Camille is the jewelry and lifestyle editor of the Joué.…
Whether you pronounce daith like “doth” or as if it rhymes with “bathe,” getting your daith pierced is a chic way to add a layer of filigree to your ear. The daith piercing is shrouded in mystery: What is the best jewelry for daith piercing? Are they really effective for migraine prevention? Does it hurt?
This is a question-and-answer guide to help you figure out exactly what you need to know before getting your daith pierced. From what exactly a pierced daith is to what to look for in daith earrings, your most important quests are answered.
If you have other non-lobe ear piercings, some of this information will be familiar. However, there are a few things important to know that are specific to this piercing. As an example, daith piercings are linked with migraine management.
What is a daith piercing?
The daith is located in the innermost whorl of your ear’s cartilage. If you trace your finger upwards along the outer edge of your ear toward your face, your fingertip will reach the daith right before it folds back into your ear.
Depending on the person’s style, daith earrings can look like hoops, barbells, or even hearts. Of course, like any piercing, the daith will need time to heal before it can handle more complex earrings.
For those familiar with acupuncture, the daith contains a pressure point that can be used to manage migraines. However, it takes a skilled acupuncturist to be able to locate this pressure point within the daith.
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How painful is it to get your daith pierced?
Like any ear piercing, getting your daith pierced does come with a little pain. Helix piercings — piercings on the outer edge of the ear — result in slightly less pain. Of course, how much it will hurt depends on how you tolerate pain. Generally, the daith is considered one of the more painful ear piercings.
How long does it take to heal?
Expect more time for your newly-pierced daith to heal than for lobe piercings. While it can take up to 36 weeks to feel painless, your ear will eventually feel normal again. For some people, it takes less time to heal all the way. Compared to other ear piercings, the daith is one of the longest to heal.
Snagging your new piercing during the healing process will lead to a sharp, blinding pain that is more intense than a bee sting. You may need to adjust your fashion until it has healed. Because this will affect which side you will be sleeping on for most of a year, it is a good idea to pierce the daith that would not be against your pillow.
Likewise, your piercing site getting infected can be very painful. To prevent infection, follow the cleaning instructions your piercing artist gives you, try not to play with your daith earring, and stick to surgical-grade materials at first.
How much does it cost to get your daith pierced?
While it depends on where you are located, getting this piercing probably costs less than $100. Because this piercing is a little more complex than a lobe piercing, it is advisable to pay a little extra and go to a reputable piercing parlor.
This is especially true if you are getting your daith pierced to help alleviate migraines. To get it placed exactly where the acupuncture pressure point is located, the person doing the piercing will likely need assistance from an acupuncturist.
Does daith piercing really make migraines go away?
If you are thinking about getting a daith piercing because you like how it looks and it might help with migraines, skip over this section and continue reading in the next section. Placebo effects are only effective if you are unaware that they are placebo effects.
The idea that daith piercing will make your migraines better is based on the fact that there is an acupuncture pressure point located in the daith which is fabled to defeat migraines. Rumor has it that constant pressure on this pressure point may reduce migraines.
So far, scientific evidence points to these piercings only providing a placebo effect to minimize migraines. If you are only considering this piercing for migraine prevention, you may want to look into other migraine-preventing options. It can be difficult to target the exact pressure point in the daith. Your piercing artist will probably require an acupuncturist to make sure it gets in exactly the right location.
In addition, if you are not enveloped in a placebo effect, getting a daith piercing can even cause your migraines to increase in intensity.
How do I care for a freshly-pierced daith?
Although the care for daith piercing is similar to many other ear piercings, you will need to take extra care to clean and sterilize your new piercing every day. Skimping on the cleaning can lead to an ear infection, scarring, and could even make it impossible to ever get your daith pierced again. The best advice is to follow your piercing artist’s care instructions.
Even though it is really tempting to play with a new piercing, it is important to keep your fingers off of it until your pierced daith is healed. If you do not, you risk getting keloid scars. These appear as unsightly raised bumps that are really complicated to remove. This is in addition to the risk of infection.
Until it is healed, you will experience sudden and intense pain if your daith earrings snag on anything. For this reason, part of the aftercare is to try to be aware of anything next to that ear. Yes, that even means that you may need to sleep differently until it is healed.
Are my ears shaped right to get a daith piercing?
If your daith is really flat, there is a possibility that a daith piercing may not be in your future. Of course, to know for sure, you should seek the advice of someone who pierces professionally. Keep in mind that these professionals are artists and may have different opinions.
What should you look for in daith piercing jewelry?
The best jewelry for daith piercing is the one that blends with your style. However, there are a few different types of commonly-used daith jewelry that you should know about before getting your daith pierced.
Shape is the first aspect you will want to look at before deciding which jewelry is right for your new piercing.
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Hoops are recommended until the piercing is healed. For a unique effect, some hoops are even shaped like hearts. After it is fully healed, you may be able to display an attractive barbell.
Daith hoop earrings do include a few different means of closure. Some are seamless, some have captive balls, and some click shut. After you have graduated from your first daith earring, you can choose which of these works best with your lifestyle and make it happen.
Material is the other criteria when searching for the best jewelry for daith piercing. Until the new piercing is healed, it is best to stick with surgical-grade metals. You can try experimenting with other metals only if you do not usually have adverse reactions to certain metals.
What is the best metal for daith piercing?
Similar to other piercings, there are lots of options to match your style. Of course, if you have allergic reactions to certain metals, you will want to avoid those metals. If you are not sure, a good rule of thumb is to start out with surgical-grade metals.
Some of these include surgical stainless steel, gold, silver, platinum, and titanium. There are lots of fun options even when you are limited to these metals. If you want to try flirting with other metals, this is best done after the piercing is fully healed to prevent infection, keloid scars, or painful allergic reactions.
Of course, there are numerous embellishments and stones that can be displayed on the outer part of daith earrings. It is advised to wait until your new daith piercing has healed before putting in more complex daith earrings.
Best jewelry for daith piercing?
Getting your daith pierced is a big commitment. You risk permanent scarring, infection, and sign up to endure a long healing period. However, it results in a gorgeous piercing that can add a layer of embellishment to your ears.
1. Daith hoop earring
14K solid gold daith earring hippie $98, SHOP NOW.
Hoops are recommended until the piercing is healed. Because it does take so long to heal, it may be a while before you are able to wear your ideal daith earring.
Simple hoop daith earring in silver $14, SHOP NOW.
Until then, even the simplest daith hoop earring is another layer to your curated ear. Waiting and enduring all that will make it feel even better when you finally get to wear your favorite daith earring.
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2. Captive bead ring
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While more detailed than hoops, captive bead rings are still simple enough to let your other earrings shine as a focal point. Unlike lobe earrings, a captive bead earring is difficult to put in and remove which makes it a longer-term accessory.
To put these in, you may need a professional’s assistance. To prevent infection, these need to be professionally sterilized prior to being inserted in the ear. It can be easy to drop or lose the captive ball if you try to put it in on your own.
Daith earring captive bead ring with fire opals $24, SHOP NOW.
Captive bead earrings do not have to be simple. There are some with eye-catching details like colored orbs, flower designs, or decorations that are the perfect complement to your style.
3. Heart shaped ring
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You may have heard the saying “putting your heart on your sleeve,” but heart-shaped daith earrings take that to a whole new level. They can close like hoops, captive bead rings, or without fancy closures.
Depending on what kind of heart earring you choose, these might actually offer less risk of infection. Of course, the possibility of infection increases with the amount of your earring’s detail.
Heart shaped jewelry for daith piercing can come with stones included or be simple metal heart outlines. The heart shape accentuates the ear’s curves and looks more natural when compared with simple hoops. If you like the idea of wearing a heart in your ear, you will fall in love with some of these heart-shaped daith earrings.
4. Clicker ring
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Clicker rings are some of the most decorative options for your new daith piercing. While they can be simple, clicker rings can also be embellished with gemstones or shapes. Like the name suggests, clicker rings click open or closed.
Due to their complicated design, daith clicker rings can be heavier than other options. Because of this added weight, they can be uncomfortable to leave in all the time and are probably best used only when your new piercing is fully healed.
A more complicated closing mechanism also means that there are more places for infection-causing microorganisms to live. It is important to handle your clicker ring only after you have washed your hands to help prevent infection or scarring.
5. Barbell earrings
Barbell earrings offer a way to combine simplicity and decoration. These come in three options: straight barbells, curved barbells, and circular barbells. The bar connecting the two ends offers simplicity while the dots at the ends can be nearly any pattern, gemstone, or design.
If any earring is going to snag, it is the barbell. For this reason, it is recommended only after your piercing has fully healed. With more surface area for infection-causing critters to survive on, it is very important to handle these only when your hands are clean.
Ears tend to be asymmetrical while barbells are symmetrical. This will lead to a barbell being more noticeable than other options like clicker rings or heart-shaped hoops. Because there are so many barbell styles out there, there is definitely one that will match your fashion.
Lastly, the best jewelry for daith piercing is what resonates with you. Deciding which daith earring to wear (after it is healed) is highly personal. As with any jewelry, there is no single “best” daith earring — only what fits you and fits your style.
Conclusion
As you search for the best jewelry for daith piercing, keep in mind that it takes most of a year for it to fully heal. It is best to keep it simple until then to avoid infection and the risk of keloids. After it has healed, you will be able to have lots of fun picking out which daith earrings work best for your style.
Thank you for reading this article on best jewelry for daith piercing, feel free to share your thoughts below or check other articles on jewelry that we have published.
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