Cartilage piercings are among the most common piercings out there. However, their mainstream popularity means that there are fewer cartilage piercings out there that offer a truly unique look.
The tragus piercing, although it has been around for a long time, is one piercing that has recently gained some mainstream traction.
This lesser-known style stands out because of its distinctive look, but it’s small enough to satisfy those who prefer subtler styles.
But, what is the tragus piercing, and what can you expect when you get this area pierced? Here’s a brief guide to the tragus piercing.
What is the tragus piercing?
The tragus piercing is a cartilage piercing that takes place in the triangular flap in front of your ear canal. (When you plug your ears, it might be that little flap that you fold over to shut the sound out.)
This teeny tiny piercing location is surprisingly versatile with its jewelry options, and the fact that it’s so small makes it the perfect piercing for those who prefer daintier styles. The tragus piercing is fantastic as a standalone look or paired with multiple lobe and/or cartilage piercings.
How much does it hurt?
Cartilage piercings, in general, tend to hurt more than piercings in fleshier areas. Overall, those who have gotten their tragus pierced agree that it hurts less than they anticipated.
Many people who have gotten their tragus pierced report that it hurt less than anticipated.
Since pain is subjective, it’s difficult to gauge the pain level that you might feel. But, there are ways that you might minimize that pain. Firstly, you should choose an experienced piercer who can guide you through breathing exercises and conduct the piercing as smoothly as possible. Second, try to remain calm and practice meditation techniques to make the process go easily.
You should expect some swelling and throbbing in the days after your piercing, but it rarely lasts longer than a week.
How long does the tragus piercing take to heal?
The tragus takes at least 6 – 9 months to heal. Keep in mind, however, that these times are the minimum; some people take longer to heal, even if they do everything right.
Your best bet for shorter healing times is to take care of your piercing for the entire healing period. Make sure that you’re cleaning your tragus 2 – 3 times daily with a piercing aftercare saline solution, practice basic hygiene, and touch the piercing as little as possible.
Keep up aftercare practices until your piercer tells you that your piercing has fully healed. It will appear healed on the outside before it’s fully healed on the inside, so you should always have a professional take a look. Don’t just go by the amount of time since you got pierced; it’s not uncommon for piercings to take longer than average to heal.
What kind of jewelry do you wear in your tragus?
Once your tragus has fully healed, you can try out new jewelry styles.
The tragus is a smaller piercing location, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a wide variety of jewelry that you can wear in your tragus.
Despite its small area, the tragus can be decorated with a variety of jewelry styles.
Flat-backed studs are pretty common in tragus piercings. The flat back ensures a flush fit in a tight area, and you can choose cute charms or gemstones to decorate the area.
For a more interesting look, you can also try hoop styles like seamless hoops or captive bead rings. Some opt for circular barbells as well. You can even find studs with small dangles hanging down.
What are tragus piercings good for?
Before we talk about the trend of using piercings to activate acupuncture points, we’d like to say that this theory falls under pseudoscience, and as such, has no scientific backing.
Some claim that the tragus piercing helps to relieve chronic headaches by activating an acupuncture point in this area. However, as mentioned, there is absolutely no scientific data to back this up, and experts agree that any relief felt is likely the result of a placebo effect. We recommend that you seek out the help of a medical professional to address any chronic pain rather than getting pierced.
Whatever reason you’re considering this look, the tragus piercing can be a fantastic addition to any style. As long as you’re able to commit to the significant healing period, there’s no reason why this can’t be the next piercing for you.
