Ear piercings are a jewellery trend that are never going out of style. With so many different piercing options out there, it can be hard to choose which one to go for or which one would suit you. Whether you’re an experienced piercer or a needle newbie, take a look at our guide to ear piercings, including different types, pain levels and favourite piercing combinations.
The ear piercing chart
Before we dive into specific piercings, it’s important to do your research about all the different types on offer. Below is a full piercing chart that shows off the different areas you can get pierced and how they look. Multiple piercings are a popular trend that many brands are taking advantage of with their new and inventive earring designs.
There are three main types of piercings: lobe, inner ear, and outer ear piercings. Lobe covers standard and transverse piercings, inner ear is anti-tragus, helix, rook, daith and conch piercings and outer ear is tragus, snug, and industrial piercings.
Lobe piercings
Lobe is the most popular piercing and the first piercing most people get. As the lobe is the softest part of the ear and doesn’t have any cartilage, it’s the easiest part to pierce and is the least painful. The standard lobe piercing simply goes through the front to the back of the lobe. The transverse lobe is where a piercing threads through the lobe from one side to the other.
The lobe can be pierced up to three times – the first, second and third piercings can travel up the lobe until it gets to the cartilage part of the ear. Depending on how big or small your lobe is, you can fit little or many piercings along that part of the ear. The lobe is where you can wear many different types of earrings, from studs and hoops to chandeliers and drops. Lobes are versatile and work well alongside other piercings, especially the helix. Having three lobe piercings alongside the conch piercing is also very popular.
Tragus piercing
The tragus is a type of cartilage piercing that’s just above the ear canal – think the little triangle that’s close to the side of the face. It’s a small part of the ear – depending on how big or small it is per person – but is typically only big enough for one piercing. The antitragus is the part of the cartilage above and connected to the lobe. Because it’s cartilage, the tragus is more painful than the lobe. Due to its small size, the tragus and antitragus looks best with a cute stud or a slim hoop earring. The tragus looks good next to a daith piercing to keep the piercings close to each other on the lower part of the ear.
Helix piercing
The helix sits on the outer and upper rim of the ear. One of the most popular outer ear piercings is the helix on the outside of the ear. The forward helix is opposite this - go up from the tragus to find the curled cartilage close to your face. The helix can take multiple piercings like the lobe – typically up to three. This piercing is often quite painful but is done with a small needle rather than a bigger one. Studs like barbells are normally used for the helix and look beautiful alongside similar outer ear piercings in a fun cartilage combination.
Conch piercing
The conch is an inner or outer piercing that’s in the middle section of the ear - think the dip next to the helix. The conch is named after the seashell due to its resemblance. The inner conch is where a stud goes right through the middle and the outer is where a hoop starts in the middle and hugs the outer edge of the ear. Eye catching studs or gemstone studded hoops work well with this piercing and looks nice next to lobe and helix piercings.
Industrial piercing
The industrial piercing is impressive and sometimes a bit scary looking! Rather than a singular piercing, the industrial is two piercings that go through different parts of the top ear cartilage. It’s typically pierced from the back of the ear at the top, travels through the front of the ear to the other side and out through the back. This style is characterised by a long bar which is secured by balls on either side of the ear. It’s a dramatic look that looks good next to other inner ear piercings like the conch.
Daith piercing
The daith is next to the tragus and goes through the inner part of the cartilage. Think the little curve where the outer ear meets the inside. This piercing is great for midsized hoops or a simple barbell. As it sits next to the tragus, the daith looks good next to it for extra layers. Some people have found this piercing gives them relief from migraines and get it done for this purpose. While this hasn’t been scientifically confirmed, the daith is a great way to soothe and prevent headaches and get a new stylish piercing at the same time.
Rook piercing
The rook is directly above the daith and next to the helix. This little ridge sits parallel to the outer rim and is like the daith, just higher up the ear. A curved barbell looks nice in this spot, but hoops are also a popular choice. To really make the inner ear pop, combine the rook and the daith piercing to really stack up your earrings.
Snug piercing
Finally, we have the snug piercing or the anti-helix. It sits in the rim of the cartilage inside the ear, opposite the helix and tragus piercing. This piercing goes through the chunkiest part of the ear and is one of the more unique and distinctive piercings. While it is a thick part of the ear, it’s a bit difficult to place jewellery, so we suggest going for tiny and dainty earrings to show this part of the ear off.
Ready for your next piercing? Dive into our earring collection to find the perfect addition for your ears.
Image credits: auree.com, etsy.com, amazon.co.uk, cosmopolitan.com, glamourmagazine.co.uk
