If you’re considering piercing your ears, you’re in for a ride. Why? With the many options on the ear piercing chart, you may find it overwhelming to decide on the right spot. This is because cost, pain level, and aftercare vary from piercing to piercing.
But don’t worry. In this article, we’ll examine the different types of ear piercings and help you decide which one is best for you. So, if you want to make a unique statement with your ears, keep reading as we dive in.
What is an Ear Piercing Chart?
This is a diagram that contains the different types of ear piercings. Its goal is to show you the ones that best suit your style and needs and are safe for your body.
Furthermore, this chart provides information on other important details, such as healing time and aftercare treatment, so you’ll have all the necessary information to make an informed decision about your piercing.
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Types of Ear Piercing
There are three main types of ear piercings: lobe, inner ear, and outer ear piercings. The lobe includes standard and transverse piercings; inner ear piercings include helix, anti-tragus, rook, conch, and daith, while the outer ear is snug, tragus, and industrial piercings.
Below, we explore them and what you need to know about each one:
Standard Lobe
This is the most popular ear piercing, and often the first most people get. As the name suggests, it sits on the earlobe. Since the lobe is the fleshy lower section of the ear, it is the easiest to heal. Hence, it is one of the least painful, with a healing time of less than six weeks.
Furthermore, the standard lobe piercing is versatile. Once it heals, it can accommodate any jewel you choose, from studs to hooks and even statement earrings.
- Pain level: 1/10
- Healing time: one to two months
Industrial Piercing
This piercing involves wearing a straight barbell connecting one cartilage piercing to another on the upper ear. Though industrial piercings make an eye-catching look, they’re not recommended, especially if you have a low pain tolerance. Furthermore, they require extra care to heal properly and may get irritated quickly, especially when hair, glasses, or particles rest on them.
Regardless, it’s a bold body modification perfect for any one looking to make an edgy style statement.
- Pain level: 5-7/10
- Healing time: 4-6 months
Tragus Ear Piercing Chart
This cartilage piercing sits just above the ear canal, directly on your face. It originated in the 1980s and has become more popular since then. It takes about six to nine months to heal and can easily get irritated. Also, if you’re a picker or fidgeter, the tragus piercing may not be the right piercing for you.
- Pain Level: 5/10
- Healing time: 6-9 months
Anti-Tragus Piercing
This body modification sits directly opposite the tragus on your ear, above the earlobe. It’s not suitable for everyone as people’s anatomy differs. If your tragus isn’t big enough to be pierced, some piercers will refuse to pierce so they don’t work against your ear shape. That aside, curved barbells or ball closure rings are the best adornment for this piercing.
- Pain Level: 6/10
- Healing time: 6 months to one year
Helix Ear Piercing Chart
After getting a lobe piercing, the helix piercing is the next popular spot people go for. This body modification sits around the upper outer cartilage of the ear. You can have multiple helix piercings on one ear—they’re that versatile. Furthermore, they allow for limitless styling possibilities.
- Pain Level: 4/10
- Healing Time: 3 – 6 months
Forward Helix
This is another cartilage piercing placed on the upper ear above the tragus, differentiating it from the regular helix piercing. Though it’ll likely hurt more than a standard lobe, it’s a versatile piercing that works with various jewelry, such as studs or hoops.
- Pain Level: 5/10
- Healing time: 3-9 months
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Daith
This ear piercing requires a skilled piercer. It features hoop jewelry that hugs the cartilage on the inside of your ear. Don’t sleep on your daith until it’s fully healed or after a few months. Regardless, it’s a unique body modification that enhances your look.
- Pain Level: 5/10
- Healing time: 6-9 months
Conch
This adornment resembles the spiral shell name of a conch, hence its name. It’s located in the middle portion of your ear cartilage. You can have an inner or outer conch piercing often adorned with hoops, studs, or cuffs.
- Pain Level: 6/10
- Healing Time: Three to nine months
Rook Ear Piercing Chart
This adornment sits on the upper part of your ear on the ridge between the outer and inner sections of the ear. They’re located beneath the helix rim. As a cartilage piercing, the rook doesn’t pierce easily. Hence, you may initially feel a sharp pain and pressure, followed by a general throbbing.
- Pain Level: 6/10
- Healing Time: 6 – 12 Months
Snug Piercing
Otherwise known as anti-helix piercings, this one sits horizontally through the inner rim of your cartilage above the anti-tragus. It’s the most painful cartilage piercing. It gets its name from the hug-like folds of your ears. Because of its tight placement, only small jewelry like a small hoop or curved barbells is suitable. Also, since ear shapes are different, not all ears will support this piercing.
- Pain Level: 9/10
- Healing time: 4-6 months
Orbital Piercing
The orbital piercing is a statement look. It’s simply a body modification with one ring running through two holes. It’s placed directly on the earlobe and has a short healing period, meaning you can enjoy it faster.
- Pain Level: 4/10
- Healing Time: eight to ten weeks
Transverse Lobe Piercing
This piercing features a barbell running horizontally through the earlobe rather than in and out. How it sits is dependent on the shape and size of your ear lobe. Transverse lobe piercing takes longer to heal than other types and has a higher risk of infection.
- Pain Level: 4 /6
- Healing Time: 2 -10 months
When to Change Your Ear Piercing
Depending on its healing time, wait about six to eight weeks to change your new piercing. If you change it before this time, your piercing may not have healed completely and that can cause an infection.
Ear Piercing Chart Aftercare Tips
Generally, follow these tips after piercing your ears:
- Clean your pierced ear with sterile saline once or twice daily to avoid infection.
- Don’t fiddle, twist, turn, rotate, or sleep on your piercing.
- Avoid bodies of water, such as pools, baths, hot tubs, etc., for six to eight weeks after getting a piercing.
- Avoid alcohol or harsh chemicals from coming in contact with your new piercing
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