Ear styling has become art in recent years, with celebrities like Rihanna, Zoe Kravitz, and Scarlett Johansson leading this big trend.
If you are thinking about getting a tragus piercing, this article will provide you with all the information you may need, including tragus piercing jewelry, benefits, pain, healing, cost, cleaning, and so on.
1. What is a tragus piercing?
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According to Stephanie Anders, a specialist who’s worked with celebrities like Jeniffer Arniston, Cameroon Diaz, and Jessica Alba, unlike the daith piercing, the tragus piercing goes through a small part of the ear that attaches to the side of our face and protrudes into the ear’s center, partially covering the ear canal.
2. Tragus piercing pain
How bad does a tragus piercing hurt? It should not be that much. You may feel a pinching pain as the needle goes in. In fact, you’ll feel lesser pain compared to other types of ear piercings, as the tragus is composed of a thin, flexible layer of cartilage, and there’s little muscle tissue and minimal nerves that could cause pain compared to other ear parts.
However, tragus piercings can be uncomfortable or even downright painful if done by an inexperienced person. As with most piercings, the amount of pain you may experience varies between individuals.
3. Tragus piercing healing time
How long does a tragus piercing take to heal? A tragus piercing, like most other cartilage piercings, can take up to six months to completely heal. However, this is a rough estimate since some individuals can take a longer or shorter time to heal.
However, if you do not experience any infections or inflammations on the pierced section, then the chances are that you are on your way to a complete recovery.
4. Tragus piercing price
How much is a tragus piercing and where to get tragus piercing? While it depends on where you are located, getting this piercing from a local piercer probably costs less than $50.
5. Tragus piercing risk
Piercings are puncture wounds, and on top of this, you’ll also add a foreign object to your body. Therefore, the process is prone to some risks.
For instance, your ear may develop an infection, and since there are few white blood cells in this particular area, the infection may grow and turn septic.
There are also rumors about tragus piercings. One of them states that if the tragus is pierced incorrectly, then the chances are that one may experience nerve damage; however, Stephanie Anders says that that is not necessarily true, ‘While it is true that veins, arteries, and nerves run up and branch into the side of the face, piercing one in the ear is a very widespread myth’.
Infected tragus piercing
If you experience some of these symptoms, then the best thing to do would be to see your piercer or a certified medical specialist. You should see a professional if you experience swelling in the infected ear for more than 48 hours. You should also see a professional if you experience a warm sensation, inflammation, or redness on or around the pierced area.
Tragus piercing keloid
Keloids are caused by debris, dead cells, and harmful bacteria that build around the pierced area. If you want to prevent keloids, you could try using a saline solution to wash away any harmful bacteria, debris, and dead cells.
You could also consult a medical professional who can safely remove the keloid. It would be good to note that this isn’t a pimple, and it would be good if you don’t pop it as you would a pimple. Doing this could lead to potential infection, and it could be worse than having overgrown scar tissue.
Tragus piercing swelling
As stated earlier, you may experience some swelling on your tragus piercing. While this may be a natural healing process, the swelling should go down in 48 hours. If your swelling is accompanied by a growing warm sensation or inflammation, then it would be good to see a doctor.
6. Tragus piercing benefits
Astrid & Miyu square ball tragus barbell in gold $38, SHOP NOW.
Tragus piercings are associated with acupuncture, and having these piercings is believed by most to help provide certain health benefits, including preventing migraines and regulating appetite.
Tragus piercing for migraines
Does tragus piercing help with migraines? If you are thinking about getting a tragus piercing for migraine relief, skip over this section and continue reading in the next section, as so far, scientific evidence points to these piercings only providing a placebo effect to minimize migraines.
The idea that tragus piercing will make your migraines better is based on the fact that there is an acupuncture pressure point located in the tragus which is fabled to defeat migraines. Rumor has it that constant pressure on this pressure point may reduce migraines. Unfortunately, it only provides a placebo effect.
Therefore, 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 tragus. 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 tragus piercing can even cause your migraines to increase in intensity.
Tragus piercing to regulate appetite and weight loss?
Some also believe that tragus piercings help boost the weight-loss process, as those piercings activate the pressure points that control our cravings and appetite. However, these beliefs have not yet been proven, and there isn’t any research that can back them up.
Astrid & Miyu sunbeam crystal tragus barbell in rose gold $46, SHOP NOW.
7. What materials are used in tragus-piercing jewelry?
There are three types of materials used when making tragus jewelry: gold, stainless steel, and platinum.
While gold may be more expensive, it is a better material for your tragus piercing than stainless steel. However, it would be great if you were more careful when choosing this material by ensuring that you get the purest form you can find.
You could also go for platinum as an alternative since it doesn’t contain nickel, which could irritate most users but has a similar look to stainless steel.
You could also go for stainless steel if you are sure that the metal won’t irritate you; however, it would be good to note that stainless steel jewelry contains nickel, which can irritate most people.
8. What gauge is a tragus piercing?
What size gauge is a tragus piercing? There are two sizes, the 16G and the 14G. The 16G is the standard and most popular size. It is also the most commonly used size during initial piercings.
A less common size is the 14G gauge, and it is usually used by individuals who like wearing oversized tragus piercing jewelry.
In this context, the gauge refers to how thick your tragus jewelry is. The thicker your jewelry, the smaller the number is. For instance, a 14-gauge tragus piercing stud will be thicker than an 18-gauge. This measurement is often written as 14G or 18G.
9. What are the different types of tragus piercing jewelry?
If you plan to get yourself a tragus piercing, the most exciting part you may be thinking about is the type of jewelry that would best suit you. If you are worried, you shouldn’t be because we will inform you about the most common 3 types of jewelry mainly used on tragus piercings.
Tragus piercing stud
Studs are small and simple tragus jewelry that works well. These types of jewelry tend to be tiny and are best suited for new piercings. Ball studs have smooth edges and are less likely to snag on hair or clothing, which makes them especially great for new-time tragus piercings.
They also come in different designs, with various shapes and sizes. It is excellent for both women and men. They are subtle, comfortable, and can be switched up with rings if you want your piercings to show a little more.
There are two types of tragus piercing studs, one with a flat backing and the other with a round bead on the back ends.
If your stud leaves a lot of space on the inner part of your tragus piercing, then you’ll be better off using a flat-backing. Flat-backed studs are also more comfortable, especially if you love using headphones.
Tragus piercing hoop or tragus piercing ring
There are three types of tragus piercing hoops: captive bead rings, seamless hoops, and hinged earrings. Hoops are also great for tragus piercings since they snuggly cling to your ear’s cartilage. They also complement the curve of your tragus naturally.
While most people go for simple, hooped jewelry, we have several other options to bring out more character, like using crystals, and gemstones or jazzing them up with more elaborate designs. What about these three types, you may be asking.
Captive bead rings
Captive bead rings have a bead that holds the rings’ ends in place. The rings and beads can be plain or decorative, depending on your taste. The ball or captive bead used is a little bit bigger than the ring, with slight indentations or depressions corresponding to the ring’s endpoints, which helps them fit snuggly.
Seamless hoops
Seamless hoops don’t have a bead connecting the ends. They are also simpler and sleeker than captive bead rings.
Hinged rings
Hinged rings lock onto your tragus using a hinged mechanism that secures them into place. These types of hoops are usually more expensive compared to those mentioned above. They are more secure and more prominent; however, they aren’t as commonly used as seamless and captive bead hoops.
Tragus piercing barbell
Barbell earrings commonly have balls on either end with a bar in the middle. Tragus barbells are often smaller than those commonly used for other body piercings and they are a great option, especially for people going for a brand new tragus piercing since they are easy to put on and are also easy to keep clean.
They also fit nicely around the cartilage’s outcrop and are great, especially if they are done right. One problem with tragus piercing barbells is that they are often too long, and they spin around, making you feel uncomfortable.
10. How to take care of a tragus piercing?
- Avoid exposing the pierced area to water or even contact by hand since this may introduce harmful bacteria that may cause an infection.
- Instead, change your pillowcases often and keep anything that may come into contact with the pierced area, i.e., scarves.
- Avoid earphones.
- Avoid using the pierced ear when talking on mobile phones.
- Avoid laying on it while sleeping.
- Avoid going to bed with wet hair.
- Avoid applying any ointments.
Tragus piercing cleaning
How to clean tragus piercing? Use a saline solution twice a day and clean it once you’re done taking a bath, as we need to ensure that there’s no soap residue left.
11. How to remove tragus piercing?
If you want to remove a tragus piercing, then you’ll need to press your finger against your ear’s back and push the stud forwards. Unscrew the ball in front, push it gently towards the back, and pull the flat back stud from the opposite side.
If this process proves troublesome, you could use some rubber gloves or some tweezers to get a firmer hold of the post in the back. The tragus often won’t come out because the piece rotates, and you don’t get to have a firmer grip, but you could always pull on it since the piece could be threadless.
Conclusion
If you are looking to get a tragus piercing, or have already got one (yay), then all you need is a few fantastic jewelry pieces to complement the look. We’ve recommended a few of the best tragus jewelry, including barbells, studs, and hoops that are sure to make you look fabulous. Feel free to browse through our selection and enjoy yourself.
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