There are as many places to pierce on your ear as there are shapes of ear: the sky really is your limit. But we’ve attempted to categorise the most popular ones, as well as taking a look at which piercings suit different people.
Want to find out about a specific piercing?
Lobe | Multiple Lobe | Helix | Tragus | Anti-Tragus | Orbital | Daith | Snug | Rook | Conch
Wherever you get your piercing done, make sure the place looks clean and the tools are appropriately sterilised – easy for us to say, we know! Hollow piercing needles should be used for cartilage piercings (they generally heal much quicker this way) but a piercing gun can be used for lobes.
Take the time to double check the placement of the intended piercing before giving the go ahead – you’re the one that will be stuck with the hole afterwards!
Be aware that lobe piercings tend to be less painful than cartilage piercings as there are fewer nerve endings in this area.
Want more? Learn about different earring styles in this jewellery glossary post
Earlobe
The most common piercing out there, a single lobe piercing is a classic look that’s popular around the globe. It’s normally done with a piercing gun or a sterilised piercing needle. This is one of the least painful piercings to get and it’s also usually the quickest to heal.
Healing time: About 6-8 weeks
Multiple Lobe
You can of course get your lobes pierced more than once on each side, often these are done in a row following the line of the ear.
Healing time: About 6-8 weeks
Helix
Any piercing around the outer rim of the ear.
Healing time: 2-12 months
Tragus
Piercing of the small piece of cartilage that juts out from in front of the ear. A less painful place to get pierced.
Healing time: 8-16 weeks
Anti-Tragus
Piercing the cartilage opposite the tragus, just above the earlobe.
Healing time: 8-16 weeks
Orbital
Two piercings that can be joined with one piece of jewellery such as a barbell. These should be pierced separately and allowed to heal completely before being joined with anything.
Healing time: 2-12 months
Snug
Piercing of the inner cartilage half way down the outer rim of the ear.
Healing time: 8-16 weeks
Daith
A piercing of the cartilage between the upper inside of the ear and the ear canal.
Healing time: 8-16 weeks
Rook
Piercing of the thick fold of cartilage on the upper inside of the ear. This one can be quite painful, and can take up to a year to heal.
Healing time: 2-12 months
Conch Piercings
A conch piercing is any piercing in the central “shell” of the ear.
Healing time: 8-16 weeks
How much should ear piercing cost?
Lobe piercings : about £20-30 for a pair
Cartilage piercings : £15 to 30 per piercing, studio prices vary widely
Which piercings suit small ears?
A simple pair of lobe piercings suits all ears. But if you want more than that, choose which piercings you go for based on the fold and shape of your ear. If you have small ears, with small or attached lobes, they can quickly seem crowded if you end up with several holes close together. Unless that’s the look you’re going for, choose spaced out piercings which will complement each other, such as a tragus, a lobe and a helix.
Which piercings suit large ears?
Again, a simple pair of lobe piercings will look classic on larger ears. As you’ve got more room to play with, you could add a row of three lobe piercings, or several helix piercings. If you don’t want to draw attention to your ears, then keep it simple. If your ears tend to stick out, a helix piercing will exaggerate this. Instead, go for a tragus piercing which will look edgy or cute (depending on your style!) and will focus attention away from the ear.
Express yourself
Piercings are a great way to express your own personality and unique style. Make an note of the piercings you like the look of on other people and talk to a piercing studio professional about what will work on you. And most of all, once you’ve got your piercings you can have fun experimenting with studs, earrings, ear cuffs and bars to create your own totally unique look!
