Piercing Ears With a Needle or a Piercing Gun?Opens a new window

Opens a new windowWhere can I go to get my ears pierced? Opens a new window

We highly recommend finding a reputable tattoo and piercing shop in your area. If you go to a tattoo and piercing shop, you’ll be pierced with piercing needles and equipment that’s been properly sterilized in an autoclave. To find a piercing artist to pierce your ears, talk to your friends and see where they went. You can also visit our forum and ask if any other members know of a reputable piercing artist in your area. Additionally, you can search for tattoo and piercing shops near you, and look at their piercing artists’ portfolio online or in their shop.

Opens a new windowWhat starter jewelry should I wear in my new ear piercing?

Your most ideal starter jewelry depends on the type of ear piercing you get. However, we always recommend starting out with jewelry that is made of reliable, high-quality material, such as implant grade stainless steel, titanium, or BioPlast. The index below provides recommended starter jewelry by ear piercing:

• Antitragus Piercing: A labret studOpens a new window is typically the best type of starter jewelry for an antitragus piercing. We recommend using one that’s either pop-fit style or that’s internally threaded. Titanium jewelryOpens a new window is the best starter jewelry for this and all the other piercings listed below, although surgical steelOpens a new window and BioPlastOpens a new window are also good options.
• Daith Piercing: Typically you see captive bead ringsOpens a new window as daith piercing starter jewelry, but our Unbreakable OrbsOpens a new window also make hot daith piercing starter jewelry. They're made from flexible niobium, so they're easy to take out and put in.
• Earlobe Piercing: Captive bead ringsOpens a new window and segment ringsOpens a new window are the ideal type of starter jewelry for a lobe piercing of any kind, since some swelling may occur, and a ring won’t put pressure on your healing piercing even when your ear swells slightly. Labret studsOpens a new window may also be used in new earlobe piercings. Opens a new window
• Forward Helix Piercing: A labret studOpens a new window is the ideal starter jewelry for a forward helix piercing.
• Helix Piercing: Most often, captive ringsOpens a new window are used as starter jewelry for single helix piercings, and sometimes spiral ringsOpens a new window are used as the starter jewelry for double and triple helix piercings. (Note that it may be more comfortable for you to wear individual captive rings in multiple helix piercings while they're healing, then switch to a spiral in 6-9 months once they're fully healed.)
• Industrial Piercing: Usually piercers will place an industrial barbellOpens a new window in each new industrial piercing they do, but it may be more comfortable to wear separate captive bead ringsOpens a new window in your industrial piercing holes until they’re fully healed.
• Conch Piercing:Usually a labret studOpens a new window is the ideal starter jewelry for a conch piercing.
• Orbital Piercing: More often than not, you’ll see a segment ringOpens a new window or a captive ringOpens a new window placed through an orbital piercing.
• Rook Piercing: You’ll often see small captive rings as rook piercing starter jewelry, but a few of our Unbreakable body jewelryOpens a new window pieces are ideal for these piercings. You could try one of the little hearts, an orb, or even a seamless niobium ring.
• Snug Piercing: A small captive bead ringOpens a new window is the ideal starter jewelry for a snug piercing.
• Tragus Piercing: Labret studsOpens a new window make the best tragus piercing starter jewelry.
• Transverse Lobe Piercing: If you get a transverse lobe piercing, your piercer will use a straight barbellOpens a new window of an appropriate length to span the width of your earlobe at an angle.

Opens a new windowWhat's the best aftercare treatment for my new ear piercing? Opens a new window

Ear piercing aftercare is the same no matter what type of ear piercing you have. There are some basic dos and don’ts to follow as part of lobe piercing aftercare and cartilage piercing aftercare alike: DOs:

• Clean your ear 3 to 6 times per day with a sea salt solution cleanser like Recovery Saline Solution or H2Ocean.
• Avoid getting hairspray and other hair products on your ear.
• Eat well, hydrate, and generally take care of yourself so your body heals faster.
• Use sea salt solution-soaked cotton balls to soften and loosen "crusties" (i.e. dried lymph the body naturally excretes during the healing process).

DON’Ts:

• DO NOT touch your jewelry unless your hands are freshly washed or you’re wearing gloves.
• DO NOT twist, tug, or unnecessarily handle your body jewelry.
• DO NOT change your jewelry prematurely.
• DO NOT drink alcohol or use tobacco products.
• ​DO NOT use aspirin initially, since it can thin your blood and make you bleed more.

Learn more here: Earlobe Piercings & Cartilage PiercingsOpens a new window

Opens a new windowWhere can I buy jewelry for my ear piercings?

We offer thousands of body jewelry variations, including French hook earrings, labret studs, circular barbells, captive bead rings, bent barbells, plugs, tunnels, and beyond. Use the chart below for easy access to our various store categories.

French Hook EarringsOpens a new window	Labret Studs & EndsOpens a new window	Captive Bead RingsOpens a new window	Stud EarringsOpens a new window
Circular BarbellsOpens a new window	PlugsOpens a new window	TunnelsOpens a new window	Large Gauge EarringsOpens a new window
Ear Wraps and CuffsOpens a new window	Custom JewelryOpens a new window	Industrial BarbellsOpens a new window	Organic EarringsOpens a new window
Segment RingsOpens a new window	Cartilage EarringsOpens a new window	Straight BarbellsOpens a new window	Clickers and Hoop RingsOpens a new window

Opens a new windowCan I stretch my ear piercings and cartilage piercings?

Earlobe piercings are much easier to stretch than cartilage piercings. It isn’t impossible to stretch your cartilage, but it can be uncomfortable and takes a lot of time to do it safely. For this reason, many people prefer to be pierced with a large-gauge needle or have their cartilage punched. For more on cartilage stretching, check out The Ins & Outs of Stretching CartilageOpens a new window. Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to stretching your earlobes. You should wait at least 1.5 times as long as it initially took your earlobes to heal in between stretches, unless you’re using the stretching tapeOpens a new window method. Learn more here: Earlobe Piercings & Cartilage PiercingsOpens a new window.

Opens a new windowWhere else can I find information about ear piercings?

Check out any of our articles and blog posts as additional resources:

• Earlobe Piercings & Cartilage PiercingsOpens a new window
• Industrial Piercing FAQsOpens a new window
• Types of Body PiercingsOpens a new window
• The Ins & Outs of Stretching CartilageOpens a new window
• Stretching the Size of Your EarsOpens a new window
• Painful Pleasures ForumOpens a new window
• Body Mod Photo GalleryOpens a new window

If you're interested in shopping for earrings, visit our Body JewelryOpens a new window section or go directly to one of the pages listed below:

• EarringsOpens a new window: Shop for French hook, stud, dangle, large-gauge, and traditional earrings.
• Captive Bead RingsOpens a new window: Shop for standard captive bead rings, segment rings, and seamless rings. Opens a new window
• Circular BarbellsOpens a new window: Shop for horseshoe barbells in implant grade steel or high-quality titanium.
• Unbreakable Body JewelryOpens a new window: Shop for hand-made jewelry manufactured in-house, including various unique rings for cartilage piercings.
• Septum Rings & HoopsOpens a new window: Septum rings can often make excellent earrings. Shop for septum and earrings in a variety of styles.
• Organic Body JewelryOpens a new window: Shop for plugs, tunnels, ear weights, and earrings made of mother of pearl, abalone, bone, horn, and other organic materials.
• Plugs & Tunnels:Opens a new window Shop for earlets, plugs, and tunnels, from Kaos softwear to organic pieces.
• Limitless Custom JewelryOpens a new window: Shop for custom-designed plugs made in-house.
• Glass JewelryOpens a new window: Shop for remarkably smooth, comfortable glass ear jewelry.

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Sources: http://www.statisticbrain.com/body-piercing-statistics/Opens a new window https://bodypiercingpictures.painfulpleasures.com/galleries/ear-piercingsOpens a new window