Ear Piercing

Ear Piercing

People have been piercing their bodies for the purposes of adorning it with jewelry since time immemorial. And while originally, piercings used to be a means of expressing cultural identity and spiritual connection, most modern societies have left that far behind. Today, most people pierce their bodies simply as a way of increasing their aesthetic appeal.

Today, we are going to talk a bit about what is, arguably, the world’s most popular form of body piercing: ear piercing.

So, get comfortable and read on to learn all about it.

Older than You Think

Most people think that ear piercings have been around for only a few hundred years; however, there is plenty of archaeological evidence that suggests that humans have been piercing their ears for thousands of years. In fact, some of the oldest mummies we have found, have had their ears pierced.

Nevertheless, in western cultures, ear piercings are now so common that the vast majority of people don’t give the subject a second chance. And while body piercing is subject to the whims and fashion trends, ear piercing has become a de facto 21st-century practice for women and a large percentage of men.

According to most statistics, over 90% of women in the United States have their ears pierced.

So, if you are thinking of joining the fray, or you simply wish to expand your knowledge, join me below to learn about the different types of ear piercings.

Types of Ear Piercings

Besides the traditional ear lobe piercing, there are plenty of other types of ear piercings and they are categorized by their location on the ear.

Helix

This type of ear piercing covers the outer cartilage crease of the ear, and there are variations. For example, you can get a Helix piercing at any point in the curvature of your ear. It is very fashionable, very striking, and very common. 

Tragus

The tragus piercing is performed on the small “flap” of cartilage that covers the entrance to the ear canal. Tragus piercings are very visible and very fashionable amongst the younger generations.

Anti-tragus

The anti-tragus piercing is performed, as the name so aptly suggests, on the small crease of cartilage that is located directly opposite the tragus. Anti-tragus piercings are typically done using very small pieces of jewelry due to the limited real state of the area.

Snug

The snug piercing gets its name from the fact that it hugs both the outer and inner creases of cartilage found along the ear’s anti-helix. Getting a snug is a bit more painful than your average ear piercing because the crease of cartilage is much thicker. Perhaps for this reason it is not as common as the other types. 

Rook

Speaking of pain, the rook is arguably one of the most painful piercings of the face. Again, this is likely due to the fact that the section of cartilage being pierced is quite thick when compared to the rest of the ear. The rook piercing is performed on the uppermost ridge of the cartilage of the inner ear.

Daith

The Daith piercing, pronounced “doth”, is one of the most fashionable new piercings of the last few years. Probably adding to its popularity is the fact that there is some evidence to suggest that it can help reduce the frequency and intensity of migraines. The Daith piercing is performed near the helix, on the innermost cartilage of the ear.

Things To Keep In Mind About Ear Piercings

Although ear piercings are extremely common, and admittedly one of the safer types of body piercing, there is still the possibility of complications if they are not handled well. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Make sure that the place where you are getting your piercings performed is clean. Make sure that the staff uses sterile equipment at all times. Never allow the staff to share their utensils between clients.

The person performing your piercing must wash them with soap and disinfectant before putting on surgical gloves.

It is important to keep in mind that the quality of the metal must be held to a minimum standard.  Earrings should be made with surgical grade steel, titanium, gold, or niobium. Never allow jewelry made out of nickel, cobalt, or white gold to be used since these can cause significant irritation.

Post-care is also very important. Dermatologists recommend the following guidelines to avoid infections during the healing process.

Always wash your hands before touching your ears if they have been recently pierced.

Don’t take out your new piercings for at least six weeks after the procedure. Removing them too soon can cause the tissue to heal shut.

Regularly wash your ears with a bar of mild soap and clean water. The cleaner you keep the area, the smaller the risk of infection.

You can rotate the jewelry a few times per day to help keep the holes from scarring. Be gentle when you do this otherwise you risk tearing your skin.

You can also use rubbing alcohol to disinfect the area. Use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to carefully clean the skin around your new piercing.

Be on the lookout for redness, swelling, and itching, as these are common signs of infection. Moreover, if you notice a foul-smelling discharge near your piercing, consult with a dermatologist.

Keep in mind that some people are allergic to certain types of metal.

For the first few months after your ears have been pierced, or until you get used to them being on your body, be careful when getting dressed or playing sports. New earrings can easily get caught in clothing and rip your ear.